James Lillywhiite's Cricketers' Annual 1874

3 5 next in order is Capt. Morton, of the 1st Royal Dragoons, wholays claim to 518 for thirty -two innings ; Mr. R. Sharp, 508 for fourteen innings ; Mr. J. P. Tennent, the same numberof innings for a total of 500 runs ; Messrs . T. R. Marshall (Grange) 366 for eleven innings ; A. Buchanan (High School ) 350 for twenty ; and Mr. M'Neill (West of Scotland ) 300 for twelve innings . Som u c hfor the bat. The ball hardly makes such a pretentious show ; but in this respect , too, the season has borne good fruit . In fact , most of the bowling averages are singularly high in comparison with former years . Were we to give the preference to any individual , it would certainly be to Mr. W. St. Clair Grant, of the Grange Club, the best bowler without doubt, as his achievements against the United South of England Eleven at the outset of the season fully testify . It is no very easy thing to " clean " bowl four such bats as Richard Humphrey, Mr. G. F. Grace , Charlwood , and Pooley in an innings ; and this , at least , should be a feather well worthy of decorating Mr. Grant's cap . In the same match , too , Mr. W. J. Laidlay earned golden opinions , and Mr. A. Buchanan , of the High School , proved himself a bowler of more than ordinary merit . In the match betweenthe Gentlemen and Players , Mr. R. Craig , of the Dalkeith Club, too , proved himself to be certainly one of the best trundlers in the country ; and Mr. J. Craig accomplished a very creditable feat in taking seven of the Players ' wickets in the first innings . If you go westward you will find , too, that the ball has been well on the spot , and a list of averages most commendable . It takes an accurate delivery to obtain wickets at a cost of not more than four runs per wicket ; but this , at least , was performed by Mr. C. Mackay, of the Caledonian , as well as by Mr. R. Dempster, of the Western, the latter reaching the excellent total of 63 wickets for 277 runs, or an average of not 4½runs for e a c hfall. Briefly summedup, then, the season of 1873 was one of signal success . But this is not all ; for the future looks full of promise too, as far as ordinary signs can be interpreted . At least the prospects are encouraging . According to com- petent authorities two of the Glasgow clubs will open the season of 1874 under the auspices of a newground. The Clydesdale , after an occupation of their ground at Kenning Park lasting over twenty-five years , have hadto seek pastures new, and rumour asserts that upwards of £500 will be expended on the newdomain to render it second to none in the country . TheWestern, too, have taken a new field , about a mile from Glasgow, for their ownuse, and moneyin plenty has already been contributed to make it a thriving i n v e s t m e n t. Suchare a few brief rough notes on cricket in Scotland -past, present , and future. Cricket has planted itself nowfirmly on Scottish soil , and it is essen- tially a sport difficult to uproot .--" Floruit , floret , floreat ."