Cricket 1904

62 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A pril 14, 1904. cribed as one of the best amateur batsmen he had ever seen, was a prominent member of the famous Surrey team of the sixties; K. Elmhirst, who was always being told by his candid friends that if he could preach as well as he could play cricket he would one day become an archbishop, was a brilliant wicket­ keeper ; William Ridding, who also excelled behind the wicket, appeared with success for Winchester, Oxford, and the Gentlemen, and in the match against the Players, in 1849, stumped Joe Guy off one of Harvey Fellows’ terrific deliveries: E. H. Pick­ ering, a celebrated old Etonian, was once called upon so suddenly to bat in a Gentlemen v. Players* match at Lord’s that he was obliged to go to the wicket in clerical garb ; H. B. Biron, the first man to score as many as 200 runs in an innings in Sussex, and a pupil of Fuller Pilch, was for many years a valuable member of the Kent Eleven, both with bat and ball; and R. T. King, a great boxing enthusiast, was the most famous of points. The foregoing are tLe names of but a very few of the many clergymen who have achieved success on the cricket-field; the list could be considerably extended were there any necessity to do so. Canon McCormick, to whom reference has already been made, holds a curious record for one in Holy Orders, for he can state that he once gained the ver­ dict over Nat Langham, the only man who ever beat Tom Sayers. He has frequently been chaffed, in consequence, that he missed his vocation, and that instead of being a clergyman he should have adopted ‘ ‘ the Ring ” as a profession. Amongst cricket historians the Rev. James Pycroft occupies an honoured place, the Rev. Harold Aubrey Tate (at one time a very effective bowler) is a great authority on everything cricketical, and a walking encyclopaedia concerning the doings of “ \V. G .,” whilst the Rev. Robert Stratten Holmes, the author of the greater part of the official chronicle of Yorkshire cricket, is the proud possessor of one of the finest cricket libraries in the world. Whether cricket should or should not be indulged in on Sundays is a subject on which various opinions have been expressed, but it cannot be denied that the great majority of enthusiasts would prefer active participation in the game being confined to the six working days of each week. In past times, when the population of the country was far less than it is now, when each village was a small world in itself and had little intercourse with the towns even of its own county, and before the railways had spread an iron net-work in every direction, Sunday cricket was not only fre­ quently played on the village greens, but was commended by people whose opinion was entitled to respect and whose influence was great. The famous Dr. Parr, with his pipe and jug, used to sit on the green at Halton, in Warwickshire, on Sunday afternoons, watching his parish lads play at cricket, the absentees from church not being allowed to take part. The public-houses were deserted, and it is recorded that there was no better- conducted parish than the Doctor’s. In “ Our Village ” Miss Mitford,* who loved the game, gives a charming description of Sunday afternoon practice, every word of which, even at this distance of time, tempts one to quotation. In ‘ ‘ The Life of Charles Kingsley,” too, edited by his wife, mention is made of the fact that the Sunday after­ noons in his parish, Eversley, Hants., used to be devoted to cricket by the young men of • Somebody once remarked “ A pity Mr. Gale was not born earlier; then Le could h*ve mairied Miss Mitford.” —a statement about which “ The Old Buffer” has often chuckled. the neighbourhood. The “ muscular Christ­ ian’s ” remarks to his own son, anent the fact, was to the effect that the players, chiefly agricultural labourers, had no time in the week for the pursuit of the king of games. About 15 years ago Canon Benham, in the course of some very interesting notes on early cricket, referred in the following words to Sunday cricket being played in his native village :—“ There was always play on Sunday evenings. The young men used to take their bats and stumps to church and deposit them in the belfry till afternoon service was over, after which the adjournment to the field took place. I know a good many decent people who will say, *And a very good thing too.’ Well, this I think I may fairly say : They were dressed in their best, and very natty and respectable they looked in their white frocks and beaver hats, with their sweethearts to look on. It was a gala evening when the weather was warm and bright, and they were on their good behaviour, and I do not remember any riotous behaviour or drunkenness arising out of it all, any more than I have seen in the Champs Elysees on a Sunday evening; but I am decidedly in favour of the English quiet Sunday all the same. In the next village the old parson used to stand in his field, which adjoined the cricket meadow, and look on with interest, pipe in mouth. Many of my readers probably have heard the story of that most genial—if somewhat eccentric —Archdeacon down in the West, now a hale and lively old man of eighty-five or thereabouts, who went away for a Sunday, having entrusted his parish to a neighbour. When he came back, his friend reported : “ Capital congregation, and very well-behaved, but 1 am very sorry to tell you that after church they all went off to cricket.” ( To be continued). RELATIVE FORM IN TEST MATCHES. The foliowing comment on the relative form in the test matches are from the pen of “ Recorder ” of the Adelaide Observer : — It is j list as well that the Englishmen won the rubber before the Melbourne match, for in the game concluded so sensationally on Tuesday they had not a hope from start to finish. They were in exactly the position occupied by Australia in the second test in the Victorian capital. On the season’s play the honour and the ashes went to the side that played the strongest all-round cricket. When the M.C.C. team was chosen the opinion was expressed in these columns that England had the best chance which had pre­ sented itself to her for some time of winning the majority of the all-important fixtures. Her men played up to the reputation they held for bowling, and succeeded in the main object of the tour. The ashes were gained by Australia in 1897-8. They have been taken to the mother country twice and brought back safely, and between whiles Maclaren has essayed to lay hold on the ethereal prize, but failed. Now the Australians will have to seek to regain their laurels which they have worn for six years. And through the defeats suffered, there shines a brighter hope for the Commonwealth than could be discerned at the beginning of the season. The attack is much more reliable now, and were the series fought oyer again the finishes, even on the same wickets, would be much closer. It is a long time since an English team, or an Australian either, found a wet summer. The eool and damp weather assimilated the conditions more to the old world atmosphere, and the tourists were the better able to maintain their form. In addition they had the one bowler above all others who could do what he liked on the pitches affected by rain and sun. Rhodes was in form from first to last, and his performance in the second match indicated plainly his worth to the side. The altered climatic influences had not a little to do with the improvement that was noticeable in Hirst’s figures compared with his record in 1897-8. Bosanquet proved to be a capital change, and was, despite Braund’s one fine analysis, of more use than the Somersetshire man. Next to Rhodes Arnold was the best handler of the ball. Not much was seen of either Relf or Fielder, though it is doubtful if the latter would have been a success in any case. Foster’s big score of 287 in Sydney was a marvellous achievement, but he has done little since if we except the 49 just before he fell ill. Still, we know his value, and shall always respect him for his high attainments. Hay­ ward increased his reputation as a master of stylish, correct batting, but Tyldesley was disappointing. In fact, the whole record of batting is not so satisfactory as the bowling. Australia’s rungetting quartet had to do the bulk of the scoring, and when they were done there was not a reliable man to follow. Trumper continued the magnificent batting triumphs which characterised his tour in England in 1902, but he was bowled first ball in the innings in which he had his last oppor­ tunity of reaching 1,000 runs in the first-class season. He wanted only 9. Noble, too, missed the distinction by 51, despite his good year. He finished at 948. Duff and Hill have not done so well as expected, and though Gregory contributed one rattling innings he was not a conspicuous success. The selectors had a most difficult task, and their policy in bring­ ing out Trumble was not sufficiently repaid until the rubber had been lost. By his mag­ nificent bowling feat the tall Victorian has set the seal upon his career, which we may take it is now finally closed. Noble did not let himself go until the season was well ad­ vanced, and though Hopkins made an advance as an international bowler, he did not fill up the void caused by Howell’s deterioration. Saunders and Armstrong were probably out of form, and when it was too late Cotter turned up. The “ Glebe torpedo,” as he is named in Sydney, is, however, a young player of exceeding promise, and it is to he hoped that he will train on to the 1905 Aus­ tralian Eleven. There are several new candi­ dates for that combination, and South Aus­ tralia has her fair share. “ PATTISSON” LAWN BOOTS. S IM P L E S T ! MOST ECONOM ICAL. Used at LORD’S, The Oval, Crystal Palace, and in Royal Gardens and Principal Clubs at Home and Abroad. Soles of best English Sole Leather (Waterproofed and Motor Tyre Rubber. The “ F ie ld ” says : “ As good as anything that could be devited.” Dr. W. G. G ra ce writes: “ They are the best I have ever seen.” Mr. T. H e a r n e writes: “ The very thing wanted for years.” Mr. A pte d (The Oval) writes: “ The best I have ever used.” Mr. G oodw in (Liverpool O.C.) writes: “ To use them is to know their value.” Mr. J. M. Tboup (Head Gardener to H.M. the King, Balmoral Castle) writes : “ The set I had from you two years ago are as good as ever.” H undreds of T estimonials . H PATTI QCHlI Farm Avenue, l r M I I I O O U l Streatham, S.w