James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1876

81 all impaired was proved by bis wonderful exploits at the end of the season, and for myself I am inclined to think that he is as good as ever. Mr. G. F. Grace, his younger brother, failed to show the same dash in batting that marked his play during the season of 1874, and it was only his long score of 180, not out, for Gloucestershire in the County's last match against Surrey that enabled him to step into the first rank. Mr. Ilomby made a poor display for the Gentlemen against the Players at the Oval, but through­ out the year he made some fine scores, and he is still not only one of the most dangerous batsmen of the day, but one of the best, if not the best, fieldsman of the age. To Mr. Duller, though, may be awarded the praise of having shown some of the very finest batting of the year. Were he, indeed, more active he would be the fii*st batsman of the day for effect, as he is now the first in point of style, and no one who saw him perform for tho Marylebonc Club against Notts, at Lord’ s, and for Middlesex in the two out matches of the County in the North, but will agree in describing him as the most masterly batsman of 1875. Messrs. Longman and Ridley, the University Captains, both proved themselves to be batsmen of quite the front rank, and tho batting of the former in both matches between Gentlemen and Players was brilliant, his innings of 70 at Lord’ s a truly admirable perform­ ance. Mr. A. J. Webbe, the Harrow Captain of 1874, fully justified the hopes that have been formed of play, and his batting, until the end of this season, when he appeared to be stale, and was throughout consistently sure. To him, indeed, belongs the honour of the highest innings (299 not out) of the year, and his exploit for Middlesex against Notts, at Prince's, when he went in first and carried out his bat for 97 runs, was one of the wonders of tho season. A batsman with any amount of patience, and not likely to be de­ terred by the best bowling, he is likely to be a useful and consistent bats­ man, whatever exception may be taken to his style. Mr. J. M. Colterill, of Sussex, fully maintained his prestige as one of the safest and best batsmen, either Amateur or professional, and to him falls the distinction of the highest innings in first-class matches, to wit his score of 191 for Sussex against Kent, at Brighton. Space will not allow me to enter into details respecting all who have shown form above the average, so that I must con­ tent myself with mere mention of Lord Harris, who figures very highly in the batting averages and has never played better cricket, Messrs. E. M. Grace, I. D. Walker, W. H. Hadow, Blacker, Lucas, Frank Penn, Straclian, Read, Greenfield, Winslow, Pulman, Sims, Tolley, Green, R. P. Smith, Townsend, and Game. Among the professionals Lockwood and Greenwood have fairly home off the palm, and both have played rare cricket, the more so that they have always had to contend against the best bowling. Wild and Selby, too, have won places in the first flight, and the latter is not far removed from being the best all-round professional. Daft has been very unsuccessful in compari­ son with former years, and it seems evident that his batting is not so safe, as his fielding is certainly less active than of yore. Jupp gave promise of continuing his brilliant successes of 1874 by some fine innings early in 1875, but the death of his wife seemed to unsettle him completely, and he was practically useless even to his own County towards the end of the year, Charlwood, too, showed free and smart cricket at the outset, but fell oif considerably during July and August, and I question whether we shall ever see him again in his best form. Barlow, of Lancashire, batted as well as any professional of the day, and as he is a steady batsman, never taking a