James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1886

4 0 L I L L YW H I T E ' SC R I C K E T E R S ' A N N U A L. W emustleave to our several readers the task of choosing for themselves the championof the year. Fromindividuals to masses is an easy step, but we can only, briefly . and w e fear somewhat imperfectly , discuss the respective merits of the various teams. S o m eweeksbefore the Etonand Harrowmatch w e were told that the rival elevens were above the average of the last few years , and this was undoubtedly the case . As to which was the better team we do not pretend to decide ; certainly , no definite conclusion could be arrived at from the result of the matchitself . It is true Harrowwon, but anyEtonian (had a second trial been possible ) would have been ready to back his side with as muchconfidence after the match as before . For good performances and intense interest this match will live in the memoryof cricketers (and what memories they have !) as long as the gamelasts . Almost as worthy of record we should place the performance of the Winchester boys against Eton. To field out against a strong batting side for hours , on a soppy ground, and with a greasy ball , and not drop a single catch , is a feat of which any team might justly be proud . Thenthey followed this up by making a good score themselves , and maybe said to have literally pulled the match out of the fire . But we cannot place the Winchester eleven on the same level with Eton and Harrow, because they had little or no bowling ; and it was the same want which kept Rugby out of the first class . With Bengough away there was no one to be depended on to get wickets , except at a very heavycost. Of the less prominent schools w e believe Repton to have been as strong as any. They won their two school matches in a canter , and as they had plenty of bowling , they generally managed to dispose of their opponents very cheaply . They were however too weak in batting powers to dispute the supremacy with either Eton or Harrow. Charterhousew o na most sensational match against Wellington. T h e y were 1.9 runs behind on the first innings , and yet in an hour and three -quarters they disposed of the whole of their opponents , knocked off the balance against them, and wonthe match with eight minutes to spare . " The 53 runs were madein twenty-seven minutes ! "--truly a grand victory the honours of whichrest mainly on the shoulders of their captain , Wreford-Brown. Loretto , the Scotch champion school , beat Rossall by234 runs, but they were nearly robbed of victory , owing to a stupid mistake on the part of the scorers , by which Rossall , whowere really 82 runs behind on the first innings , escaped the follow -on. It is well the mistake did not lead to any serious result . Timeand space forbid us to say more on the inexhaustible subject of school matches , and for all further information we must refer our readers to the records , which appear in another part of the " Annual. " Before pro- ceedingto the special criticism of the various teams, w e wish to express our hearty gratitude to our many kind correspondents , for without their generous co-operation it would have been absolutely impossible to write a trustworthy article on Public School Cricket . A n dwe further crave the indulgence of our readers , as we were unavoidably compelled to collect our informationin a great hurry. Charterhouse is severely handicapped by want of proper cricket grounds, a n deventhe groundthey haveis of very poorquality. T h e matchwickets are as a rule very fair , but the practice ground-the most important point of all-is very rough indeed . To this , in a great measure, maybe attributed the wantof confidence which was far too conspicuous last season . W ehear that arrangements are being madeto secure more accommodation, and we sincerely trust that this is so, for, notwithstanding this great disadvantage , the average of Charterhouse cricket during the last few years has been distinctly high. Nordo we consider the eleven of 1885 as by any means a poor one. It is true they were not very successful , but luck was against them, the first two matches being played and lost before the team had had a chance of practising . Indeed, their only two bad performances were against the Old