James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1888

PUBLIC SCHOOLCRICKET IN 1887. 9 account the condition of the wickets and the heavy work he had to go through , it will be admittedthis was a feat of no m e a norder. L o h m a n nhas not m a n y superiors at the present time as an all -round cricketer . The formation of a Council for the regulation of all matters relating to county cricket is a new departure which deserves prominent notice in any record of the work of 1887. County cricket has grownso much in importance of late years that the only wonder is there has been no attempt at a combination having the same objects before . Looking at the construction of the new organi- zation , it should be of no small utility to the counties themselves , and this , too , without in any way trenching on the prerogatives of the Marylebone Club , of considerable influence on cricket . A tthe sametime its aimshouldbe definite and unmistakable , and it ought to be a fundamental principle that it has abso- lute control over everything which affects county cricket . To relegate its powers in any respect would at once , in our opinion , be a confession of incompetence , or at least suggestive of inability to adjudicate on its ownlaws . Already several important matters have been brought before the consideration ofthe newCouncil , and there are suggestions of various kinds to alter the rule relating to 1 b w, to prevent as muchas possible drawnmatches . The general object is laudable enough to make the game as interesting as possible to lookers on, and no doubt some of the proposals on the different points have been well thought and carefully discussed . At the same time it would be superfluous to point out that legislation is hardly advisable unless there is some general and unmistakable need for a change. Deminimis non curat lex . C H A P T E R III. P U B L I CS C H O O LC R I C K E TIN 1 8 8 7. B YR E V. A. F. E . F O R M A N . H Eindeed must be a professonial grumbler who could find fault with the cricketing weather of the past season . It is true that during the early weeks of M a ythere was some dirty weather, and practising was carried on under diffi- culties , but the change soon came, and, during June, July, and August, scoring ruled high everywhere . In manyways the season has been a notable one. County cricket did not suffer from the prevalence of Australian fever , and the result w a s that there was moreexcitement about the struggles betweenthe various first -class counties than there has been for manyyears past . This ex- citement was kept up until the very last , for the question of the championship hung in the balance until almost the end of the season . Thesuccess of Surrey, so thoroughly deserved as it was, was undoubtedly popular , and it is worthy of mentioninthis article , becausem u c hof their success in the later matchesw a s due to an old public school boy, and one moreover who has always received words of high praise in these pages ; while their captain , whohas never been inbetter form, is one of the most distinguished cricketers that Winchester has ever sent out. Again, the good record of the Middlesex team is very pleasant food for our reflection , as we rememberthat their ranks are almost entirely filled byold public school men; while the improved form shownby Kent, Gloucester- shire , and Sussex in their later matches conclusively proves that southern cricket is largely dependent for its prosperity on the Old Boys contingent . But there is a dark side to every picture , and it is with feelings of sadness that we note the increasing weakness of the amateur side in the annual matches between the gentlemen and players . N odoubt the players are improving every year, andno