Cricket 1913

M a y 3 1 , 1913 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 267 Followers of North Staffordshire and District League cricket had some delectable dishes served up to them last Saturday. Only one game was unassociated with sensational doings. The exception occurred at Crewe, where the Alexandra continued in their groove of mediocrity, and were easily beaten by the improved Leek side. Batting first on a good wicket, the home team were expected to make a decent sh ow ; but they failed badly before D ay and H. Birch, F. Simpson, With 14, being top scorer. Leek’s new pro. had six wickets for 37, and Birch had the other four for three runs less, the aggregate being 82. The Alexandra bowling was no more convincing than their batting, and the visitors had the game won with six wickets standing, D ay contributing a fine 72, and Harry Ellerton (28) assisting in a useful second wicket stand. Fenton met with their first defeat of the season, Burslem being their conquerors, and the match had an exciting ending. Fenton started poorly when they lost three good batsmen with the board showing but 25 runs, but Harry Dearing steadied the batting, and there were several desirable scores amongst the middle men, G. Roberts compiling 36, Deyes 22, and F. Hawley 16. Dearing’s quota was 46, composed exclusively of boundaries and singles, there being nine hits to the ropes. The brothers Cook did best with the ball for Burslem, A. Cook, the captain, having 4 for 55, and E. Cook 3 for 10. The home club suffered badly when A. Hollowood was run out a t 17, and J. H. Hodgkiss, another of their most dependable batsmen, returned at 24, but Mills (20) and Evans Cook (17) revived hopes, and the resuscita­ tion was maintained by J. Griffiths and A. Cook (19), the stumper being the hero of a struggle which was not determined until the last over had been called. Griffiths played resolute cricket in getting 62 (not out), containing ten 4’s. Barnes in his most dominant mood was too great a problem for Stoke, who had been fondly expected to put a check on Porthill’s conquering career. When Porthill took first innings an aggregate of some magnitude was looked for, but their batting was not over convincing, though no player failed entirely. Nichols bowled unchanged and accounted for 6 for 52, and few of the visitors shaped confidently at him. The outstanding exception was F. R. Heath, who showed free and stylish batting in getting 47, including six 4’s. H. Burt, who m ight have had an earlier trial, captured three wickets for 17 runs. Porthill's total was 133, and it proved to be almost a hundred too many for Stoke. Barnes gave a hint of what was to follow when he bowled Percy Briggs with his first ball, and the third delivery of his second over was fatal to W. D. Kirkby, who fell to a smart catch b y stumper J. Poole. Nichols (10) and J. L. Bagguley made a fair stand, but Barnes out-manoeuvred the latter when he bowled round the wicket, a tame return catch resulting. The remainder of the venture was a procession, the crack bowler finishing with nine victims for thirteen runs, and the other Stoke batsman was run out b y smart collaboration between Barnes and R . Mawdesley. Harry Eardley again bowled well, only 9 runs accruing from his 13 overs, but with the All-England bowler in such devastating form, he had little chance of getting wickets. The game at Longton produced the first century of the season in First Division cricket, the executant being Barber, the Longton and Cumberland professor. Barber and E. G. B axter made the Norton bowling appear sorry stuff, their sixth wicket partnership furnishing 166 chalks, and Norton were lucky when it was determined by the running out of the amateur. The left­ hander had eleven 4’s in his 85, and Barber’s unfinished 109 included 18 boundaries. The visitors tried ten bowlers, the quality of whose work can be gauged from the fact th at only 38 overs were needed for the recording of 225 runs. Norton had previously been dismissed for 67, Barber and H. R igby equally sharing their wickets. Morgan had a bad afternoon in Tunstall’s match with Knyper- sley, failing to get a wicket, but R. F. Beardmore (6 for 33) and H. Downs (4 for 30) got rid of the opposition for 157, of which H. E. Bourne, brother of E. H. Bourne, the Fenton and Reigate Priory amateur, claimed a sound 58. Tunstall cut up so feebly against Sedgwick and G. Cooper, as to lose six men for 19 runs, but the final total was 107, J. Morris (33) and J. Broad (46 not out) preventing an utter collapse. Sedgwick’s fast bowling got him seven wickets for seven runs apiece. Stone had to wait for what in any event would have been the last ball of the match before they could count full points from Silverdale, and they had B. C. Montagnon (72) and J. J. Fernie (31 not out) to thank for their success. J. C. Cooper (35), Frank Ellams (23), and J. B. Street (20) were the principal contributors to Silverdale’s 159. The Lincoln Lindum teams were in great scoring form on Saturday. The first were at Newark, and while the home team, batting first, made the goodly total of 201 (R. H. Howitt 46, J. Pennington 32, F. H. Norther 31*, F. W. Foster 24), the Lindum response was even better per wicket, the tale of runs at the call of time being 145, with only three wickets gone. F. S. Baker again played a long and resolute innings, 62*, while E. Pullein made 44. The Lindum second team are proving to be a particularly strong side this season, for following up their fine display against Grantham II. a fortnight ago they defeated Lincoln Church House in most easy fashion. F. R. Nicholson, of the latter team, played a very meritorious innings of 51 ; the rest got but 23 among them, and the total was only 82. F. R. Beechey himself made 92 for Lindum, and the contributions of T. W. Andrew (42*), F. L. Harvitt (43), and J. R. Brailsford (21), helped in making up the Lindum total to 261. For Lindum, Page took 8 wickets at low cost. The two Grantham teams were again in winning mood, the First defeating Egerton Park (Melton Mowbray) by 17 runs, and the Second beating Bingham by 3 wickets. In the former match Frier, who was keeping wicket for Egerton Park, received a nasty blow on the right temple from a fast rising ball, and was rendered unconscious for about a quarter of an hour. Egerton Park were first to bat, and they were disposed of for 71 runs, Appleby bowling finely with 6 wickets for 27, and Bradsmoore — also in good form— 4 for 31. Grantham had a strong side out, and an easy victory was anticipated; but wickets tumbled a t an alarmingly rapid rate, and when the eighth fell there were still two runs wanting to win. These, however, were quickly obtained, and Grantham eventually won. Rooksby played exceedingly free and confident w icket; once more is Grantham ’s victory due in great measure to him. Appleby also made very free with bowling which to most of the others had appeared unplayable. Except for Rooksby and Appleby, however, there was little in the Grantham batting. Grantham II. journeyed to Bingham, and there beat the home team by 3 wickets. H. S. Collingwood with 31 was chief scorer. A close game was played at Lincoln between the Stamp End team and Sleaford Town, the latter winning by 10 runs— 73 to 63. H. E. Goodson (38) was the only double-figure scorer on the Sleaford side. In South Wales and district Cardiff and Newport drew. Cardiff made 174 (N. V. H. Riches 79) and Newport 153 for 9 (F. G. Phillips 51, Silverlock 40). Newport’s new pro., Corbett, took 6 for 47. Penarth (152 for 8, H. H. Sweet-Escott 71), declared, and put out Usk for 19, Martin taking 6 for 10 and Stoner 4 for 8. Vogler did fine all-round work for Llanelly (164 for 9) v. Briton Ferry (61). He scored 57 and took 8 for 33. Swansea (177, Maxwell 56) easily beat Neath (88), despite a long drawn-out effort of 26* in 2} hours by A. E. Freethy. For Neath Bestwick (ex-Derbyshire) had 5 for 62 ; Maxwell lowered 6 for 24 for Swansea. Cardiff St. Mary’s lost to Barry on the stroke of time. R. Rooney made 72 for the losers, and A. Osborne (51*) and R. V. W illiams (48*) were the chief batsmen for the winners. Plymouth Merthyr (103, T. Murray 34) beat St. Fagan’s (54). Our Liverpool correspondent, Mr. G. A. Brooking, writes: Those keen south end rivals, Liverpool and Sefton, met last Saturday at Aigburth, and by superior batting the Liverpudlians won the game, scoring 229 to 97. J. C. Cunningham, a really good forcing bat, led the w ay with a capital 77, in which were two 6’s, one of these landing on the pavilion, j . S. Royle a son of Rev. Vernon Royle— according to the Liverpool Daily Post, also was to the fore with a brilliant 52. Curtis, the Sefton professional, bowled excellently, taking 7 for 52. On the Seftonians proceeding to the crease, they made a poor show ; only when Blease and Boswell were partners did they seem to have any chance, the former notched 30 and the latter 16, these