Cricket 1910

O c t . 27, 1910. CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 435 The construction of the Demon Drivers is fully described in The Evolution of a Cricket Bat, which may be obtained free upon applica­ tion. BUSSEY’S CRICKET IIMfROVED MAKE- KEEP THEIR SHAPE LAS LONGER! CATALOQUE UPON APPLICATION. CA1ALOGUE UPON APPLICATION. CATALOGUE UPON APPLICATION. BU S S E Y ’ S ^ i S f e ' [IMPROVEDMAKE-KEEPTHEIRSHAPE-LASTLONGER]! CATALOGUE UPON APPLICATION. B U S @ £ Y ’S DEMON D R IV E R S 7 f _ ARE OUT AND OUT THE BEST. / Q OTHER GRADES 7 - 6 - 5 '- A-'6-A-'-3f6 - 3 '- 2 r6 - Z r- CATALOGUE UPON APPLICATION TO GEO. G. BUSSEY & Co.. L td . 36 & 38, Queen Victoria St., LONDON. Manufactory— Timber Mills— PECKHAM, S.E. ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK, Agents all over the world. THE REV. JOHN MITFORD ON CRICKET. (Concludedfrom page/t21.) II. That the scientific display of Cricket we now see, was not made till about the time of these Great Me >. whom we lately recorded, is clear for this reason ; that we can trace to them most of the fine inventive parts of the science. Tom Walker laid down a bail-ball, in a style peculiarly his own, and that all have since attempted to follow. Beldlum was the first person who cut the same kind of ball, and therefore made an improvement on the former plan ; for he obtained some runs, while the former was merely content to stop the ball. That fine accomplished old cricketer Fennex has often (as we sat together in a winter evening over our gin and water, discoursing even till the morning stir appeared, on our beloved science), I say he has often told us, that he was the first person who ever went in and laid down a ball before it had time to rise to the bail. And we have been much amused by his informing us of the astonishment and indignation of his father, who was a good old batsman, when he first beheld this innovation. “ Hey! hey! boy! what is this? do you call that play?” But he soon became sensible of the safety and excellence of the practice; which saves alike the fingers and the wickets from a first-rate top-bailer. Sueter was the first wicket­ keeper; that part of the game having not been attended to before ; and we believe that Boxall was the first who by a turn of the wrist gave his balls a twist to the wicket. Freemantle brought the province of longstop at once to perfection, never suffering a ball to pass, and covering a great deal of ground. There were some good men besides these. Boorman, and Hooker, and Ring, and Pur­ chase , and Clifford (the last excellent as a bowler), and Crazier, cum multis aliis. The match is even now remembered when the predecessors of these men, the old players (including the elder Small), were brought against the improved Hambledon school, and beaten in a masterly and decisive manner. Some of Tom Walker’s scores about 1786 were superb. In a match played against Kent and White Conduit Club (which was the father of the Marylabonne), Tom scored the amazing number of 95 runs in his first innings, and brought his bat out with him; in the second he gained 102. J Beldham1 s name first appears on the 20th June, 1787, on the side of England, against the White Conduit Club, with six picked men. In his second inuings he obtained 63 runs. Beldham never could keep his bat, his eyes, or his legs still, and he was generally run out, as in this instance. He would get 20 runs, while Tom Walker got 2, though they scored pretty even at the end. Harry Walker* was also very quick in getting up his score ; but not so safe as his illustrious brother, whom he imitated, * Harry Walker was a left-handed player ; so was Harris, Freemantle, Aylward, Brazier, and Clifford ; so that they had some fine bowlers among them. At this day, our left-handed batten are superb; but they have no bowlers of eminence. It is however proposed to make a match of the left-handed against All England, next July. There is a glory accom­ panying the names of all. Mills of Kent, Hayward of Cambridge, Marsden, Searle, lead the van. reverenced, and loved. In looking over carefully the list of matches for twenty years, we shall find no scores on the average at all approaching those of the elder Walker and Beldham; thus clearly evincing their superiority. But we must hasten on in our narrative, and reluctantly close the gates of history on these two unrivalled men. Beldham's name appeared for the last time in a match played in Lord’s Ground, on the 23rd July, 1821, of the Players of England against the Club. It was a match dignified by the fine play of Beagley, who gained 113 runs without being out. Beldham brought away his bat garlanded with the victories of forty years, with a score of 23, and his innings still unfinished. Tt m Walker resigued the combat on the 25th of June, 1812, on Highdown Hill in Sussex. Others’ names had appeared ; his old com­ peers, the veterans by whose side he had so long frowned, stamped, and grunted,f were gone ; and it is a relief to us to see him disappear ; how we should shudder to read the speeches of William Pitt, and Charles Fox, in answer to Messrs. Hume, Cobbett, and Faithfull: to see their names in conjunction, would be profanation; the same chamber could not hold them; they ought not to speak the same language. Madame Vestris, or Mrs. Honey (Honey sweeter than the sweetest produce of Narbonne), might as well be shut up in a cage with monkeys, as the son of Chatham stand by the side of Messrs. Evans and Warburton; or the old hero of Hambledon rank with the Ladbrokes and Lowthers of modern days. Fennex, who (thank God!) is still alive, and who at 76 will bring down any wicket that is not carefully guarded, has been providentially preserved to show us what the ante-IIomeric heroes were. He was the first single-wicket player of his day; for his bat and ball were equally to be dreaded. He beat at one inuings the three Mitcham players, who had beat Robinson. He slew Hector who had vanquished Patroclus. His batting was (say is) as elegant as strong; his knowledge of every point of play complete. His fielding was astonishing in its activity, and in the space of ground he could cover; and his bowling was far more swift and tremendous than even Harris’s. We would back him now for a score of balls (for his age will not let him continue) against any bowler in England. Reader! do not be affronted! but you, whoever you are, married, or in single blessedness, have no idea of the real comfort of a winter evening fire-side. In vain you talk of the pleasure of your dear young wife, and your pretty children (a boy and girl), and your good old aunt, good on account of her will, and your cat and cigar, and your Pope Joan and your elder wine. No! believe me it won’t do. Peep through the shutter of my snug parlour, and behold me and envy. There is the small oak table (it is now nine), with the pint of Geneva and the jug of hot water, and the snuff-box smiling on it. One cricket bat, the practice one, lies on the small horse-hair sofa, as occa­ sionally necessary for exemplifications, and Harry Bentley’s volume of the matches is open beside it. Do you see him? the master | Tom Walker would never speak to any one, or give any answer when he was in at the wicket. His tongue was tied, as his soul and body were sur­ rendered to the struggle. But he used to give such a gi'unt, if perchance a shooting ball was too quick for him and brought him down, as I have heard described to be very like that of a broken- winded horse, only of a deeper bass. ■ M R RACKETS