Cricket 1907

130 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. M ay 16, 1907. Freederick Louis, Prince of Wales, son of George II., that the ground became the recognised headquarters of the game. Many first-class matches were played there, including that between Kent and England in 1744, the fcore of which is the oldest preserved. The L*ws of the game were revised there in 1744 by the London Club, and it was of this place it was stated that “ The ground is almost completely surrounded by houses and walls, and wears a cold, heavy, and cheerless aspect. The Club, however, is a spirited one, most of its members being gentlemen of fortune and independence.” Great matches have not been played there for over a century, but the Honourable Artillery Company C.C. still make the ground their headquarters. In the Clerkenwell Parish Book of 1668 we find the proprietor of the Ram Inn, Smithfield, rated for a cricket-field. Later, the game was played for many years in White Conduit Fields, Islington. It was at the latter place that, in 1719, the two first-recorded matches played by Kent took place; their' opponents were London, and Kent lost the first match, which gave rise to a law-suit, by 21 runs, but proved sucessful in the second. The White Conduit Tavern was erected about the year 1648, and tradition has it that the workmen who built it were carousing there to celebrate its completion on the day of the execution of Charles I. About one hundred years later many improve­ ments were made, and the place was advertised by the proprietor as including “ a delightful bowery garden where ladies and gentlemen who have taken a long walk may enter and partake of food for mind and body,” and he added, “ My cows eat no grains, neither do I adulterate the milk or cream. Signed, R. Bartholo­ mew. N.B.—Bats and balls for cricket, and a convenient field to play in.” Robert Bartholomew died in 1766, after which date the place was carried on by Christopher Bartholomew, who, beiug rich, did much to improve the grounds. His love of gambling, however, proved his ruin, and in March. 1809, he died in poverty in a mean lodging-house, aged 68. The House was famous for its loaves, and “ White Conduit Loaves!” was a fami­ liar London cry until about 1825. AtWhite Conduit House it was reckoned the mode to step upon the skirt of the damsel whose acquaintance you wished to make, apolo­ gize for your clumsiness, and suggest an adjournment to an arbour for tea by way of amends. About the year 1780 the White Conduit C.C. was formed by many of the chief amateur players of the period, but its existence was short, as in 1787 it was absorbed by the M.C.C., which was founded in the latter year. As far back as August, 1728, there is ar record of amatch played between Middle­ sex and London “ in the fields behind the Woolpack, in Islington, near S idler’s Wells’ ’ for £50 a side,but the result does not appear to have been recorded. No names are given, and all that can be surmised is that Timothy Coleman, the London “ crack,” took part in it. In 1733 the combined forces of Surrey ard Middlesex beat Kent at Moulsey Hurst, whilst two years later Kent twice defeated an eleven of London and Middlesex, the first game taking place at Moulsey Hurst and the r«turn on Bromley Common. Ia August, 1736, Surrey met Middlesex at Moulsey Hurst, and it says much for the strength of the latter that they suffere 1 a reverse by five runs only. At Bromley Common in 1743 London, Middlesex, and Surrey beat Kent, and later in the season London overcame Middlesex, Berkshire and Buck­ inghamshire in the Artillery-Ground. Tbe narration of these few matches is sufficient to show that in the early days of the game Middlesex were no mean power in the land. In 1787 Lord’s and the M.C.C. came into existence, and the majority of the Club’s best amateur players were Middle­ sex men. The first match ever played on the ground was between Middlesex (with two of Berkshire and one of Kent) and Essex (with two given men) on May 31st, 1787, and was won by Middle­ sex by the comfortable margin of 93 runs, after being 72 behind on the first innings, Five years later a match, which was eventually won by Brighton, was com­ menced between Middlesex (with T. Walker) and Brighton (withR.Purchase): only one innings each was played in 1792, the remainder of the match taking place in May of the following year. On the Middlesex side were such well-known players as the Earl of Wincbilsea, Gen. the Hon. E. Bligh, Mr. G. Louch, Fannex, and Tom Lord. Matches with Kent and Surrey were revived in 1796 when, apart from those previously men­ tioned, Lord F. Beauclerck and Mr. W. Barton are found identified with the side. In 1802, and again in 1803, X X II of Middlesex played X X II of Surrey at Lord’s, Middlesex winning the first game by 25 runs and the second by four wickets. Matches were played from that time, but not regularly, until 1830, after which date Middlesex appears to have lain dormant for a couple of decades. Between that date and tbe formation of the Middle­ sex County C.C., in 1864, two events in connection with the County’s cricket are worthy of chronicle—the renewal of the match with Surrey in 1850, and the first meeting with Kent, in 1859, since 1796. The present County Club was formed at the London Tavern on Fabruary 2nd, 1864, under the presidency of the late Mr. Charles Gordon, and within a year over two hundred and fifty members were enrolled. The office of President was left open as “ no candidate of superlative merits had offered, though the Committee had been iu treaty with several gen­ tlemen.” It was decided to play all home matches on the Cattle Market ground, at Islington. The first match the newly- formed County played was against Buckinghamshire, at Newport Pagnell, in which, although they followed-on 218 behind, they proved successful by 138! The County were very fortunate in securing the patronage of the Walkers of Southgate, lor without their assistance it is very doubtful whether the Club would ever have been established. As patrons of the game the brothers are entitled to rank with the 3rd Duke of Dorset, Sir Horatio Mann, Bart., the 9th E irl of Winchilsea, and others who had done so much for cricket in former times. They willingly gave of their time and money, and for several years formed the backbone of the Eleven. Old Mr. John Walker was perhaps a little past his best by the time the County Club was in­ augurated, but in “ V. E.” Middlesex could boast an all-round player who ranked second only to “ W. G.” Against Surrey at the Oval, in 1859, he scored 20 not out and 108 for England and took all 10 wickets for 74 runs iu the first innings although Jackson and Bickley bowled from the other end. He was then only twenty-two years of age. Five years later he again took all the wickets in an innings, for Gentlemen of Middle­ sex v. Gentlemen of Kent, at Maidstone, whilst in 1865 he accomplished the per­ formance for the third time, on this occasion for Middlesex against Lancashire at Manchester. In addition to the Walkers were such fine cricketers as C. F. Bailer, whom Southerton ranked second to “ W. G ” as a batsman, A. W. T. Daniel, famous for the power of his driving, J. J. Sewell, whose inninars of 166 against Surrey at the Oval in 1866 is still frequently recalled by those who were fortunate enough to witness it, Ed ward Ratter, a most useful slow left- hand bowler, Tom Hearne, whose career was outlined iu last week’s Cricket, and George Howitt, a fine fast left-hand bowler. At the end of the season of 1868 the Cat :le Market ground fell into the hands of the builders, and for three years Middlesex were without a home. Iu 1872, however, they commenced playing their matches at Prince’s ground, Chelsea, and there they remained until the end of 1876. The two Princes themselves knew nothing whatever about cricket, and, says Alfred Lubbock, in his “ Memories of E .on and Etonians,” “ Many were the amusing remarks they made on the subject, and although I did my bast to persuade them that if they wanted good attendance and gate money they must produce good criukat, they didn’t see it, and thought a band and ‘ soldiers’ cricket’ was the acme of perfection in this line, and would command a big assembly. As it was, at most of the matches a wbole bevy of duchesses and dowagers came down nominally to see the cricket; but, as a rule, they sit with their backs to the game, watching their daughters skating on the asphalte, in happy ignorance all the time that a g ooi hit might at any time catch them full in the small of the back. Once, when a match was going on, I remember Prince coming out into the middle of the ground, taking off his hat, and, in the most courteous and smiling manner, requesting that the gentlemen batting would be more care­ ful where they hit the ball, as one had just struck some old lady on the legs, and the result might really have been very serious. Another time when I happened to be in the office, young Prince came