James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1876

I CHAPTER IX. * I $ + ■' m THE AVERAGES OF 1875. THE EATSMEN. 1 4 JL ? M L T J , ■ f 4 M t V f r | . Whatever may be said or written of the season of 1875 it was certainly not a year favourable for the bat. There were high scores individual and collective, but the rain during June and July spoiled the chances of good averages. Mr. W. G. Grace in 1874 secured 1773 runs in 33 innings, and in 1875 his summary shows 48 innings for an aggregate of 275 runs less. Jupp, the second batsman of the previous year, then scored l,2f>5 for 35, and this last season had to be content with 039 runs for 38 inn­ ings. Daft in 1874 had an avrrrge of 21$ runs with an aggregate of 453, and in 1875 he was only able to show with two innings more a total of 354. On the other hand, by way of contrast, Andrew Greenwood, the Ynrkphiremnn. made 145 runs more in 1875, with thirteen innings less than in 1874, while Lockwood’s position in the two years was almost the same. Among the Amateurs, after the champion, Mr. BuJler showed the best form of the year, and, hut for an accident which prevented him playing in the best matches would, no doubt, have made a very fine show. Mr. E. M. Grace, though he only figured in six innings, showed that bewas as fine and free a hitter as ever, and Messrs. Cotterill and Hornby played genuine cricket, the former having the distinction of the highest score in a first-class match. Lord Harris, too, played well through­ out the season ; hut Mr. G. F. Grace, despite two tine scores at Hud­ dersfield and at Clifton against Surrey, was not so sure as in previous years. Mr. Yardley only performed at Canterbury, hut his batting there proved that he had lost none of his whilom skill and punishing powers, although altogether out of practice. The most notable feature of the year was the excellent cricket shown by Mr. A. J. Webbe, ex-Cap- tain of the Harrow Eleven, and a Freshman at Oxford, who throughout distinguished himself by marvellous patience, and hi Is fair to become one of the very best batsmen of the day. Of the other Amateurs Messrs. Greenfield, Longman, Lucas, F. Perm, Ridley, Sims, E. F. Tylecote, Town­ send, Read, and Winslow were most prominent, and of the Professionals, Barlow, who should be well worthy of a place in the best eleven of playeis, A. Greenwood, Lockwood, Selby, Wild, Elliott, Foster, Frost, Fillery, Humphreys, Jupp, and Oscroft.