James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1879

4—5 player, and in all trutli things lool: glooniy enough for the county unless some strong measures are adopted to introduce forms. Last on the list of counties comes HAMPSHIRE, and here again it is an un- pleasant duty to register a season without a single success‘ In 1877 four matches were playetl without a win, and unfortunately there is the same painful summary to record as the result of last season. For reasons best known to themselves the leading Amateurs appear to hold aloof'froiii the County, and in the pre- sent condition of things it is difficrrlt to understand how long Hampshire will be able to hohl its place among the principal Counties The Season generally was not propitious for batsmcn, and the grounds were never hard cnougli fni' anyf length oftimc, so that the run-getting did not reach the high figures ofsonie previous years. Still, making allowances fm' everything, it must be admitted that the charm of Mr. \\’. G. Grace‘s marvellous success with the but seems at last to have been broken, and it is open to doubt whether he will regain his form of 1876 and 1877. Phenomenon as he has hear), he cannot last for ever, and incre.sing weight with corresponding loss of elasticity must have a sensible effect on his owers of batting. His one score of three figures was his “6 for Gloucestershire against Notts, at Not;- tingham, a strange contrast to the number ofcenturics recorded to his name in previous year‘ Whether he retires or not next year from all but county cricket, whether he be as successful as or less succcs ful thait of old, the public will remember him as not only for twelve year the best all round player of his day, but the most wonderful cricketer that ever lived ; and while recalling his innumerable exploits both with bat and ball, be grateful to him for the many hours of pleasure he has furnished for cricketers all over the kingdom. Selby and Ulyett were without doubt the foremost professional batsmen of the year, anti they ran a very close race throughout. "elby‘s two brilliant innings for the Players against the Gentlemen at Lord's will be well remembered, and Ulyett throughout proved himself to be a most daugerous batsman, and certainly the best hitter of his class, occupying the distinguished position of the highest run-getter in first-class matches. Emmett begaii well, but trained off, and Lockwood, Wild, Daft, and Shrcwsbury were all less successful thanin 1877. Though altogether out of form early in the year, Jripp wound up the seasoii in quite his Olll style; but with the exception of George Hearne the batting ofthe prolcssionals in the South was worse than ever, and there was not a Colt worth his i It. It would indeed be a charity in the present condition of Southern uicket if the rumour that Charles Banner- man is going 10 return from Australia to play for- his native County, Kent, were to prove true. Amongthe Amateurs Mr. \V. G. Grace has the highest aggregate (1,115). though it is 359 runs short of that of 1877 for precisely the same number of innings. and his average is strangely enough to a fraction identical with that of Ulyett. Of the other Amateurs Hair. E. Lyttelton, whose year of Captaincyv at Cambridge will always be remembered as one in which the Eleven played eight matches without a defeat, Frank Penn, G. F. Grace, }10rl\")'. Royle, the bl others \Vebbe, and Lord Harris of the older hands were most successful, while of the newer order Mcssrs. ]. Shuter, T. S. Pearsrm, A._G. Steel, and the Hon. Ivo Bligli all gm’e promise of taking a leading part in first class cricket. Mr. A. G. Steel can undoubtedly claim to rank as the most sueeessftll botvlei‘ of l878. and, consideriitg that it was the first year of his regular participatioii in goatl cricket, his success was surprising. The ground generally was, of course, in a condition to help his peculiar style, but the nceasroiis on which he failed to come off were ofthe very rarest, and allowing for theeuahty of the batting to which be was opposed his average of 9.66 for 164. Wickets was a truly great performance. To Alfred Shaw belongs the