Cricket 1904

J u n k 23, 1904. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME 211 BUSSEY’S “DEMON DRIVERS.” < C C B < * GEO, G. BUSSEY & GO Desire to inform Cricketers all over the world who may experience a difficulty in ob­ taining “ Demon Drivers ” that this difficulty arises in consequence of the ever-increas­ ing demand exceeding the supply. Eeaders of G e o . G . B u s s e y & Co.’s pamphlet, entitled “ Evolution of the Demon Driver,” are aware that a fea­ ture of the success of the “Demon Driver ” is due to a special process, occupying a long period, that the bats under­ go before leaving the works, and although there are always a large number of Bats under this treatment which could be placed on the market, G e o . G . B u s s e y & Co., in the interest of cricketers and their own repu­ tation, will not deviate from the system that has made the The Finest Bat the World produces. GEO.G.BUSSEY & CO, 36 & 38 QUEENVICTORIASTRELT, E.G. Manufactory— PECKHAM, S.E. Timber Hills—ELH8WELL SUFFOLK. AGENT8 ALL OVER TH E WORLD A T T H E S IG N OF T H E W IC K E T . By F. S. A shley -C ooper . James Iremonger, by scoring 272 for Nottinghamshire against Kent, on the Trent Bridge ground, on Thursday and Friday last, has placed to his credit the highest innings as yet played during the season in first-class cricket. During the week he missed obtaining two consecutive scores of 200 or more by eleven runs only, having made 189 not out against Middlesex, at Lord’s, on the previous Monday, when he carried his bat through the innings. His score against Kent is the twentieth of over 200 hit for Nottinghamshire, the following being the complete list:— 296, A. O. Jones, v. Gloucestershire, at Notting- hnm..........................................................1903 294, Gunu (J.),v. Leicestershire, atNottingham 1903 273, Gunn (W.), v. Derbyshire, at Derby.........1901 2/2, Iremonger (J.), v. Kent, at Nottingham .. 1904 26->*, J. A. Dixon, v. Sussex, at Nottingham ... 1897 267, Shrewsbury (A.), v. Middlesex, at Notting­ ham ........ ..................................... ... 1887 . 267, Shrews'ury (A.), v. 8ussex, at Nottingham 18^0 260, A. O. Jones, v. Gloucestershire, at Bristol. 1899 249, A. O. Jones, v. Sussex, at Brighton........ 1901 236*, Gunn (W.), v. Surrey, at the Oval .. .. 1898 230, Gunn (W.), v. Derbyshire, at Nottingham 1897 227*, Shrewsbury (A.), v. Gloucestershire, at Moreto^-in-the-Marsh .............. )886 224*, Shrewsbury (A.), v. Middlesex, at Lord’s 1886 219, Gunn (W.), v. Sussex, at Nottingham .. 1895 212, Shrewsbury (A.), v. Middlesex, at Lord’s.. 1892 210, Iremonger (J.), v. Kent, at Nottingham ... 1903 2o9, Shrewsbury (A.), v. Sussex, at Brighton ... 1884 207*, Gunn (W.), v. Derbyshire, at Derty ... 1896 207, Shrewsbury (A.), v. Surrey at the Oval ... 1882 206*, Gunn (W.), v. Sussex, at Nottingham ... 1887 *Signifies not out. Whilst obtaining his score of 272 Iremonger, like Quaife in the Warwickshire-Essex match at Edgbaston, took part in three separate stands of over a hundred, adding 189 with Gunn, J. (85) for the second wicket, 125 with Gunn, G. (41) for the third, and 113 with Day, J. W . (47) for the fourth. Although Iremonger distinguished himself so greatly, the honours of the match were carried off by Humphreys, who almost followed the example set by Seymour earlier in the season of mak- a hundred in each innings. It must be re­ membered that all the time Humphreys was batting his side was playing an uphill game, and that had he failed in either innings Kent would probably have been defeated. Scores of 97 and 131 would have been remarkable whatever the conditions, even on a ground so notorious forhuge run-gettingas Trent Bridge, but, when made for a side struggling against almost overwhelming odds, they stamp the player as a batsman of far more than ordinary ability. It may interest Humphreys to know that he is not the only Kent pla) er who has made 100 or more runs in one innings of a match, and has failed by a few runs only to do likewise in the other, for J. R. Mason made 98 and 147 against Surrey, at the Oval, in 1900, and F. Marchant 128 and 88 against Yorkshire, at Leeds, in 1896. By their brilliant victory over Worcester­ shire, Somerset have again achieved an un­ expected success. It would be impossible for anybody, no matter how thoroughly he examined the performances of the side, to predict with any degree of success how the eleven would porform in their various matches, for Somerset possess a team which may, in consecutive matches, fall a prey to the weakest of the counties, and gain a substantial victory over one of the strongest elevens in the whole country. Worcestershire, without being so strong as Lancashire or Yorkshire, are a side slightly above the average county strength, and so not one to be regarded lightly by any team. {Somerset deserve great praise for defeating by an innings and 114 runs, and dismissing for so poor a total as 64, the side which a few days before had scored 456 for eight wickets against Yorkshire. Braund has evidently come back to form, seeing that he obtained thirteen wickets and assisted Lionel Palairet to put up 119 for the first wicket. Cranfield, too, bowled with success in the second innings and, if the two players named can do as well in the match against Yorkshire, which commences to-day, it is more than possible that history will repeat itself, and that Somerset will gain another triumph over the great northern county. In any case, the telegrams despatched from Hull to-day will be read with much interest. The fielding displays given recently on some of the leading grounds have been far below the standard which should be customary so far as great matches are concerned. It is with pain one has to record the fact that Kent, despite their glorious traditions, have been great transgressors in this respect. At Nottingham their work in the field was very poor, and quite unworthy of a first-class side. In the days of the famous Kent eleven, of which Wenman, Pilch, Hillier, Felix, Alfred Mynn, Adams, and Dorrinton were the chief members, the greatest importance was attached to fielding, for it was recognised that saving runs was as great an art as mak­ ing them. Felix has himself spoken of the manner in which the Kent eleven performed in the field under the superior generalship of Wenman:—“ He had only to look, and we moved, like the stars obeying the dictates of a great centre. ” Keenness in the field makes weak bowling strong, and is as much responsi­ ble for winning and saving matches as good batting or good bowling. A cricketer, even if a fine batsman or bowler, is undeserving of a place in a county eleven if he is unable to show ability whilst fielding. The South Africans have clearly demon­ strated that when they have the assistance of Llewellyn they are quite as strong as the majority of the county elevens. The side is a very well balanced one, and, on the form already shown, should certainly win more matches than it loses. The most interesting match as yet played by the visitors was that which concluded so sensationally at Lord’s yesterday afternoon. Tie-matches in first- class cricket are extremely rare : how rare is shown that during the past ten years only two such results have been chronicled—the first when Surrey and Lancashire met at the Oval in 1894, and the second when the South Africans played Worcestershire in 1901. It is a remarkable fact that, prior to yesterday, no great match contested at Lord’shad resulted in a tie since the M.C.C. met a combined team of Oxford and Cambridge Universities in 1839. Bosanquet’s innings on Monday was one of the brightest and best displays seen during the season. He not only made his runs at a most opportune time for Middlesex, but obtained them in a very free and attractive manner. In partnership with Cecil Headlam he added 79 runs in 25 minutes, and so well did Hearne, the last man in, maintain the rate of run-getting, that the last 139 runs scored by the county were made in 57 minutes. The Editor regrets that the pressure of scores during the summer only allows him to guaranteeinsertion of scores of clubs arranging for publication of all their matches. A charge of Is. a match, with a minimum of 21s., is made for the insertion of scores. Odd scores are inserted at 2s. each if space permits. Scores must reach “ Cricket ” Offices, 168, Upper Thames Street, E.C., by first post on Tuesday following the match.