Cricket 1906

178 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME J une 7, 1906. with Little Lever found him at the head of the batting averages, a decimal above Tyldesley, with Hallows third. The Lancashire authorities rarely overlook a young cricketer in their midst with anything of a record. They did not in his case, to judge by the fact that he was asked to play for the second eleven of Lancashire v. Twenty-one Colts at Old Trafford in 1896. He came off with flying colours, too, as a batsman, being top scorer in his only innings with 83, although, curiously enough, tried mainly as a “ stumper.” Ill-health took him to Australia in 1901 for a trip which was prolonged till 1903. During his two years out there the Melbourne Club showed him great kindness, including the privilege of its honorary membership, a courtesy, by the way, it hospitably extends to most cricketers from the old country. In a great measure, through the good offices of Mr. Frank Laver, the manager of the last Australian team, he was also made an honorary member of the East Melbourne Club. For this compliment the Bast had a good return, as in the four matches he played for them he was only once out, with 84 not out as his best score. Fortunately for Northamptonshire on the occasion of its introduction to the first-class County Championship last summer, Mr. Pool was able to play in most of the matches. How valuable his services were can be judged by the fact that he came out a long way ahead in the batting averages. In his second knock v. Hampshire at Northampton, early in July, he was in three hours for his 11 0 , an innings which elicited from Wisden’s Almanack the high praise that only one bad stroke could be urged against him. Though out to Wass’ bowling without a run in each innings of the Notts’ match at Northampton last week, he had already shown that he was in his best form this season—witness bis fine score of 166 v. Worcestershire a fortnight or so ago. In referring to bis capacities as a bats­ man, one can only regret that he is not of stronger constitution. With every advantage of height, it only needed a more robust physique for him, given, of course, the ordinary opportunities, to make for himself the highest possible reputation. As it is, he is a singularly attractive player to watch, with a great variety of strokes. He is a fine upstand­ ing bat, and, in addition to capital defence, is strong all round the wicket, the.ugh his wrist play is perhaps themost effective point of his batting. rather too well, for it contains a few passages which almost clamour for the pruning-knife. But this defect, if such it be, can easily be remedied in future editions. The author is at his best, perhaps, in the opening historical chapter, and when discoursing upon “ Players of the Past and Present.” He tells many interesting anecdotes, including the follow­ in g :— “ I once saw Frank Sugg, the Lancashire slogger, clean bowled at Leicester. The ball flew from the top of the stumps and painfully hurt our wicket­ keeper. Sugg was making towards the pavilion when he gathered from the attitude of the umpire that some doubt existed in his mind. As a matter of fact, Lillywhite, the umpire, believing that the ball had rebounded to the bails from our wicket- keeper’s chest, had given the batsman ‘ not out.’ With truly astonishing coolness, Sugg grasped the situation. ‘ Brandy, brandy! ’ he cried out, waving his bat to the p'ayers on the stand. Sugg met the bearer of the liquor half-way, and came back to assist in the revival of our keeper who had been so badly cut over. Our wicket-keeper had suffered, but his agony was not greater than the surprise with which he saw the stalwart figure of Sugg bend­ ing over him. . . . Sugg batted on, but happily not for long.” Remarking upon the comparative merits of Richardson and Lockwood, the author ob­ serves :— “ Richardson would break back and bruise the batsman’s thigh, apologising with grave and sincere smile: Lockwood would break back and nip a piece of one’s thigh away, looking at one the while and wondering why the blind gods should waste so superb a delivery on mere flesh.” As was only to be expected, the advice ten­ dered by so practical and accomplished a player as Knight is particularly sound, and the various chapters on “ Batting,” “ Bowl­ ing ............................................ piring never becomes dull, even for a moment. One of the chief features of the hook is a hitherto unpublished portrait of dear, delightful John X yren, a mere glance at which is sufficient to enable one to thoroughly believe the reports of his amiability and sweetness of disposition. In addition to the chapters already enumerated there are others devoted to “ Oricket on Farther Shores ’ ’ and ‘ ‘ Modem Cricket and Some of its Problems,” whilst there is a very full “ Glossary of Colloquial Cricket Terms ” as well as a capital index. THE COMPLETE CR ICKETER * The literature of the game is distinctly the richer by the publication of this most fasci­ nating and interesting volume, which will probably become a classic. The author is one of the apparently-few first-class cricketers who can write really well about the gam e; his book, in fact, is, if anything, written ” “ Fielding,” “ Captaincy,” and “ Um- are all written in a style which * The Complete Cricketer. By Albert E. Knight. London : Methuen & Co. Price, 7s. 6d, net. G. C hallenor .— The baby of the team; good and polished bat. 0. K. B ancroft . —The wicket-keeper of the team, and will be of immense value to his side. Is at present studying at Cambridge, having won the last Barbados Scholarship. L ayne (Pro.).—Good bat, bowler and field. T rinidad (5). L . C onstantinh . —An excellent bat; considered in Trinidad to be Austin’s rival, but his strokes lack the finish of Austin’s. G. O. L earmond . —Good bat, fine field, though a comparative failure in the last West Indian Team. If he plays up to his known form will be of great service. A. E. H arragin . —Good bat and field. S ydney S m ith .-— The best amateur bowler in the West Indies, bowls slow left hand; can also bat very well. C umbbrbatch (Pro.).—One of the best professional bowlers in the West Indies (fast over-arm). Is a native of Barbados. D em erara (2). J. E. P arker .— A slow bowler of great merit; took part in the late Intercolonial cricket matches played at Trinidad, and, although not suecessful in getting wickets, greatly impressed the selec­ tors ; hence his inclusion in the team. B urton (Pro.).—The best professional bowler in the West Indies; can also bat a little; is a native of Barbados S t . V incent (1). R. 0. O llivirrre . —An excellent bat, fine field; requires experience in fir^t-class cricket. Is a brother of O. A. Ollivierre, of Derbyshire. J am aica (2). D r . C ameron . —A useful all-round cricketer. C. S. M orrison .— Considered a good bowler, and is a likely all-round cricketer. He concludes his remarks, “ The team is a representaiive one and will, I think, give a guod account of itself, even if the counties play their full strength against it.” THE WEST IND IAN TEAM . The players who form the W est Indian cricket team of 1906 reached Southampton safely in the R.M .S. “ Trent ” last Monday. In their practice at the nets at Lord’ s on Tuesday, the form they showed was generally above the average, and there is every reason to believe that they will acquit themselves in a way to reflect credit on West Indian cricket. The captain, H. G. B. Austin, of Barbados, is confident that they will prove a fairly useful side. Anyhow, they will carry with them the heartiest wishes of English cricketers throughout the tour, which commences at the Crystal Palace on Monday next. The captain himself is described in a letter to us from a good friend in Barbados as a “ perfect model of a bat,” and as this is his first appearance in England, Cricket readers will watch his per­ formances with special interest. The names of the members of the team, as published in the Port of Spain Gazette , were given in “ Gossip *' last week. Another West Indian correspondent sends us the following notes on the personnel of the team B arbados (5). H. B. G. A ustin .— An excellent bat and fine field, considered the best bat in the West Indies. P. A. G oodm an — Another excellentlbat, also a good change bowler’ fme.field at slip.. LONDON COUNTY BANK v. LONDON AND PROVINCIAL BANK.—Played at Catford on May 29 and 30. L. and P. B an k. C. S. Sabin, b Bien- ven u ........................10 C. R. Jngersoll, b Hearsum.................21 K. Thomas, b Mills ... 2 W.G. Simmons, csub, b Hubbard .......... 7 G.F. Peacock, stAllen, b Bienvenu ..........23 F. L. Davis, c Allen, b Mills ................. 6 D. R. Jones, b Mills 0 M. J. Jones, run out... 12 J. Pitchard, b Mills 1 B. N. Jones, not out 1 — Thirtle, c and b Bienvenu .......... 3 B 5, lb 1 ......... 6 Total ... 92 L. O. B an k . C. R.Trowell, b Sabin P. A. Hubbard, b Sa­ bin ......................... E. G. Gayfer, not out P.F. Allen, b Sabin... R. Ridding, b Sabin W. Sutton, b Sabin ... 2 E. J. Stiff, b Simmons 11 G A. Mills, b Sabin... 0 H.M. Montgomery, run out ........................ 4 H. Iv. Hearsum, b Sa­ bin ........................65 J. A. Bienvenu, b Sa­ bin ........................24 Total ..........128 WANDERERS v. NORBURY.-Played at Norbury on June 2. N orbury . B 6, lb 2, wb 3 ... 11 H. O. Plummer, c & b Jepbson .................11 C. M. ThOmas, run out 12 N.Hammill,b Jephson 0 J. H. Knight, b Night­ ingale ................ 11 H. K. Whiting, c Col- man, b Bull ..........29 E. Langton, b Night­ ingale ................. 2 F. L. Johnson,run out 25 W. E. Hobbs, not out 24 M. 0. Dahl, c. Night­ ingale, b Barker ... 0 C. Shoolridge, c & b Barker ................. 4 A. Straker, c Lindsay, b Barker................. 0 B 2, lb 2 .......... 4 Total E. A. Beldam, c Shool­ ridge, b Whiting ... 6 F. L. Nightingale, c Thomas, b Whiting 75 K. E. M. Barker, b Johnson ................. 0 E. H. Fischer, run out 0 A. M. Latham, c John- son, b Whiting W anderers . D. L. A. Jephson, c Dahl, b Whiting ... 43 H. T. Bull, run ou t... 26 R. B. Brooks, not out 35 S. Colman, b Hobbs... 18 A. Lindsay, not out... 8 Byes 2, lb 4 ... 6 O. Taylor did not bat. Total (8 wkts.)222