Cricket 1906

J uly 26, 1906. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 291 BUSSEY’S “DEJWOH DRIVERS.” GEO. G. BUSSEY & CO,, LTD,, Beg to inform Cricketers all over the world that their new Peckham Factory, the largest and best equipped of its kind, is now completed. Provision has been made for a still further increase in output and the carrying of a finished stock of TWENTY THOUSAND BATS. Geo. G. Bussey & Co., Limited, much regret that for some time past the supply of the FAMOUS “ DEMON DRIVERS” has been quite inadequate tc meet the demand, but during the period of re-building, when the output was necessarily restricted, the finest stock of WILLOW TIMBER has been accumulating, and now repre­ sents about 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 BATS. Cricketers may therefore rely upon BUSSEY’S “ DEMON DRIVERS” being the choicest selection from this enormous stock and THOROUGHLY SEASONED. The flexibility of the Handles is just what Batsmen, desire, and the special form of handle covering is the admir­ ation of all players who use “ BUSSEY’S DEMON DRIVERS.” A T T H E S IG N OF T H E W IC K E T . B y F . S . A sh ley -C oofbr . The recent heavy scoring on the Worcester ground, although very noteworthy as a run- getting performance, can hardly be regarded as fine cricket, seeing that it was due to the excellence of the wicket and not to the bats­ men’s mastery of the bowling on apitch upon which bat and ball were on an equality. Huge scores made under conditions wholly favourable to run-getting possess little merit, and, when one bears in mind the fact that on the second day of last week’s match 500 runs were made for two wickets, and on the third 498 for four, it is possible to readily apprise tbe run-getting feat at its proper value. During the past few seasons runs have been very easily obtainableat Worcester, and it is a fact that during the past three years the run-getting properties of the Worcester wicket have increased by overfifty per cent. In order to prove the accuracy of the latter remark, I append a short table showing the number of runs scored on the ground during the past few seasons in first- class crickct:— Catalogue on application to­ rn . G. BUSSEY & CO., L I M I T E D , 36 & 38, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, LONDON , 0t< Provincial and Colonial Dealers. Runs Wickets Year. scored. lost. Avge. 1899 .......... 5,574 .. ... 213 ... ... 2612 1900 .......... 8,968 .. ... 372 ... ... 2410 1901 .......... 8,816 .. ... 363 ... ... 24-28 1902 .......... 8,242 .. ... 350 ... ... 23*54 1903 .......... 8,250 .. ... 335 ... ... 2462 1904 .......... 11,504 .. ... 340 ... ... 3383 1905 ......... 7,850 .. ... 251 ... ... 31*27 1906 (to date) 7,359 .. ... 188 ... ... 3914 FACTORY— PECKHAM, S.E, TIMBER MILLS— ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK. During the present season Worcestershire, on their own county ground, have scored 3,720 runs for 106 wickets, average 35'09 per wicket, whilst tbeir opponents have made 3,639 for 82 wickets, average 44-37. In other words Worcestershire, on their own carefully-prepared wickets, average 92 runs per completed innings less than their opponents! Were they to play on less perfect pitches, it is probable that the side would meet with more success. This year Worcestershire have not won a single inter­ county match on their own ground, whilst last year they proved successful in one only— a low scoring game in which no play was possible on the second day—whilst in 1904 their only victory was over Hampshire, who finished last among the counties that season. Jn otherwords, since the wicketsatWorcester have been so carefully prepared, the county have in fine weather won only a single inter­ county match, and that against the weakest side in the county. If figures and facts prove anything, they certainly prove that Worcestershire are handicapping themselves by playing upon such perfect wickets. At the present moment it will be opportune to quote from a circular addressed to the County SecretariesfromLord’s, in December, 1901:— “ It is undesirable, in the interests of Cricket, that the wickets should he prepared artificially (i.e., in any way other than by water and the roller, except when patching is necessary).” One cannot blame men for making enormous scores when they find themselves in a bats­ man’s paradise, but it is deplorable that three beautiful summer days should be wasted in hitting up 1,425 runs for sixteen wickets, without any possibility of a definite result being reached. On good authority I hear that Spofforth has definitely decided upon retiring from the game of which he has proved himself so won­ derful an exponent. He was bom on September 9th, 1853, and, as he commenced to play when quite young, his career as an active player has extended over a period of forty yeajrs. Although he accomplished many good performances with the ball before visiting this country, it was the form he showed during the tour of 1878 that made him famous. How he and Boyle dismissed a strong M.C.C. team at Lord’s for 33 and 19, and finished off the match in a single day is well known, and need not be repeated here. In all matches played by that team he obtained the enormous number of 764 wickets at a cost of 6'08 runs each, taking 281 during the preliminary Colonial tour, 326in England, 69 in America and Canada, and 88 during the final Colonial tour. Of many great feats performed by him with the ball, perhaps the best was when, in the matchagainst England, at the Oval, in 1882—the historic game which Australia won by 7 runs—he took fourteen wickets for 90 runs (seven for 46 and seven for 44), dismissing C. T. Studd, A. G. Steel, Maurice Head, and Barlow without scoring. It is easy, and dangerous, to use superlatives, but it is no exaggeration to state that Spof­ forth is most probably the finest bowler the world has ever seen. Now that he has decided upon relinquishing the game, let us hope he will pen his reminiscences. A man who has been so prominently associated with the game almost since Anglo-Australian cricket started should have a most interesting story to tell. It is to be regrettedthat neither William Beldham nor Bob Thoms found a Boswell: Spofforth isin themoreindependent position of being capable, should he so desire, of making all the runs off his own bat. May he seore heavily! All Sussex readers of Cricket will hear with regret that Mr. Richard H. Nuttall, who had for many years been closely identified with the game in Hastings and the neighbourhood, died on the evening of the 17th inst. He was a very good medium-paced bowler, and, at his best, a useful bat, whilst his knowledge of the game was very sound. He possessed a, bonhomie which was irresistible, and was a most kind-hearted man. Supporting the game, as he did, in liberal fashion, his pres­ ence will naturally be much missed. To the writer his death comes as a personal loss, for he had spent many a pleasant hour with him both on and off the cricket-field. Several correspondents have written to me respecting a match recently played in South Wales by an Essex County XI, The full score did not appear in any sporting paper, and the accounts published in the local journals varied considerably, but it is believed that the following particulars of the Essex innings are correct:— At Llanelly, in Carmarthenshire, on July 9 and 10. An E ssex C ounty E leven . Freeman (E.J.), c Mor­ gan, b L ig h t..........12 J. W. H. T. Douglas, lbw, b Gee ..........14 D. Reece, b Gee.......... 0 C.H.McGahey,notout 305 V. J. Woodward, c Watkins, b Howell 39 T, A. L. Whittington, c Barclay, b Howell 5 P. David, b Gee... 7 F.Perrin,cGee,b Light 1 Tremlin, c Rees, b James .................160 XJpsdale, not out ... 0 Extras................31 Total (8 wkts) *574 O. Douglas did not bat. ’ Innings declared closed. Carmarthen County were dismissed for 177 and 87, and were beaten by an innings and 310 runs. McGahey was let off when he had made 180, and with Tremlin added 263 forthe eighth wicket. Mr. T. A. L. (“ Dick” ) Whittington, who played for the Essex XI., is a member of the Glamorgan County team ; he was educated in Manchester, and played in an Oxford Trial Match—for Next Sixteen v. First Twelve—in 1903. By a curious error, the posters advertising the above inafch announced that play would start each day at 11 p.m. The absence from the Sussex Eleven of Banjitsinhji and Fry has caused a great deal to rest upon the efforts of Killick, who, eg