Cricket 1902

420 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. Sept. 18, 1902. All readers of this column will join me in wishing the pair a most happy innings and a long partnership. An event of the rarest occurrence happened quite recently, the return match between two sides ending in a tie after the previous game had produced a similar result. Tho teams were Radley and Marcham (Berks.), and in the first match (at Wick Hall, Radley, on August 16th) each side scored 60, and in the return—at Marcham, on the 3oth ult.—the score was 75 all. In Australia in the season of 1884-5 two one-innings matches were played between the Union and Press clubs, and not only did each meeting produce a tie, but the scores in both games were identical, viz.. 32 v. 32. In September, 1891, the Motherwell Trinity Club played three conse­ cutive tie-matches as follows:—September 5th, v. Wesl* yans, each scoring 36 ; Septem­ ber 121h, v. Newmans, each scoring 36 ; and September 14th, v. Ross Ramblers, each scoring 66. On June 13th, 1885, the second eleven of Edgbaston played a tie-match with the second eleven of Sutton Coalfield, each side scoring: 54, and on the following Satur­ day, June 20th, the second eleven of Edgba?- ton played a tie-match against Tettenhall College, each side scoring 52, the former team thus playing two consecutive tie- matches. A match was played on May 19th, 1888, between the Limes (Greenwich) and Strathedan House (Blackheath) in which the Limes scored 52 and Strathedan House 41. The return was plnyed on June 9th, when the Limes again scored 52 and Strathedan House again totalled 41. The season of 1902 is now a thing of the past, the end being reached when stumps were drawn at the Oval yesterday at the conclusion of the match between the Aus­ tralians and the Players. Asa review of the season appears in another column, there is no necessity to dilate at length on the subject here. The Australians, as was only to be expected, practically monopolized attention, many inter-county matches which, in an ordinary season, would have attracted con­ siderable notice being almost passed over without comment. In summing-up the doings of the Australian team one can but repeat the opinion so often previously expressed, namely, that as an all-round combination it was exceptionally strong. 1n Trumper it possessed by far the finest bats­ man in the world—judging by the form shown during the season—and his feats of scoring as many runs as he did and not being once disposed of without a run, were extraordinary in such a year as 1902. On all manner of wickets and against all kinds of bowling, he proved the most reliable run-getter in the team, and it is to his efforts more than to those of any other player on the side that the success of the tour was due. At the commencement of the season the team laboured under a great disadvantage—how great was not really realised until afterwards —through Trumble’s inability, owing to an accident, to assist the side. As soon, how­ ever, as he was able to appear he met with quite sufficient success to warrant the remark made later in the season by Lord Hawke that he was the finest bowler before the public. In Noble, Hopkins and Armstrong there were three most capable all-round players, whilst in Duff the side had a capital man to open the innings with Trumper. For some considerable time it appeared as though Noble could do nothing right as a batsman, but as soon as he once began to make runs his bowling, naturally perhaps, suffered. Both in batting and bowling he was of immense service, though it would be an exaggeration to suggest that he is yet as great an all-round cricketer as George Giffin was in his prime. Both Darling and Gregory were somewhat disappointing as batsmen, and, if the same remark is made of Hill it is done, perhaps, because one cannot forget the extraordinarily fine form he had previously shown. Saun­ ders, whilst being occasionally erratic, accomplished many good performances. His action, however, was frequently questioned— not, I think, without good cause. The fact that he was not once “ called” throughout the tour practically goes for nothing, remem­ bering the action of the umpires in the matter concerning English bowlers in recent years. The captaincy of Darling, the wicket-keeping of Kelly and Carter, and the fielding of the team were all up to the usually high stand­ ard recent Australian cricketers had set up. The side, in short, was a very powerful one, though not so notable as either that of 1882 or the one of two years later. It may prove of interest to point out that if the matches played by the Australians against the various counties could have been included in the County Championship table, the Australians would have beenbelow Yorkshire, the figures being :— P*r- Plyd. W on. Lost. D nn. Pts. centage Yorkshire ... ... 25 .. 13 ... 1 ... 11 ... 12 ... f-5 71 Australians.......... 20 ... 12 ... 1 .. 7 ... 11 ... 84 61 In the five Test Matches England scored 1,646 runs for the loss of seventy wickets (average 23-51), and Australia 1,395 for seventy-two wickets (average 19*37). In the series of games England can therefore claim an advantage of 414 runs a wicket. In trusting to memory last week I stated that the body of Mr. Henry Arkwright, who was killed on Mont Blanc in 1866, was never recovered. The editor of Wisden’s Almanack kindly draws my attention to the fact lhat the body was found thirty-one years later—in August, 1897, to be precise—in a wonderful state of preservation. Peccavi! STREATHAM v. MR. G. E. BICKNELL’S X I .- Played at Streatham on September 13. M r . B i c k n e l l ’s X I. First innings. Second innings. A. H. Behrend, b E. J. Dob­ son .................................. 0 b Young ........... 7 H. F. Waller, b E . J Dob­ son .................. 2 not o u t................. 5 J. Stedman, c Field, b F e e n y .................................. 2 b Feeny ........... 2 G. E. Bicknell, b Feeny 3 b Wileman.......... 0 W . Waller, c Kerr, b E. J. Dobson .......................... 1 c Feeny, b Young 23 D. L. A. Jephson, b Feeny 6 cB . P. Dobson, b W ileman..........19 A. E. Waller, not o u t ......... 3 lbw, b Young ... 31 R. Bell, b E. J. Dobson ... 0 c Kerr, b Young 4 L. Forteecue, b E.J. Dobson 0 bW ilem an.......... 0 F. T. Bull, c Wileman, b F e e n y .................................. 2 b Young ...........10 J. E. G. Hadath, b Feeny... 1 c E. J. Dobson, b Young .......... 5 Total .............. 20 S t b b a t h a m . Total .. 106 E. J. Dobson, b Jeph­ son ......................... 4 B. P. Dobson, c Fort­ escue, b Jephson ... 5 E. Field, b Jephson ... 13 D. O. Kerr, b Jephson 15 A. R. Wileman, b Jephson .......... 6 A . E. Fortescue, b Jeph^on ..................11 H. S. Barkworth, c Bell, b Jephson ... 8 E. P. Pulbrook, lbw, b Jtphs<n 0 W . H. F. YouDg, b Jephson .................. 2 R. Jiliings, not out .. 12 V. F. Feeny, c H. F. Waller, b Jephson 6 B 6, lb 3 .......... 9 Total .. 91 P ARSI CRICKET, with 27 Blustrations, by M. E. Pavbi.—A History of Parsi Cricket given in a lucid and concise form. Records and many memor­ able achievements of prominent Parsi cricketers, etc. Price, 4s.; post free, 4s. 3d.—Cricket Offices, 168, Upper Thames Street,.E.C. CRICKETERS’ FUND FRIENDLY SOCIETY. The following circular has been issued:— The Society has existed for forty-five years, and is registered under the Friendly Societies Act. There are about 160 members, all Professional Cricketers. The benefits are:— (1) Assistance in case of sickness or injury due to cricket. (2) Pension on permanent disability due to cricket. (3) Gratuity towards funeral ex­ penses. And the Society has paid, under these heads, since its foundation, some £6,200 to its members. But these benefits had some years ago, on actuarial advice, to be considerably reduced from the amounts originally contemplated when the Society was founded. Present subscribers, therefore, do not draw, when disabled, as large sick aud superannuation allowances as the first subscribers did. For several years past, except in 1897, thanks to the donations of several counties and cf some eighty honorary members, the Society has been able to show a surplus on the year’s working. But without these donations it would probably be necessary, in order to satisfy the actuaries, to further reduce the benefits. The advantages which the Society affords to Professional Cricketers are so great that it would be very desirable, should fufficient funds be available, to widen its operations ; and although a large proportion of the leading pro­ fessionals are already members, there are many qualified and deserving men whom it is very desirable to enroll. W il l Y o u H e l p t h e S o c ie t y by be­ coming a subscriber ? For further information apply to Mr. Henry Luff, 21, Cranbourne Street, Leicester Square, to whom subscriptions can be sent. (Sd.) W. E. DENNISON, President. V. E. WALKER ,' HARRIS, HAWKE, C. E. GREEN, Trustees. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. M. L e P oce P ow oe.— The match played by the Australians in Scotland is counted as first-clats, but cot the one played in Wales. The latter remark also applies to tbe match between Cambridge University and Liverpool and District. The book you require is “ England v. Australia,” by J. N. Pentelow, published by Arrowsrmth, of Bristol. Price 1 /i post paid. T h e t e s t m a t c h a t t h e o v a l , a u g u s t 11, 12 and 13.—Gilt Bevelled Idged Cards containing the Full Scores and the Bowling Analysis, forming a Handsome Souvenir of this Memorable Matcn, can be had. Price 6 d .; Post Free 7 d .; Of M e r r itt & H a tch e s , L td . (Printers of the 8.C.C.C. Official Score Cards), 168, Upper Thames Street, London.