2 8 up. ot any calculation, otherwise enough was seen of Mr. Cottorill to warrant his appearance in other places besides the Sussex eleven, with which, how­ ever, his name will bo indelibly linked. l'robably Sussex has tlie best organisation in the south of England. oncestcrshire, or even Kent, might temporarily overbear her with a cn slung force of amateur talent, but in the long rnn a fixed county team, re! \ ing mainly on well-drilled professional talent with the amateur element judiciously infused, must bring about solid results. We prophecy a satisfactory season for Sussex during the coming year, even if it be not unclouded by temporary defeat. The new Brighton ground appears to be a thorough success ; and the turf, taken from Box’s old ground, has settled well. In fact, the wickets are little inferior to those constantly pitched at Hove a few years back. Lancashire appears to combine amateur and professional assistance in precisely the correct degree. Mr. Hornby is, of course, the life and soul of t he team, as ho always must ho of any eleven for which ho plays. Backed up by D. (,). Steel, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Appleby, and a devoted band of supporters, whose useful services are not confined entirely to cricket help, and backed up financially by some of the rich comity families, what wonder is it that professionals like Barlow, W. McIntyre, and Watson, arc found to stand loyally bv the county, and that enthusiasm is spread through all ranks of the community. Lancashire was, we think, fortunate in securing W. McIntyre as their professional. He is undoubtedly one of the best fast bowlers in England, bowling a difficult ball without the pace being so fast that it must lead to sacrifice of pitch. Judgment and foresight in singling him out must in fairness bo apportioned to the county committee. It is constantly said by spectators that they do not care to seo Barlow play, because he is so long in getting runs. To our mind they are thereby paying him a groat compliment, for if the lookers-on arc wearied, what must be the feelings of opposing bowlers, whose physical powers are apt to give way after a certain time ? Give ns more Barlows amongst professional players. Wo prefer his slow cricket to no cricket at all, and will back it any day against the second-rate slogging now so much [in vogue. Two better men to go in together than Barlow and Mr. Hornby we cannot conceive, and this has been recognised by many an opponent. Lancashire did not get to the top of the tree last season, because both Yorkshire and Nottingham asserted a superiority. Otherwise they may be said to have been successful, although in Mr. Hornby’s absence they met with a reverse that might be expected to befall a distinctly weak team. The match with Sussex at Brighton, won literally out of the fire, was their most satisfactory triumph, and was due to Mr. Hornby’s activity ten yards behind the wickets, a place which he delights in taking when the state of the ground favours catches being given there. We have left the champion county until almost last. It would bo su­ premely uninteresting to our readers to hear a dissertation from ourselves upon the excellence and superiority of Mr. W. G. Grace to every other cricketer that ever lived. Those who have scon him play know full well that ho is worth any three men alive, and probably a wise captain would ►elect him under such conditions of choice; bat we have an idea that the Gloucestershire eleven was never so strong, irrespective of the champion’s form, as it was in 1876. It is all very well to speak of Gloucestershire as consisting of the Graces, but, as a matter of fact, there are at this moment