Cricket 1903

106 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A p r il 30, 1903. upon his last works now in the Eoyal Academy—three fine portraits—one of Lady Hicks-Beach, a very strong portrait of a judge, and another of a man equally strong. ------ A correspondent asks whether there is still in existence “ the deed of trust” by which the Duke of Dorset (1745-1799) gave Sevenoaks Vine to the town to be a cricket-ground for ever. He adds that the gift is mentioned in the writings of Haygarth, Pycroft and others. Perhaps some readers of Gossip can assist this “ seeker after truth.” W e s t e r n A u s t r a lia would seem to have a likely young batsman in Ernest Parker, who made a name first in South Australian cricket, by reason of his long scores for St. Peter’s College, Adelaide. Playing for East Perth, E. P. compiled 1,003 runs during the present season in fourteen completed innings, beating the previous record for this State by several hundred. Included amongst this total were scores of 246, 172, and 105. In addition to the above, he made 199 against a representative goldfields team. As Parker is but twenty years of age, he should have a brilliant cricketing career ; he has a variety of forceful strokes all round the wicket, is a magnificent field, and a fair change bowler. R obert A bel , who has been down at Ventnor for the last two months except for one flying visit to London, returned to town again yesterday, recuperated by the genial atmosphere of the Isle of Wight. Now that the weather has at last taken a turn more suggestive of the ethereal mildness of spring, the condition of the Guv’nor has improved wonderfully. He is, indeed, now looking forward quite hopefully to taking the field again for Surrey at a very early date. He will be sure of a hearty welcome when he does. S ir J o h n M a d d e n , Chief Justice of Victoria, utilised the occasion in pro­ posing the toast of the English cricketers at the dinner given by the Melbourne C.C. to Mr. Warner’s team to pay a high tribute to the character of cricket as an educational force:— “ It was,” he said, “ not difficult to main­ tain that cricket had made more men, and ruined fewer—in pocket, health or character than all the other games put together. It ■was the game that embodied all those qualities they most admired in Englishmen— taking the name in its general sense—above all, that loyalty which men owed to each other to fight together through good and ill fortune.” “ Bully for you, Sir John !! ” T he trial match at the Oval this week must have been, to some extent, satisfac­ tory to the executive of the Surrey County C.C., to judge by the fact that two of the youngsters who showed up best are to undergo the test of a first- class match. F. Mclver Jackson, the left-handed bowler, who is now on the ground staff at the Oval, will have a £ lace in the Surrey eleven to oppose the ondon County C.C. at the Crystal Palace to-day. Montgomery, who played a fine innings of 90 not out for the six­ teen, one hears will play for the opening Inter-County Match of the Surrey season, which will be against Warwickshire at the Oval on Monday. Montgomery, who has played for the Second Eleven, was tried once ia the early part of last season for Surrey. As he is also a useful bowler and good field, he should be of use. Both these youngsters, it is worthy of remark, are Surrey bom and bred. T he following were the gate receipts at the chief matches at Lord’s last year, as compared with those of 1901: — 1902. J901. Oxford v. Cambridge................£1100 13 0 ... £1148 Eton v. H arrow ........................ 1165 2 6 ... 1538 Gentlemen v. Players................ 474 18 6 ...792 M.C-C. and G. v. Australians... 784 8 0 ... — •Other Matches ....................................8'51 6 ...916 T o'als.................£4350 3 6 ... £4394 • Not including Test Match. B. A. Du FI-’ gave his trusty mate, Victor Trumper, the go-by thoroughly in the match between New South Wales and Mr. P. F. Warner’s team at Sydney at the end of last month. B. A. has done so many good performances with Trumper that it must have been quite a relief to have one with another batsman as his chief aid. A. J. Hop­ kins this time was his associate, and in the second innings of N.S.W. he helped Duff to put on 236 for the eight wicket. Hopkins was in two hours and ten minutes for his 133 with only one chance, and that a hard one. Duff’s 194 occupied him four hours and thirty-five minutes. How fast the New South Welshmen scored can be judged when it is added that when 400 went up the innings had lasted four hours and five minutes. S ir W il l ia m B u s s e l l , B a r t ., who had to give up the secretarial work of the Incogniti C.C. last summer, owing to his duties in connection with the Coronation, has resumed the office of honorary secretary which J. E. Baven kindly took over for him in 1902. The Incogs, play their first match to-morrow at Bickley against Bickley Park. The Western Tour extends from July 31st to August 15th inclusive. This is fol­ lowed immediately by the Southern Tour, which, according to the card, at present consists of five fixtures, ending on August 27th with the finish of the match against the Eastbourne Club, at East­ bourne. A t the annual general meeting of the Surrey County C.C., to be held at the Oval next Thursday, the c jmmittee will be able to report that a sum of £3,382 odd has accrued since the accounts for 1902 were made up. It represents a life policy of £2,500, whioh came into the possession of the committee when the underlease of the Oval was purchased some thirty years ago, with accumulated bonuses amounting to £882. The policy was on three lives, the last of which was that of Mr. F. C. Penrose, for many years architect of St. Paul’s, one of the best Cambridge oarsmen in the early days of the Inter-University boat race. A fter his return to England from South Africa, where he had been coach­ ing the St. Andrew’s College X I., at Grahamstown, W. A. Woof, the old Gloucestershire professional, received a testimonial from the college. This took the shape of a jackal skia rug and the following address:— Caama Kaross. Presented to W. A. Woof’ of Cheltenham, upon his return from South Africa, by the boys of St. Andrew’s College, Grahamstown (Principal, Dr. McGowan, late of Cheltenham College), as a token of their esteem and a memento of the success of W. A. Woof’s coaching of the elevens, who did not lose a single match during the season. A t the annual meeting of the Gloucester County C.C. it was stated that in conse­ quence of the increased annual subscrip­ tion about two hundred members re­ signed. The loss on last year’ s matches was £398, although there was a bonus of £195 from the test matches. G. L. Jessop made a short speech, in which he said that he thought last season was looked upon in a very gloomy manner; but, though they hid a certain amount of very bad play, they had bright moments. He agreed that the fielding was not a credit to the county, but pointed out that in the previous five years it could be compared favourably with that of any county. T he income of the Northamptonshire County C.C. last year was £1,110 6j., and the expenditure £1,116 2s. 8d. At the annual meeting Lord Lilford was elected president. The secretary, Mr. A. J. Darnel], stated that Mold would probably be in the team this season. A t a meeting of the club3 playing on the St. Quintin Ground of the London Playing Fields Society, the following proposal was carried unanimously: — That the best thanks of the various clubs playing on the St. Quintin Ground are hereby tendered to the Committee of the London Playing Fields Society for theprompt action they have taken in obtaining other pitches for the various clubs disturbed, and also for the generous way in which the com­ mittee propose to meet the difficulties caused by the shifting of pitches. S H E F F IE L D S H I E L D C O M P E ­ T IT IO N , 1902-3. The Sheffield Shield competition this season having been concluded, statistics covering that special series of matches are given in this issue. From the New South Wales point of view, the result is quite a happy one, the team, as in the previous season, winning all its matches. When it is remembered that S. E. Gregory, F. A. Iredale, and L. O. S. Poidevin were not available, the per­ formances would seem to be still more satisfactory. But its strongest rivals, the Victorians, were placed at even more serious disadvantage by the absence of H. Trumble, J. Worrall, and C. E. M’Leod, two of whom so often bore the brunt of the work with the ball, and all of whom many times [proved staunch