Cricket 1907

J uly 4, 1907. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 249 this country. The list is now as follows: Won by Team. Eng. S. A. Dr’n. Total. Major Wharton’s, 1888-9 .. 2... 0 ... 0 ... 2 W. W. Read’s, 1891-2 ... 1... 0 ... 0 ... 1 Lord Hawke’s 1st, 1895-6 3... 0 ... 0 ... 3 Lord Hawke’s 2nd, 1898-9 2... 0 ... 0 ... 2 M.C.O.’s 1st, 1905-6 .......... 1... 4 ... 0 ... 5 P. W. Sherwell’s, 1907 ... 0... 0 ... 1 ... 1 Total .......... 9... 4 ... 1... 14 Not any of the English teams which visited South Africa were representative, but, apart from the last, all proved equal to their task. A t the end of Surrey’s innings against Warwickshire at the Oval on Thursday afternoon, Smith (W. C.) indulged in some fierce hitting. Of the 70 runs added with Rushby for the last wicket in twenty minutes he claimed as many as 59, at one period scoring 41 whilst his partner obtained but a single. Al­ together, he made 63 and carried out his bat, his chief strokes being a 5 and ten 4’ s. Against Nottinghamshire at the Oval last year he made 57 out of 64 in three-quarters of an hour. He was bom at Oxford on October 4th, 1877, and was playing with London County when, in 1901, he entered upon his engagement at the Oval. I n the match played at Woolwich on Wednesday and Thursday last between Royal Artillery and Yorkshire Gentle­ men, as many as 615 runs were made for eight wickets in 315 minutes on the first day, the Royal Artillery scoring 505 (Capt. Howell, not out 173; P. S. Rostron, 120) in four hours, and the visitors 110 for three wickets in seventy- five minutes. O n Thursday last a youth, whilst playing cricket in Finsbury Park, received a blow on the head from the ball, and died soon afterwards. I t is stated on good authority that George Wilson, the Worcestershire fast bowler, will this season play for Bucking­ hamshire, and that next year he will be found participating in Lancashire league cricket as a member of the Nelson team. He was bora at Amersham on December 30th, 1876. P rebendary W ilson C arlile ’ s topic at St. Mary-at-Hill, the Monument, on Sunday night was “ The Test Match.” D uring the present season there have been two remarkable instances of heavy and consistent scoring by the members of a side. Tne first was furnished by the South Africans in the second innings of their match with Middlesex, at Lord’s : they made 404 for nine wickets, the highest score being only 68. The second instance occurred as a result of York­ shire’s trip to Leicester last week, when the visitors made 515, all eleven reaching double figures, and the lowest score being 22 by Hunter. D oubtless many who were present at Leyton last Friday, and saw the Kent wickets falling against Mr. Douglas, wondered whether a mistake had not been made in dispensing with the services of Alec Hearne. As Braund proved at Lord’s on Monday, it is a good thing to have a steady player in a side, and the probability is that, if Hearne had been playing in the Essex match, the Kent defeat would not have been so severe. By a curious circumstance, Hearne emphasised his form on the day of his county’s reverse by sooring 127 for M.C.C. and Ground agaiast Eton College. A week earlier he had cirried out his bat for a precisely similar score made at the expense of Granville (Lee). A t the moment there are few more consistent batsmen in the country than Hobbs. His form, indeed, during the last fortnight of June was so good that in some quarters it was suggested that he and Hayward should be choson to open the England innings together in this week’s Test match at Lord’s. Certainly there is no better first-wicket pair in the country at the present time. Hobbs, however, is still quite young—he completed his twenty-sixth year last December—and, provided he continues to improve at the rate he has done during the last two seasons, is bound to receive his chance in the near future. During the last seventeen days he has made the following scores in succession for Surrey: 72) j v. Cambridge University, at the Oval. 70 I *65 i v‘ Middlesex, at Lord’s. 39 v. Oxford University, at the Oval. *150 1v- Warwickshire, at the Oval. f* |v. Northants, at Northampton. * Signifies not out. This shows an average of 79'28 for seven completed innings. I n a match at Darjeeling at the end of May, between St. Joseph’s and St. Paul’s High Schools, some unusual cricket was seen, St. Joseph’s, after declaring with only one wicket down for 200, winning by an innings and 153 runs. Aubrey Holloway made 131, and hit no less than thirty 4’s, W hat is stated to be a record for Canadian cricket took place in a match between Victoria and Oak Bay, at Oak Bay (B.C.) on June 8th. Victoria scored 261 for the loss of only one wicket, winning by 169 runs. J. F. Meredith, formerly well-known in Shropshire, carried out his bat for 147. T here is stated on good authority to be a likelihood of J. R. M. Macbay returning to New South Wales. A letter received in Australia from one of the vice-presidents of the South African Cricket Association stated that Mackay had left Johannesburg for Cape Town, and added that he would not be sur­ prised if he left shortly for Australia. Mackay’s return before the opening of the next cricket season would be very welcome to Australians, especially in view of the visit of the English team. But, unfortunately, it appears doubtful whether he will ever again ba quite the fine player he was prior to his serious accident which I referred to in “ Gossip ” some weeks ago. “ N ot Out,” of the Sydney Be/ere*, referring to Tasmania joining the Board of Cricket Control, fays :— “ The Tasmanian Cricket Association (Hobart) has requested the Northern Associa­ tion to j oin with it in applying for admission to the Board of Control, with Senator Clemons as representative. But this is not in accord with the decision of the Board of Control, which requires Tasmania to form an Associa­ tion to represent it in these matters. To show that what the board desires is reason­ able, and what Tasmania suggests is imprac­ ticable, it may he pointed out that certain matters have to b e referred to the Associations for their assent, and that certain other duties devolve upon the Association of each State, as provided in the constitution of the board. Now, obviously, the board could not deal with two Associations representing Tasmania. The only way out of the difficulty is for Tasmania to form an Association to represent it in all matters affecting international and inter-State cricket. A body of that kind should be of great service to Tasmanian representative cricket.” I n Goodwood Park on Tuesday a ladies’ mitch took place between Lady March’s X I. and a team from the Isle of Wight. Several of the players showed a good knowledge of the game, and Miss Street, “ a tall, fair, girl, whose hair shone in the sun,” distinguished herself by scoring 121 for Lady March’s X I., who won by 232 to 118. M r. A. P. L u c a s , the famous old Uppingham, Cambridge, Surrey, and Essex cricketer, still plays the game with success. On Saturday last, at Shoebury- ness, he hit eight 4’s and six 3’s in a not out innings of 100. He was born iu London on February 20th, 1857. On the same day—June 29th—F. G. J. Ford ; scored 70 for the Old Rjptonians v. Rep- ton School. T he following have already accepted the invitation to take part in the M.C.C.’s tour in the United States in the autumn :— H. Hesketh Prichard (Hants.) (Capt.) G. T. Branston (Notts.) P. H. Browning (Ireland). L. G. A. Collins (Berks, and M.C.C.) L. P. Collins (Berks, and M.C.C.) A. O. Jones (Notts.) B. O. Schwarz (South Africans). P. W . Sherwell (South Africans). G. H. Simpson-Hayward (Worcestershire). S. J. Snooke (South Africans). Whoever else may be chosen, it is certain that the team will be a stroDg one all round. A c c o r d in g to the American Cricketer, three matches will take place in Phila­ delphia, the first being against the Gentlemen of Philadelphia on September 20th, 21st, and 23rd. The second match will be against Sixteen Colts and a Captain, and will last three days instead