Cricket 1904

J u ly 21, 1904. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME 275 BUSSEY’S “DEMON DRIVERS. 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 Geo. G. Bussey & 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, Geo. G. Bussey & Co., in the interest of cricketers and their own repu­ tation, will not deviate from the system that has made the ? c * The Finest Bat the World produces. GEO.6.BUSSEY&CO, 36 & 38, QUEENVICTORIASTREET, E.C, Manufactory— PECKHAM, S.E. Timber Mllli—ELM8WELL SUFFOLK. A6ENT8 ALL OVER THE WORLD. A T T H E S IG N O F T H E W I C K E T . By F. S. A shley -C ooper . At the present time Lancashire are in the happy position of possessing an eleven which not only escapes defeat, hut also wins matches. From quite the commencement of the season it was realised that they were exceptionally powerful in hatting, but in many quarters it was thought that if they should have to play on billiard table wickets their bowling would not prove strong enough to dispose of opposing teams at a pleasantly-reasonable cost. Before Kermode had become qualified, the side possessed but three bowlers, which number is, in ordinary circumstances, not sufficient to enable a team to go through an arduous campaign with success. The inclusion of the Australian, however, made the team a very well-balanced one, and it is now, by universal consent, the one least likely to experience defeat in the County Championship competition. Whilst being so strong in bowling, it is in batting that the chief strength of the side lies, as a glance at the names of the players will enable one to readily see. In Tyldesley, who recently followed the example of Iremonger in scoring three centuries in consecutive innings, they can boast the finest batsman in the whole country, and one, moreover, whom it is always well worth going miles to see play. Although Lancashire have given so many fine displays this year, it would hardly be correct to place them on the same level as the Yorkshire team of a few years ago. The Lancashire eleven is probably as strong in batting at the present time as that of York­ shire has ever been, but to a person who is able to judge impartially it must be apparent that the bowling of the team which Lord Hawke so frequently led to victory possessed far more “ devil” than that which A . C. Maclaren now captains. The South Africans are to be heartily congratulated on their splendid victory at Lord’s on Saturday last, which will certainly cause the 16th of July, 1904, to be an important landmark in the annals of Colonial cricket. The eleven of England which took the field against them was a very strong one, and one which might have been relied upon to give a satisfactory display against the Australians—supposing such a team had been in this country. Yet from start to finish the South Africans always held the advantage, and eventually won easily by the large margin of 189 runs. One would not, of course, think of judging the South Africans from the same standard as the Australian team of 1902, but it must be candidly acknowledged that, since they were here in 1901, they have improved immensely, and are now capable of meeting a fully representative side of England without the prospect of receiving a severe defeat. When they next visit us, doubtless one match at least against the full strength of this country will be arranged. In their London fixtures the team have shown some fine cricket, beating London County at the Crystal Palace by ten wickets, playing a draw with the M.C.C., tieing with Middlesex, and deleating the England X I. at Lord’s. The huge scores made on many occasions this year in the fourth innings of a match are eloquent testimony to the ease with which runs can nowadays be obtained. Those players whose acquainlance with wickets has been limited to the billiard-table type so prevalent of late years can have no idea of the difficulties with which cricketers of a previous generation had to contend. The times, indeed, are not very remote since shooters were common at Lord’s, and that ground was by many players regarded as dangerous to bat upon. The famous Mr. Felix, of Kent, the most brilliant left-handed cutter the world has known, when appearing at Lord’s used to pad even his elbow ! No sane person would, of course, for a moment wish all the county clubs to provide pitches similar to those our fathers were content to play upon fifty years ago, but all true lovers of the game would doubtless welcome a change which would guarantee the bowlers not being so helpless as at present, and which would render impossible the absurdly huge scores occasionally chronicled. Without in any way intending to under-rate the ability of present-day players, one must acknowledge that many of the large innings so frequently recorded would not have been played had bat and ball been on an equality. Particulars of some of the chief instances of large scoring this year in the fourth innings of a match may be cited:— X I. Gents, of England v. I Zingiri, at Lord’s, June 8 : Set 41*2to win, I Z. made that number for four wickets, E. G. Wynyard scoring 147 E E Steel il l and B. J. T. Bosaoquet 66*. ’ M.C.C. and Ground v. Cambridge University at Lord’s, June 24 : Set 277 to win, M.C.C. won by nine wickets, Kanjitsinhji making 166*. Leicestershire v. Worcestershire, at Leicester June 29: Set 850 to win, Leicestershire won by flye wickets, King scoring 117*. Gents, v. Players, at Lord’s, July 6: Set 412 to win the Gentlemen won by two wickets, Kaoiit- sinhji making 121. ’ Oxford University v. Worcestershire, at Worcester July 9. Set 400 to win, the ’Varsity scored 403 for seven wickets, G. G. M. Bennett makini? 131 and J. E. Raphael 111. Warwickshire v. London County, at Coventry, July 16 : Set 390 to win, Warwickshire obtained 380 for six wicket8, Quaife (W. G.) making 123 . * SigoifUs not out. All of these performances were, of course very meritorious from a run-getting point of view, and are quoted merely in order to show how easy a task scoring has become, and how well modern wickets last. Pressure on space prevents more than a mere allusion being made to current cricket, which is, perhaps, as well, for several columns would be necessary for the matter to be dealt with at all adequately. The chief feature of this week’s play has, of course, been the score of 343 not out made by Perrin at Chesterfield at the expense of Derbyshire, who, it is pleasing to see, have not, as on a previous historic occasion, allowed their opponents to monopolise the run-getting honours when playing on that ground. It does not, by-the-way, appear to be generally known that Percy Albert Perrin was born at Stoke Newington, in Middlesex, and that he once played for Middlesex 2nd X I. Judging from “ W .G .’s ” success against the bowling of Alec Hearne, Keif, Fielder, Mead, and others, the time appears to be as remote as ever for him to give up playing in great matches. More power to him ! .Remembering that he was fifty-six years of age on Monday last, and that he first appeared at Lord’s as far back as 1864, his recent success must be considered altogether remarkable. For the fourth time during his career he celebrated his birthday by playing a three-figure innings, the previous occasions being in 1870, when he made 109 for the Gentlemen against the Players, at Lord’s—the match in which the famous Tom Hayward of Cambridge bowled down the wickets of W . G., C. K. Francis and G. F. Grace with succcssive balls—in 1876, when he scored 114 not out in Eichard Daft’sbenefitmatch between theNorthand