James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1894

M A U Z ZT H ECOUNTIESIN 1893. 1111 8 5 C H A P T E R II . T H EC O U N T I E SN 1 8 9 3. G L O U C E S T E R S H I R E . OFFICERS FOR 1893. -President , Dukeof Beaufort , K. G. Vice-President , Lord Fitzhardinge . Treasurer , W. H. Harford . Captain , W.G. Grace . Secretary , FitTE. M.Grace. Committee , J. W. Arrowsmith , H. W. Beloe , H. J. Boughton, E. Lawrence, J. A. Bush, E. G. Clarke , HenryGrace, E. A. Harvey, E. B. Haygarth , W. D. L. Macpherson , T. G. Matthews , R. Fenton Miles , J. D. Miller , G. Norman, Rev. C. H. Ridding , Arthur Robinson , E. J. Taylor , a n dF. T o w n s e n d. t u Thoughtheir record was slightly better than that of 1892, still there was little in Gloucestershire's cricket last season to encourage those who have been hopingagainst hope for a revival of the old glories of the county . The vitality o fthebrothers Graceis extraordinary. E. M . Graceis the oldest cricketer n o w playing regularly in important matches . W. G. , though he is not so brisk in the field and not as deadly with the ball , retains most, if not all of the infinite variety which has kept him for nearly thirty years without a superior as a bats- m a n. Still time does not stay even for Graces , andeach year makes the necessity ofproviding for their replacement the more urgent . To replace them properly will, of course , be impossible , and there was little in last vear's record to suggest a n yyoungster coming on to fill a vacancy, with one exception . The exception w a sC. L. Townsend, a son of the veteran Frank Townsend, who played such a conspicuous part in Gloucestershire cricket for so manyyears . The youngster had already in the Clifton College eleven , shewn himself to be a slow bowler of great resource as well as judgment. His appearance in the later fixtures was also a great success . Ableto get plenty of work on the ball both ways, he used his head as well, andwith more experience , as well as strength , he should prove a decided acquisition to the county eleven . Otherwise there was no rising talent apparently ofanypromise . W. G. throughout the season batted in a style worthy of his best days, and as it was he was more successful in representative than in countymatches. One slight disappointment there was in Mr. R. W. Rice, who failed to fulfil his brilliant promise of the previous year, though he played some goodinnings . O nthe other handMr. Ferris , who was a comparative failure in 1892, cameout in his true form, and his all -round cricket was one of the most satisfactory features of theyear's cricket . In bowling the bulkof the work was donebyRoberts , Murch, and Mr. Ferris .. Still , it was in the out cricket that Gloucestershire was seen to the worst advantage as it has been of late years . W e a k bowlingwas often madeworse by bad fielding . Hence the ill success of the eleven i nm o r et h a no n enotableinstance)