James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annaul 1897

T H EC H I E FC R I C K E T E R SIN 1 8 9 6. 2 6 7 FLOWERS, W .-Born at Calverton , December7, 1856. 5 ft . 91in .; 12 st.; a goodmediumpace bowler , with plenty of handwork andcommandof the ball; bats in good style , and canhit freely ; a fine field . Address : Day- brook, Nottingham; e Lord's . GREGORY.-Bornat Eastwood, Nottinghamshire , October 6, 1865 ; good medium right -arm bowler . GUNN, WILLIAM .-Born at Nottingham , December 4, 1858. 6 ft . 3 in .; 14st .; oneof the very best out-fields in the country ; one of the best batsmen of the day, with neat style ; has exceptional defence , but can hit whenhe likes ; owing to sickness was out of several matcheslast season . Address: Carrington Street , Nottingham; e Lord's . HANDFORD, A.-Bornat Wilford , November3, 1869. 6ft. 1½ in.; 13 st . 12 lb.; agood fast bowler, but hardly realised expectations last season . Address : Wilford, Nottingham; e Lord's . HARDSTAFF,R. G.-Bornat Selston ,January 12, 1863 ; 5ft .1lin .; left -handbowler , dangerous on a wet wicket ; bowledwith success whenhe played ; excellent field ; e Rawtenstall , Lancashire . Address : Selston , Nottingham . MASON.-Bornat East Bridgford , Nottinghamshire , March19, 1896 ; promising bat and right -armbowler . PIKE, A.-Bornat Keyworth, December25, 1862. 5 ft. 8 in.; a good wicket- keeper , very smart and neat ; good bat , scoring freely when set . Address : Keyworth, Plumtree, Notts ; e Lord's , also 1897. SHREWSBURY, ARTHUR.-Born at N e w Lenton, Nottingham, April 11, 1856 . 5ft . 8in .; 11 st .; one of the very best batsmen of the day; bats in very neat style , and watches the ball closely ; reliable on anywicket ; a splendid field at point. Address : Queen's Square, Nottingham. WILKINSON, W .-Born at Kimberley, July 5, 1869. Avery promising all -round player ; a fast round-armbowler ; uses his head well , and has an excellent length ; likely to develop into a useful bat. Address : County Ground, Nottingham. O X F O R D S H I R E . ARNOLD, F.-Agood all-round cricketer ; keeps wicket well , andcan both bat a n dbowl; fine field . ROGERS, A.-Right-handbowler , bowls a good pace and at times very effective ; adashing bat, but possesses little defence . ROGERS, P. Goodmedium pace bowler and bowls with excellent judgment ; has played several good innings for the County, but last season was decidedly " off colour " with the bat ; he was also unable to do himself justice as a bowler, having severely strained himself at the commencement oft h eseason. S O M E R S E T S H I R E . NICHOLS, G. B.-Born at Fishponds,Bristol , June14, 1862. 5 ft . 6 in.; batted well occasionally , and if not so wanting in pluck, would bowl as well as ever ; might be more alert in the field . Address : Sports Depôt, Parade, T a u n t o n. TYLER, E. J.-Born at Kidderminster ,October 13,1866 ; 6ft .';13st .'; bowled as we as ever at beginning of year, but seemed to lose his sting later on; fine field , though perhaps not so safe as formerly ; batted well occasionally , especially v. Surrey at Taunton . Address : Fleur -de-Lys Hotel , Taunton . ROBSON, E. First season with Somerset, andadecided acquisition ; batted and bowled and fielded consistently well throughout the year , never losing heart ; should becomefirst -rate . Address : Vine Cottage , Herbert Road, T a u n t o n. SMITH, DOUGLAS.-Also his first season ; a fair bat with come nice strokes perhaps rather too eager ; should improve ; fine but uncertain field .