Cricket 1912

234 CEICKET : A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. J une 15, 1912. C ambridge U niversity v. F ree F oresters . — Not reckoned as first-class, though if the visiting side had been called “ Mr. So-and- So’s Eleven ” it would be— one of those things no fellah can under­ stand. With Norman Druce, Mich®l Falcon, D. C. Collins, C. D. Mclver, W. T. Greswell, W . G. Druce, and H. A. Gilbert, the F. F’ s were hot stuff—on paper, at least. Calthorpe’s 74 in 90 minutes was the feature of the Light Blues’ first innings, in which Gilbert bowled well. Calthorpe and E. C- Baker, the Brighton freshman, disposed of the F. F ’s cheaply ; but in Cambridge’s second no one could do anything with Falcon—one of the fastest, and one of the best fast bowlers in the country. Then Norman Druce played great cricket—he is in tremendous form this year— and practically won the game single-handed. N. C. Phillips’s share in a partnership of 109 was only 29, and Phillips is no stonewaller. The old Marlburian’s innings included twenty-two 4’s. N o r t h u m b e r l a n d v . C h e s h ir e . —The visiting side was a weak one, and the home team were all over them. In a trifle over two hours on Monday they knocked up 233 for 2, W. Meldon, who played for Pretoria against Warner’s M .C .C . Team in 1905-6, and who has appeared a few times for Warwickshire, hitting up 132 in Jessopian fashion. On the Tuesday he was out for 144. Before Norbury’s bowling, with help from Wingham—Norbury hails from Hampshire and Wingham from Kent—Cheshire went down for 144; but when they followed on Holland, the old Leicestershire and Lancashire player, saved them by playing a plucky innings of 120, C. M . Skinner being too much for the rest. But for rain on the first day Northumberland would doubtless have won outright; as it was they scored first innings’ points. W o r c e s t e r s h ir e v . L e ic e s t e r s h ir e . —No play was possible at Stourbridge on the Monday—another straw on the back of the Wor­ cestershire camel! On Tuesday King and Astill bowled well on a soft wicket; only four men did anything, and the home side were all out for 115. Leicestershire got on top almost at once, thanks largely to Mounteney, who hit ten 4’s in his capital 73. Wood helped him to put up 74 for the first wicket. Knight twice hit Pearson for 6 in his 51, and King made 63 in 100 minutes. But Leicestershire bad no chance of winning outright, for play was impossible on Wednesday. N o r th a m pt o n s h ir e v . K e n t . —On a wicket off which the ball came at all sorts of varying paces, Kent started disastrously, three wickets going for 5. Hubble and Troughton added 49 for the fourth, and Huish and Blythe put on 45 for the ninth by vigorous measures. Thompson bowled finely. Wrilliam Denton again showed strong defence, batting 85 minutes for 15; Hayward played a good innings, and John Denton and Seymour did a little useful hitting. Preston, playing for the first time this season for the county, had 5 for 23. Kent’s second innings was a queer affair. Nine men made 26 among them; the colt Collins and the bowler Fairservice added 122 for the eighth wicket after seven had fallen for 58. Collins was missed at short-leg off an easy one, but showed rare pluck and patience thereafter during a stay of three hours. Fairservice batted about an hour and a half. With 224 wanted for victory, the home side made a good start, for, after two men had gone cheaply, East and Sydney Smith added 99 runs in 95 minutes before close of play, and next morning carried their partnership to 134. East’s steady batting was invaluable; but, of course Smith, with his fine ceutury and his successful bowling, was the principal figure in the match, though Thompson and J. S. Denton also did good work. Smith batted 165 minutes, and hit thirteen 4’s. Kent suffered from the absence of Dillon, Day, Humphreys, and Woolley. Y o r k s h ir e v . A u s t r a lia n s . —No play on Monday, or till after lunch oh Tuesday. Wilson batted 130 minutes for 49 ; Hirst scored 45 in 95 minutes ; Tasker hit a 6. Except that Macartney’s bowling calls for special mention, and that the Whitty incident cannot be passed unnoted (see “ Pavilion Gossip” ), such was the tale of the White Hose innings. The total was not a bad one in the circum­ stances. When the Australians went in Hirst provided a real sensation by getting Kelleway, Macartney, and Bardsley out in one over with only ten on the board. Jennings played good, if a trifle lucky, cricket afterwards, what-time the rest found Haigh altogether too difficult for them. There were delays on Wednesday, and York­ shire declared at 66 for 7, leaving the Australians to make 115—if time permitted, which it didn’t, and they had the ability, which it scarcely appeared they had, for only 35 were made for the loss of 6 wickets before time came. Haigh had 11 for 36 in the game. G l o u c e s t e r s h ir e v . S u s s e x . —These counties had not met since 1909. The home side lacked their captain, and played E. H. Shaddon and North (formerly of Somerset) for the first time, and T. Miller for the first time this season. The last-named made top score, 35, in 50 minutes, with one let-off. This was on Tuesday ; on Monday only a quarter of an hour’s play had been possible. Cox and Albert Relf bowled well. Sussex started all right—50 in 25 minutes, Simms doing most of the scoring, of course. He hit a 6 and three 4’s in his 33. Robert Relf helped Vine to take the score to 83. After that the rest “ processed,” all save Cox, who, going in unusually late, hit up 20. Sewell, Langdon, and Hoskin made useful, scores in Gloucester­ shire’s second; and Sussex were set 180 to win. When they had made 60 for one wicket, rain interfered. Another attempt was made to finish, and the visitors, helped to some extent by a wet ball, pulled off what was nevertheless a highly creditable victory by 5 wickets. Robert Relf made 50 in 55 minutes; Vine batted 140 minutes for his faultless 75. The feibranj.* (All Publications intended for review in “ Cricket ” must be addressed to the Editor.) “ England v. Australia, the Record of a Memorable Tour ” is just the kind of book we have learned to expect from Mr. Warner after one of his cricket pilgrimages. It is capital value ; each match of the tour is dealt with in detail, but not too much detail ; the photographs are excellent— especially that in which Mrs. Clem Hill and Miss Betty Warner are shown one on each side of Hugh Trumble, that of the three amateurs of the team, and those of Hill, Bardsley, and the Australian side—and the volume is a fine, handsome one, well-bound and clearly printed. There is a curious slip on p. 92, where Mr. Warner is made to say that Barnes accomplished “ a most astounding and scarcely creditable performance,” another on p. 114, where Murdoch’s score in the 1880 test match is given as 151, and rather a dubious phi use about young Jack Hearne on page 243— “ He is one who requires very careful super­ vision.” The last word is scarcely a good synonym for “ watching ” in the connection in which it is used, I think. “ The Hampshire County Cricket Guide ” for 1912 is as usual an e -:eel lent threepennyworth. It is a pity that in every crick ct county there is not some newspaper proprietor willing to bring out such a handbook ; but the money side must be considered, and in many cases loss would be certain without a subsidy from the county club. The guide contains the full score and the Hants analysis in each of the 1911 matches, a list of members of the county club, birth and death dates of Hants .cricketers, list of Hants clubs, and the other usual features. *England v. Australia, by P. P. Warner. Seven Shillings and Sixpence not. Mills & Boon, 49, Rupert Street, W. * Hampshire County Cricket Guide , 1912. Threepence. “ Hants A dvertiser” Offices, Southam pton. Mb. A. J. G r a n t -C o o k . On the 8th of May while travelling b y train from Colombo to Kandy Mr. A. J. Grant-Cook, an old Felsted boy, and at one time a familiar figure in Surrey club cricket, put an end to his life with a revolver. The late Mr. Grant- Cook was a keen sportsman, and had during his few years’ stay in Ceylon done much to improve the C.C.C. He encouraged the second eleven by getting up regular fixtures with club teams and was always ready to raise a team of his own to play any club in need of a match. He did a lot to promote good feeling between the Europeans and the Ceylonese ; and his death is deplored by a wide circle of sportsmen. Though 52 years of age—he was born on the 26th of December, I860— the late C.C.C. player was a Splendid all-round man. He was captain of his club’s second team for three years, and in 1900 took all ten wickets in a single innings for 34 runs while playing against the Kalatura Sports Club. Last year he took 48 wickets at an average of 9 runs apiece, and scored 222 runs in second eleven cricket, with a highest of 72. He also took 7 wickets for 7 runs against the Staff and Departmental Sports Club in September. He was a familiar figure at big matches in his capacity as umpire, and a better one has never stood in a Ceylon match. He had a great deal to do in bringing about the matches played between Ceylon and the Austra- lian and M.C.C. teams. Another service he did to Ceylon cricket was his inducing V. F. S. Crawford to come out and settle here. Peace to his memory ! S. P. F.