Cricket 1912

110 CRICKET : A WEEKLY of Middlesex; the second and third Saturday elevens have also good lists, including games with the second and third strings of several clubs mentioned above, besides other matches. Mr. William Lyon (“ Lamoye,” Grove Avenue, Church End, Finchley), is Hon. Sec. The L a u d e r d a l e C.C. (Hon. Sec., Mr. A. K. E. Wren, 47, West Bank, Stamford Hill), has an Essex tour in July (15th to 20th), when B. G. A. (Shoeburyness), Westcliffe, Wickford, Mr. T. E. Wicks’s X I., and Upminster are met. They have also matches for every Saturday up to September 14, and for most Thursdays, meeting Finchley East, North Middlesex, Brentwood, Paddington, Loughton, Parson’s Green, Ludgate Circus, Higham’s Park, Shepherd’s Bush, Borough Poly., Architectural Association, Walthamstow, Luton Town, Epping, Spartans, Bank of India, Edmonton, Kickmansworth, White House, and Kiver Plate House. This is Lauderdale’s 23rd season. And the B e l l e v u e C.C.’s 25th! It would be interesting to have a list of the ages of the principal metropolitan clubs. Of course Lauderdale and Bellevue are mere youths compared with Battersea, Granville and others ; but twenty or more is a respectable age for any cricket club. Bellevue run two elevens and start operations this week; the first team plays Balham Wanderers, Walton, Boupell Park, Egham and Thorpe, Private Banks 2nd, Stanley, Ealing Park, Spencer 2nd, Epsom 2nd, Merton, Addiscombe, Cyphers 2nd, Croydon, Malden Wan­ derers, and L. C. and W. Bank 2nd. Mr. Alec McCabe (58, Norbury Crescent, S.W.) is the Hon. Sec. After this week, I fear, pressure of space will prevent my giving notes as to many fixture lists; but cards will be useful nevertheless. I should be glad to know whether a weekly list of fixtures would appeal to our supporters. Will Hon. Secs, please note that score-sheets and order of going in cards can be supplied at threepence per dozen ? For sending in matches to this paper only score-sheets will be supplied free if desired ; but they are adapted for use in the case of any paper, and are particularly good value.—The E d it o r . P. J. Shuter put in some good hitting for Norbury Park Wanderers v. Purley, his 45 not out including nine 4’s. Bussell and W . E. Hobbs also batted well, and Helder and Desprey showed steady form for the other side. E. L. Johnson (5 for 29) was the best N .P.W . bowler. In the game between Biver Plate House and Stockwell Park some excellent batting was shewn by Martin, who gave only one chance in his 55. F. C. Buckeridge gave a great display of hitting for B.P.H . ; his big innings was made in 55 minutes, and included three 6’s and sixteen 4’s. He gave a chance early, but after that was never once in di fficulties. Drabble, the captain, helped him to add 78 for the fourth wicket, and Wheatley played a useful innings of 27. P. Boitell-Gill for B .P.H . and Merrett for the Park bowled well. G. A. Mills and E. 0. Kirk are a difficult pair of bowlers to run up against, as Heathfield found in their match with the L.C. and W . Bank. Mills, keeping a fine length and disguising his slow ball well, had 7 for 32 ; Kirk would have still further lessened the Heathfield score had the slip catching been up to the mark. Aitchison batted very steadily for Heathfield, and Harker’s catchy dismissing him was a really fine effort. The Bank won easily, but Swancott’s bowling for the losers was all there,e»nd he did not slacken even after the game was virtually over, and had 6 wickets for 33 at the end. A t Uttoxeter, R. Wormington, playing for Oldfields v. Stoke, clean bowled four wickets with four successive balls. This item of news reaches me from Mr. Percy Briggs, who is captain and secretary of the Stoke C.C., and not only bats and bowls but also often keeps wicket for the side ! What Stoke would do without Percy Briggs it is hard to imagine. His club is, of course, a member of the North Staffordshire League, whose neat little yellow- covered handbook lies before me as I write. But I regret to say that the anticipated budget of news as to last Satur­ RECORD OF THE GAME. M a y 4, 1912. day's matches seems to have been delayed or gone astray— better luck next week, I hope ! Fenton, Stoke, Burslem, Knypersley, Norton, Crewe Alexandra, Silverdale, Porthill, Tunstall, Longton, Leek, and Stone, are the ten clubs forming the first division. Porthill, with Barnes and that fine young jilayer, J. S. Heath, look like securing the championship again. J. H. Brown, the old [Leicestershire man, is the Norton pro., vice George Wilson, formerly of Worcestershire, who has gone to Burslem. Stone has Dan Robinson, a left-hander who has played for Yorkshire Second ; Fenton possesses George Deyes, another Yorkshireman ; R. H. Simms, a third Tyke, is Longton’s pro., and Herbert Sedgwick, a fourth, Knypersley’s. Leek has T. Smith, who has played county cricket for Durham, Silverdale W . Brown, who for so many years did Staffordshire good service, Stoke, J. E. Nichols, and Tunstall the Somerset colt of a year or two ago, B. F. Morgan. Fred Moorhouse (Warwickshire and Cheshire) now plays as an amateur for Crewe Alexandra. In the far north of England a fine start was made. West Hartlepool had a twelve from the North Yorkshire and South Durham League as opponents ; the picked team was a strong one, including Charles Townsend, J. Bucknell, T. K. Dobson, and other well-known county and league cracks ; but it could only make 108 against the fine bowling of G. Middlemiss (6 for 49) and Jackson, Hartlepool’s pro. (5 for 20). Ten of the twelve wickets were bowled. The club ran up 138 for 2, A. B. Horsley 58, T. Kincli 48, Jackson 26 not out. In the Tyneside Senior League, St. George’s beat North Durham. Wingham, the colt from Kent, made 95 for the winners ; but Dick Harrison, the North Durham County man, beat this with a line 110— out of a total of only 170, too. Benwell Hill (F. Scott 49) beat South Northumberland by 4 runs only— 98 to 94. It was any­ body’s game right up to the finish. Benwell, closing at 252 for 9 (Bent 61, C. Wanson 52 not out), put Tynemouth out for 78, W . Yeitch having the splendid figures of 9 for 33. In the other two games Wallsend beat Byton, and Tynedale beat Backworth ; but there was no individual performance of much note. There was some excellent cricket in the Durham Senior League. Seaham Harbour and Wearmouth played a tie game— 136 each, with excitement right up to the finish. Clode the former Surrey bowler, plays for Wearmouth ; he took 5 wickets. South Shields, for whom Ellis, formerly of Northants, is playing, lost to Burnmoor by a single run, in spite of a fine bit of bowling (8 for 35) by Harry, of Lancashire and Scottish fame. No individual score in either of these games reached 50 ; but J . Dowson put up 73 not out and G. Ord 62 for Boldon, who beat Philadelphia with great ease ; and for Chester-le-Street, who defeated Hendon, J. Bewick made 70 not out. Durham City smashed up Eppleton, C. G. Adamson, the new county captain, taking 6 wickets at trifling cost. Sunderland (Morris having a good day with 52 not out and 6 for 48) easily beat Whitburn, for whom James, who used to play so well for Notts. Second, and has been tried in the first, played pluckily for 32. He should be of great use to Whit­ burn, who were wooden spoonists last season, and need a lift. It is delightful to note the success with which some well- known secretaries met last Saturday. No one does more work for the game and his side than the really good secretary, and he is fully entitled to every scrap of pleasure he can get out of the actual play. It is extremely likely that H. B. Ellis, of Parson’s Green, quite enjoyed taking 6 wickets for 19 with his slows against Clapham Ramblers, that William Lyon, of Albemarle and Friern Barnet, felt he was having a good time when he and Walton added 120 together for the fifth wicket against Walham Green, and that G. C. Hasts’s 6 wickets for 22 for Forest Hill v. Catford was by no means displeasing to G. C. Upper Clapton (R. Heath 43, A. L. Evelyn 39) made 113 v. Barnet, who replied with 178 for 5 (J. W. Nunn 46, C. H.