Cricket 1909

A pril 29, 1909. CR ICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 85 tactics? If so, those billiard-table pitches have much to answer for, as men like McDonnell, Bonnor, Massie, and Lyons were not only a joy to the spectators but a tower of strength to their side, being capable of demoralising the best bowling in the world and of changing the whole aspect of a game in a very short time. Englishmen have been fortunate in seeing so often thoroughly representative sides of Australia in this country. One cannot, however, but regret that Tom Kendall, who met with such success in the first two games, never played in England. He was a capital left-handed bowler, with an easy delivery, and on wet wickets was almost unplayable. Had he come over with the team of 1878 it is pro­ bable he would have proved very successful, for the wickets must have suited him to per­ fection : he took part in the preliminary Colonial tour and obtained one hundred and two wickets at a cost of just over 6 runs each, but, owing to increasing weight, was left behind when the side sailed for England. Another Australian player of the front rank who never visited us as a member of a team was the great left-handed batsman of New South Wales, Harry Moses, who once carried out his bat for 297 against Victoria, whilst Evans, uncle of W. P. Howell and the best all-round cricketer in Australia in his day, did not come over until his powers had waned. Many flattering things have been said of Evans, but the most eloquent testimony to his greatness was furnished by Lord Harris, who stated that, in his opinion, he was a more accurate bowler than Alfred Shaw himself. The tables which follow tell their own story. THE LEADING ENGLISH BATTING AVERAGES. 1,000 or more runs:— Times Most Jackson,Hon. F. S.... Inns. 33 not in an Total out. inns. runs. 4 144* 1415 Aver. 48*79 MacLaren, A. C. Hayward (T.) .......... 54 4 140 1846 36*92 49 2 137 1725 36*70 Shrewsbury (A .) 40 4 164 1277 35*47 Tyldesley (J. T.) 39 1 138 1228 32*31 Grace, W. G............... 36 2 170 1098 32*29 10 or more innings Gunn (G.) ................. 10 1 122 * 462 51*33 Raujitsinhji, K. S. ... 26 4 175 989 44*95 Ward ( A . ) .................. 13 0 117 487 37*46 Brown (J. T.) .......... 16 3 140 470 36*15 Stoddart, A. E. 30 2 173 996 35*57 Steel, A. G................... 20 3 148 600 35*29 Hardstaff (J.) .......... 10 0 72 311 31*10 Abel (R.) .................. 19 1 132* 555 30-83 Fry, C. B...................... 19 1 144 540 30*00 Hirst (G. H.) .......... 27 3 85 69*2 2S-83 Warner, P. F............... 10 1 79 249 27"66 Bates (W .)................. 26 2 64 656 27*33 Hutchings, K. L. ... 10 0 126 273 27-30 Read, W. W ................. 26 1 117 680 27-20 Braund (L. C .)......... 36 3 103* 830 25-15 Ulyett (G.).................. 36 0 149 901 25-02 Jessop, G. L................ 17 0 104 411 24-17 Rhodes (W .) .......... 35 11 69 562 23-41 Barnes (W.) .......... 33 2 134 725 23-38 Selby (J.) .................. 12 1 70 256 23-27 Barlow (R. G .).......... 30 4 62 591 22-73 Scotton (W. H.) 25 2 90 510 22*17 Gunn (W .).................. 20 2 102 * 392 21-77 Storer (W .)................. 11 0 51 215 19-54 Quaife (W. G .) ......... 13 1 68 228 19-00 Briggs (J .).................. 48 5 121 809 18-81 Lilley (A. A.) ........... 40 3 84 696 18-81 Read (J. M.) .......... 26 2 57 447 18-62 Flowers (W.) ......... 14 0 56 254 18-14 Crawford, J. N. 10 1 62 162 18-00 Lockwood (W. H.) ... 16 3 52* 231 17-76 Brockwell(W . H.) ... 12 0 49 202 16-83 Attewell (W.) ......... 15 6 43* 150 16-66 Arnold (E.) ......... 12 3 40 144 16-00 Peel (R.) ................. 33 4 83 426 14-68 Bosanquet, B. J. T... 14 3 27 147 13-36 Emmett (T.) ......... 13 1 48 160 13-33 Mason, J. R................. 10 0 32 129 12-90 Jones, A. O................. 18 0 34 229 12-72 Barnes (S. F . ) ......... 16 3 38* 165 12-69 MacGregor, G............ 11 3 31 96 12-00 Peate ( E .) ............... .. 14 8 13 70 11-66 Fielder (A.) ... ... 12 5 20 78 11-14 Richardson (T.) .. 24 8 25* 177 11-06 Gunn ( J . ) ................ .. 10 2 24 85 10-62 Lohmann (G. A.) ... 22 2 62* 204 10-20 Shaw ( A . ) ................ .. 12 1 40 111 10-09 Blythe (C .).............. .. 12 4 20 73 9-12 Pilling (R.)................ .. 13 1 23 91 7-58 Hearne (J. T .) ........... 17 4 18 86 6*61 * Signifies not out. THE LEADIXG AUSTRALIAN BATTING AVERAGES. 1,000 or more Runs :— Times Most not in an Total Inns. out. inns. runs. Aver. Hill, C........................... Trumper, V. T............ 66 1 188 2386 36-70 55 3 185* 1783 34*28 Duff, R. A .................... 34 1 146 1079 32*69 Noble, M. A ................ 59 6 133 1726 32-56 Armstrong, W. W. ... 39 6 133* 1043 31-60 Darling, J.................... 55 2 178 1632 30-79 Gregory, S. E . .......... 77 6 201 1887 26"57 Giffen, G...................... , 53 0 161 1238 23-35 Bannerman, A. C. ... 50 2 94 1105 23-02 10 or more Innings :: — Carter, H ..................... , 10 3 66 300 42*85 Iredale, F. A..............., 23 1 140 ,807 '36-68 Murdoch, W. L. , 33 5 211 896 32-00 Ransford, V. S........... . 10 1 54 " 2 S 8 32-00 Graham, H................. . 10 0 107 301 30-10 Bruce, W..................... . 26 2 80 702 29*25 McDonnell, P. S. . 34 1 147 958 29-03 Scott, H. J. H. . 14 1 102 359 27*61 Macartney, C. G. .... 10 0 75 •273 27-30 Lyons, J. J.................., 27 0 134 731 27-07 Worrall, J.................... 22 3 76 478 25-15 McLeod, C. E............ . 29 5 112 573 23-87 Trott, G. H. S............ . 42 0 143 921 21-92 Jones, S. P................. . 24 4 87 428 21-40 Trumble, J. W............. 13 1 59 243 20-25 Trumble, H ................ . 55 13 70 838 19-95 Moses, H ..................... . 10 0 33 198 19-80 Horan, T..................... . 27 2 124 471 18-84 Kelly, J. J.................. . 52 17 46* 613 17-51 Hopkins, A. J........... . 25 2 43 401 17-43 Bonnor, G. J............. . 30 0 128 512 17-06 McAlister, P. A. . 12 0 41 203 16-91 Jarvis, A. H ............... . 21 3 82 303 16 83 Cotter, A..................... . 13 1 45 199 16-58 Blackham, J. M’C. ... 62 11 74 800 15-68 Massie, H. H ............. . 16 0 55 249 15-56 Palmer, G. E............. . 25 4 48 296 14-09 Midwinter, W. E. .. . 14 1 37 174 1338 McLeod, R. W ........... . 11 0 31 146 13-27 Boyle, H. F................ . 16 4 36* 153 12*75 Garrett, T. W............ . 33 6 51* 339 12-55 Turner, C. T. B. ... 32 4 29 323 11-53 Laver, F ..................... . 18 4 45 150 10*71 Evans, E..................... Spofforth, F. R. . 10 2 33 82 10*25 . 29 6 50 217 9*43 Donnan, H................. . 10 1 15 75 8-33 Ferris, J. J................. . 16 4 20 * 98 8-16 Howell, W. P............ . 24 6 35 143 7*94 Jones, E...................... . 25 1 20 130 5-41 Saunders, J. V. . 20 5 11 * 34 2*26 * Signifies not out. THE LEADING ENGLISH BOWLING AVERAGES. 50 or more wickets:— Mchs. Balls. Runs. Wkts. Aver. Lohmann .......... 15 3391 1002 77 13-01 Barnes ( W .) .......... 18 2285 793 51 15*54 P eel.......................... 19 5216 1715. 102 16-81 Briggs .................. 25 4941 1993 97 20-54 Barnes (S. F.) ... 9 2662 1048 50 20-96 Rhodes .................. 21 4218 1900 83 2*2-89 Richardson .......... 14 4450 2220 88 25-22 20 or more wickets :— Bates .................. 14 2362 821 49 16*75 Ulyett .................. 19 2517 983 49 20-06 Lockwood ........... 10 2029 884 43 20-55 A. G. Steel .......... 12 1402 605 29 20*86 Barlow .................. 16 2456 767 35 21*91 Peate .................. 9 2096 682 31 22-00 Hearne .................. 11 2936 1070 48 22-29 A ttew ell.................. 10 2850 626 27 23*18 B. J. T. Bosanquet 6 977 604 25 24*16 J. N. Crawford ... 5 1426 74? 30 24-73 Fielder .................. 5 1497 711 26 27-34 Arnold .................. 8 1365 689 25 27-56 Blythe .................. 7 1428 635 23 27-60 Hon. F. S. Jackson 18 1587 799 24 33-29 Hirst .................. 16 2598 1237 33 37-48 Braund .................. 19 3672 1769 46 38*45 THE LEADING AUSTRALIAN BOWLING AVERAGES. 50 or more wickets :— Mchs. * Balls. Runs. "Wkts. Aver. C. T. B. Turner ... 17 5329 1670 101 16"53 F. R. Spofforth ... 18 4185 1731 94 18-41 H. Trumble ... ... 31 7889 2945 141 20-88 G. E. Palmer... ... 17 4519 1678 78 21*51 M. A. Noble ... ... 34 6578 2732 111 24-61 J. V. Saunders .. 12 3268 1621 64 *25*32 G. Giffen ... ... 28 6391 2791 103 27*09 E. Jones.................. 18 3568 1757 60 29*28 20 or more wickets :— J. J. Ferris .......... 8 2030 6S4 48 14*25 H. F. Boyle .......... 11 1724 641 32 20-03 A. Cotter ........... 7 1733 1003 38 •-'(J-li1.) T. W. Garrett ..., 19 2708 970 36 26-90 F. Laver.................. 10 1719 772 23 33-56 G. H. S. Trott ... 18 1905 1019 29 3513 W. P. Howell 16 3508 1245 35 35*57 W. W. Arm strong. 21 3694 1245 34 36*61 C. E. McLeod ... 17 3374 1325 33 40*15 1,000 RUNS AND 100 WICKETS. This feat has been performed only by two Aus­ tralians :— Runs. Aver. Wkts. Aver. G. Giffen .......... 1238 23*35 ... 103 27*09 M. A. Noble ... 1720 32*50 ... I ll 24*01 WICKET-KEEPERS WHO HAVE DISMISSED 50 OR MORE PLAYERS. Mchs. kept wicket in. Ct. St. Total. (a )—For England. Lilley .................... 26 56 18 74 (fr)—For Australia. J. MeC. Blackham ... 35 36 24 60 J. J. Kelly ................ 33 39 16 55 CORRESPONDENCE. [The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions ofhis corespondents.] BOUNDARY HITS.* To the Editor of C rick e t. D ear S ir , — Zummerset,” in his letter which was published in your issue of the 15th inst., asks “ By whomwas the rule made that boundary hits need not be run out, but would be worth a commuted number of runs? ” The answer is that the practice of allowing what may be called the boundary system on the leading grounds crept gradually into first-class cricket—first on one ground and then on another. I have often wished that someone would give dates in your paper of the introduction of boundaries on the different grounds. When I was a boy—forty years or so ago—there were no boundaries at Lord’s : if a ball were hit beyond the ring the crowd would divide and leave a clear space for the fieldsman. But with the increase in the number of matches and in the growth of the crowds the old system was bound to be superseded. Still, even up to about 1880 all hits (except to the Pavilion) were run out both at Lord’s and the Oval. There is, of course, a vast difference between making ahundred with the boundary system in vogue and doing so when all hits have to be run out. If any of the gfeat run- getters of the day doubt it, let them try it, and I guarantee that the experience will open their eyes as to the extent to which drawing-room cricket can differ from real cricket. What is now generally known as first-class cricket is but an artificial product of modern times: when the intervals per­ mitted by law are constantly and wilfully exceeded, when so many men play for their own hand and not for their side, when run- getters hit the ball, stand still, and count four, and when fieldsmen are so listless as to appear (to use Mr. Jephson’s appropriate expression) like mounds of earth—then, surely, the rigour of the game is lacking. It appears to me very extraordinary that the term “ first-class ” should be applied to the chief exhibition matches of the day, for it is in them that abuses of the law and of the spirit of the game are most noticeable. I am, Sir, Yours faithfully, “ A MEMBER AT L O R D ’S .” L ondon , April 24th. R ICHARD DAFT’S “ Nottinghamshire Marl. Particulars apply, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Notts. [A d vt .