Cricket 1909

CR ICK ET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J une i o , 1909. obtained forty wickets in first-class matches at a cost of 23 runs a-piece, his best per­ formance being in the return match with Victoria, at Melbourne, when he dismissed seven men for 36 runs on a good wicket and pulled off the game for South Australia after the home side had been set 183 to win. Concerning the feat, Clement Hill said:— “ For the first ten overs in the second innings of Victoria there were, speaking from memory, only two runs scored from the bat. Then, when O’Connor was given a trial, he was practically unplayable on a good wicket. I consider he is the best bowler in Australia. Every ball he sends down is delivered with an object, and is loaded with something to beat the bat. It will either swing across or break one way or the other, and then he can bowl for so long. He never wants to be taken off. I have always regarded him as a bowler out of tbe common, and his perfor­ mance against Victoria yesterday shows that he has the ability to bowl, that he can rise to the occasion, and that he is not lacking in grit.” His action is somewhat ungainly, but as to his effectiveness upon a wicket which renders him the slightest assistance there can be no two opinions. He can vary his pace well and at times has a deceptive flight. So far he has not been seen at his best in this country, but much may happen before the tour ends. O’Connor’s performances in first-class matches in Australia may be summarised as follows :— BATTING AVERAGES. Most A NEW BOWLING MACHINE. InnNot in an ings. out. inns. Runs. Aver. 1904-5 ... ................... 3 0 54 74 24-66 1905-6 ... ................... 8 3 11 35 7-00 1906-7 ... ................... 10 2 50* 102 12-75 1907-8 ... ................... 13 4 20 106 11-77 1908-9 ... .................. 10 1 40* 102 11-33 * Signifies not out. BOWLING AVERAGES. Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Aver. 1904-5 ................. 62 14 147 15 9-80 1905-6 ................. 214 48 673 31 21-70 1906-7 .................216 48 650 18 36-11 1907-8 ................. 358-3 75 1024 28 36-57 1908-9 ................. 299*2 67 920 40 23-00 HAMPSTEAD v. NORWOOD.—Played at Hamp­ stead on June 5. N o r w o o d . T. Robart, c Robert­ son, b Marsden ... 18 C. Wilkinson, c and b R. Eiloart ...........15 T. Warren, b Pitts ... 5 H. Jorden, not out ... 73 * Innings declared closed. A. Beaton, C. Kenward, R. Colgate, B. Bowater and B. Batchelor did not bat. H a m p s t e a d . G. Roose, b Pitts ... 1 C. Hewitt, not out ... 68 Byes ...................11 Total (4 wkts)*191 E. Marsden,c Bowater, b R ob art.................. 23 R. Robertson, c Bowater, b Robart 1 R. Eiloart, b Ken­ ward ..........................58 G. Rigby, b Kenward 6 T. Eiloart, c Beaton, b Kenward ........... 0 C. Eiloart, c Robart, b Colgate.................. 16 E. Beaton, b Bowater 17 C. Beaton, b Robart... 2 H. Barrow, not ou t... 2 R. Challands, not out 0 Total (8 wkts) 125 G. Pitts did not bat. GEORGE L E W IN & Co., (Established 1869.) Club Colour Specialists and Athletic Clothing Manufacturers. OUTFITTERS BY APPOINTMENT To the Australians, 1896,1899 and 1902 ; Mr. Stoddart’s X I., 1894 -1895, 1897- 1898; Mr. MacLaren’s XI., 1901-1902 ; West Indian XI., 1900 and 1906 ; South Africans XI., 1901 and 1907; and M.C.C., Lancashire, Kent, Surrey and London Counties, Wanderers, Stoics. Bromley, Sutton, and all Public Schools’ Old Boys’ Clubs.—Write for E stim a te s F r e e . TelegraphicAddress: “ Leotdde , London.*' Telephone: P.O. City 607. 8, Crooked Lane, M onument, London Bridge, E.C. Before play commenced at Cambridge on Thursday last, a bowling machine, invented by Dr. Venn, F.R.S., a Fellow of Caius College, Cambridge, and his son Mr. J. A. Venn, was put to the test by Victor Trumper. The delivery of the ball, its pace aud its spin can be regulated at the will of the operator by springs controlled by levers. It is claimed that the machine can be placed on the market at a cost of £20, and a further trial will probably be made shortly in London. There is nothing new in the idea of a mechanical device for providing bowling practice, but the very great advantage possessed by Dr. Venn’s machine over earlier ones is that it is capable of imparting spin to the ball. It is said that a ball can be made to break either from the off or leg as much as three feet. Felix, the old Surrey and Kent cricketer, invented the “ Catapulta ” over seventy years ago—an illustration of it can be found in Chas. Box’s English Game of Cricket , whilst in more recent times Messrs. Wisden have supplied an improved machine of the same name at a cost of twelve guineas. The following account of Felix’s Catapulta, taken from The Sportsman of 1837 (Vol. II., page 317), may be considered of interest at the present time:— “ The delightfully laid-out grounds at the Victoria Gardens, Gravesend, were numerously attended on Monday, October 9th, Caldecourt having announced his intention of bringing the newly-invented bowling-machine called the Catapulta into operation against the cricketers of Gravesend, on which occasion Fuller Pilch came from Town Mailing to assist Caldecourt in the proceedings of the day. Nearly all the most famous batsmen of Gravesend and for many miles round assembled at an early hour, and shortly after ten o’clock the machine was brought into play. Previous to the commencement of a match, Caldecourt, anxious to oblige the spectators, gave a dozen balls to each of those who felt inclined to take the bat against the “ automaton bowler.” We scarcely need state that many availed themselves of the opportunity thus afforded them ; and, as several evidently went in with a full assurance of being able to retain their wicket, much laughter was excited on the stumps frequently flying out of the ground at the first ball. The Catapulta, as we have previously observed, is capable of displaying the various styles of Lillywhite, Cobbett, and Redgate ; in fact, the balls can be sent in either fast or slow, and at all parts of the wicket, at the option of the party who has the management of the machine. We felt a desire to try our hand in the direction of the Catapulta, and found it no easy task to bring down the thick piece of wood, which works on a spring, and which, on being “ let go ” from the latch at the foot of the machine, strikes the ball placed at the top of the iron supporters. Caldecourt had been previously showing the bystanders that the invention was capable of putting in a ball a little or a great deal to the “ off ” or to the “ leg, ” giving a home toss or a grubber, and, in fine, one that must take the wicket, should the batter not adopt the only method of preventing all straight balls from displacing his stumps—viz., that of playing either “ forward ” or “ back ” withan “ upright bat.” On our taking the “ command” of the “ latch ” which releases the “ hammer, ’’ the machine was in order for “ a straight ball;” and, to prove the certainty which may be calculated on, we have only to state tbat at the first ball Clifford (an excellent batsman), who was at the wicket, heard a “ rattle behind,” the off and middle stumps having been “ ripped up.” As Fuller Pilch attended to “ show off,” much interest was excited on that celebrated batsman taking his stand against the b wling of the machine, which, by means of a screw, was made to imitate the fast bowling of Redgate. For some time all the balls were directed to the middle stump, bat Pilch kept them away by playing as we have above described. Caldecourt then tried various manoeuvres to get in a ball by varying the style of bowling ; and, although the striker might, perhaps, more than once have been caught out had he been playing in a match, yet. by the masterly manner in which he batted, he kept all the balls away from his wicket for a long time. All who have seen the Catapulta^ appear to agree with us in opinion that for practice it is an admirable invention; for, although the accurately destructive progress of the balls may at first be disheartening to the batter, yet this will ultimately prove to be a beneficial lesson, inasmuch as it will teach him to keep a sharp look-out, to lose no time and to play upright, whether “ at home or forward.” On our return to the gardens in the afternoon, we found two eights playing a match at double wicket. The machine remained stationary, the batters going “ over,” instead of the field, at every four balls. The following is the score, from which it will be seen that several of the players got the balls away to advantage:— Name. Balls. Runs. Name. Balls. Runs M. Lott... .. 2 0 Everett .. 9 6 Clifford... .. 1 0 Smith... .. 17 4 Andrews .. 14 6 * Earley .. 17 3 R. Clifford .. — Of Day ... .. 2 0 Boorman .. 8 3 Terey ... .. 1 0 G. King .. 2 0 Taylor .. 2 0 Hodgskin .. 1 0 Houghton .. 18 1 Marriott .. 4 0 Whiskin .. 1 0 Total 12 Total 14 *Signifies not out. i Signifies run out. At the conclusion of the day’s proceedings Caldecourt started for Brighton with his machine.” W A N D E R E R S v. ST . J O H N ’ S SC H O O L , LEATHERHEAD.—Played on the School Ground on June 1. S t . J o h n ’ s S c h o o l . J. C. de V. Biss, out ..........................17 H. E. James, c Beh­ rend ,b C.N. Lambert 6 R. Knight, b C. N. L am bert.......... 0 A. H. Hudson, c R. Kenward, b Damian 6 G. P. Pavey, c Damian, b Reiner ... .v ... 43 R. F. S. Parry, hit wkt, b Damian ... 0 D.V. Gibson, c R. Ken­ ward, b C. Lambert 0 G. Middlemis, e R. Kenward, b Damian 7 L. Stokes, c Richard­ son, b Lambton ... 18 W . W. Hamley, not out 21 R. Peacock,c Behrend, b Lambton ...........12 B 5, lb 3 ........... 8 Total ...138 P. G. Gale, c Stokes, b Peacock ........... 5 R. Kenward, retired...105 C. H. Reiner, c and b Stokes .................. 52 Hon. D. A. Lambton, c Stokes, b Pavey... 19 C. N. Lambert, c Biss, b S tok es.................. 44 C. Kenward, e Biss, b Pavey ................... 8 T h e W a n d e r e r s . R. D. Lambert, st Mid­ dlemis, b Peacock .. 49 N. A. Damian, lbw, b Pavey ...................22 A. H. Behrend, cHam ­ ley, b Pavey ........... 4 S. Colman, not out ... 13 C. B. Richardson, c Stokes, b James B 12, lb 1, w 4 Total .. 17 ..346 ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. E. B. C h e a l e s .— Your wish will in all probability be gratified this season. J. S. P a r m e n t e r .— Only a printer’s error probably, but an amusing one.