Cricket 1903

A ug . 13, 1903. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 345 the larst four overs they’ve ony made two runs, and allowed two maidings.” Railway Porter: “ So they hev. So they hev. But if you wos a Surrey man, which you ain’t, you would think as they wos a-BCorin’ much too farst. Blow me if you wouldn’t ! And they’ll let out in a minute or two, you see.” (An interval of 15 minutes elapses, and Walker goes on to bowl, four 4’s being hit off bis first over.) “ Might I arsk if you’re satisfied now with the rate of scorin’ ? ” Postman: “ You’v e ’it it to a T. That’s jes’ wot I come for.” AFTER having all the worst of the game in the first innings against Berkshire, Oxfordshire played up so well in the second innings that they ended by mak­ ing a tie. Berkshire eored 155 and 80, and Oxfordshire 89 and 146. Provision has been made for a tie in the second- class championship, and each side scores a point and a half. A ft e r the first day’s play in the match between Surrey and the Gentlemen of Philadelphia, a dinner was given at the Oval in honour of the Americans. In the course of the evening Lord Alverstone, the President of the Surrey County C.C., and also of the M.O.C., made a speech, in which he said that:— 1 ‘ This was the second time he had had the pleasure of giving the toast of ‘ ‘ The Gentle­ men of Philadelphia,” the honour of doing so having fallen to his lot at the banquet given the visitors at Lord’s. The members of the team had expressed a wish to visit his Court, but they soon seemedtobe satisfied with what they saw. By the way in which they quickly disappeared, he was convinced that the cricketers from Philadelphia preferredthe fresh air to a Court of Justice. He had heard all sorts of rumours about the team, how some had been walking about with bare lips and others with flowingmoustaches, vow­ ing on the one hand not to shave untilthey had scored an innings of a hundred runs, and, again, not to let a hair grow before they had accomplished that feat. No doubt that was not all true, but, to get to business, he wished to congratulate the Gentlemen of Philadelphia on the way in which they had played the national game of cricket. He meant what he Baid when he looked hopefully for the time when they would be in a position to send out a challenge to All-England.” Dr. L ester replied for the visitors and said that his first duty was to express the regret that he and all his colleagues felt that one familiar face was missing, viz., that of Mr. C. W. Alcock. That gentlemen had acted as their spokesman in all the arrangements they had made. Mr. Alcock had indeed gone out of his way on many occisions for the benefit of his team, and they owed him a debt of gratitude most difficult to pay. He and the rest of bis team were, however, con­ soled to a certain extent with the news that Mr. Alcock was on the high road to recovery.” D r . L ester added that even in the rush of American life there was room in the States for what they were sometimes pleased to call a slow game, and what gave him more pleasure was the fact that cricket in Philadelphia had advanced considerably, chiefly owing to the good done by their visits to England. He hoped they would be able to profit even more by the experience gained on this side. The visit had been one long round of pleasure, for everywhere they had been received in the most cordial manner, and he was sure every member of the team would look back on the trip with unbounded satisfaction. L ord A lverstone , at the end of the evening, referred to Mr. Alcock and Robert Abel. He asked the company to drink to the health of two old friends, one in the room and another absent. The latter was their respected secretary, Mr. C. W. Alcock, and the man in the room was Bobby Abel, popularly known as the “ Guv’nor.” He, the chairman, was rejoiced to see that there was every pros­ pect and hope of the recovery of their secretary and the return to health of the “ Guv’nor.” No one knew how deeply the committee sympathised with both me . J. s. jobson (Capt. of the RoBsall School X I.) Mr, Alcock and Abel, and when the last- named thought himself well enough to play again, there was a place for him in the team. A ll ’ s well that ends well, and both Middlesex and the Gentlemen of Phila­ delphia may congratulate themselves on winning their matches on Saturday. But Middlesex delayed the declaration of their innings until they had a lead of 372, with only two hours and a half more to play, and apparently the captaiu considered that it was better to allow Douglas to reach his second hundred than to try to win the match. But as things turnedjOut Gloucestershire crumpled up in the most unexpected manner. The Americans who did not attempt to score quickly for some time, might perhaps have risked a little more than they did by declaring some­ what sooner, and as it was they cut things very finely indeed. I t is very seldom that a more com­ plete surprise awaits spectators than fell to the lot of those who were at the St. Lawrence Ground at Canterbury last Saturday afternoon. Kent had been making heaps of runs with the utmost ease, and when three hours remained "for play they declared, leaving Worcester­ shire a sporting chance of making 273 runs. With two Fosters in the team the task might possibly, with good fortune, have been accomplished. But on a very fast wicket Fielder was difficult to time, and before a run was scored he dismissed H. K. Foster and Caldwell. With two runs on the board he bowled R. E. FoBter, and when the total was twelve he dis­ posed of Arnold. After these sudden disasters Worcestershire tried in vain to stave off defeat, and they were all dismissed in a couple of hours. T h e success of Kent in the above match, and of Middlesex against Glou­ cestershire, points a moral to the effect that it is always best to declare an innings when enough runs have been made to secure reasonable safety to the side declaring. So many vastly sur­ prising things happen at cricket that a side may at any time crumple up when it goes in for the fourth innings of a match. Somersetshire made enough runs on Saturday to have declared with ease, but they preferred to bat the whole day, rather than field for an hour or so. In all probability Sussex would have easily played out time, but there was just a possibility that they would not do so, and the experiment of giving them the chance was at least worth trying. J o h n G u n n on Saturday followed the example set by Hirst, and brought his record of wickets for the season to a hundred, having previously scored a thousand runs. Other men who were within a short distance on Saturday of accomplishing the double feat were Braund with 999 runs and 106 wickets; Arnold with 963 runs and 108 wickets ; Rhodes with 858 runs and 134 wickets. Of these three men Braund and Arnold made their thousandth run yesterday. A m o n g the high scorers in club cricket one often at this time of the year comes across the names of well-known players who used to be prominent members of county teams. Of these C. W. Wright, the old Notts cricketer, has made 123 for the M.C.C., C. E. Currie (Hampshire) 140 for Kensington Wanderers, and W. G. Grace, jun., 161 for London County. M r. H. W i lk i n s o n , of Harrogate, who for Yorks II. made 81 v. Surrey II., and 53 v. Northants, and who is assisting the Yorkshire first eleven, was educated at the Western College, Harrogate, and afterwards went up to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, for which he scored very heavily. He was once chosen for the Seniors’ match, but by some mis­ understanding was unaware of the fact in time to appear, bsing already on his way to play for Yorkshire v. An XV III. a<j Bedale. Two or three years ago he