James Lillywhiite's Cricketers' Annual 1874

3 2 I G but that is all . Mr. E. F. S. Tylecote fully justified his selection for the Gentlemen against the Players at the Oval, and muchgood he did them in that one match. There was one sad gap though amongthe amateurs , and that was the absence of Mr. C. J. Thornton, the greatest hitter of the age, from serious illness . A passing record here must suffice , but the loss was felt none the less severely , and the tribute is after all merely just . Amongthe Players , Daft has faded to a great extent from sight , and every kind of absurd conjecture has been madeto explain the cause . His innings of 161 though, for Notts against Yorkshire in May, proved that his form was as irreproachable as ever, and that his play had lost none of its unerring correctness . Jupp was brilliant throughout with the bat , besides proving himself a great assistance to Surrey with the gloves . Richard Humphrey and Charlwood were both apparently under a cloud , but AndrewGreenwood showed a marvellous advance, and Emmetttoo, rose suddenly into the first rank of batsmen, as he had long been amongbowlers . In bowling, Mr. Buchanan worked wonders for the Gentlemen as usual , and the Players were, as before , completely puzzled by the pranks and shifts of his delivery . Weakness, generally , pervades the amateur element in the matter of the ball , and, with the exception of the two brothers Grace, there was nothing to do any injury , only allowing a saving clause for the excellent " lobs " of Mr. A. W. Ridley. Of professional bowlers there is muchthe same string . The Shaws, Martin M'Intyre , and Morley for Nottingham ; Hill , Emmett, Clayton , and West for Yorkshire ; Lillywhite and Fillery for Sussex ; Southerton and Street for Surrey ; Willsher for Kent ; Howitt for Middlesex ; and William M'Intyre and Watson for Lancashire . If preference is to be given , let it be accorded to Alfred Shaw, Southerton , Morley, Lillywhite , William M'Intyre , Hill , and Emmett. Morley has wona first place on the list , and there are few whohave more rightly earned the distinction . Somuchby wayof cursory allusion to the cricket of 1873. It was notice- able chiefly from the settlement of a proper county qualification , as well as for the first visit of a mixedEnglish twelve to Australia , the teamunder the command of Mr. W. G. Grace . A more worthy selection , too , it would have been diffi- cult to make. There were of Gentlemen, Messrs . W. G. Grace , G. F. Grace, and J. A. Bush (Gloucester ) ; W. G. Gilbert (Middlesex ) ; and F. H. Boult (Surrey ) ; of Players , Jupp, R. Humphrey, and Southerton (Surrey ) ; Lilly- white (Sussex ) ; Martin M'Intyre , and Oscroft (Notts ) ; and A. Greenwood (Yorkshire ). They left Southampton for Melbourne on the 23rd October in P. and O. Company's steamer , Mirzahpore , and are booked to leave Melbourne about the 25th March next. Notthe least interesting feature of the season was the marriage of Mr. W. G. Graceto Miss Agnes Nichols Day, on the 9th October last , at St. Mathias Church, South Kensington , preparatory to their joint departure on the Australian tour. A little late , perhaps , the wish, but here's long life and happiness to themboth. Butenough of the past . The future , though, is at present dim and dark,. and facts are scarce . Sussex, I a m given to understand , will play precisely the same matches as in 1873, and also Gloucester , while Middlesex will have an innovation in the shape of a homeandhomematch with Notts. There is a rumourthat the Surrey Colts match will be played in the middle instead of at theendof the season , and that the list of meetings will be reduced in one case. A