Cricket 1903

474 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. Deo. 31, 1903. W h e n he was over here with the last Australian team, A. J. Hopkins showed himself on several occasions a batsman of great power and variety when he onc9 got set. This season, in club cricket, so far he has been keeping up his reputation well. In four innings for North Sydney up to the middle of November he had scored 406 runs. In his fourth innings, which was against Central Cumberland, he made 183 out of 494 runs for nine wickets. With R. N. Hickson (93) he put on 234 for the second wicket in an hour and a half—the whole total, indeed, only occupied three hours and three-quarters—a performance of much greater merit considering that among the bowlers of Central Cumberland were W. P. Howell, the great Australian trundler, and L. W. Pye, of New South Wales renown. O ne of the very few county clubs to rise superior in its finances, at all events to the dismal surroundings of an abnor­ mally depressing season, the Surrey C.C. will be able to show a respectable balanca of nearly £300 as the result of the year’s working. When it is remembered that in addition to the match receipts, which exceeded the expenses by close on £700, the match between the champion county and England produced a nett profit of nearly £240, which was equally divided between the Cricketers’ Fund and the London Playing Fields Committee. The experience of the year’s cricket at the Oval, from the standpoint at least of the public’s support, can only be regarded as eminently satisfactory. OBITUARY. M r . J oh n E d w a n d K e r s h a w . Yet another Lancashire cricketer has passed away. Mr. Kershaw, who stood 5 ft. 7 in. in height, and weighed 10 st. 7 lb,, was born at Heywood in Lanca­ shire on January the 12th, 1854, and in the end succumbed to consumption. He was educated at Eccleshall College, New- bourne Park, near Sheffield, and first appeared for his native county in 1877, which he last represented in 1885, though his name does not appear in the records of Lancashire cricket in 1881, 1882, or 1883. In 1877, his first year with the county, he made 66 against Sussex at Old Trafford, being selected to open the batting with Barlow in the absence of Mr. A. N. Hornby. His runs were made out of 94 while he was in against Fillery and James Lillywhite, and included six 4’s and four 3’s, his side being victorious by an innings and 31 runs. This, as it proved, was the highest score of his career in first-class cricket. In the same year he made 21 v. Yorkshire, and the same number in the return with Sussex. It is interesting to point out that on the occasion of Mr. Kershaw’ s 66 Mr. A. G. Steel, then a boy at Marlboro’, signalised his introduction to first-class cricket by a splendid innings of 87 in the same match. In 1878 Mr. Kershaw helped Lancashire in ten matches as against six in the previous year, and though his average dropped from 16 to 13, he showed some good form. Thus against Derbyshire at Old Trafford he made 34, tying with A. N. Hornby as highest scorer in a bowler’s match. His innings included a very fine leg hit for 5 off Hay. In the following match with Kent he was even more successful, going in first down and playing finely for 51. He and Hornby accounted for no less than 119 of the 166 scored with the bat in Lancashire’s first innings. A singular feature of the match, which Lancashire won by nine wickets, was a characteristic 41 from the bat of C. A. Absolom, made out of a second Kentish total of 63. Against Yorkshire Kershaw “ rattled up 24 in quick time,” and also made a good 27 against the first Australian team, both on the Old Trafford ground. His highest innings in the next two years was only 21 against Derby­ shire in the terribly wet summer of 1879. After three years’ absence from the team he reappeared in 1884, when his best effort in four matches was his 41 and 23 against Cheshire at Stockport. In 1885 he played but twice, and did not “ come off.” Mr. Kershaw is described in Lillywhite as a “ good but uncertain bit, and a middling field.” He was a contemporary in the Lancashire eleven of Mr. A. N. Hornby, the brothers Steel, W. S. Patter­ son, A. Appleby, Y. F. Royle, McIntyre, Watson, Barlow, and Pilling. J. B. P. M r . R ic h a r d C l a y t o n . Mr. Richard Clayton, who died recently near Newcastle, was in his time a generous supporter of country cricket, and was sixty-four years of age at the time of his death. He played for Harrow v. Eton in 1858 in a team which included R. Lang (afterwards the famous Cambridge fast bowler), H. M. Plowden, and A. W. T. Daniel. His cousin, W. C. Clayton, who was accidentally killed at polo, and was one of the founders of the “ Perambulators” at Cambridge, made 34 in the same match, which was the highest individual score iu a game which Harrow won by an innings and 7 rnns. Scores and Biographies relates that the match “ was played out in tremendous rain, and in the second innings of Eton the Harrovians were literally drenched to the skin.” It had been previously arranged that the match “ shouldcontinue in all weathers.” J. B. P. (JTorrejJponUcnce, The Editor does not hold himself responsible tor the opinions of hiscorrespondents. SCOTTISH CRICKET. To the Editor o f C r ic k e t . D e a r S ir , —My attention has been drawn to a statement in your paper issued 26th. ult., which, I am glad to say, is inaccurate. It is that the Scottish District Championship scheme “ has been adopted in place of a proposed Scottish Counties Championship.” The Scottish Counties Championship is to go on this year, and there is no intention of dropping it, because the Counties who take part in that Championship, are quite agreed that the County is the only unit which will raise real interest in the game in Scotland. Last year a suggestion was made that a Midlothian County should enter the competition, and a conference was held with the Midlothian representatives, who were all of opinion that the formation of a County Club would mean the sacrifice of club cricket. The conference had the effect of leading the Midlothian repre­ sentatives to recognise that something must be done; hence the suggestion of a Scottish District Championship. At a meeting of representatives called to consider the formation of this Championship, it was strongly urged that Scotland should be divided into districts, and that the Counties in each of these districts should play one another, and the be it county in each district should play for the Championship of Scotland. This proposal did not meet with favour; but it is hoped that it will ultimately come into operation. I hope I have not trespassed on your indulgence, and am Yours faithfully, R. M acgreg or M it c h e l l , Sec., Scottish Counties Championship. Perth, Dec. 3, 1903. STRUCK BY A CRICKET BALL. A case affecting the liability of cricket clubs, says the Irish Field, was heard at Todmorden County Court by Judge Cad­ man. Mrs. Sarah Broadbent, wite of a Todmorden weaver, sued the committee of the Todmorden Cricket Club to recover £25 as damages for injuries sustained as a result of being hit by a cricket ball. The action aroused considerable interest in the district, being regarded as a test case. Counsel for the plaintiff said Mrs. Broadbent was walking along the high­ way in Burnley Road, Todmorden, on July 31st, when a ball was struck out of the defendants’ cricket field adj oining the highway and caught her on the left ear. She was cut and stunned, and had to be taken into a neighbouring house. Since then she had been under medical treat­ ment, and was still suffering from the effects of this injury. It had left her with dizziness, and she was unable to follow her employment. Counsel con­ tended that tbe cricket club were liable by creating a nuisance on the highway. People engaged in sport should be pre­ pared to pay for any damage they com­ mitted. The ball which hit plaintiff was struck in practising by Huddleston, the club’s professional, and he being a paid servant of the club, this made the club liable. Mr. Craven, for the defence, submitted that the ball being hit out of the field was a pure accident, and the committee of the club could not be held responsible. Every precaution was taken to prevent such accidents, their being a wall ten feet high on the road side. The players were practising at the nets at the time. He contended there must be some limit to the liability of committee men, other­ wise it would be a serious matter for them and clubs generally. After a lengthy hearing, his Honour said he would look up the legal authori­ ties to see if the committee were directly liable, and, if he fouud they were, the extent of their liability would be £12 15s.