Cricket 1911

JULY 1 ,1 9 1 1 . CEICKET : A W EEK LY EECOED OF THE GAME. 297 in all matches, he fell only just below Maxwell, who had an exceptionally good season. When Mr. Riches makes a century he generally goes on to pile up a good many more, as will be seen from his list of his three-figure innings : 217* v. Dorset (Blandford), 1907 ; 183 v. Monmouthshire (Swansea), 1904 ; 178* v. Northumberland (Cardiff), 1906 ; 171 v. Devon (Exeter), 1907 ; 152 v. Sussex (Hove), 1910 ; 141* v. Carmarthen­ shire (Swansea), 1909 ; 120 v. Cornwall (Swansea), 1909 ; and 114* v. Cornwall (Truro), 1908. In these eight innings, four of them not out, he piled up as many as 1,276 runs, it will be seen. The senior member of the team, ranking only just below his two amateur colleagues, if indeed one may not rank him equal with them, is William James Bancroft, darling of Cymric crowds, hero of a hundred fights in the Rugby arena. It is a question whether Bancroft’s fame as a footballer—he played for Wales in 33 consecutive inter­ nationals—has not tended to obscure his very considerable merits as a cricketer. But he has played for Glamorgan averaged 30 again, in 1909 as high as 38, and last year (all matches-) about 26. Next to Bancroft, that sterling, good-looking profes­ sional whose pictured face smiles at you from close by, Harry Creber, has had the longest spell of work in the Welsh team. But Creber is not a Cymru ; he was born at Liverpool, on April 30, 1874. A right-handed bat, able to hit up a decent score on occasion, he is a left hand bowler, slow in pace, breaking from leg, or swinging in from the off at times, and in the attack he has served Glamorgan splendidly, having taken in seasons 1898 to 1910 inclusive over 900 wickets at under 15 runs each. Including his bags for South Wales (against the Australians, West Indians, etc.), and for Minor Counties v. M.C.C. and West Indians, his total of wickets must be so near a thousand that this season should easily see him credited with that number. For the county alone he had 97 at about 12 each in 1899 (vide “ Wisden,” but it is believed the number would be over 100 if all matches were included, as he says he has three times taken 100 for Glamorgan in a season), between 50 Photo by] [HaicHns <£* Co., Brighton. Mr. N. V. H. RICHES. ever since the County had a cricket club, and, in his twentieth season, is still one of its most reliable men. Scoring all round the wicket, fielding in the slips or at silly point, Bancroft shows the truth of what has often been noticed— that the Bugby man, when he plays cricket at all well, is among the keenest and pluckiest of cricketers, a rare good fellow to have on one’s side in a crisis. W. J. was born at Swansea on March 2, 1871. In the course of his nineteen years’ county cricket he has totalled over 6,000 runs with an average of about 25. He has made such scores as 203 v. Berks (Cardiff), 1903 ; 157 v. Devon (Swansea), 1908 ; 125 v. Northumberland (Cardiff) 1906 ; 109 v. Cornwall (Swansea), 1909 ; and 102 v. Surrey Second (Swansea), 1899. Judging from his recent play he should be good for more centuries yet. His biggest aggregate for the county was 727 (average 30) in 1905; in 1908 he * Signifies not out. Photo by] [Pritchard, Swansea W . J. BANCROFT. and 60 in each of the next four seasons, 76 at 15 each in 1904, 100 at about the same figure in 1905, 103 at a slightly smaller cost in 1906, 73 at under 14 each in 1907, 79 at under 13 in 1908, 56 at under 12 in 1909, and 59 last season, when he was somewhat more expensive than usual. He fields “ anywhere” —a sign of willingness, if not of con­ spicuous specialised ability. The man who fields anywhere usually comes in, for pretty hard work from time to time. Creber is Lancashire born. Albert Nash is Kent. We believe Silverlock, of Monmouthshire, is Middlesex ; and we are sure that all the three would have been found useful to their native counties. Nash was born at Canter­ bury on September 18, 1873, and first played for Glamorgan in 1902. Bowling medium pace right hand, with an off break, and coming very quickly from the pitch, he has done rare good work for his adopted county. In 1903 his 48 wickets cost less than 10 each, in the following season he had ' 66 at under 14, in 1906 67 at under 15, in 1907 70 at