Cricket 1907

CRICKET i A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. JULY 4, 1907. Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil n o . 7 5 s . v o l . x x v i . T H U R S D A Y , J U L Y 4 , 1 9 0 7 . p r i c e 2 a. THE UNIVERSITY CAPTAINS. mr . e . l . wright (Oxford). mr . m . w. PAYNE (Cambridge). {Photo byMessrs. Hills&Saunders , Oxford.) (Photoby^Messrs. Steam <(• Sons, Cambridge.) THE U N IV E R S IT Y CAPTA INS . M r . E. L. W eight . Mr. E. L. Wright, the Oxford Cap­ tain, was born in Lancashire, on Novem­ ber 15th, 1885, and is, therefore, six months the junior of Mr. Payne. He began to distinguish himself when quite young, being, in fact, only fifteen years of age when he gained a place in the Winchester Eleven of 1901. The form he then showed was quite unusual in one of so small an age. His great triumph occurred in the match with Eton, when he scored 113 in his first innings and 18 in his second, Winchester, who were obliged to take the field without their captain, H. C. McDonell, who was injured, losing by only two wickets. That year Wright was second in the averages with the splendid figure of 34-36. In 1902 he dropped to fourth place, averaging only 15-42, and scoring only 4 and 5 against Eton, for whom G. A. Sandeman took all ten wickets in the first innings at a cost of but 22 runs. In 1903 he occupied third place with 24-90 runs an innings, but again did poorly in the Eton match, making but 9 and 29. In the following year, when he was Captain, he was seen at his best, and headed the College averages with 50-83 : his highest score was 122. Wisden, in speaking of his doings that season, said : —“ Wright proved himself a thoroughly capable captain, and much of the success of the team should be attributed to his leadership, while as a wicket-keeper he reached a high standard of excellence.” By scoring 29 and 53 not out against Eton he had a large share in the success of his side on that occasion by eight wickets. Against Haverford he made 115, and it was due chiefly to him that Winchester were that year an unbeaten side. Upon proceeding to Oxford he made his mark at the earliest possible