James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1898

THE COUNTIES IN 1897. 8 9 (10) Hampshirev. Surrey. Oval, Aug. 9, 10 and11. After the heavy rain of the previous day high scoring did not seem likely . But the wicket , though slow at the outset , played fairly easily , and Surrey madefull use of it . Abel (173 ) and Brockwell (225 ) were in their best form , andtheir partnership produced 379 runs , just beating the previous best by one run. A tthe end of the first day Surrey had scored 411 for three wickets , and this was only increased by 168, the ground playing moredifficult on the second day. Brockwell, whowas not out till the second morning, was batting six hours and a quarter . Hampshire, who were without Capt. Quinton and Messrs. Laceyand Hill , would have had a very difficult task before themunder anycircumstances . As it was, on a wicket helping the bowlers , they did fairly wellto m a k e276 in the match. Barton's secondscore of 51 w a s the best on the side . Surrey wonby an innings and 303 runs . Surrey , 579. Hampshire, 149and127; total , 276. (11) Hampshirev. Warwickshire Southampton , Aug. 12, 13 and 14 . Thoughwithout Capt. Quinton , Hampshire had on the whole a fairly good side . Still , in losing the toss , they had to play an up-hill game, which, to their credit it mustbe said , they played very well . Warwickshire began in a sensational way, as Mr. Bainbridge (162) and W. G. Quaife put on 288 for the first wicket . But afterwards Quaife only found Mr. Byrne (38) and Santall (42) to stay with him, and he was still in whenthe innings closed , having scored 178 of 475 , in nearly seven hours. Hampshirehad to bat in the second innings on a wicket made difficult by wet, anddid well to get 137, of which Capt. Wynyardcontributed 67. Fortunately for themthe wicket hadrecovered on the third day, and thanks to this and the steady cricket of Messrs . W . Andrew(106) and A. J. L. Hill (100) they saved the game. Warwickshire, 475. Hampshire, 137 and 324 (6 wickets ) ; total , 461 . (12) Hampshirev. Sussex. Portsmouth, Aug.19, 20 and21. The rain, which did not permit of any play at all on the second day, prevented the match being played out. Hampshire were batting pretty well all the first day for a total of 218 , to which Webb (118 ) was the principal contributor . On a soft wicket Sussex began badly , but were saved by a useful stand of Parris (57), and Mr. Newham (40 not out). Towards the close , Hampshireclosed their second innings on the fall of the eighth wicket ,but were unable to get Sussex out a second time, due chiefly to the steady play of Mr. G. Brann (43 not out) at the finish . The game was drawn. Hampshire , 218 and105 (8 wickets , innings closed ) ; total , 323. Sussex , 156 and 83 (1 wicket ) ; total , 239. (13)Hampshirev. Leicestershire . Southampton, Aug. 26, 27 and28. Rainonly admitted of half-an-hour's play on the first day, in which time Leicestershire scored 36 for the loss of a wicket . After this run -getting ruled low until towards the finish , when the ground was getting faster . Leicester- shire got a lead of 55 on the first innings , but failed completely in their second , Coe's 28 being the highest score in their total of 77. Atthe close Hampshirehad 133 to get to win, and these they got for the loss of four