28 alone paved Nottingham from defeat in the return match when, after following their innings, Middlesex pulled up so remarkably. In our opinion it is in accordance with merit that Nottingham should yml I to Gloucestershire when Mr. Grace is in such form as ho showed last season. Still, wc should expect to see either the last year’s champions or Yorkshire climb to the top of the tree whenever another wet season neutralises the power of batting as opposed to bowling. Gloucestershire, Kent, and Middle­ sex all proved during 1873 that amateurs are seen at thoir worst during a wet season. There is nothing to discourage tho supporters of Yorkshire cricket. The eleven is as even all through as ever, and tho bowling effective enough when Mr. Grace is not thero to knock it to pieces. The possession of a slow bowlor like Armitage lias from time to timo proved most valuable, a the great twist that the Yorkshireman puts on renders it unsafe to leave your ground unless the full pitch be reached, and this competent performers have found to their cost. Allen Hill has been steady and consistent as over, snrri- ficing nothing to tho pace, which he possesses in an undiminished dogre \ Emmett has snstained his repataiion as the most difficult first-class bowl’ i that ever bowled ; as no matter how stolid the defence opposed, it may bo any moment overcome by an unplayable ball, or rather by a ball that by its break and quick rise from the ground defies the quickest combination of hand and eye to follow it.—Emmett’s first over bowled to the champion in Gentlemen v. Players, at the Oval, must serve as illustration of what we mean. A better ball than the first we never saw, and although the second appeared to us to keep its course, no greater tribute could bo paid to its ex ­ cellence than that it discomfited Mr. Grace. U lyett has made considerable improvement in his batting, which may yet become first class if bo does not make too free use of his hitting powers before a sight of tho ball has been obtained. Myers also has proved a valuable adjunct to the eleven, batting steadily and with success; and there still is the invaluable Finder, whom no knocks nor bruises from the fastest of bowlers can drive from that guardianship of the sticks which, when men like Freeman or Hill are bowl­ ing, is acknowledged to be the best, the most brilliant, and by far the most consistent that the present generation has seou. Poor Pox was wont, dur­ ing the last two or three seasons, to watch Finder with delight when at Prince’s he either stumped Tom Hearne off Freeman when tho batsman was attempting his famous draw, or cut short the career of many a determined batsman who, but for tho fatal click, so quickly followed by “ How’s that, umpire?” would have probably kept the Yorksliiromeri long in the field, despite the assaults of bowlers whose excellence would scarcely have saved them from punishment. Lockwood remains at the top of the tree in battimr, and fearing no superior amongst his professional brethren, of whom Daft alone can be declared worthy to contest the palm. Notts and Gloucestershire were the superiors of Yorkshire on public form, the former winning one contest, and the latter triumphing at Sheffield by 14 runs, after a wonder­ fully even and exciting game. The adverse result was due to the success of Mr. G. F. Grace’s bowling when the wickets suited it and to its happy sue- cashire onco looked like scoring a win had not Allen Hill performed an extraordinary bowling feat at the expense of tho later Lancashire batsmen, and it in impossible to tell what would have been the result of the return match with Middlesex at Sheffield.