Cricket 1914

J u l y 25, 1914. THE WORLD OF CRICKET ?83 T he Second=C lass C o u n tie s . Minor county matches are few and far between in May and June. Last year only 12 matches in the second-class competition had been worked off during the first two months of the season, and this year the number is the same. Bedfordshire, Cheshire, Durham, Essex II, Glamorgan, Hertfordshire, Kent II, Lincoln­ shire, Monmouthshire, Northumberland, Staffordshire, Suffolk, and Surrey II had made a start in their programmes by the end of June. Cornwall and Wilts began on July 8, Devon on the 10th, Norfolk on the 15th, Buckinghamshire on the 16th, Berkshire on the 17th. Cambridgeshire will have made a start before this is published ; but Dorsetshire only begin operations on the 29th inst. Altogether 29 matches were set for decision in July, and as many as 50 during August, when Cambs, Dorset, and Wilts play seven each, Bucks, Berks, and Surrey II six each, and Beds, Devon, Essex II, Herts, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk five each. Between first-class and* second-class county cricket there is a great gulf fixed, say some people. However that may be, Worcestershire and Northamptonshire have bridged the gulf in recent times. Not for many years, it may be, will another county ascend. It is doubtful whether any minor county to-day would accept promotion. The responsibilities outweigh the honour. There is, beyond doubt, a wide disparity between the weakest second-class and the strongest first-class counties. But it is not here that the comparison should be made. No one would expect Cornwall to hold their own with Kent, or Dorset with Middlesex. But if a series of matches were arranged among five of the strongest second-class sides—say, Staffordshire. Norfolk, Hert­ fordshire, Glamorgan, and Durham—and five of the weakest first-class—say Gloucestershire, Somerset, Worcestershire, Derby­ shire, and Leicestershire— it would not be long odds against a second-class county at the top when all was over. Thus far the feature of the season has been Staffordshire’s signal career of success. They may go under to Norfolk in the match which will have been played before this is read ; but previous to that they had played five games, and had won four in an innings and the other by 9 wickets, lowering 100 wickets for 795 runs— less than 8 per wicket ! “ It’s all I 3 arnes,” may say someone who does not follow the fortunes of the second- class brigade. But Barnes only played in two of the five matches. Durham got off the mark strongly, with 487 for 8, dec., v. Northumberland, and 417 for 8. dec., w. Glamorgan. They took 8 points out of these two matches. But they went under twice to all-conquering Staffordshire, and lost on the first innings to Glamorgan at Swansea. They beat Lincolnshire pretty easily, and thus have 14 points of a possible 30 to date' with four more matches to play, all of which they might well win. Herts have beaten Suffolk, played a " no result ” game with Beds, and taken first innings’ points v. Norfolk. Lincolnshire have lost two matches out of three, but had not full strength in any one of the three. Their win over Kent II at Town Mailing Was a creditable performance. Glamorgan, with a win. a loss, first innings’ points in two matches, and one point in another, have 12 points of a possible 25. They have five matches to come. Surrey II might beat them ; but on form they should be too good for Monmouth (twice), Wilts, and Essex II. Kent II have only a win on the first innings over Surrey II at the Oval in the way of achievement. Monmouth, after losing heavily to Devon, beat Cornwall in an uphill game. Northumberland have lost three matches out of four. Wilts have won two out of three. Surrey II have taken 9 points of a possible 15 ; but they went under twice to Yorkshire II outside the competition. Cheshire beat Lancashire II in one game and had the best of a draw in the other in extraneous matches ; in competition games they have lost two and won one. It should be understood that this is written on July 20, and that things will have happened since. Of individual form it is yet full early to write. But F. Hargrave Carroll has made centuries in two consecutive matches for Devon ; Norman Riches had totalled 500 (highest. 109) in 10 completed innings (including the Northants match) for Glamorgan ; C. H. Titchmarsh has already scored a couple of centuries and a 79 (v . M.C.C.) for Herts ; Silverlock has aggre­ gated 276 in 5 innings for Monmouth, including a capital 139 v. Cornwall ; Harry, formerly of Lancashire, has made 85, 84, and 82 for Durham ; and Sandham for Surrey II has scored 420 in 8 innings, 2 not out, giving him an average of 70. He made 117 v. Kent II. Besides the centuries mentioned here others have been made by A. P. Ashley (Durham), S. G. Etheridge (Herts), F. W. Beech (Devon), H. C. James, the old Leatherhead boy (Mon­ mouth), G. J. V. Weigall (Kent II), C. F. Stanger-Leathes (Northumberland), E. J. Fulcher (Norfolk— v. M.C.C.), Maxwell (Glamorgan), and Dutnall (Kent II). Among the bowlers Hacker (Glamorgan), with 36 wickets in 6 matches ; Harry (Durham), with 36 in 6 ; Morris (Durham), 34 in 6 ; Smoker (Cheshire), 30 in 3 ; Whiting (Cornwall), 27 in 3 ; Creber (Glamorgan), 28 in 6 ; Freeman (Kent II), 25 in 4 ; Broughton (Lincolnshire), 24 in 3 ; Wilson (Staffordshire), 21 in 4, at a cost of under 6 each— have all done good work already, and should do more before the season closes. Some of the most notable individual performances with the ball have been Smoker’s 15 for 65 (Cheshire v. Essex II, 9 for 33 in the second), Whiting’s 13 for 94 (Cornwall v. Devon), Hacker’s 11 for 70 (Glamorgan v. Wilts), Broughton’s 13 for 143 (Lincolnshire v. Northumberland—he had 9 for 80 in the first), Penfold's 11 for 190 (Suffolk v. Beds), Morgan’s 11 for 48 (Staffordshire v. Durham), Barnes's 11 for 43 (Staffordshire v. Durham), and Wilson’s 10 for 40 (Staffordshire v. Northumber­ land). Smoker also had 10 v. Lancashire II at Bollington—no analysis given. These figures vary greatly ; but so did the conditions under which the matches were played, and perhaps of them all none was really superior in merit to Penfold’s, though his average per wicket is highest. Besides the 9 wickets in an innings of Broughton and Smoker, already noted. Barnes took 8 for 33 in the first of Durham at Stoke, and E. J. Johnson 7 for 7 in the second ; and other single innings’ analyses worth mentioning were V. Hope’s 8 for 48 (Cheshire v. Staffordshire), Light's 5 for 11 (Devon v. Monmouth), Harry’s 7 for 45 and 7 for 64 (Durham v. Northumberland and v. Lincolnshire respectively), Mitchell’s 7 for 43 (Wilts v. Bucks), Morgan’s 6 for 44 (Staffordshire v. Cheshire), Sedgwick’s 7 for 53 (Staffordshire v. Northumberland), Barnes’s 6 for 25 (Stafford­ shire v. Cheshire), and Mitchell’s 5 for 27 (Wilts v. Cornwall). These do not exhaust the list ; but in too many cases analyses are wanting. C r ic k e t Q u ip s a n d Y a r n s— B ea rded a n d o th e rw is e . L o c k w o o d likes to recall the occasion when he got “ his own back ” with an umpire. The match was Surrey v. Warwick­ shire at I£dgbaston and the man in the white coat Walter Humphreys. The great fast bowler, who had fallen into the old error of getting over or outside the crease several times, had been quite correctly no-balled. Resenting the decisions, he plotted a reprisal. Upon going on again he ran up in his well- known style, jumped half a foot over the crease, swinging his arm as in the act of delivering the ball. Promptly shouting No ball,” the old Sussex lobster shook his finger, adding, “ Who’s going to get tired first ? ” “ I don’t know ; you, I should imagine, since you’re practically asleep already ! Here’s the ball, which has never left my hand.” The laugh was against Humphreys ; but, with* characteristic obstinacy, he refused to adnjit himself in the wrong. * * * * Says Jessop : “ I ’m going out for a drive.” Replies Quaife : “ Are you ? Well, everyone to his taste. I prefer to stay at home.” * * * * Little Jawkins, though an enthusiast, never did shine at cricket and was always No. 11 on the batting list. Having fielded out quite a number of Saturdays only to see the innings declared before there was a chance of his getting a knock, he took a pen. and. like Squire Osbaldeston of old, struck his name off the club’s list of members. Since then he has become keen on golf. So keen in fact is he that he practises daily at the office with a wet blotting-paper ball and his governor’s umbrella. Thus are the enthusiastic duffers lost to the game, which needs them, duffers though they be ! * * * * Instructions to young cricketers anxious to escape a blob : Start for a run whatever happens, unless you’ve knocked up a catch. In this case adopt Ministerial tactics— “ Wait and see ! ” You will doubtless save your partner and yourself some useless exertion. Never mind if you run him out in trying to break your duck. W hat’s his innings compared with your reputation ?