James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1876

89 self justice; but be is a painstaking boy, and is a good example to follow. Oliver, the captain, is a dashing left-handed hitter, but his success as a cricketer or as Captain of the Eleven was not equal to his capabilities. Altogether Cheltenham cricket in 1875 will not be satisfactory to the old Cheltonians who are numerous in the army, and perhaps more scattered than the members of other schools, but who, because they do not happen to be up at the universities, and so to speak in the midst of the cricket world, have nevertheless a warn affection for Cheltenham and interest in its doings. The Captain for 1876 should look to this, and know that these remarks are inspired by the wannest friend to his school and one who knows the place and its wants as well, if not better, than anyone. The Clifton eleven for 1875 was decidedly above the average of public school elevens, every point of the game being well represented. There were evidences of real practice, of hard work and of a determination to do well what was doing at all ; hence the school had a most prosperous season. The M.C.C. took down Alfred Shaw and Flanagan, besides a far stronger batting team than usual, so it is no surprise that they gained a hollow v ictory ; still the boys, one and all, showed good defence and straight bats, and though the scores were small (as they frequently are when older and better-known cricketers are opposed to A. Shaw), still the boys occupied the wickets a considerable time both innings, and played with a patience and an accuracy which many older cricketers might copy with advantage. Bush has a strong defence, but we think he might afford to hit rather more. Heath has a fine commanding style, and we shall expect to see him take a leading part in cricket at Oxford, where, we believe, he has gone. Muir, Fowler, and Evans were also very good school bats. The bow ling was quite up to school form, if not rather above. Stubbs bowled a great pace, and considering his pace wTas straight. On his day he was very destructive. Evans was a good steady bowler of the Lang type, with plenty of patience and not to be knocked off. Heath and Bush proved very useful with their lobs, but they wvere not of a high class, still with good school fielding, which Clifton had, how often slows, even had ones, effect the desired end. Had Eton, for instance, but possessed a slow bowler of any kind, how useful it might have proved at Lord’s. It struck us that the wreak point in the Clifton eleven was their running between wriekets. There was an indecision and a hesitation which should be avoided, and in one match which we saw we noticed that a great number of runs w^ere lost which active young fellows should have secured. The general interest taken by the school in the doings of the eleven is very great, and in no slight degree contributes to their success, as it encourages practice and earnest work. In this respect Clifton is a pattern to other schools, in some of which a very different feeling exists. But for the bowling being unequal, Rugby had an eleven above the average in strength, and, as in 1874, improved greatly towards the end of the season. When they met Marlborough, at Lord’s, it was by no means certain that they w'ould score what, of late years, has become something like an annual victory, as the MaiTburians came to towTn flushed w ith what must be considered a moral triumph over Cheltenham; and Diver, the old and astute Rugby coach, was said to fear the result. But as Marlborough simply collapsed, and the Rugbians fielded in excellent style, the match \\as won by the latter school in a single innings. When the Rugby team.