Cricket 1911

280 C E IC K E T : A W EEK LY EECOED OP THE GAME. J u ly 1 ,1911 . Sharp, Fane and McGahey—and many others of lesser repute. Why, even W.G. on three occasions got the ‘ ‘ spec tacles,” although not in a first-class match. The only batsmen who have been playing for ten seasons in Champion­ ship matches that have not earned this double distinction —0.0—are Tyldesley, Hayward, Jessop, Wood, A. O. .Tones, and the brothers Gunn. But their turn may come before the close of their cricketing chapter. It was high time for Somerset to notch a point— their first since 1909. One man did it, viz., Lewis, who scored nearly half the runs — 113 out of 298, and took more than a third of the Hamp­ shire wickets— 9 for 58 runs. When is Braund going to make his mark again on the scoring sheet ? He has been all too quiet the season through. At the early age of thirty- four he surely cannot have played his last great innings. Lucky Yorkshire ! To take a point out of the Kent match and then to get off scot-free from their match with Northamptonshire and thus keep their percentage intact. The Midlanders were the only ones to score an innings of Photo by] [Haw).ins & Co., Brighton. M r. D. C. C O LLIN S (C am bridge). M r . D a v id C h a r le s C ollins .— B o rn O ctober 1, 1887, in N ew Z ealan d . W ellington C ollege (N .Z .). 400 last week, both Haywood and Thompson repeating their triumph at the expense of Gloucestershire a few weeks since. Have you noticed that this County generally does best in the out-matches, reserving their failures for their own ground ? As a rule, most Counties need the enthusiasm of their own supporters to give of their best. This is notably the case with Surrey, whose Northern tour usually spells disaster to them ; but down at the Oval they more than hold their own against Lancashire, Yorkshire and Notts. Last year Northants at home made a very feeble show against Yorkshire, whereas at Sheffield they had an easy first, thanks to the same batsmen who made light of their bowling at Dewsbury last week. By the by, Haywood is an importation, having been trained in the Kent nursery. As he is only twenty-three years of age—ten years the junior of Thompson—it is very likely that he will train into a really great batsman. When will Yorkshire play the same eleven regularly, as they did in their greatest seasons ? In match after match they chop and change the team in the strangest fashion. Newstead re-appeared against Northants, for example. But why has he been dropped ? Of course, I am well aware that when older hands fall out, various experiments may be necessary before you can find worthy successors. But when once you light upon a likely youngster —and by ‘ ‘ likely ” I mean temperament, as explained last week—give him a thoroughly good trial, persevere with him, especially if he is modest enough to take hints and does not suffer from a swollen head. Tell him at once that he will be chosen for the rest of the season. First-class matches are the only practice that makes a first-class cricketer. But be sure not to remind him that his place in the team depends upon his success every time he plays ; for that will un-nerve him. I recall riding on an omnibus from the Oval with a young county bowler more than thirty years ago. I will not mention his name nor his county. Photo by] [Hawkins <£; Co., Brighton. M r. A . J . EVAN S, O xford Captain. M r . A lfred J ohn E van s .— B orn M a y 1, 1889, at N e w to w n , n ear N e w b u r y . W in ch ester . He told me that his captain never left him alone ; only that day he had informed him that, owing to a recent failure, he was on his trial. ‘ ‘ And consequently I have not got a wicket, and you won’t see my name again.” Yet with judicious treatment I am certain he would have been found useful through several seasons. I have been lately thinking of Bobby Abel, who was a very crude batsman when he first appeared at the Oval in 1881. Well, suppose he had been a Yorkshireman making his bow in 1911. What would have happened ? A trial for a couple of matches probably- Result—less than ten runs in each match. Verdict—no good ! And then one of the greatest of professional batsmen would have been lost to county and national cricket. Was it the late Fred Burbidge who saw in the Southwark Park batsman an England player ? Anyhow, Abel was engaged, spite of repeated failures for two seasons, and with the happiest results to himself and to Surrey. If I had my