Cricket 1904

CRICKET, A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. JUNE 23, 1904. “ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. No. 663. VOL. X X III. THUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1904. p b ic e 2d. CHATS ON THE CRICK tT FIELD. ME. E. H . BUCKLAND . An old Oxford University and Middle­ sex cricketer, Mr. E . H. Buekland has been for many years a master at W in­ chester College. He was in the Oxford Eleven from 1884 to 1887 inclusive; he played at Lord’s for the Gentlemen against the Players in 1887 and 1888, and at the Oval in the former year, but was unable to play in first-class cricket after the end of May in 1888 until he represented Hamp­ shire in four or five matches several years later. One of his experiences is altogether out of the common run, and is perhaps unique; he has played four times against Yorkshire, and has been on the winning side in each match— three times for Mid­ dlesex and once for Hamp­ shire. Among many fine all-round performances, his best, perhaps, took place in 1887, when for O xford Uni­ versity against Surrey at the Oval he scored 148 and 12, besides taking two wickets in the first innings for 49, and five for 25 in the seojnd. Two other fine analyses of his stand out prominently, viz., five w ic­ kets for 19, for Oxford against Cambridge, and six for 17 for Middlesex against Notts in 1886, in the fourth innings of the match. In the latter match it came on to rain in torrents imme­ diately after the last wicket fell, and continued for the restoftheday. Mr.Buckland went to America in 1886 with the team captained b y Mr. W . E. Roller. He is a brother of Mr. F. M . Buckland, the old Oxford County cricketer. For fourteen years Mr. Buckland looked after the cricket at Winchester College, and it was under his care that such fine players as Messrs. J. B. Mason, H . D .G . Leveson-Gower, E .P . Lewis, the Oxford University wicket-keeper, and H . C. McDonell were brought out. “ Lewis is now in Central Africa,” said Mr. Buckland, “ and has a commission in the Devonshire regiment. It was only the other day that I heard from him. We have had a great many men in the Oxford University team — many more than in the Cambridge team, for most of the Winchester boys go to Oxford when they leave school.” “ What sort of coaching did you have at Marlborough ? ” “ Very little indeed. There was scarcely any chance of learning cricket when I was there, for there was no attempt made to let boys of the same age play together. The grounds were very rough, and nothing but natural ability or sheer luck could bring a boy to the front. On the other hand, there were advantages even in the methods which were in use in those days. Boys learned to rely on themselves because very little was done to help them uutil they got into the X X I I . They had to do their own fielding, and if they wanted nets they had to put them up themselves. There were no such things as the nets which are now in use. One only ha'1 a back net,and perhaps a small one on the off-side.” “ I am afraid that things are made too easy for modem cricketers,” said Mr. Buck­ land, “ and that too much is done for them. The con­ sequence is that young cricketers do not seem to have aB much stamina as is advisable. You cannot say to a young player on whom everything depends, that he w ill have to bow l for an hour and a -h a lf; he says, ‘ But I can't. I should be tired out.’ I think that there is a want of pluck and determination now-a-days, and the explanation of this seems to be that money is spent so much more freely now than it used to be, in order that boys may be spared any trouble whatever. A father has a professional to coach his son in the holiday 8, and as th e youngste r is never called upon to rely upon himself, he loses heart when he is confronted with difficulties.” “ In days gone b y ,” said Mr. Buckland, “ even first- class cricketers used to carry their bags to and from the railway station if the distance was moderate, but this simplicity did not last, and I remember that once a caricature of me appeared in the Pall Mall because I used regularly to carry my bag from Lord’s to St. John’s W ood after the Middlesex matches, so amused were people that such a thing could be done in broad daylight. My MR. K. H. BUCKLAND. * (From a photo by H. W . Salmon, Eigh Streetf Winchest*