James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1882

T H E COUNTIESIN 1881. 6 7 (6) Gloucestershirev. Middlesex. Clifton , Aug. 11, 12, 13, 1881. Both sides had collected their full strength for this occasion , but the rain which has so often spoiled the meetings between these two counties again ruined the game, and only seventeen wickets had fallen when play ceased at the end of the third day. The Middlesex eleven contained as m a n yas eight amateurs who have at one time or another represented the Gentlemen against the Players , and had the ground only been hard , the scoring might have reached the height of the same match in 1879 , w h e n 1063 runs were made for 27 wickets . As it was, seventeen wickets produced an aggregate of 440 runs , to which Messrs . W. G. Grace (80) and Moberly (61 not out), both of Gloucestershire , were the chief contributors . Gloucestershire , 197, with seven wickets down. Middlesex , 2 4 3. (7) Gloucestershirev. Yorkshire. Cheltenham , Aug. 15, 16, 17, 1881. Thefirst match of the Cheltenham week, originally instituted in 1876 bythe worthy cricketer whogives his name to this annual. Underordi- nary circumstances some fine cricket would have been expected , but the frequent showers during the three days kept the wickets easy for the bats- m e nas well as difficult for the bowlers , and there was no chance of the game being finished in the stipulated time . The slippery ball too gave mostof the principal scorers more than one life , but some fine hitting was shownbythe two Lockwoods, Ulyett , and Emmett, for Yorkshire , also by Messrs. Cranston (63) and Gilbert (53), for Gloucestershire . YoungHenry Lockwood , who with his brother contributed 169 out of a first score of 267 for Yorkshire , thoroughly proved his right to a place in the eleven by a finely hit score of 90, though he was badly missed by Mr. W. G. Grace at mid-off whenhe had only got a few runs. Peate, the Yorkshire slow bowler , in his score of 27 showed powers of defence which he had not before exhibited at least in the South. In the three days 715 runs weremadefor the loss of twenty three wickets , and the gamewas drawn with Yorkshire 207 runs on, and seven wickets still to fall . Gloucester- shire , 254. Yorkshire , 267 and 194 (three wickets down) ; total , 401 . (8) Gloucestershire v. Lancashire. Clifton , Aug. 22, 23, 24, 1881 . A s in the first match each County had taken every pains to place its best eleven in the field . Both teams were again representative , but the weather prevented the completion of the game, and the ground from heavy night's rain was in such a state as to render all play impossible on the second day. Gloucestershire did well to get rid of their opponents for 192, but again they made but a poor show against Mr. A. G. Steel and the other D2