Cricket 1903

CRICKET, SEPT. 10, 1903. “ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toll.”— Byron. *ro. 04 5 . v o l . x x i i . THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 1903. p r i c e sa. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. TOM SHERMAN. Bom at Mitcham on December 1st, 1827, Tom Sherman, in his seventy-sixth year, is to have a match played for his benefit on the village green on Septem­ ber 19th. He played for Surrey in the early days of the Oval, and was also a highly valued member of the United and All England elevens. He was coach at Harrow, Eton, Winchester, Rugby, Ton­ bridge, and also at the preparatory school at Farn- borough, where among his pupils he numbered the present Duke of Leeds (then Lord Carmarthen), Lord Dudley, and Lord Cadogan (then Lord Chelsea). Doubt­ less there are many others of his pupils who will be glad to have an opportunity to subscribe towards the old gentleman’s benefit. Sher­ man was one of the origina­ tors of the Fund which is now known as the Cricketers’ Fund Benefit Society, but now in the evening of his life he derives no advantage from it because the original fund was reconstituted after he had subscribed for many years. This is unfortunate, and seems hard, but perhaps itisnot too late for something to be done. It is certain that if anything can be done the popular honorary secre­ tary of the Fnnd will see into the matter. Sherman was a fine all­ round player, but his name will go down to history as a very fast bowler, one of the best of his time, when the arm was not raised above the shoulder. Once in his life, and once only, he was no-balled. He was plajiog at Lord’s, and Caldecourt, who was standing umpire, no-balled him twice. “ It wasn’t a right thing to do, perhaps,” said Sherman, ‘ ‘ but when i saw that Caldecourt meant to continue to call me I threw the ball down, and went off the field. But the Hon. F. Ponsonby and the Hon. Robert Grimston came up to me and asked me to go on. I said that I would willingly do so, but not if I were to be no-balled again. I returned and continued to bowl, but was not again called. A few days afterwards Mr. Grimston, Mr. Haygarth, and Mr. Ponsonby came and stood close behind me when I was bowling at the Oval, and Mr. Grimston said to me afterwards, ‘ We say you are a perfectly fair bowler, Sherman.’ ” In his time Sherman must have hurt a good many men by his bowling, but he has suffered himself. He has had the misfortune to break the same finger three times during his career. “ The first time,” he said, “ was on the Mitcham ground, when Tom Sewell was bowling, but after I had bound it up I played all through the match. I forget when I broke it the second time, but the third time was when I was standing point in a match against Sussex. Killick, a left- handed batsman, drove a ball tremen­ dously hard to me and it just caught on the top of the finger. I bowled all through the match after I had bound up the finger, but I didn’t much like it. But there were a great many accidents in those days.” Of his early history Sher­ man said:— “ I have lived at Mitcham all my life, except during the summer season while I was playing cricket, and a short time when I went to Dartford at fifteen years of age. The first cricket match that I remember playing in was when I was between four­ teen and fifteen. I played here for Mitcham against Banstead, and I recollect that the other side very nearly refused to play be­ cause they said they didn’t want to have to bowl at small boys. Butltooksevenwickets for a few runs, and it was this that won the match. In the return at Banstead Jim Bailey and I got rid of the whole side for thirteen; he was a Surrey man, and also played for the M.C.C.” “ Did you play when you lived at Dartford ? ” “ I played, but I never did anything worth notice. After I left there Mr. Charles Hoare used to drive me in his trap to all his matches to play for him. I was sixteen years old then. After this he took me to the Ovel when the ground was opened, and Mar- tingell, Brockwell, Chester and I were the four bowlers. There was no Surrey eleven at that time, but we used to play for Mr. Charles Houghton. One of our principalmatches was Right Hand against Left. One of the earliest matches of