Cricket 1905

A p r il 20, 1905 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD O f THE GAME. in the thin edge of the wedge, and bimeby we shall have the whole show ‘ otherwise arranged,’ and can be caught first bound by arrangement, or be allowed to chuck, or be out after making fifteen, and goodness knows what sort of a game it would be. But time’s pressing, and I have to attend a meeting of my club. So long, sir.” W. A. B. A SKETCH OF NORTH AM PTON ­ SH IR E CR ICKET . B y A lfr ed D. T a y lo r . The suggestion of the M.C.C. Advisory Committee that Northamptonshire should be promoted to first-class rank in the cricket world came as a surprise to those whose cricket knowledge is confined to the sacred pale of first-class counties. That the Northamptonshire men deserve recognition all who have followed the progress of the county team will readily admit. Since they entered the Minor Counties’ Competition nine years ago they have only suffered defeat on eight occasions, which is in itself sufficient proof of the all-round excellence of the team. During the past few years the team has accomplished many fine per­ formances, one of their most recent sensations being against Surrey II. last year, when after being in an apparently hopeless position they won by 47 runs. That cricket was indulged in within the borders of Northamptonshire when the game was in its infancy is evident from the following extract:—• ‘ ‘ The cricket match that was playedat Woburn Park on Monday (August 10th, 1741) between eleven gentlemen of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire and eleven gentlemen of Bedfordshire (His Grace the Duke of Bedford being engaged on one side, and the Earl of Sandwich and Halifax on the other) was won by the former. There was also another match played near Northampton on Saturday last by the same gentlemen, and the like success attended the united counties.” The Northamptonshire Cricket Club itself is an old institution, having been formed as far back as 1843. Particulars of the original club are naturally meagre, though it is evident, from the musty scores which have been preserved, that some glorious games were contested. On June 27th and 28th, 1856, a particularly keen game was fought at Northampton between Northamptonshire and Bedford­ shire, which resulted in a victory for the latter by the narrow margin of 10 runs, despite their insignificant totals of 66 and 59. The home team could only sub­ scribe 48 and 67, W. Hollis, who in later years acted as secretary to the club, being top scorer with 15. Mr. Hollis on that occasion kept wicket, though T. P.umb, the celebrated old county wicket-keeper, played in the match. Judging from the score, one is led to surmise that Plumb and C. Dean (a brother of the famous James Dean of Sussex) bowled un­ changed. At any rate, these two pro­ fessionals captured the whole of the wickets, Plumb securing nine victims in the second innings of Bedfordshire. Five years later we discover Northamp­ tonshire trying its strength with Hunt­ ingdonshire, but Northamptonshire could scarcely have placed a representative side in the field, as not one of the players who assisted the county on that occasion is known to fame. In 1865theGentlemen of Northampton­ shire met the Gentlemen of Warwick­ shire in friendly rivalry, both matches supplying material for discussion. The first game, played at Warwick on July 3rd and 4th, was decided in favour of Warwickshire by 4 runs only. Mr. Courtenay Edmund Boyle, of Ciifton, Charterhouse and Oxford fame, assisted Northamptonshire and had the honour of contributing the highest score of the match. The second match between the two sides was notable for the fine contri­ bution of 126 not out by the Bev. H. H. Gillett, a score that had much to do with the single innings’ victory which resulted. Hugh Hodgson Gillett had previously distinguished himself in batting and bowling, both at Winchester and Oxford. Chiefly through the energies of the secretaries of the Northamptonshire club, Messrs. Hollis and Butterfield, the United North of England X I. paid a visit to Northampton in 1870, but cricket in the district at this period must have been at a very low ebb considering that during the same year I. Zingari opposed fourteen Gentlemen of the county and had the best of an unfinished game. Messrs. H. Becke, T. S. Muddleman and F. Tebbutt in turn undertook the secretarial duties of the club, but failed to infuse interest into the game. The latter gentleman considerably increased the fixture list, and in 1873, his first year of office, the M.C.C. was opposed. The match was dropped in 1874, but it was subsequently renewed with success. In August, 1874, the United North of England X I. paid another visit to North­ ampton, where they opposed twenty- two of the county. The match was fought for the benefit of Thomas Plumb, and it is pleasing to record it a success for the veteran professional, who assisted the visitors. The following year the Yorkthire United played Eighteen of Northamptonshire on a new ground in Kingsthorpe Road, which had recently been prepared by Plumb and Langland. In 1875 the M.C.C. match was resumed, and on the Northants side we notice the name of Mr. James Phillips Kingston. The famous Kingston family, of whom seven have played for the county, have done much to further the interests of Northamptonshire cricket; but for in- dividvality “ J.P .” stands high above the rest of the Kingstons. From 1875 till 1892 he assisted the county regularly with the exception of a brief period when, owing to a regrettable incident to which we need not refer, Mr. Kingston and his brothers preferred to stand down. Educated at Abington House School, the nursery of Northamptonshire cricket, Mr. Kingston followed in the footsteps of such well-known players as J. H. Crosby, Charles and Herbert Pigg, and G. J. Gulliver. In the second year of his school captaincy he attained an average of 80 runs per innings, and we are told that even at this early age he hit Barnes and Oicroffc at Loro’s for 6 each. His five brothers, Fred, Harry, Charlie, Bert and Walter, were all proficient at the game, and pages could be written on their achievements with bat and ball. A fine bowling performance is recorded in the Northamptonshire v. M.C.C. match of 1876, J. Potter delivering ninety-two balls in the first innings of the M.C.C., and having but 3 runs scored from him. In 1878, owing to the exertions of the secretary, Mr. Frederick Thomas Teb­ butt, the Northamptonshire Cricket Club was reconstructed on a more popular basis and the committee, 20 in number, was extended to all divisions of the county. The racecourse at Northampton was the venue for play, and despite the action of a small body of freemen, who imagined that they possessed the freehold of the ground, to remove the club from this site, it continued playing there until it found a suitable ground of i's own. The programme was considerably extend­ ed iu 1878 and on June 17th the county of Leicestershire was first opposed. Return matches were also arranged with the M.C.C., and the Uppingham Rovers visited the town. More professionals were engaged and from that year North­ amptonshire cricket took a new lease of life. Out and home matches were played with Hertfordshire in 1881 ; Rutlandshire and the Australians in 1882; and Essex and Norfolk in 1883. Mr. T. H. Vialls, who has done so much for the game in the district, was appointed secretary in 1883 and held office to 1891. In 1886 the county played thirteen matches, nine of which were fought at Northampton. Lancashire were opposed in 1888, but the following year, owing to lack of support, the county engagements were reduced to five fixtures. In 1889 seven games figure in the statistics, though as a matter of fact they played eleven two-day matches and eleven one-day games. During 1893 Mr. J. Gaudern was elected secretary, and continued to hold office until 1898. He was succeeded by the present indefatigable secretary, Mr. A. J. Darnall, early in 1899. Iu 1896 Northamptonshire entered the Minor Counties’ Competition, the results year by year of the county’s doings in the second division of the County Champion­ ship being as under:— Year. Played. Won. Lost. Drawn. 1896 . ... 8 ... ... 2 ... ..v 2 ... 4 1897 .... ... 8 ... ... 1 ... 2 " , ... 5 1898 .... ... 8 ... ... £ ... I ::: ... 4 1899 .... ... 10 ... ... 3 ... ... 0 ... ... 7 1900 .. . ... 14 ... ... & ... ... 0 ... ... 11 1901 .. . ... 12 ... ... 4- ... ... 1 .... ... 7 1902 .. . ... 12 ... ... 9 ... ... 1 ... 2 1903 ... ... 11 ... ... 9 ... ... 1 ... !!! i 1901 .. . ... 12 ... ... 10 ... ... 0 ... 2 In 1899 and 1900 Northamptonshire tied for premier petition, and during the last two years the team has emerged at the head of affairs. In 1901 the competition received the official recognition of the M.C.C., and a new system of scoring