Cricket 1908

CR ICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. FEB. 27, 19Q8. “ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. s o . 77 1 . v o l . x x v i i . THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1 9 0 8 . p b i c e aa. - CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. MR. W . H. BENTHA.LL. To tbe present generalion ,Mr. W. H. Benthall is little more than a name, but those whose memory carries them back forty or fifty years will recall him as a very attractive batsman and one who, had he enjoyed good health and devoted himself entirely to cricket, would in all probability havebecomefamous. Although of somewhat small stature and not muscular, he showed such good form whilst at Cambridge that he was chosen for the Gentlemen v. Players match both at Lord’s and the Oval. Scores and Biographies says of him :— tl Bats in an exceedingly pretty style, cutting beautifully to the off, and has made some capital scores in the best matches. In the field he is generally point, where he is extremely effective.” After bein£ two years in the Marlborough X I. he proceeded to Cambridge, where he soon began to distinguish himself. Though he had obtained his Blue, an injured hand prevented him playing at Lord’s in his first year (1857), but in each of the three following seasons he was a member of the Eleven and played against Oxford at Lord’s. His two highest scores for the University were 103 against the Cambridge Town Club in 1858, and 89 against Old Cantabs the following year. In the latter match the Past were assisted by Messrs. A. H. and Y. E. Walker who, having never been at Cambridge, were formally elected Quidnuncs to enable them to play. Mr. Benthall’s score was therefore obtained against some excellent bowling,- and it is of interest to note that exactly two months later Mr. Y. E. Walker took all ten wickets in an innings for England v. Surrey at the Oval, although Jackson and Bickley bowled from the other end. Alter leaving Cambridge Mr. Benthall, owing to his duties at the India Office, where o. a various times held several important ? " v,at® secretaryships, including those to ^ Dufferm and the Duke of Argyll, found l^a,v'nn in great matches. c Middlesex, and once or twice his name will be found in the Buckinghamshire and Devon Elevens. His only qualification for the latter counties was that his family was connected with them and he happened to visit them during the summer and was asked to play. Cricketers of those days were not troubled with elaborate laws concerning qualification, but who would say that the game was one whit less enjoyable on that account? famous in his time, but who was then per­ haps a little past his best, although he still continued to play successfully in the best- class matches. He bowled a good length and was very straight, but not difficult. Matches with Rugby were started in 1855, and I played in the first two of the series. Marlborough, sad to say, lost each time, in the first year by ten wickets and in the second by : .5 Photo by] MR. WV H. BENTHALL. [Diclinson, London. Of his early years Mr. Benthall says:— “ At the age of six I entered Westminster School, where my father was a master, but I remained there only two years, being con­ sidered too young to stay after my father retired. I was always fond of games, but it was not until I went to Marlborough that I obtained more than a superficial knowledge of cricket. We were coached by Jimmy Dean, fortunate fessionals includinj Haywari Hayward Fenner’s five. In the 1856 match E. G. Sandford, who afterwards got his Blue at Oxford, and is now Archdeacon of Exeter, played a very fine innings o f 88 not out against u s; the next highest score on his side in the first innings was only 11. Lord’s was very rough in those days, which made it the more remark­ able thatheshould somonopolise the run-getting. I was run out for 44. Sandford was much above the average of wicket­ keepers whilst at Rugby, but, not enjoying very good health, did not keep up the game. Cricket was, of course, played at Marlborough before our meetings with Rugby were inaugurated, but I believe that only two Marlburians, E. L. Bateman and J. M. Fuller, appeared in the University match before I did so in 1858 ; the former played for Oxford in 1854^and 1855 and the latter for Cambridge for four years, commencing in 1855. A. G. Steel was by far the best cricketer the College ever pro­ duced, although several others, including S. C. Youles, E. S. Gamier,W. H. Lipscomb, F.M. Lucas, A. J. L. Hill, Major Hedley, N. F. Druce, andR. H. Spooner made a name for them­ selves in university or county cricket.” “ You played three times against Oxford, I believe ? ” “ Yes : in 1858 and the two following years. I had an injured hand in 1857. We were in having several good pro- at Cambridge about that time, f Carpenter, Tarrant, Reynolds, , and Buttress. Carpenter and generally scored heavily on and we were always thankful if neither made more than fifty. Buttress, who had an extraordinary twist—due, it has been said, ^to a curious action of the shoulder joint—was excellent on