James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1882

C R I C K E TI N 1 8 8 1. 2 1 Derbyshire; and Midwinter, of Gloucestershire , all cameout fairly well ; and Notts gave birth to a new batsman , F. Butler , a nephew of George Parr , w h oplays free cricket with plenty of nerve, and is likely to prove a really valuable addition to the County eleven . Prominencehas been given to Mr. Hornby's batting exploits ; but mention m a ybe madeof several of the amateurs, who fully maintained their reputations . Mr. W. G. Grace did notplay in quite so manyof the principal matches, and his standard has always been such a high one that the slightest sign of deterioration is magnified. At the commencementof the season, it seemed as if he was developing a propensity for hitting , but he never played better cricket than for the Gentlemen against the Players at the Oval, and if his average was not quite so high as in some previous years , it must not be assumed that anymarkeddecline has been noticeable in his batting . Mr. A. P. Lucas showed all that upright style which has from the first characterised his play , andMr. A. G. Steel , though at first he was not up to his best form, showed in Augustthat he could always be relied on for runs against any bowling. Mr. W. W. Read, with the benefit of more practice than he has previously had, materially added to his already high reputation ; andthe only regret in commenting on Mr. Moberly's batting for Gloucestershire is that his profession prevents from appearing except in so few matches of importance. Mr. C. T. Studd played consistently well throughout the season , and fully justified his selection for the Gentlemen. Theexceeding length to which this article has growncompels us to shorten our commentson the cricketers of the year, but the figures serve to show that generally in batting the amateurs still show a great pre- ponderance. Thelong scores madeby Mr. Leslie for Oxford fully confirmed the promise of his Rugbyform, and his fielding at long leg was conspicuous even on the best fielding side . Messrs . Docker , of Derbyshire , and Bettes- worth, of Sussex, too , established reputations which will cause their future to be of interest . Amateurbowling was weaker than ever last year, it mustbe admitted. Mr. A. G. Steel , late in the season, was quite as difficult as of old, but otherwise there was no one whocould be called first- class . Mr. Rotherham, whose fast bowling was so successful against the Players , did not play ; Mr. Appleby was only seen at the end of the season , and Mr. Evans was practically absent after the commencementof July. Only excepting that of the Oxford captain , the bowling in the Inter- University match was weaker than it has been for years , and it is doubtful whether, even in the face of Mr. Paravicini's undoubtedly brilliant exploits at Eton, Public School cricket in 1881 introduced us to anyyoung bowler likely to help the Gentlemen. Peate, the slow left -handbowler, of Yorkshire , stands out conspicuously as the best performer of the season . Getting more confidence in himself , he continued to bowl the same tempting length , even to the most dangerous batsmen, and his figures are extraordinary for a delivery like his . Alfred Shaw only played in a few matches, Hill broke downwhenhe was dead on the wickets , and of the older professionals , Barlow , Midwinter , Flowers , Lillywhite , George Hearne , Nash, Woof, Watson, and Bates were the most successful . Morley and William Mycroft showed a slight falling off ; Hay had lost all his old accuracy , and, except for the re -appearance of Jones in the Surrey eleven , there was no sign of any great advance. Ayoungster of some promise was introduced by Notts in the person of Attewell , who bowls slow round arm,with plenty of spin on it , and fields his ownbowling fairly well ,