Cricket 1909

28 CR ICK ET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. F eb . 25, 1909. D iscussing the possibility of Natal sending a team to the Currie Cup Tour­ nament, the Johannesburg Star sa ys: “ It would, indeed, seem that much of the success of the Tournament depends upon whether Natal enters or not, for one understands that neither Griqualand AVest nor the Orange River Colony is to compete, in which case, of the teams that draw, there are left only the Transvaal, the Western Province, and Natal. One need not reiterate opinions as to the wisdom o f Natal entering a team, if only for the sake of her players, who appear to be particularly keen on entering. It would, indeed, be strange, after recent happenings, if the fate of the Tournament were in Natal’s hands.” COEEESPONDENCE. [The Editor docs not hold himself responsible for the opinions of his correspondents.] ABOUT THE CHAMPIONSHIP. To the Editor of C b ick e t. D eak S ir ,—Will you allow me the follow­ ing remarks on the interesting article on the County Championship by “ H. P.-T.” in your issue of November 26th last. The idea of a Division of the first-class counties, with a consequent Championship in each group, has almost everything to recommend it, and must to all appearances be realised sooner or later. But if the designations First and Second be considered likely to wound the amour propre of the counties in the latter, call them something else—A and B, or A and Z, or M and N—anything will do. “ What’s in a name?”—and in this case the fact will remain and be understood by everybody, no matter how it be labelled. I would also deprecate the suggested trans­ position of the lowest county in A and the highest in B annually. This only per­ petuates the idea of inferiority, implying, as it does, a temporary loss of caste by some County every year. I would have the groups elastic, not to consist of a fixed number of clubs each; the First (or A) comprising all those who in the previous year had won more matches than they had lost, and the remainder forming the other Division. “ H. P.-T.” ’s remarks as to the continuance of matches outside the Championship between counties of the different groups, and as to the effect on “ gates ” of his proposed altera­ tions, are very much in point, and I heartily endorse them. I congratulate him also on his felicitous choice of Somerset as an example of a “ two-power ” side; in their matches last year, until the last, there was none so poor to do them reverence (though they did win twice, including almost the sensational victory of the season) : and in that last match, by the crowning tragedy of the year, they never had a chance of show­ ing what they could do. I enclose my card, and am, Sir, Yours, &c., “ Z U M M E R Z E T .” C eylon , January 8th. R ICHARD DAFT’S “ Nottinghamshire Marl.”— Particulars apply, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Notts. [A dvt . OBITUARY. M r. S. G u r n e y B u xton . News of the death on the 16th inst. of Mr. Samuel Gurney Buxton, J.P.,D.L., of Catton Hall, Norfolk, will serve to recall to many very pleasant memories of days spent on the cricket field in the old Park at West Ham. The Messrs. Gurney and Edward Buxton were the moving spirits of the old “ Cricket Company,” and their hospitality to all kinds and conditions of players was unbounded always. In addition to being enthusiastic and keen, the brothers were cricketers of no mean skill. Of Mr. S. Gurney Buxton Scores aud Biographies (ix—171) remarked that he was an average bat, and a very straight, slow, round-armed bowler with a high delivery and a good break from the leg. He played for Norfolk for several seasons, and at the meeting held at the Royal Hotel, Norwich, in 1876 for the purpose of re-form­ ing the County Club made a very interesting speech in the course of which he offered to lend his ground for the playing of matches. He was a most liberal supporter of the game and belonged to a well-known cricketing family, one member of which was responsible for the introduction of Fuller Pilch to the Norfolk Eleven. Mr. Gurney Buxton, who was born in 1838, was educated at Harrow and Cambridge but did not obtain a place in either Eleven. The late Mr. C. D. Buxton, of Hirrow, Cambridge, and Essex, was his nephew. M r. C. T. L \ w less. Mr. Charles Thomas Lawless, brother-in- law of G. W. Ayres, and for many years Honorary Secretary of the Thames Ditton C.C., died on the 6th inst. at the early age of 44. He was a right-handed bowler but batted left, and was one of the finest all­ round athletes to be found in Surrey. T he E arl of L eicester . Thomas William Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester, was born at Holkham, in Norfolk, on December 26th, 1822, and died there on January 24th last in his eighty -^seventh year. He was educated at Eton but, although a useful cricketer, did not obtain a place in the Eleven. In 1847 he became a member of the M.C.C. and in the following year was elected President of the Club. Scores and Biographies (iii., 584) said of him :—“ Bats in a good free style, cutting well to the off. Has a capital ground of his own at Holkham, in Norfolk, where (about 1849) his Eleven played some good matches against I Zingari, Ac.” In minor matches he made some capital scores and in 1850 was credited with one of 123. He played for Norfolk on several occasions, as well as for the Houses of Parliament v. I Zingari, and for many years entertained an M.C.C. team at Holkham. As an interesting fact it may be recalled that the 17th Earl (John Sydney) of an earlier creation was a great patron of Kent cricket in the early part of the eighteenth century. He had a cricket ground at his seat, Penshurst Park, and it was there that, in 1728, Kent defeated Sussex but in 1726 succumbed to the combined forces of Sussex, Surrey, and Hampshire. The late Earl, who was the Father of the House of Lords, was eldest son of the famous “ Mr. Coke of Holkham” and one of the greatest of British agriculturists. He suc­ ceeded to the title in 1842, was Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk from 1846 until 1906 and Keeper of the Privy Seal to the Prince of Wales from 1866 until his accession in 1901. In 1873 he was created K.G. He came of a long-lived family; his father, born as far back as 1754, died at the age of 88, and their great ancestor, Sir Edward Coke, Lord Chief Justice to Queen Elizabeth, lived to 85. The late Earl survived the birth of his father by no fewer than 155 years; he had a half - sister who married Viscount Anson as far back as 1794; and he married for the second time in 1875, exactly a century after his father’s marriage. His eldest son was born in 1848 and his youngest in 1893. C harles P ayne . Charles Payne, who played for Sussex from 1857 until 1870 and for Kent from 1863 until 1870, died at Tonbridge on Thursday last. He was born at East Grin- stead on May 12th, 1832, and played for Sussex by birth and for Kent by residence. In Scores and Biographies (v., 326) he was described as:—“ A fine, free, but very steady forward player, having a great reach, besides being a good hitter, and he has made many long scores in the best matches ; also a splendid field at short-leg, in fact he was considered the ‘ be3t out ’ at that post.” In a match against Hastings at Tunbridge Wells in 1863 he hit a ball from the late John Sands for which 13 were run, but when he scored 122 against XXII. of Richmond in 1867 his first 26 runs were all singles. His highest score for Sussex was 137 v. M.C.C. aud Ground at Brighton in 1867, and for Kent 135 not out v. Surrey at Gravesend in 1866. He played for England and for the South of England Eleven, but never, curiously enough, for the Players. When England met Surrey at the Oval in 1866 he was sent in first and made 86 ; “ W.G.,” then eighteen years old, scored 224 not out, he and Payne adding 135 for the fourth wicket. For several seasons Payne, who belonged to a well-known cricketing family, umpired in first-class matches and invariably gave the greatest satisfaction. J ohn S m ith . John Smith, for fourteen years (from 1883) professional cricketer for Worcestershire, and afterwards groundsman, died at Worcester on the 12th inst. in his seventy-sixth year. He was born at Yeadon, in Yorkshire, on March 23rd, 1833, and played for his native county twice in 1865, when he scored 28 runs in three innings and took six wickets for 72 runs. (In practically all the obituary notices which appeared of this cricketer it was stated that, assisting Yorkshire v. Lancashire in 1867, he made 60 at Man­ chester and 90 at Middlesbrough, but those two large innings were played by William Smith, of Middlesbrough, and not by the subject of these remarks, who assisted the County only on the two occasions mentioned.) In 1865, 1866, and 1869 he appeared occa­ sionally for Lancashire, and at various times was engaged by the Hawick, Caledonian, Melrose, East Lancashire, Batley, Leeds, Grange, Galashields, Cambridge University, Malvern College, Wolverhampton, and Worcestershire County Clubs. Scores and Biographies (viii., 301) said of h im :— “ He is a left-handed batsman, and also a fast left round-armed bowler, fielding generally at short-slip or point. . . . Height 5 ft. 11 in., and weight 12 st.” He was father of Douglas Smith (Somerset and Worcestershire) and of W. Smith (Wilt­ shire). On December 31st, 1906, he celebrated his golden wedding.