James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1890

P U B L I CS C H O O LCRICKETIN 1889. 9 Moldall hadaverages of under twelve runs ; but, considering the amountof work that Lohmannhad to do throughout , his success was remarkable . Of the first five places three were occupied by Lancashire men, and in bowling that county was particularly strong . Mold, whose transfer from Northamptonshire to Lancashire gave him the opportunity of proving his capacity in a higher class of cricket , fully justified the favourable impression he madeduring his connection withhis native county. In his first season , in fact , he established his reputation as the best fast bowler of the day. Of the amateurs , Mr. S. M. J. Woods, of Cambridge University , is certainly the most reliable , though there is a sad dearth of even ordinary talent . Messrs . Stoddart and Nepeanboth did a lot of work during the season , and with fairly satisfactory results . A n ynotice of cricket in 1889 would be incomplete without a reference to the changes madein the laws of the gameat the annual meeting of the Maryle- bone Club. W estrongly deprecated the policy of any alterations in the rules unless it could be shownthat there was a general feeling in favour of reform . Subsequent to the publication of the last Annualthough, there was unmistake- able evidence that cricketers generally viewed the proposed changes with approval , so that the proof for which wecontended was furnished . So far, too, experience has shown that the gamehas derived benefit from the alterations . The addition of the fifth ball to the over has had a perceptible effect in helping to bring not a few important matches to a definite result , and none of the difficulties which some pessimists thought might attend the acceptance of the two other proposals the one allowing a bowler to change ends as often as he likes , always providing he does not deliver two overs consecutively , the other giving a captain powerto terminate his innings on the last day of a matchor at anyperiod of a one -day match-have arisen . O nthe contrary the atmosphere of cricket has been cleared bytheir adoption , and the gamehas profited materially . W eare equally pleased to see , too , that the managements of the various County Clubs have thought fit to recognise the propriety of seriously considering some plan to enable the more promising of what are called the second -class counties to gainpromotion by merit into the inner ring . It will be generally satisfactory to cricketers to knowthat the leading counties have agreed upona system of points to decide their several positions at the end of each year-in fact , taken into their ownhands workwhich has by their ownapathy been done by irresponsible parties. 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 9. B YR E V. A . F. E. F O R M A N. H o wto begin ! Here is the difficulty which presents itself to every one whohas ever set himself to write an article on any subject ; andthere is a peculiar diffi- culty necessarily attached to an article on Public School Cricket . Often and often have we sincerely wished that it was our duty to analyse the county , rather than the school , cricket of the year, feeling that here at all events w e should be traversing well-knownground. The performers are for the most part tried men, whohave played their part before the public for some time past, and it wouldbe a comparatively easy task to interest our readers . W eshould bring before their eyes one companyafter another , and the merits of the actors , and the general interest in their doings , would serve to hide the imperfection of the article which described their deeds . Withpublic -school boys it is altogether different , not that we wish to cast any slur on school cricket , but to the general public , weconfess , it m a yseem a somewhat dull topic , andw e doubt if nine- tenths of our readers have ever heard of, still less thought about, one-half of the boys whomwe propose to mention in this sketch . W efeel , too , that some apology