James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1893

4 L I L L Y W H I T E ' SCRICKETERS' A N N U A L. ofthemable to hold their ownin good company, and capable of keeping down the runs , it will be seen that Somersetshire's out-cricket was of no inferior order . So far, beyond all doubt , the eleven have more than justified their promotion to themagiccircle of the first -class counties . O nthe form of their all -round cricket in 1891 , whenthey were second only to Surrey, there was every reason indeed to believe that the Lancashire eleven would be equally formidable competitors for the premiership last year . That they were not so successful was merely another instance of the fluctuations of cricket . Thecounty had almost , if not quite , the same combination as in the pre- vious season , at least all the players whocontributed to their attainment of such a high position then were available . The only difference was, and it was a condition to which all cricketers are subject , that the form of some of the principal membersof the team was not quite as good. In bowling there was, with one reservation , perhaps , the want of a little newblood , no great occasion for complaint . Neither age can wither nor custom stale the infinite variety of the veteran Watson's bowling , to judge by his success , particularly in some of the earlier matches . Briggs and Mold, too, bore the brunt of the attack throughout the season , and with no less creditable results than of recent years . InA. Smith and Baker Lancashire had, in addition , two useful changes . Yet with all this in there was not perhaps quite the same amountof sting as used to be characteristic of Lancashire's attack . Still , it was not so muchto the cut- cricket that the comparative failure of the eleven was attributable . The falling off , though hardly visible , was none the less unmistakable . Thatthe county was unlucky in not being able to claim the services of such a brilliant all -round cricketer as A. G. Steel , of course goes without saying . At the same time , he has always been an uncertain quantity in his relations to Lancashire , and the pity is that the executive have never been able to fire him with the same zeal that tempted A. N. Hornby to devote himself to the development of county cricket . At present he can hardly with any reason be regarded as strictly within the scope of Lancashire's available players . The retirement of A. N. Hornby, practically , from the captaincy , even though he was fortunate enough to find so thoroughly capable a successor as S. M. Crosfield , could hardly , too , fail to have some slight effect on the general play of the eleven , and not alto- gether to its advantage . At all events , whatever the cause , there was not quite the same amount of dash visible in the cricket . The batting was not so reliable , or at least as a run-getting side the eleven were not so dangerous . A. C. McLaren, who had been out of luck in the earlier matches, had just , apparently , played himself into form when he sustained an injury which kept himout of the later fixtures . Neither Albert Wardor Sugg was quite as safe for runs, and it was fortunate that the defensive cricket of A. Smith hardly ever failed . Bakerwas, perhaps , the only batsman who showed anygreat improve- ment. O nseveral notable occasions he displayed great nerve andjudgmentwhen things were going altogether against the side . After all , perhaps , the best feature in Lancashire cricket last year was the wicket -keeping . On his form throughout the season , A. T. Kemble had few, if any, superiors , and the success withwhichhe stood up to Mold's bowling was quite sufficient to stamp him as a stumper of exceptional merit . Ifthe early promise of the season had only been upheld , Middlesex would have hada career of unbroken success . O nthe public form of May, and the fore part of June, it seemed, indeed , as if Middlesex and Yorkshire were likely to makea very bold bid for the first place in county cricket . A series of brilliant innings byS. W . Scott enabled Middlesex to score heavily , and to such an extent as to excite hopes which subsequent events failed to realise . Yetin manyrespects the eleven wasone of quite the most dangerous combinations . Of batting Middlesex has generally had rather a superfluity than a lack, and with A. E. Stoddart , A. J. Webbe, S. W. Scott , T. C. O'Brien , E. A. Nepean, and others of almost equal calibre , as run-getters , it had last year a side of which any opposition would be anxious to see the last . Nepean's name, though, should hardly be placed in the category , as he was only able to play very rarely , and one of quite its