Cricket 1910

3 7 8 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. S e p t . i , 1 9 1 0 . he does not play with a straight bat. Still he makes runs, and many of them, and that is the chief thing. As the Kev. Edward Lyttelton said, “ Effective play is the only good style,” and several batsmen who have not played with a straight bat have appeared, and with success, in the best matches of their time. Knott’s methods have proved so satisfactory hitherto that he may be reminded o f the excellent words spoken by the Bev. G. K. Dupuis to G. H . Longman, when the latter was captain of Eton in 1871— “ Listen politely to all the advice which you will receive from outsiders—you will have plenty of it— and then dismiss it from your mind entirely and act on your own judgment.” A m o n g the Public School boys who will be in residence at Oxford before next summer are F. H : Knott and I. P. F. Campbell, both of whom should obtain their Blue without much trouble. With Le Couteur also available, Oxford will possess the services o f three players of very great possibilities. Both Knott and Campbell, who have already proved their worth in county cricket, are brilliant out­ fields. T. B r u n t , playing for Ashby-de-la- Zouch against B . Bedfern’s X I. on the Ashby ground on August 25th, took nine wickets for 23 runs in a total o f 56. He did the hat trick twice during the innings. A l t h o u g h not his highest effort, Albert Knight’s 73 against Surrey in the latter part of last week deserves to rank as his best display of the season. For a player o f such undoubted skill, his record for the present year must be regarded as some­ what disappointing. Figures, however, are very far indeed from being everything, and Knight’s value to his side is much greater than a glance at the averages might lead one to suppose. He is one of those players o f whom it may be said “ The greater the occasion, the better he does.” The prominent part he played in Leicestershire’s success over Lancashire by six wickets at the end of July has not yet been forgotten. “ A g r e a t authority on the production and maintenance of turf has recently ad­ vised the Committee o f the M.C.C. to take up the turf in the centre of Lord’s, put down a foot of clinkers, and replace the turf,” says a writer in the Morning Post. “ This, he maintains, would make the w ic­ kets dry as quickly as can reasonably be expected. Probably he is optimistic, because the clay lies very near the surface of L ord’s, and even if the layer of clinkers was no more than six inches under the roots of the grass the water would take a long time to get down. Still, it is some­ thing of a scandal that nothing is done to make cricket possible at Lord’s in showery weather. Conservatism is an admirable thing, but the excess of it is to be depre­ cated ; and at L ord’s we find it in excess. Golfers and lawn tennis players have acquired knowledge about drainage and kindred subjects which might with advan­ tage be utilised on cricket grounds. Years pass and still runs are comfortably made within a cab-drive of headquarters, while the evening papers repeat the legend: “ L ords: No play.” ” I n the Finchley v. Woodford Wells match on the former’s ground on Saturday 453 runs were made in three hours and 50 minutes. Finchley declared with eight wickets down for 227 (Dr. Hobbs, 65), and the visitors attempted to get the runs in an hour and three-quarters and ‘ 1failed ” — by two runs with seven wickets in hand. O f the Woodford Wells total of 226 C. E. C. Kendle, hitting twenty-eight 4’s, made 148 not out. One of his hits sent the ball into the Pavilion, and had six, instead of four, been allowed for the stroke Finchley would have been beaten. T h e brothers Frank and Walter Sugg, all cricketers will be interested to hear, still keep up the game successfully. The former has made five scores of over a hundred this season, and the latter, whilst playing for Southport and Birkdale, Bootle and Lancashire Nomads, has frequently exceeded 80. W . E. B e n s k in , the Leicestershire player, has been engaged this season by Perthshire and he has given such satis­ faction that his services have been secured for next year. The recent match between Perthshire and Aberdeenshire at North Inch was given to him as a benefit, and he distinguished himself by taking nine wickets for 28 runs in a total of 50. The Perthshire Advertiser and Strathmore Journal, in its report of the performance, remarked, “ It was twenty minutes past five when Benskin took the last wicket, and some time prior to that rain had begun to fall heavily. Despite the elements, the crowd to a man remained to the finish, and what a scene there was at the close o f play. “ Bennie” made a rush for the tent, but was caught by the crowd and carried shoulder high to the pavilion amidst deafening cheers. It was a scene never to be forgotten, and right worthily did the Leicester man deserve it.” After­ wards, in front o f the pavilion, Mr. John Thomas, Sheriff Clerk of Perthshire and President of the Perthshire County C.C., presented Benskin with a cheque for .£'65. A f t e r the match proper between Bexley Asylum and Guy’s Hospital, on the for­ m er’s ground, a time-limit match was played, each side batting for 35 minutes. In the time at their disposal the Asylum team scored 137 for six wickets and the Hospital 177 for six. Seventy minutes’ play thus produced 314 runs for the loss of twelve wickets. A t an inquest yesterday on Percy Walker, a clerk, it was stated that he was struck over the eye by a cricket ball whilst playing in a match at West Ham on July 9th, and that although a couple o f operations were performed at West Ham Hospital the bleeding could not be stopped. He died on Monday last and the doctor told the coroner that deceased would have bled to death even if he had had a cut finger or a tooth drawn. W h a t cricket was possible in this week’s match at Lord’s was decidedly interesting, and it was most unfortunate that the game was spoilt by the weather. In declaring the innings closed when he did on Tuesday afternoon, the Surrey captain certainly did the correct thing, for it was only reasonable to suppose that the side had made sufficient runs to be out of danger of defeat and there was, of course, the possibility that Middlesex might collapse and a definite result con­ sequently be reached. In heading the Surrey total the home side did very well indeed, but they owed almost everything to Warner who, for the second time during the week, was seen at his best. A p a r t from the Scarborough Festival and the Kent v. England match at the Oval the week after next, the first-class cricket season of 1910 comes to an end on Saturday. Bain has played a far too prominent part for one to be able to recall the campaign with unalloyed pleasure, but the cricket has often been most keen and several very close finishes have been seen. Unfortunately, many county clubs will be obliged to chronicle a loss on the year’s working. The most depressing day of the year was Monday last, when not a single ball could be bowled in one o f the five matches set down for decision. Lancashire cricketers especially have cause to complain of the weather, as perusal of the reports of their last few matches will show. DORSET v. DEVON. Played at St. Giles on August 22 and 23 and left drawn. Score and analysis :— D evon . J. F. Shelley, b CumIt. St. Maur, b Webb 7 m ins .............................. 47 Davies, b W ebb Major Garratt, b Webb 18 J. F. Orchard, b W ebb 99 3 R. Em ght, lbw , b Capt. W. Christian, Stacey ..................... 15 not ou t ..................... 6 W. Sturt, b Stacey ... 12 Aston, b W e b b ............ B yes, &c.............. 0 Rev. G. Haslop, c W il43 liams, b W ebb 11 — Light, c Harrison, b T otal .. ..279 Stacey ... ............ 18 D orset . First innings. H M .Grcenhill, b Christian 13 P. F.C. W illiam s,b Light... 0 W . T. Knight, b Christian 1 W. H. Budge, st Davies, b Christian .............................. 8 C. J. B. W ebb, b Aston Ilev. W. H. Arundell, Davies, b Christian A. Cummins, b L ight F. A. S. Sewell, not out Second innings, c O rchard,b Light 0 c O r c h a r d , b Christian ... 8 19 not out b L ight... 2 14 C. P. Goodden, b Christian 6 A. Harrison, b L ight ..1 2 Stacey, c A ston, b L ig h t... 0 Byes, &c.........................13 Total ...........168 D evon . e A ston, b Chris­ tian .................... 12 c D avies, b Light 9 Byes, &c. ... 10 T otal (5 w kts) 55 O. M. B. W . O. M. R. W. Sewell ... 16 0 J1 0 ICumm ins 18 1 50 1 Stacey ... 33 5 72 2 |Webb ... 17*4 6 43 7 D orset . O. M. R . W. O. M. R. W. Christian... 32 9 84 5 ISturt ... 6 2 14 0 Light ... 20"2 5 42 4 |Aston ... 5 1 5 1