Cricket 1912

J u l y 6, 1912. CEICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. 303 © M i t t c t r g * S o th e m ig h ty B o n n o r h a s p a sse d to th e E ly s ia n field s, w h ere a frie n d o f m in e p ic tu re s J o h n n y B rig g s a n d G eo rge L o h m a n n a n d W illia m M u rd o c h a n d W a lte r B e a d ta k in g w ic k e ts a n d sc o rin g ru n s a s o n e a rth . H is fa it h is m in e ; if “ b e y o n d th o se v o ic e s ” th e re is a n y th in g b u t b la n k a n n ih ila tio n o r r e in c a rn a tio n , th e n I th in k th e re m u st be go o d c r ic k e t fo r g o o d c ric k e te rs— a y , a n d fo r b a d o n es, too, so t h a t t h e y w e re b u t c ric k e te rs a t h e a rt. G e o r g e J oh n B o n n o r w a s b o m a t O ra n g e , N .S .W ., on F e b r u a r y 2 5 , 1 8 5 5 , a fe w m o n th s e a rlie r th a n h is g re a t c a p ta in , M u rd o c h . H e firs t m a d e h is m a r k in c lu b c ric k e t in M elb o u rn e, a n d it w a s a s a V ic to r ia n t h a t h e cam e to E n g la n d w ith th e S e c o n d A u s tr a lia n T e a m in 18 8 0 . H e d id lit t le in th e b ig m a tc h e s t h a t se a so n , th o u g h h e sh ow ed h is h ittin g p o w ers in so m e o f th e g am e s a g a in s t o d d s. l i e m e t w it h lit t le su c c e ss in th e e a rlie r m a tc h e s o f th e 18 8 2 to u r, e ith e r ; b u t in J u n e h e sc o red 74 y . th e G en tlem e n a t t h e O v a l b y fin e h ittin g , a n d la te r h is 66 (ou t o f 79 w h ile in ) v . C am b rid g e P a s t a n d P re se n t a t P o rtsm o u th , a n d h is w o n d e rfu l 1 2 2 * (fo u r 6 ’s , s ix te e n 4 ’s , th e s ix e s a ll o u t o f th e g ro u n d , rem em b e r) v . I Z in g a ri a t S c a rb o ro u g h , h e lp ed t o e a rn h im a r e p u ta tio n a s, b a r C. I . T h o rn to n , th e w o rld ’s b ig g e st h itte r. T h e re is n o t sp a c e fo r d e a lin g w ith h is c a re e r in a n y d e ta il. A s a T e s t m a tc h p la y e r h e d id s in g u la r ly little in th is c o u n tr y , b u t a t h o m e h e p la y e d in n in g s o f 8 5 a t M el­ b o u rn e, a n d 87 (se v e ra l ch a n ce s) a t S y d n e y in 18 8 2 - 3 , an d 12 8 (fo u r 5 ’s , fo u rte e n 4 ’s) a t S y d n e y in 18 8 4 -5 . H e cam e to E n g la n d a g a in in 18 8 4 a n d 18 8 6 , a n d a fte r h is fo u rth v is it s t a y e d in th is c o u n tr y u n til 18 8 8 , w h e n h e jo in e d th e S ix t h T e a m u n d e r P e r c y M c D o n n ell. A ft e r 18 8 8 h e p la y e d in o n ly tw o b ig m a tc h e s. BONNOR'S BATTING IN FIRST-CLASS CRICKET. In England, 1880 In England, 1882 ................ In England, 1884 In England, 1886 ................ In England, 1888 In Australia, ’80-1 to ’90-1 Totals H e m a d e fiv e c e n tu rie s in b ig c ric k e t, th u s :— 122* Third Aust. Team v. I Zingari, Scarborough, 1882. Non-Smokers v. Smokers, Lord’s 1884. Australia v. England, Sydney, 1884-5. Sixth Aust. Team v. Gentlemen, Lord’s, 1888. Sixth Aust. Team v. Yorkshire, Bradford, 1888. J . N . P . Inns. No. H. A. H.S. 17 1 145 9.06 35 47 7 815 20.37 122* 53 3 1061 21.22 124 34 3 581 18.76 49 64 3 1204 19.73 119 44 1 1183 27.51 128 259 18 4989 20.70 128 124 128 119 115 T h e R e v . C y r il R a n d o l p h , o f th e E t o n X I . ’s o f 1 8 4 1 a n d ’42 a n d th e O x fo rd te a m s o f 18 4 4 a n d ’4 5 , d ied a t th e en d o f M a y , a g e d 86. H e w a s a n o rig in a l m em b er o f I . Z in g a ri, a n d o n e o f th e O ld S ta g e rs w h o h a v e d on e so m u c h to m a k e a lo n g su ccessio n o f C a n te rb u ry W eek s a lw a y s p o p u la r, a n d h e p la y e d a fe w tim e s fo r th e G en tlem e n o f K e n t . J o h n H ic k s , w h o w a s a m em b e r o f th e Y o r k s h ire e le v e n in th e e a r ly 7 0 ’s, a n d la te r a n a u c tio n ee r in p a rtn e r­ sh ip w ith R o g e r Id d iso n a t Y o r k , d ie d o f p n e u m o n ia , a g e d 60, a t Y o r k la s t w ee k . On the eve o f the L o rd ’s test m atch, the A u stralian s had to m ourn th e loss o f a frien d and com rade. M r . E r n e s t H um e, w ho died o f pneum onia on Ju n e 22, had been for eight y ears one o f the N .S .W . selectors o f State elevens, and w as travellin g w ith the team in this cou n try. H e w as n ever quite in the front ran k as a p layer, but w as a u seful all-round m an. F o r X I o f N .S .W . v. X V o f Q ueensland at B risb an e in M arch, 1889, he took 5 w ickets fo r 17 in the first inn in gs. In 1895-6 he w as a m em ber o f the N . S . W ales side in N ew Z ealan d , and took 5 w ickets for 34 in the first in n in gs of C an terbu ry, 3 for 14 in the second o f O tago, and 3 for 24 in the second o f W ellington. In 189 7-8 he headed the R ed fern C .C .’s battin g averages w ith 4 1 -7 1 per innings. M r. W . L . R e e s died at G isborne, N ew Zealand , on M ay 13 , aged 76. H is father had at one tim e the practice at D ow nend w hich D r. W . G . G rac e’s father afterw ards held, and W . G .’s m other w as the sister o f W . L . R ee s’s father. T he deceased gentlem an studied law at M elbourne U n iv ersity , but gave up that study for the m in istry. H e returned to the law , how ever, w a s called to the B a r at M elbourne in 18 6 5, m igrated to D unedin, w here he w as adm itted a barrister and solicitor o f the Suprem e C ourt o f N ew Zealand , and for years practised in D unedin, H ok itik a, A uckland, and G isborne su ccessively. H e w as also prom inent in the political world, and a great supporter o f S ir G eorge G rey , o f w hom (in collaboration w ith his eldest daughter) he w rote a L ife . T h is w as not his only book ; the others included a n ovel, “ G ilbert L e ig h ,” an econom ic treatise, and a theological w o rk ! A s a cricketer, M r. R ees w ould probably h ave done m ore if h is m an y other activities had not interfered w ith h is pursuit o f the gam e. H e played for V icto ria v. N ew South W ales at Syd n ey in 18 5 7 , scoring 2 and 0, and later appeared a few tim es for A ucklan d province. H is only su rvivin g son, M r. A . W . R ees, w ho w as at Cam bridge in the late eighties, w as a bow ler of considerable a b ility ; for A ucklan d v. O tago in Ja n u a ry , 1890, he took 14 w ickets for 65 run s. One o f his daughters m arried M r. H u g h B . L u s k , of N ap ier, at one tim e quite the best batsm an in N ew Zealand. T he death o f W il l ia m (“ P ro ” ) R o b e r t so n rem oves one w ho w as for a tim e am ong the best bow lers— perhaps fo r a season Or tw o quite the best bow ler— in N ew Z ealan d . I have not the date o f either his birth or h is death ; but the latter occurred som e tim e in A pril, I believe, and he could scarcely h ave been m ore than fifty. H ailin g origin ally from In v ercarg ill, he took an en gagem ent at C hristch urch , then w ent back to his n ative place, and later returned to C hristch u rch . In all he appeared four tim es for N ew Z ealand, h is best achievem ents being 7 for 14 9 against the N ew South W ales team in 189 3-4 and 5 for 59 (for X V . of N . Z.) v . the A u stralian team in 1896-7. In the inter-provincial m atches he had m ore rem arkable figures, being at h is best in the m id n ineties. Am o n g his an alyses m ay be m entioned : 1 3 for 16 3, C an terbu ry v . W ellington, at C h rist­ church, ’94-5 ; 1 2 for 4 1, C an terbu ry v. South land, C hristchurch, ’94-5; 1 2 fo r 72, Sou th land v. Otago, In v ercarg ill, '97-8; 1 2 for 99, Sou th land v. O tago, In v erc arg ill, ’95-6 ; 1 1 for 94, C an ter­ b u ry v. F ijia n T eam , C hristchurch, ’94-5 ; 8 for 14 4 , C an terbu ry v. N .S .W ., C hristch u rch , ’9 3 -4 ; 7 for 88, C an terbury v . O tago, D unedin, ’9 3 -4 ; and 6 for 13 2 , C an terbu ry v. M elbourne C .C . T eam , C hristch u rch , ’99-’00. H e w as a poor bat, but a capital coach. J u s t as w e go to press com es th e sorrow ful n ew s of T om R ich ard so n ’s death. H is old com rades w ill feel it as a h e av y blow , and to thousands throughout the coun try it w ill be a real sorrow . A n ob itu ary notice w ill appear n ext w eek. Answers to Correspondents. R ochdalian .— You are quite right. F. L . Steel never played for Lancashire. Also D. Q. and H . B . Steel were not M arlburians; but though H. B . was at Uppingham for a time he is better known as a Reptonian, I think. C. B . (Cork).-—You suggest C. B . F ry (captain), P . F . Warner, R . H. Spooner, F . R . Foster, Hayward, Hobbs, Rhodes, Hayes, Barnes, H itch, and Strudwick, with G. L . Jessop and Haigh as reserves as the best England side. It is a good side, but personally I should never make Jessop a reserve, and I should prefer Woolley, J . W . Hearne, or Humphreys to one or two you name, if only to strengthen the fielding. R egular R eader . —What’s the use of grum bling? If your club secretary will send along scores (in full or in summary) and notes, if he cares to add any, we can deal with your matches— not otherwise. Perhaps he would let you do it for h im ; some fellows are like that. We want the clu b s; but we can’t drag them in by the scruff of the neck. I am not at liberty to reveal “ The Chiel’s ” identity, but I may say that he is not a small, meek man. THE AMERICAN CRICKETER. F ounded 1877. P ublished by The A ssociated C rioket Clubs of P h ilad elp h ia. An Illustrated Journal of Cricket, Association Football, Tennis, Golf, and Kindred Pastimes. No. 114, South 18th Street, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.A. prici — IB/- p er an n u m , post p aid a n y v h e re .