Cricket 1910

2 9 8 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J u l y 2 8 , 1 9 1 0 . wicket-keeper. He has, however, yet to make his first appearance of the season for Sussex. I notice that recently he has been making some good scores, among them one of 80 for Free Foresters against F olkestone. P. G. F e n d e r , who appeared for Sussex in their match at Trent Bridge, last year headed tlie St. Paul’s School averages with 48’93 for fifteen completed innings. In the same matches he took thirty-four wickets at a cost of 15‘97 runs each. His all-round cricket had much to do with the side winning ten and losing only three of the sixteen matches played. R obert J am es H am ilto n L am b e r t , M .R.C.V.S., has performed many notable feats both as batsman and bowler during the last two decades, but what he did with the ball in last week’s match at Dublin between the Gentlemen of Ireland and the Gentlemen of Scotland must rank as one o f his most noteworthy accomplishments. Against a good batting side he took three wickets for 3 runs in the first innings and seven for 11 in the second. The state of the ground assisted him to. some extent, but what he did was nevertheless quite remarkable. Mr. Lambert was born at Rathmines, Dublin, on July 18th, 1874, and was educated at Rathmines School and St. John’s College, Preston. For over twenty years he has belonged to the Leinster C.C., and since he was seventeen years of age no Gentlemen o f Ireland team has been complete without him. H e is by far the best all-round cricketer ever produced by Ireland. “ Now that the contest for the County Championship has reached an advanced stage the peculiar influence o f the new rule for counting points is becoming more obvious,” remarks the Field. “ Fortu­ nately the effect is mitigated by the in­ ability of the players to shake off their old ideas of sport in cricket. I f an eleven which could not possibly win a match were to relax its efforts to save it—in other words, if the Counties really played for the Championship pure and simple, and not for the game— the results would be deplorable. The Sussex team, for example, at the Oval on Wednesday, although they were inevitably doomed to lose as many points whether they lost or drew, fought tenaciously against Surrey until rain came to their aid. At the end Surrey, in spite of having reached a winning position by playing in the most enterprising way, found themselves penalised to exactly the same extent as their opponents. It was contemplated by the sponsors of the new rule that counties would play solely for the win, disregarding the draw for the reason that a draw would count to all intents and purposes as a defeat. The natural corollary is that sides which cannot win are justified in making no effort to escape defeat, thus gratifying their opponents without incurring any loss on their own part. Such victories would, o f course, be highly undesirable, even from a championship point of v iew ; but they are in keeping with the logic of the competition as at present ordered.” judging by his appearance and his activity in the field, he should prove most useful as a player for several years to come. A. W . H a lla m , who played so promi­ nent a part in enabling Notts to obtain the Championship with an unbeaten record three years ago, will next season be engaged with the Nelson Club. He has appeared in his time for three counties— Leicestershire, Lancashire and Notting­ hamshire— and about twenty years ago was a member of the ground-staff at the Oval. H e is now in his thirty eighth year. D urin g the luncheon interval at Old Trafford on Friday the members of the Lancashire team who took part in the memorable match with Notts in June, when the game was won with a record score in the last innings for a county match, were presented by Mr. A. N. Hornby, on behalf of the Lancashire County C.C., with a suitably - inscribed silver match-box in recognition of the remarkable achievement. Lancashire were left with 400 to get to win, and accom ­ plished the task for the loss of eight wickets, with twenty minutes to spare. On one side o f the match-box is the following inscription:— 1910. Lancashire v. Notts. At Old Trafford, Notts. 1st 376, 2nd 185 ; Lanca­ shire 1st 162, 2nd 403 (for 8). Record score in fourth innings in county cricket. Presented t o ......................as a memento by the L.C.C.C. On the reverse side is the Red Rose of Lancashire. Worsley, who was prevented from taking part in the game owing to an injury, also received the souvenir. O w in g to the expense involved, the Yorkshire County C.C. Committee have decided not to enter the Second Eleven for the Minor Counties Championship next season. This year the team has been doing particularly well, and appears to have an excellent chance; of appearing in the Final. It would be strange indeed if the side should win the Championship after the decision mentioned. T he receipts ofthe Southampton Week, during which Derbyshire and Surrey were the teams entertained by Hampshire, amounted to .£'286, or .£30 more than in 1909. This was very satisfactory con­ sidering that the first match was over in a couple of days and that play was in progress for only twenty minutes on Saturday. A ll who know him will wish well to Frank Ward, the old Lancashire player, who sailed for New Zealand on Monday in the S.S. Cornwall in order to undertake the coaching of young cricketers in W el­ lington. He was a good all-round performer in his time, and for Lancashire scored 1,110 runs with an average of 13‘75 and took thirty wickets for 18'30 runs each. This season he has been playing in Gloucestershire, where he has made over 600 runs and obtained eighty-five wickets. He is now forty-five years of age, but, F or the second time during the season Kent have experienced defeat, and it must be acknowledged that, on the form shown in this week’s match at Leyton, the home side were fully entitled to their success. It is a curious coincidence that Kent have sustained each of their reverses this season immediately after playing Yorkshire, Leicestershire being their conquerors on the first occasion and Essex on the second. Is this merely a coincidence and nothing more, or must their down­ fall be attributed in each case to their known anxiety to beat Yorkshire and the after effects o f such a struggle? Opinions may differ here. To whatever cause their recent defeat may be set down, however, the fact remains that they were out­ played from start to finish. Their bowl­ ing was mastered on the first day and on the second their last seven wickets went down for 50 runs. Essex have every right to be proud of their triumph, for it was due, not to the efforts of one or two men, but to the side generally. One hopes that the result will tend to bring them more patronage, for they are a plucky side and merit increased support. E. B. G il l e t t made 105 not out in 40 minutes for Streatham against Purley on the former’s ground on Saturday. He hit three 6’s and thirteen 4’s, and in partnership with his brother, L . E. Gillett (47), put on 97 in twenty minutes. I n the first innings of Sussex at Liverpool on Monday Robert R elf was dismissedinrather peculiar circumstances. Worsley, the wicket-keeper, took the ball just over the bails and made an appeal for stumping. Dench, at square-leg, gave no sign, but Richards, the umpire at the bowler’s end, signalled that the batsmen-had been caught at the wicket. L ancash ire clubs have always shown a partiality for Yorkshire cricketers, and during the last few days arrangements have been made whereby the services of two members of the Yorkshire 2nd X I. have been secured for League cricket in 1911. H . Harrison, a left-hand medium- paced bowler, who was born at Yeadon twenty-four years ago, has been engaged by the Rawtenstail C.C. (Lancashire League). E . Ley land, a native of Harrogate who has had nine years’ experience as a professional with Kelso, Harrogate, Leyland, Enfield and Under - cliffe, will commence to play next season for the Moorside C.C. in Central Lanca­ shire League matches. M r . A lfre d D. T aylo r w rites:—- “ Before their match with Surrey at the Oval last week, Sussex had finished their previous thirteen games. This is particu­ larly refreshing after so many drawn games recorded during the past decade, but whether the new system of scoring points has been responsible for these satis­ factory results is a moot point. 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