James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1882

2 2 L I L L Y W H I T E ' SC R I C K E T E R S ' A N N U A L . Morethan one player of prominence in his time waslost to us during the past year . Two faces , once very familiar at Lord's , will be seen no m o r e. O c t o b e r o b b e dcricket of Sir FrederickB a t h u r s ta n dR. A. Fitz- gerald , both conspicuous figures in the minds of players of the last generation , each at one time identified closely and actively with the best interests of the game. Thename of Sir Frederick Bathurst has passed away almost with the cricketers of his ownday, but he was a giant a m o n g the giants of his time, and he could boast an almost unparalleled record as a bowler . For twenty -five years he played in almost all the principal matches ; for twenty years he represented the Gentlemen against the Players , and it was in this match in 1853 , that he took eleven of the Players ' wickets for 50 runs. Mr. Fitzgerald only a few years was the ruling spirit of the MaryleboneClub. Until illness necessitated his retirement in 1876 he was the secretary of that influential body, and the present prosperity of the club is greatly due to the unwearyinginterest he took in its affairs . But the saddest event of the year was the misadventure which caused the death of Mr. N. Hone, the wicket-keeper for Cambridge in the Inter- University match, a memberof a family of cricketers who have done m u c hfor the g a m ein Ireland. So muchfor the past season . Rumouris already busy with the prepara- tions for the next, and the chief fixtures arranged will be found in a later portion of the book. Another Australian team is to visit us under the auspices of the Marylebone Ciub, and as the status of the various members is to be clearly defined , the cause of muchmisunderstanding on the occasion of the two previous visits will be removed. A neleven of English professionals at the time the Annual is published is also starring in the Colonies , but with neither Barnes , E. Lockwood , Hill , nor Morley in the team it can hardly be called representative , and the matches played in America, en route , were so unsuccessful financially that as a speculation its promoters , certain membersof the team, are hardly likely to derive any great benefit . C H A P T E RI V. Hints on Batting . B YW .G. G R A C E. FIRST let it be premised that , in myopinion , one hour of practical tuition in cricket will be of moreuse thanvolumesof theoretical instruction. It has been cleverly stated by some one or other that an ounce of mother's wit is wortha poundof clergy .' A n dwhile deprecating any literal application of the proverb to clerical interests , I think there is muchin its inference that