James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1892

6 LILLYWHITE'S CRICKETERS ANNUAL. In the accident that befell Mr. A. J. Webbe, and prevented him playing in the latter half of the season , they were, to acertain extent , unlucky in losing one of their best batsmen , though he had been quite out of form in the earlier part of the year, and altogether failed to uphold his reputation as a batsmanwith hardly an equal on slow wickets . The bulk of the scoring was done by two amateurs . Mr. Stoddart was mainly indebted for his high position in the averages to one innings of exceptional brilliance . His 215 not out against Lancashire at Manchester wasnot only the best score of the year in first -class cricket , but, beyond a doubt, one of the very finest displays of batting in a season very far from favourable for run-getting . Even this great score , however, was not sufficient to secure for him the leading place in the batting averages . The honour of this achievement fell to Mr. T. C. O'Brien . It was a distinction , too, thoroughly well deserved . During the last few years Mr. O'Brien hasmanya time proved unmistakably his great capacity as a batsman, his ap- titude for adapting himself to circumstances , and his ability to make runs under conditions that have been fatal to other batsmen. In his case experience has tempered his batting with a discretion which has added very considerably to his efficiency . Last year, indeed , he was one of the most consistent scorers , time after time makingruns whenthey were wanted, and whenthe rest of the side were comparatively powerless . A batsman of infinite variety , plenty of resource ; not a player with only one or two strokes , but with any number of them, and always ready to makethe very most of a bad ball ; no wonderthat Mr. O'Brien is one of the most attractive batsmen, as well as one of the most popular with the cricket public . eff ncy. For the last two or three years fortune has been a little sparing in her favours to Nottingham cricket . Only a few summers ago , and it looked as if the supremacy which Notts had enjoyed for years as the great mart of county cricket was not likely to be challenged within , at all events , the present genera- tion of players . Andyet what change has come over the fortunes of her dream within the last decade , and even within the last five years . There is something , at all events just for the moment, unsatisfactory in the condition of Notts cricket . The most serious feature in the outlook is the apathy shownby the. Nottingham folk in the doings of the county . Only a short time since there washardly a cloud , even the size of a man's hand, observable on the horizon . Local enthusiasm was centred in cricket , Notts was a synonym , not only for excellence in the game, but for public interest . " But yesterday , the word of Cæsar might have stood against the world ; now lies he there and none so poor to do him reverence ." Whatthe reasons are for the markedreduction in the amount of support given to cricket in Nottingham must be left for others to determine ; the fact remains that the county matches have not of late been self -supporting . It can hardly be that football is accountable , solely or, indeed , in anygreat measure for the lack of support which is nowgiven to cricket in Notts . To our mind , the real cause may be found in the style of play which has been , if not actually fostered , at all events not seriously discouraged bythose who have been responsible for the management of county cricket . The public has, in fact , been wearied to the length of positive resentment by the monotony of a strictly defensive order of batting by the everlasting repetition of the " eternal block ." Instead of initiating a policy which could enlist the sympathyof the public , which, after all , provides the funds , the attitude of those in authority , in the past at all events , has been one of benevolent neutrality . Atall events , the impression a few years ago made on an outsider , was that the object of the eleven was rather to save matches than to play a bold game, either to win or lose . The methods of some of the leaders in the Nottingham eleven were certainly not of a kind to evoke any great degree of enthusiasm . Theplay wasdull and lifeless ; Scotton's everlasting defence had been studied to somedegree bysuch consummatemasters of the art as Shrewsbury and Gunn. Thebatting generally -of course there were notable exceptions -was tame and dull to the extent of irritation . All, if not vanity , was at least vexation of spirit for the spectators . Small wonder under such depressing conditions that