James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1887

1 0 LILLYWHITE'SCRICKETERS' A N N U A L. shown, Poynton and H. Bowden-Smith being perhaps the most prominent for their respective sides , though the bowling of Nockolds in Rugby's first innings , and of R. A. Wilson throughout the match, was worthy of all praise . Against Cheltenham the Wilts boys fared badly, Champain's steady defence proving more than a match for their bowlers , while their ownbatting in the first innings wastame and unproductive . O f our second group we place the Cheltenham eleven first (though a match between them andRugbywould probably have been close ), and despite the fact that Clifton beat them. This match was unsatisfactory -the Cheltenham captain wasunable to play, so was the mighty hitter Ward, and the team did not play withinpoundsof their proper form. W eforgot to mention a funny incident that happened in the Rugby and Marlborough match. B yan oversight Bengoughwas allowed to go on twice at each end, andin his first illegitimate over he got the rival captain's wicket . The mistake was noticed in the Pavilion , and a protest was lodged. The decision was (we suppose it forms a precedent , as we have never heard of a similar case ), that the batsman was out, but that the bowler, after finishing his over, was not to deliver another ball during the innings . Ofgroup three Repton probably had the best team. Theyhad two batsmen w h owouldhave been prominent in any school eleven ; they had three good bowlers , no one of them, perhaps , quite as good as the Uppinghamcaptain , but hestood alone , the trundling from the other end being quite harmless ; and yet the Reptonboys were beaten , and Uppinghamwonthe match, for the first time for seven years , though only by the narrow margin of nine runs . Thematch was literally thrown away, chances , almost without number, were missed , and the team " came utterly to grief . " Primarily , this was due to the want of a respectable wicket -keeper , for his mistakes seemed to paralyse the rest . Aword of praise is due to the Uppinghamboys for their good fielding in this match, Hunter, at the wicket , being especially smart. Fielding lost and fielding won the match, as is only right , for bad catching and loose fielding are inexcusable in a school team. The gamebetweenUppinghamand Haileybury was rather onesided ; the Herts boys were overmatched , and were beaten by ten wickets . Charterhouse ought to have earned , though they did not, the foremost place in their ownsection . Theywonseveral of their trial matches in good style , they beat Westminster somewhat easily , but made a wretched show at Wellington , and yet the eleven there were voted moderate only. This was a one-daymatch, and the Carthusians began their second innings so well , that their supporters claim that they might very possibly have pulled the game out of the fire , had time permitted its being played out. Brighton indisputably holds first place in the fifth group; they wonall their school matches, and their doings recalled to mind the palmydays of Brighton cricket , whenO. B.'s were the leading cricketers of Cambridge. Three, perhaps four , of the 1886 team deserved to be placed in the first class of school cricketers , andtheir future doings will be eagerly watched. W ehave dwelt , somewhattoo fully we fear , onthe merits of the chief school teams, but before proceeding to a discussion of the schools in detail , we should like to say a few words about those whowere, so far as wecan gather , the best performers of the year. T h eteams, as w e have said, seemto havebeen belowthe usual standard, but individual merit was undoubtedly high , and it will be found , as time goes on, that the " swells " of last season will takehighrankin the cricket world, though their averages maysuffer by comparison with those of their predecessors . Indeed, the verydifficulties they hadto contend with will havetaughtthemvaluable lessons , which the easy wickets of 1885 rendered impossible . To use a common metaphor, they have been tried in the fire , and those whohave come out pure metal will look back on the past season , despite its slush , or rather because of its slush , with feelings of gratitude . There was no startling performer in the batting line at Eton, no one as dangerous as Thomas and Philipson were in the previous year, but Foley played really good cricket , andhis steadiness and nerve