Cricket 1908

S e p t . io , t 9 o 8 . CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. Australia at Leeds in 1899, wben John Briggs lost his mental balance, and Alfred Noble’s fight against time and Eng’and at Manchester the same year. Again, saving “ W.G,” , t think that Noble is the most accomplished all-round player of the last thirty years.” “ What do I think of the literature of cricket? I love John Nyren and James Pycroft* There never have been such hal­ lowed Looks as The Cricketer < of My Time and The Cricket Field. But I cannot think tbat Nyren, cultured as he was, wrote that English pure and undefiled. It is worthy of Charles Lamb. Mentiou of Lamb c«lls to mind E. V. Lucas who, I believe, has written the best of cricket poems. Norman Gale gives us the poetry of the passive cricketer, but Lucas literary richness inspired by the Tyitoean fire we might expect in a cricketer. His verses to a bat are only equalled by ‘ The Song of the B all,’ althoueh A. H. J. Cochrane, the Oxonian, in a volume entitled The Kestrel's Nest and other Verses shows beauty, sweetness., and grace. I could say much more, but in these days when cricketers are journalists, and so very sensitive to criticism, I forbear, because one who is only a journalist has to be so very careful. Still, I’d sooner be buried in a cricket-field than in a cemetery! ” G E N T L E M E N v . P L A Y E R S . Played at Scarborough on September 3, 4, and 5. Drawn. The weather on the first day was anything but cricket-like, there being a cold wind, an absence of sun, and in the afternoon a poor light. The scoring, too, was not brisk ; in fact, during the four hours play was in progress thirteen wickets went down for 191 runs. The Gentlemen’s innings was opened by Fane and Spooner, who were opposed by Tarrant and Cadman. Only eight runs had been made when the last-named sprained a tendon in his right leg, and was compelled to retire after finishing the over, in which he secured Spooner’s wicket. Haigh took Cadman’s place at the crease, and dismissed Fane, Douglas, and Hutchings in quick succession, the fourth wicket falling at 53. Bosanquet, however, gave an attractive display, and in fifty-five minutes scored 38 out of 53 added whilst in. Then followed another collapse, and it was due largely to a last- wicket stand of 27 by Lord Hawke and Knox that the total reached 122, made in two hours and a-half. Tarrant bowled with great effect after the luncheon interval, taking five wickets in forty-three balls at a cost of only 10 runs. In the last eighty-five minutes of the day the Players batted in a poor light and found Knox’s bowling very awkward. Hayward was caught-and-bowled before reaching double figures, but Myers remained with Tyldesley whilst 42 were put on for the second wicket. Denton followed his two hundreds against M.C.C. by failing to score, Bosanquet dismissing him at short-leg by an excellent catch, in making which he rolled over on the ground but maintained his hold of the ball. When rain caused stumps to be drawn at twenty minutes past five, the Players had three wickets down for (59, Tyldesley not out 29. There was a good deal of rain during the night and following morning, and it was not until five minutes past three on Friday afternoon that the game could be resumed. Runs were then found hard to get, and Tarrant and Hirst were soon out. Tyldesley’s wicket was the seventh to fall, at 130 : he was seen at his best and gave no chance during the hour and three-quarters he was in. Newstead made a useful 23, and the tail wagged vigorously. Buckenham, who hit seven 4’s, and Haigh added 47 for the eighth wicket in twenty-five minutes, and the latter and Strudwick, who kept up his wicket whilst his partner hit, the same number for the ninth in twenty minutes. Haigh, who punished Bosanquet for 18 (four 4’s and a 2) in an over, made his 51 out of 94 in forty-five minutes: he hit ten 4’s, the majority of them big drives, and was caught at mid-off. In a minority of 102, the Gentlemen scored 4 runs for the loss of Bird’s wicket in their second innings in the last quarter-of-an-hour of the day. On Saturday Napier was soon caught and bowled by Haigh, but Knox showed unusually good form (for him) and scored 35 ere falling to a fine one- handed catch at slip. Spooner batted seventy minutes for a stylish 33, but Bosanquet scored only 15 before being bowled by Hirst. When the fifth wicket fell at 109 the Gentlemen were only seven iuns on, and the outlook for them was any­ thing but rosy. Hutchings, however, was at his best, and in partnership with Fane put on 164 for the sixth wicket. The latter played a most valuable game, but was quite overshadowed by his partner, who, driving with great power, reached 50 in sixty- four minutes, and doubled his score in twenty more. In all he made 120 out of 164 in one hundred minutes, hitting a 6. a 5, and fourteen 4's : he was seen quite at his l>est, and made his runs all round the wicket, though the feature of his display was, as suggested, his driving. With his dismissal the innings was declared closed with seven wickets down for 273, the Gentlemen, thanks to him, having made a capital up-hill fight. As there was not time for the Players to make the runs, and only a very remote possibility of them being dismissed, the closing stage of the match naturally lacked interest to a certain extent. Hayward and Myers made 54 together, and then, upon the latter’s dismissal for 41, stumps were drawn. Score and analysis G en tle m en . First innings. R. H. Spooner, c Tarrant, b Cadman.......................... 4 F. L. Fane, b H aigh ..........13 J . W. H. T. Douglas, lbw, b Haigh .......................... 5 B. J. T. Bosanquet, c Denton, b Hirst .......... 38 K. L. Hutchings, b Haigli 3 G. T. Branston, c Strud­ wick, b Tarrant .......... 13 W. S. Bird, c Buckenham, b T arran t.......................... 4 G. G. Napier, c Tyldesley, b T arran t........................... 3 H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, c Newstead, b Tarrant... 1 Lord Hawke, st Studwick, b T arran t..........................10 N. A. Knox, not o u t.......... 9 B 9, lb 10 ..................19 Second innings, c Strudwick, b Hirst ...........33 b Haigh ...........44 not out.................. 0 b Hirst.....................15 c Hirst, b Tarrant 120 lbw, b Tarrant ... 3 c and b Haigh ... 8 c Tarrant,b Haigh 35 B 14, lb 1 ... 15 Total ..................122 Total (7 wkts)*273 * Innings declared closed. P la ye r s . Hayward, c and b Knox.......................... 8 Myers, c Bird, b Knox 24 Tyldesley, c Napier, b Knox..........................59 Denton, c Bosanqnet, b Branston ........... 0 Tarrant, c Douglas, b K n o x ......................... 2 Hirst, c Napier, b Knox.......................... 0 Newstead, c Hutch­ ings, b Napier ... 23 Buckenham, c Bird, b Bosanquet...........40 Haigh, c Knox, b Hutchings ...........51 Strudwick, not out... 8 Cadman, absent hurt 0 B 6, w 1, nb 2 ... 9 Total ...224 Second innings : Hayward, not out, 12 ; Myers, c Hawke, b Branston, 4 1; no-ball, 1. Total (I wkt) 54. G e n tle m en . First innings. O. M. R. W. Cadman .. ... 3 0 4 1 Tarrant ... ... 21-1 3 36 5 Haigh ... ... 20 5 50 3 Hirst ... ,... 6 3 8 1 Newstead ... 5 2 5 0 Second innings. O. M. R. W. .. 22-2 ... 22 First innings. Buckenham... Myers ........... P la ye r s , 7 66 2 4 68 3 3 27 0 10 38 0 0 27 0 0 32 0 Knox Napier ... Branston Bosanquet Hutchings O. 25 . 23 M. R. W. 5 96 5 ... 2 69 1 ... 7 1 15 1 ... 4 1 35 1 ... 0-1 0 0 1 Second innings. O. M. R. W. ... 7 1 26 0 ... 6 3 14 0 ... 1*3 1 1 1 ... 2 0 12 0 Knox bowled one wide and three no-balls. THE M.C.C.’S AUSTRALIAN TEAM v AN ENGLAND X I. Played at Hastings on September 3, 4, and 5. Drawn. The side which visited Australia during our Last non-cricket season took the field for this match without Hutchings, Barnes, Fielder, and Fane and was therefore by no means at full strength. On the first day bad weather was experienced, and no play was possible after lunch. In what time was avail­ able the England XI. made 119 for eight wickets on a wicket which was too dead to be difficult. Fry played-on in Blythe’s second over, and soon after his downfall Warner, when 7, was missed at the wicket Day made only 3, Jessop claimed 14 of the 16 added in seven minutes for the third wicket, Gillingham was bowled for 5, and Warner, having batted fifty minutes for 16, fell to a catch in the slips. Upon Mason s dismissal without a run six wickets were down for 46. The Jam Sahib effected an improve­ ment, and Lilley helped him to add 39 for the seventh wicket in twenty-five minutes and Keif 27 without loss for the ninth. When play ceased for the day eight wickets were down for 119, the Jam Sahib, who had batted an hour and a-quarter, carrying out his bat for 44. It was a capital display, though not faultless, inasmuch as. he was missed by Young at mid-off off Rhodes when 34. There was very heavy rain throughout the night, and the ground was so saturated that no play was possible on Friday. On the third morning the weather was delightful, but. the wicket was soft. The Jam Sahib and Relf remained together until their partnership for the ninth wicket had lasted an hour and realised 54. The former was then stumped after batting an hour and fifty minutes for 64: he hit five 4's and offered only the chance mentioned. When the innings closed for 161, Relf carried out his bat for a steady 22, which took seventy minutes to compile and was more useful than its face value would lead one to suppose. It was somewhat remarkable that in an innings amounting to 161 there should ha> e been no change of bowling. The M.C.C. team lost Hobbs, caught at third man, at 5, and, although Hardstaff and Gunn added 30 for the second wicket, half the side were out for 60. Rhodes and Hayes also reached double-figures, but the others did little and the innings closed for 107. Arnold bowled admirably, taking seven wickets at a cost of a fraction over seven runs each. That run.-getting was a difficult matter was again shown when An England XI. went in for the second time. Fry made 28 out of 39 in three-quarters of an hour and Jessop, hitting seven 4’s, scored 36 out of 42 in twenty-two minutes, but the others could do so little that, when the innings was closed, seven wickets were down for 87 against Rhodes and Blythe, who again bowled unchanged. The touring side were set 142 to win—an impossible task in the time at disposal. Hobbs, Hardstaff and Young were dismissed for single-figure scores and, with three wickets down for 41, the match was drawn. During the third day only 277 runs were made for the dismissal of twenty-two men. Score and analvsis :— A n E n g lan d First innings. P. F. Warner, c Hayes, b Blythe ... ...........16 C. B. Fry, b Blythe ........... 5 S. H. Day, lbw, b Rhodes... 3 G. L. Jessop, c Humphries, b Rhodes ..........................14 Rev. F. H. Gillingham, b Rhodes .......................... H.H. the Jam of Nawana­ gar, st Humphries, b Rhodes .......................... 64 J. R. Mason,lbw, b Rhodes 0 Lilley, c Hardstaff, b Blythe 16 Arnold, b Blythe ........... 0 Relf (A. E .), not o u t...........22 Field, b Blythe .................. 10 B 4, lb 2 ................... 6 XI. Second innings, st Humphries, b Rhodes ........... 0 ht wkt, b Rhodes 28 run out ........... 4 c Crawford, b Rhodes ...........36 5 notout... 0 cRhodes,bBlylhe 5 not out.................. 7 lbw, b Blythe ... 3 b Rhodes ........... 4 Total .....................161 Total (7 wkts)*S7 * Innings declared closed. M.C.C.’S A ustralian T eam . First innings. Second innings. Hobbs, c Warner, b Jessop 5 b Arnold ............ S Gunn (G.), run out ...........15 not out ............ 14 Hardstaff, b A rn o ld ...........15 run out ............ 1 R. A. Young, c Warner, b Jessop................................. 7 b R e lf.................. 4 Rhodes, b Arnold 23 notout ............ 0 J . N. Crawford, b Arnold... 7 Braund, b Arnold ........... 3 Hayes, b Arnold..................14 A. O. Jones, c Lilley, b Arnold .......................... 3 Humphries, not o u t ........... 3 Blythe, lbw, b Arnold .. 3 B 7, lb 1, w 1 ............ 9 B 8, lb 5, w 1 14 Total ................ 107 Total (3 wkts) 41 A n E ngland XI. First innings. Second innings. O. 31. R. W.O. M. R. W. Blythe ........... 32 4 11 77 5 ............ 11 5 33 2 Rhodes........... 32 5 78 5 ............ 12 0 54 4 M.C.C.’S A ustralian T eam . First inning*. Second innings. O. R. M. W.O. M. It. W. A rn old........... 25 7 51 7 ............ 10 7 6 1 Jessop ........... 20 8 43 2 ............ Mason ........... 4 1 40 ... .. Relf ... ... 10 5 21 1 Arnold and Relf each bowled one ^ide. R ICHARD DAFT’S “ Nottinghamshire Marl.”— Particulars apply, RadcUffe-on-Trent, Notts. [A dvt .