Cricket 1907

126 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. M a t 9, 1907. THE MAN BEHIND SOUTH AFRICAN CRICKET. One man above all others is respon­ sible for the tremendous wave of enthu­ siasm now flooding South African cricket (says an exchange)—Mr. Abe Bailey. Born at Queenstown, in Cape Colony, some 40 odd years ago, Mr. Bailey left for the Transvaal when quite a young man. Barberton was the place he selected in which to carve out a fortune. Barberton was a rough place in those days, and Mr. Bailey’s shill with the gloves and the grit which came from a Yorkshire father helped him to hold his own. In 1886 gold was discovered at Johannesburg, and Mr. Bailey, like many others, hastened thither. There was no railway between the two places, and, as “ times were bad,” and coaches and horses expensive, Mr. Bailey walked. A man of that kind of character was bound to get on, and to-day Mr. Bailey is one of the millionaires of the world. And the more money he made the more he spent on sport of every kind, and particularly on cricket. Over and over again he has borne the financial burden of some tour, paying up to two or three thousand pounds with the greatest pleasure, and promising further sums when needed. His power of organisa­ tion, too, is as great as his generosity, and above all is an enthusiasm which cannot fail to attract the admiration of even the most lukewarm follower of the game. His interest in cricketers is practically intense; and though a hard and keen man of business his kindness and hospi­ tality are proverbial. A strong Im­ perialist who fought in the Boer war, chiefly with General Gorringe’s column, he is a firm believer in South Africa, of whose future he dreams great dreams. A forcible and convincing, if not an elcquent, speaker, his knowledge of the Transvaal will serve him well in his election campaign, and it will be sur­ prising if he is not returned. His future in Africa is only just begin­ ning, politically speaking, but he has in the course of a few years made South African cricket the power it is. A man to be in the South African eleven must be not only a good cricketer, tu t he must have concentration, energy, aud an enthutiasm which will bring him to every match thoroughly fit, otherwise Mr. Bailey will see that he does not get there. THE PICKNELLS OF CHALVINGTON, The death of Thomas Picknell at the ripe old age of 80 last week, removes yet another link from the chain of >he famous cricketing family of the Pic'inolls, of Chalvington. Thomas was the brother of George and Bob Picknell, who played for Sussex iu many matches in the early days. George was far and away the best player, and represented his county from 1835 to 1864. The brothers were bom at the Green Farm, Cbalvington, and in the late thirties and forties the Chalvington Cricket C ljb was very strong and challenged any club in the south. Many contests took place against the full strength of Brighton in the famous field adjoining the Yew Tree Inn, Chalvington. It is an erroneous idea to imagine that county matches took place at Chalvington ; the features were against strong local clubs only, but there was a wonderful keenness respecting the matches—in fact, in 1839 Brighton could put into the field a team strong enough to beat the county. George Picknell was likewise a famous single-wicket player and once played the great Kent batsman, Mr. Alfred Mynn, the latter being the winner by 20 runs. The two brothers, George and Bob, played three of Eastbourne at Eastbourne on loth October, 1838, the Eastbourne players being Towner, Simmonds, and Haines. In the well-known engraving of an imaginary match between Sussex and Kent at Brighton, played on the Lsvel in 1848, George Picinell is depicted fielding at mid-on. A benefit match for George Picknell was played at Hailsham between the United England X I. and Twenty-two of Sussex on 21st, 22nd and 23rd August, 1856. He died at Chalvington on 26th February, 1863. Bob Picknell formerly kept the Lsmb Hotel at EaBtbourne. He is buried at Chalvington churchyard, his tombstone bearing the following inscrip­ tion :—“ Sacred to the memory of Robert Picknell, of Eastbourne, who departed this life, February 7th, 1869, aged 52 years.” I have not only the original window bill announcing tne match to be played on W. Lillywhite’s ground at Brighton, 27th, 28th and 29th May, 1839, but also the full score of the same in which the famous Fuller Pilch scored 114 for Cbal­ vington in the second innings. The latter had to follow-on, but, owing to the fine play of Pilch, nearly won the game, B.ighton btiug victorious by two wickets. I give a iacsimile of the old window b ill:— A M A T C H Will be played on L I L L Y W H I T E ’ S G R O U N D , On MAY 27th, 28th, 29th, 1839 CHALVINGTON. With Fuller Pilch Given Against the whole strength of BRIGHTON. BRIGHTON. W. Lillywhite. C. Lanaway. G. Brown. T. Box. G. L. Langdon, Esq. J. Hodson. C. Hodson. F. Wells. G. Barton, Esq. H. G. G. Duff, Esq. M. Ewen. CHALVINGTON. S. Westgate. Fuller Pilch. T. Simmonds. R. Picknell. G. Picknell W. Jenner. R. Guy. J. Pont. J. Guy. E. Cane. Dray The wickets to be pitched precisely at 11 o’clock, and a Dinner will be provided on the Grounds at 2s. Od. each person. Admission to the Grounds to Non-subscribers 3d. each. A statement of the Game will be published each evening. George Picknell played a good deal of cricket with Mr. James Bray Baker, of Hailsham. There is a romance about Mr. Baker. He was bom of humble parents at Hailsham, but was adopted and educated and reared as a gentleman by a maiden lady, Miss Elizabeth Hooper. Mr. Baker grew up from infancy to man­ hood beneath the roof of his lady- patroness. He was fond of field sports, cricket, kept his horses, harriers, and devoted a good deal of leisure to cricket, playing for Kent as well as Sussex. He was frequently in the company of the brothers Picknell, and, subsequently, became a tenant farmer, but during the latter part of his life be was mine host of the George Inn at Hailsham. In the early days on Hailsham Common the great matches played were by the mem­ bers of the Southdown Cricket Club, and, on Hailsham market day (Wednes­ day), cricket was invariably in full swing, many of the players coming from a distance to play. There were to be seen the Mynns, the Sampsons, the Pag- dens, the Picknells, the Ades, the Coopers of Norton, and many other aristocrats at that time among the farmers of the Downs and neighbour­ hood showing off their skill at cricket on the turf of the old Common. Many a long chat have I had with the Messrs. Holman, of Chalvington, and the late Mr. John Dunk, of Stanford Avenue, Brighton, on old-time cricket at Chal­ vington and Hailsham.— “ L e a th e r H um an ” in the Brighton Argus. NORWOOD (3) v. LONDON AND WESTMINSTER BANK (3).—Played at Norbury on May 4. N orw ood (3). H. G. Spence, run out 19 i R. J. C. Air, not out 1 R. W. Irving, b Wood 8 L. V. Castle, b Smith 7 S. Wright, b Wild ... 8 G. S. Hatton, b Smith 2 G. P. Wright, b Horn- castle........................ 0 F. L. Hamilton, c Challis, b Horn- castle ................. 0 G. E. Parsons ,b Wood 6 B 9, w 1..........10 H. H. Keeping, Spence ................. 6 W. E. Smith, c and b Hatton ................. 4 M. G. Dunlop, b Hat­ ton ........................ 0 W. H o r n c a stle , c Wright, b Spence ... 0 S. A. Ellerm, 1)Spence 14 W. L. F. Holland, b Hatton ................. 4 Total (8 wkts.) Gl L. & W B ank (3).. S. Wood, b Spence ... F. L. Sharpin, c Air, b Spence................. T. C. Sampson, c Castle, b Hatton ... L. T. Wild, b Spence J. L. Challis, not out Extras .......... Total ... 30 WANDERERS v. ST. BARTHOLOMEW ’S HOSPITAL.—Played at Winchmore Hill on May 4 . S t . B arth olom ew ’ s H ospital . W. B. Griffin, lbw, b R. T. Crawford ... 0 P. A. With, c Bryant, b Barker.................. 0 N. F. Norman, c Barker, b Damian... 14 C. Noon, c Rose, b R. T. Crawford ........... 0 G. Viner, st Bryant, b Rose......................... 9 J. Turner, c & b Bull 11 J. F. Gaskell, st Bryant, b Rose ... A. J. Cunningham, b B u ll................. ... — Binnie, lbw, b Rose E. De Vertenil, b Bull M. Lindsay, not out. B 11, w 2, nb 1... 14 Total 58 V. F. S. Crawtord, c De Vertenil, b Cun­ ningham .................04 E. H. Fischer, c Cun­ ningham, b Gaskell 0 K. E. M. Barker, b Gaskell ................. 0 R.T.Crawford,cViner, b Gaskell.................02 H.T. Bull, b Cunning­ ham ........................ 1 W an derers . W. J. Bryant, c With, b Griffin ................. 9 S. Colman, b Gaskell 2 A. L. Sloper, run out 25 A. L. S. Rose, c and b Gaskell ................. 3 N. A. Damian, not out 11 Byes .................ll Total (9 wkts.)...188