Cricket 1907

CRICKET : a weekly record of the game . APRIL 18, 1907. ___ * * * - N f — ) M C +■ )$< B { C T 3 = H © ~)S % 8C_. J©H “ Together joined in Cricket’s manly to il.” — Byron. No. 744. vol. X X V I. THURSDAY , APR IL 18, 1907. p r i c e 2 a. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. ME. STANLEY COLMAN. There are few Club cricketers in the South of England more prominently identified with the game than Mr. Col- man. His battiDg has benefited the Wanderers and other clubs by thousands of runs, whilst his devotion to cricket is well-known to all those who follow the game at all closely. He is a member of a sport-loving family. In the middle of the last century hia father and ten uncles, all brothers, oft>n took the titld in a body, and that they were uo mean cricketers is evidenced by the fact that the Couuty of Norfolk was numbered among their opponents. For many years Mr. Colinan’H brother, Mr. Clement Col- man, has been President of the Wanderers; a eousiu, Mr. Jeremiah, now Treasurer of the Surrey C C.C. pre­ sented the County Club with a cricket painting by George Morland a few seasons ago; a nephew, Mr. F. G. Column, is Master of the Surrey Union Foxhounds; whilst Mr. Colman himself has been a member of the Oval Committee for several years. Furthermore, Mr. Jeremiah Colman possesses a private ground at his seat, Gatton Park, and at Nork P ark , w h ere sev eral interesiing matches are played each season. So it will be seen that the family have been associated with the game, either as players or supporters — generally both, for a number of years. Mr. Colman lives in mid-Surrey, and has a delightful house from the windows of which a most extensive and charming view can be obtained. He devotes himself to gardening, a labour of love in which he is more or less assisted by his faithful companion, a Brindle bull-dog who answers to the name of Buster. Iu the garden are some French rose-trees of an extremely rare species which have been the property of the family for many years, and which each member faithfully promises not to let piss from his pos­ session. A short time ago Mr. Colman showrad his horticultural treasures to a friend, who, recognising their Btate of perfection, remarked—“ Colman, if you died suddenly, what a treat would be in store for the ..in-coming tenant ! ” The 'present tenant, almost needless to add, had never looked at the matter from that point of view. Asked whether he rf chived much pro­ fessional coaching wheu he was a boy, Mr. Colman said: — “ No, none at all, for at the school to which I was sent—Amersham Hall, near Reading—there was very little cricket, and nobody at all to give ua any hints. I went in more for sprint running and hurdles than for cricket, and won a number of prizes. In a L. A. C. racs I broke a ligament at the back of the thigh, and was hors de combat const queuce for a long time. The accident happened not far from the tape, and at the time I was a short distance behind the leader. The snap, which I distinctly felt, made me shoot ahead, but I was carried along for a short distance only—just suffici­ ent to enable me to piss my man and win—and then col­ lapsed. Until I was insured against accidents I often met with them, but since I have been p tying a premium have been singularly fr. e. For several years I have been playing mostly with only one sound leg, and one season, just at the busiest time, the other became crocked, too. The doctor who was called in said, ‘ I fear you will be unable to play again for some time.’ But I told him that I had to go away on tour the following day, and eventually he bound me up so that I was hble to play. In one of the matches I went in last and made about 70, the tenth wicket adding over 150. A. B. Cipriani kindly ran for me, and doubtless was very thankful when the innings closed, for, there being no boundaries, everything had to be run out.” “ You played a few times for Surrey some years ago, I believe ? ” “ In the early part of the season of 1882 I managed to make some good scores in club cricket, some of them in Surrey Club and Ground matches, and, as the result, was invited to appear in the County Eleven. My tirst game was at Trent B-Uge, against in MR. STANLEY COLMAN. Photo by\ [ Weston Son, Eastbourne.