Cricket 1912

106 CEICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. M ay 4, 1912. H. GRADIDGE & SONS, Manufacturers and Exporters of all requisites for Cricket, Lawn Tennis, Racquets, Squash Racquets, &c. Reblading Cricket b a ts and Restringing Tenn is b a ts a Special feature. Patentees and Sole makers o f the “ I M P E R I A L D R I V E R ” Cricket Bats made in Men’s, Small Men’s, College, 6, 5, 4, & 3, sizes. Every other requisite for Cricket, including balls, leg guards, batting gloves, gauntlets, stumps, nets, &c. Price Lists and Special Quotations free. ALL GOODS CARRIAC- PAID TO ANY PART OF THE UNITED ___ _____ __ ___ _________ ___ __ KINCDOM. Sole Makers o f the “ Imper ial D r i v e r ” and “ Improved Gradidge ' Lawn Tennis Racquets. F a c t o r y ARTILLERY PLACE, WOOLWICH, S.E. Cricket in Scotland. B y H am ish . A continuance of the fine weather has rendered the wickets as hard as adamant and as fast as they are likely to be all summer, too fast for the majority of the batsmen, who altogether failed to time the ball, with the result that in both matches played last Saturday the bowlers triumphed, and comparatively small scores were recorded. In the West, Uddingston met Ferguslie in the Western Union Championship—not of much value now when so many of the best clubs have decided to staud out—and made an exceedingly poor show, 81 to 166. Thus early it is evident that they will sorely miss the services of Broadbent, as those of also A. McNab, who was due to sail on Saturday for Canada. Nash did fairly w ell; but report has it that he will hardly till the Yorkshireman’s shoes. Still 5 for 45 isn’t bad for a start. The other Western Union game saw Kelburne continue th* ir victorious career, this time at the expense of Kilmar­ nock. Their professional, Shingler, still maintains his opening form, and emphasised the fact by accomplishing the hat-trick in the closing minutes of the match, whereupon he was carried shoulder high to the pavilion. The finest bit of bowling of the day, however, came from Or. W . Jupp, of Carlton, who against Poloc, at Shawliolm, bowled 15 overs, 10 of which were maidens, for 18 runs and 8 wickets. His last 8 overs were maidens and included therein were six wickets. Good work! We shall want Jupp for more serious business later on. Though English by birth, he has now spent about twenty years in Edinburgh, where his powers have come to fall maturity. As a rule he his not very dangerous on hard, true wickets ; but when he can turn them a little he always comes out well. J. L. Brodie, 101 not out, had the satisfaction of scoring the lir»t Scottish century of the season, for Clydesdale against Sten- housemuir, whose bowlers are not often treated in this way. Brodie is one of Clydesdale’s brilliant youngsters, of whom so much is expected in coming years. Turning eastwards, one has to record that Leith Caledonian suffered severely at the hands of the Watsonians at Myreside, Edin­ burgh. The Watsonians have got together a splendidly balanced side, which only experienced defeat once last season, and all the old hands are still available. No Caledonian could make anything of the fast deliveries of A. F. Wilson, who obtained a wicket with his first ball, and finished up with the hat trick. His full analysis was 6 wickets for 25. At Craiglockhart, East Stirlingshire batted for close on three hours, and left Edinburgh University just over an hour to score 199. This is scarcely “ cricket,” and clubs are expected to show better sportsmanship. With five hours available for play, no side ought to occupy the wickets for more than three hours before closing, unless there are exceptional circumstances. If the second side can score the necessary runs in the limited time, they deserve victory. The result was naturally a draw ; but the University did not show up in a favourable light. At Ladysmill, Dunfermline, there was high scoring all round. The veteran Dr. A. J. McGregor collected 86. This player has been in the ranks of the Dunfermline club for over twenty-five years, yet curiously enough he reached the century for the first time last season. He appeared set for another on Saturday, when he was clean bowled. The wickets at Ladysmill have all been clayed this spring; and, if the summer remains dry, tall scoring shoull be in evidence. I can picture Forfarshire and Perthshire having a picnic when the county matches come on. Dunfermline’s score of 204 for 2 was followed by 157 for 4 from the Royal High School F .P .’s. Thus the opening match saw 361 runs scored for the los3 of 6 wickets, average 60 a-piece. Is this fair to the bowlers ? Big Matches of the Week. Were there any ? The Surrey Trial was only as “ Long- Leg ” said in the Sporting L ife , a glorified practice. But it was interesting nevertheless. Julian Piggott, Cheltenham and Cambridge, just back from a long foreign tour, captained one side, drove well, and did execution with his lobs; that fine sportsman, the Surrey Second skipper, led the other. E. F. Campbell, the Etonian, Harrison, lately back from coaching in -South Africa, and that extremely promising colt Ernest Hayes (N.B.—a joke, feeble, but well-meant) all scored centuries, and D. J. Knight, Malvern and Oxford, and Blacklidge also showed excellent form. Bar Piggott, Platt, and Hobbs, the bowlers did little, and generally looked harmless. R. G. Tudor, the old Eastbournian, C. M. Keddie, P. D. Pank, M. J. Susskind, and others collected some runs in the Senior Match at Cambridge ; and B. D. Hylton-Stewart (12 for 112) bowled capitally. But one is inclined to fancy that the vacant places in the Light Blue side will fall chiefly to freshers.