Cricket 1913

M ay 24, 1913 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 233 Cricket in Scotland. ( B y H a m is h .) W ith fine weather and firmer wickets scoring ruled higher oil Saturday last, and the two hundred mark was passed in several matches. Nevertheless, good bowling figures were more frequent than big scores. The Grange divided their forces for the first time this season, with one win and one defeat as result. The win was gained over Hawick at Raeburn Place— 154 to 108—and was largely attributable to A. K. Bell, of Perthshire (55), and J. L. Stevenson (5 wickets for 22). J. D. Wilson (59) and J. Storrie (7 for 40) did well for Hawick. The side that went to Uddingston was rather weak in batting, and only totalled 100 against 122, Nash, the Uddingston professional, capturing 5 wickets for 49. A. C. Cullen (47) laid the foundation for the victory. Forfarshire somewhat discounted Fifeshire’s chances of the Counties Championship, thanks to R. G. Tait (77). The scores were 141 to 66. Tait paid scant respect to Morfee, whose figures were, however, quite respectable— 6 for 62. Winyard, at present professional with Dundee Victoria, was on trial for Forfarshire, and, as he. took 5 wickets for 17, the prospects of his being asked to fill Ringrose’s place are very bright. Perthshire opened their season by entertaining Edinburgh Academicals on the North Inch. Batting first, they lost 6 wickets for 90, but then J. A. Ferguson (72*) and R. Gardiner (51*) added 106 without being separated. Applying the closure, they dismissed the Academicals for 81—Ben skin 5 for 37. Ferguson is evidently in the same form as last season, when he finished with an average for the county of 94. E. L. Kidd turned out for Stirling County (please note, Mr. Sewell!) against Stenhousemuir, but met with little success. He was out l.b.w. for 3, and did not secure a wicket. Stenhousemuir scored 201 for 9 wickets and then ^ot rid of the County for 65. A. Graham (66) and his brother, J. Graham (5 wickets for 25), were mainly respon­ sible for the victory. The latter is a slow bowler who is, I think, underrated in high quarters. This match illustrates one of the funny anomalies of Scottish County cricket, for in it a c'.ub team beat its own county eleven. Here we do not always find the different parts of a county pulling together. A remarkable performance was recorded at Langholm, where the town eleven defeated Upperbv—81 to 29. Jackson, the professional (4 wickets for 11), performed the “ hat trick,’- but this feat was topped by F. Graham (6 .for 17), who secured the last four Upperby wickets with successive balls. Ayr started on their Western Union programme, and by decisively defeating Kilmarnock—208 for 9 to 108—made it evident that they will be difficult to oust from the head of the championship. R. C. E. Moffat scored 68, and Turner made 52 (including two 6’s and eight 4’s) in some fifteen minutes! In bowling the latter had 4 wickets for 33, and W. R. Drinnan five for 30. Po'oc (51) went down to Kelburne (81). The amateurs came out well in the bowling department; for Kelburne, J. B. McKinlay took four wickets for. 13, and T. Wilson two for 9, and for Poloc W. H. A. Dinsmore had three for 11. If most clubs would place a little more faith in their amateurs j as bowlers they would probably find it justified. Greenock defeated Clydesdale in no uncertain fashion. Clydesdale only made 61, a total which Greenock passed without losing a wicket. John Kerr (71) and J. B. Walker (92)took the score to 145 before a wicket fell, and the final total was 225 for 9 wickets. Here, too, the amateur did well in the trundling line. Nixon, the old West of Scotland professional, now with Menzies’ XI., put in a fine afternoon’s work to enable his club to overcome Ferguslie, the totals being 78 and 45. With 39 he scored exactly half the total, and followed this up by taking seven wickets for 15. In the Edinburgh district Carlton (156 for 5) had a fine win over the Royal High School F .P .’s (152), being left with about two hours to get the runs, and getting them with eight minutes to spare. Edinburgh Institution F .P .’s had not suffered defeat for over two seasons before Saturday; but they have lost so many prominent players that defeat was bound to come soon, and Brunswick had the pleasure of breaking their long un­ beaten record. The scores were small— 90 to 63. In the match without professionals at Mossilee, Galashiels, between Gala (138) and Selkirk (92 for 4 wickets), A. Mack, of Selkirk, had 7 wickets for 27. Special Club Notes. C o n t r ib u t e d b y T h e C h ie l . A match that I se'.dom miss is that between Battersea and Brixton. When I arrived at the Battersea ground last Saturday, the crowd was so dense that I had difficulty in reaching the sacred enclosure, which also was full of cricket enthusiasts, old and young. Before commenting on the match, I should like to give a good word to the club for the really excellent condition of their ground, and it is evident in A. F. Harding they have secured a worthy groundsman. The ground is situated in the best part of the park, and on Saturday I should say tKere were four thousand people either sitting or standing around the playing pitch. And such a keen crowd, too! The treasurers of some county clubs would wear their best smile at the sight of such a gate ! Now to the match. Brixton had won the toss and were batting when I got there. C legg and Boys were slamming 4’s, yet the Battersea bowling was never loose. F. G. Akhurst, a new acquisition to the B.C.C., W'as bowling very fast, with what seemed to me an unnecessary long run. C legg made 30 and Boys 40 by good forcing cricket, much enjoyed by the crowd. Trol'ope with 33 and Meacock with 32* helped Brixton to declare with 229 for 9 on the board. After tea on the ground (a new and time-saving innovation), 13 attersea started with Herron and Ward. With 110 possible chance of the runs being made in the time left, both played steady and good cricket. Ward was bowled with a ball from Mattingley that just beat the bat. Christie joined Herron, and the score was taken to 26 when Christie put his leg in front of a straight one from Clegg. Hiscock came in, and Herron made some splendid off-shots, three rare square cuts greatly pleasing the crowd. Herron mis­ timed one from C e g g and was easily caught. In Herron— who is quite a lad— Battersea have found a sound and I stylish bat; moreover, he is an excellent field. Hiscock and Dawdry played out time, the match ending in an even draw. But all is not over at drawing of stumps. There follows that delightful annual meeting of many old cricketers at the headquarters of the Battersea Club in the evening. A ‘.fathering including II. G. Thompson, A. Cheesewright, W. Meacock, A. and W. Davis, F. A. Boys, M. Moorhouse, W. J. Denniss, A. J. Trollope, and others, of Brixton; Major Moore, W. H. Beckett, J. Anning, H. A. White