Cricket 1909

J u l y 15, 1909. CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 267 scoring strokes in the same brilliant fashion as of old can no longer “ stay there ” to make them. The best innings in the match was unquestionably that of Warner. It was a sound and most judicious display and ought to go far towards securing him a place in the next Test. He had some fine bowling to play—better far than anything—Carr excepted—which the Players had to face. As at the Oval, the Players had all the luck and winning the toss was an enormous advantage. It practically meant winning the match. B y means of their success at Edgbaston yesterday—their first of the season— Warwickshire go above Gloucestershire and Derbyshire in the Championship table, which is now as under:— Plyd. Won Drn. Lost Pts. Percent. Lancashire........... 14 10 2 2 8 66’66 Kent ................... 14 9 3 2 7 63 63 Middlesex ........... 10 4 5 1 3 60 00 Yorkshire ........... 16 8 6 2 6 60'00 S u rrey ................... 17 9 4 4 5 38 46 Sussex .. Hampshire ... 14 11 Worcestershire ... 9 Notts .................. 11 Leicestershire ... 12 Somerset ........... 5 Northants .......... 11 Essex .................. 9 Warwickshire ... 12 Gloucestershire ... 11 D erbyshire...........12 33-33 2 2 3 0 4 - 1 — 14*28 6 —2 — 20-00 6 —3 — 3333 2 —1 — 33 33 7 —4 — 40-00 5 —4 — 66*66 5 —4 — 66"66 6 - 5 — 71*42 8 - 7 — 77*77 HAMPSTEAD v. HORNSEY.—Played at Hampstead on July 12. H ampstead . B. S. Foster, run out...107 H. D. Kanga, c James, b R. E. Grimsdell ...102 G. A. S. Hickson, b R. E. Grimsdell ......... 1 F. Rowley, c Saunders, b R. E. Grimsdell... 9 J. Armitage, b R. E. Grim sdell..................42 E. W. H. Beaton, c E. Grimsdell, b R. E. Grimsdell.................. 18 A. C. Hayhoe, c Saunders, b R. E. Grimsdell, ... ... E. L. Marsden, not out .......................... W. S. Hale, not out... B 2 ,lb 2 ........... F. H. Swinstead, Foster, b Hickson... 15 P. Boundy, run out ... 25 H . L. Saunders, b Rowley .................. 5 H. L.James, c Pawling, b Hale ..................24 H. Wade, b Hale...........17 L. W. Hammond, b Pawling ................... 0 G. G. Maggs, c Beaton, b Kanga ...................28 H ornsey . E. Total (7 wkts)*304 #Innings declared closed. C. D. McMillin and S. S. Pawling did not bat. W. Grimsdell, Beaton, b Hale R. E. Grimsdell, Kanga '................ G. L. Grimsdell, Kanga ................ Brown, not out B 6 , lb 1 . Total ... . DIOCESE OF LONDON v. DIOCESE OF SOUTH­ WARK.—Played 011 July 8 on the St. Mary’s Hospital Ground. Score:— L ondon . Rev. E. Stogdon, c Rev. L. J. Percival, b Scott, b Anderson... 6 Godfrey .................. 0 Rev. G. McCormick, c Rev. E. L. Metcalfe, b Ingram, b Anderson 8 Godfrey .................. 1 Rev. F. A. Lee, b GodRev. Y. Irvine, b God­ frey .......................... 0 frey .......................... 22 Rev. E. Halse, b GodRev. H. Farnfield, not frey .......................... 0 out ........... 3 Rev. W. Shackleford, Rev. H. E. Frobisher, b Salm on.................. 32 b Anderson ........... 0 Rev. L. Gardiner, b Byes, &c.............. 14 Godfrey .................. 17 — Total Rev. L. R. W. Digby, c Halse, b Farnfield... Rev. A. R. Ingram, b Farnfield.................. Rev. P. C. Scott, c Shackleford, b Fam- fie ld .......................... Rev. C. J. M. Godfrey, c Metcalfe, b Farn­ field .......................... Rev. G. H. Marten, b Shackleford .......... Rev. E. G. Langdale, c Farnfield, b Shackle­ ford .......................... S outhwark . 40 Rev. D. Christopher- son, c Metcalfe, b Farnfield.................. Rev. A. E. Preston, b Farnfield.................. Rev. S. K. Anderson, b Shackleford Rev. L. E. Salmon, b Farnfield.................. Rev. A. E. Phillips, not out .................. Byes, &c.............. Total ..........1' TOO OLD AT THIRTY. [The recent failure of English cricketers has been universally attributed to their extreme senility, thirty-four being the average age of the team lately defeated by the Australians.] I must bid farewell to cricket, I may wield the bat no more ; Never, on an easy wicket, Pull a ball to leg or snick it To the ropes for four; Never, with my cheeks vermilion, Proudly enter the pavilion, ’Mid the plaudits of the million, With a record score! Woe‘is me, aud deep my sorrow ; I am thirty-four to-morrow ! T h irty-fou r ! I can still remember clearly • How the hapless batsmen swore When each ball of mine, which nearly Rivalled those of Hirst and Brearley, Found them leg before ” ! How the wickets fell in batches, When I used to bowl for catches, In those first-class “ three day ” matches In the days of yore! (Now I never play a “ one day; ” I am thirly-four on Monday ! Thirty-four!) How triumphantly I fielded When my County cap I wore ! What applause the public yielded, As the boundary I shielded, Saving runs galore ! Now I notice with dejection No Committee of Selection Gives a glance in my direction ; My career is o’er! Reader, need you ask the reason ? I am thirty-four this season ! Thirty-four! See me sitting (with my knitting) By the old pavilion door, In an attitude befitting One whose days of active hitting Nothing can restore! See me, on the links at Tooting, Clods of Mother Earth uprooting, As, in knickerbocker suiting, Bunkers I explore, Waiting for that Old Age Pension Which I claim at—need I mention ?— Thirty-four ! H. G. in The Observer. OBITUARY. A. C raig . (See alsopage 26(J.) Albert Craig, whose figure must have been familiar to hundreds of thousands of cricket and football followers, died at 8, Mayflower Road, Clapham, at 4 a m. on Thursday last, after a loDg illness. He was in his sixtieth year at the time of his death. A Yorkshire- raan by birth and up-bringing, he started life as a Pest Office clerk in Huddersfield, and was still a young man when, discovering that verse-making was his forte, he decided to devote his time and energies to celebrating the doings of cricketers and footballers. His productions, which were invariably signed “ A.C., Cricket Rhymster,” may not have possessed much literary merit, but they could boast a true sporting ring. Craig was his own publisher and hawked his wares round the chief grounds of the country. Especially at the Oval was his figure familiar, and it was on that account that he became known as “ The Surrey Poet.’* He was a kind-hearted man and his humour was in­ variably good-natured. His repartee was smart, and it was seldom indeed that anyone had the better of him in a wit-skirmish. Once, whilst walking round the Oval, a raucousvoice greeted himwith, “ Craig, when are you going to open that public-houee in Yorkshire?” “ The Poet” gave a swift glance at a rubicund face and replied, “ As soon as you decide to live next door to me, sir.” On auother occasion a man, who did not altogether appreciate his patter, called out, testi y : “ Oh, take your confounded poems away; I don't want any.” In his most dulcet tones Craig answered, “ Excuse me, sir, but these trifles were not intended for you : they were written for those who can read.” Especially during weary waits occasioned by rain was Craig’s presence hailed with pleasure by the populace. He will be greatly missed for he added much to the gaiety of nations. Craig was buried at Nunhead on Monday afteinoon. Among the many floral tributes were those from Lord and Lady Harris (“ With Most Fritndly Memories” ), Mr. Leveson-Gower ( ‘ A Token of Sincere Friendship the Surrey County C.C., the Oval Ground Staff, Robert Abel and the Kent XI. Mr. E. F o w l e r . Mr. Edwin Fowler, awell-known Australian cricketer of a previous generation, died at Armadale on May 31st at the age of 68. He learnt the game in England and was a bats­ man with a pleasing style and a very good wicket-keeper. In February, 1865, he played at Redfern, Sydney, for the Melbourne Club against the Albert C.C., but made only 5 before being bowled by Nat Thompson. In December of the same year he made his only appearance for Victeria against New South Wales. The match was played at Melbourne and Mr. Fowler distinguished himself by scoring 37. Among the many good cricketers representing the Colony on that occasion were T. W. Wills, Dan Wilkie, W. H. Greaves and T J. D. Kelly. Victoria scored 285 and won by an innings and 20 runs, After the game was over a single-wicket match was played between Caffyn, Cosstick, Lawrence and Thompson of New SouthWales and Conway, Fowler, Kelly aud Wills of Victoria. Fowler made 51 and was then caught-and bowled by Cosstick : the match was drawn. He afterwards removed to New Zealand, where he kept up the game for many years, and where, in 1878, he appeared for XV. of Canterbury at Christchurch against the first Australian team. Spofforth bowled him for a single, but the Fifteen won by six wickets. ALAS, POOR YORICK! The pang our “ Captain ” lately bore ’s transfer’d To those who loved him ! Ev’ry merry word He used to speak now rankles in our hearts For Craig is out! And, till our better parts Take their next innings, we must miss him, sad Beyond expression. Silenced are those lips That lighten’d all our lives with lightning quips; Whose humour still will smiling mem’ries breed Even through tears. Who finds no tear, indeed, For Craig, for him we weep. God keep thee, Lad! H. P.-T. 8th July , 1909.