James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1898

1 0 8 L I L L YW H I T E ' SC R I C K E T E R S' A N N U A L. (1) Middlesexv. S u r r e y. Oval, June 28, 29 and 30. Avery exciting match throughout . It was a bowler's wicket from the first , and Surrey gained nothing whatever by winning the toss . As it was, they went in and were all out for 112, of which Abel contributed 47. Thoughthe wicket was improving a little when Middlesex went in , no stand wasmadeuntil nearly the end. Then Mr. McGregor(40) and Dr. Thornton (46) got together , andit wastheir stand that gave Middlesex a useful lead of 67 runs. In the second innings the Surrey batting generally failed . Hayward(77) played very fine cricket , but of the rest Mr. Key (33) and Abel (30) alone did anything . As at the finish Middlesex only wanted 98 to win, Surrey's chance seemed small. Still , thanks to the effective bowling of Richardson, and in a less degree that of Lees and Hayward, they hadjust a little in hand throughout , andwon amidst great excitement by nine runs . Surrey , 112 and 164 ; total , 276. Middlesex, 179 and88; total , 267. Richardson (Surrey ) M a i d e n s . R u n s. O v e r s. 4 6 . 3 1 3 1 2 4 W i c k e t s. 1 1 (2) M i d d l e s e xv. S u s s e x. Eastbourne, July1, 2 and3. Amatchproductive of some fairly high scoring throughout . Marlow(61) and Mr. Brann (75) gave Sussex a good send off by scoring 141 for the first wicket . Subsequently , though seven of the remaining nine remaining batsmen got into double figures , the highest score was 42, with in the result an aggregate of 305. Contrary to their usual habit the Middlesex Eleven scored slowly, and it was only a very useful 71 of Mr. A. J. Webbe towards the close of the innings that enabled themto get within 39 of Sussex . W h e nthe latter went in again Mr. Brann(55) again showed up well , but he was eclipsed by Ranjit- sinhji (129), whowas still in when the innings was closed . Just at the com- m e n c e m e n tof the batting there seenied to be an outside chancethat Middlesex might not be able to save the game. As it was, a determined stand on the fall of the third wicket by Rawlin (31) and Dr. Thornton (41), who were both not out , enabled themto draw. Sussex , 305 and 220 (4 wickets , innings closed ) ; total , 525. Middlesex , 266 and 122 (3 wickets ) ; total , 388 . (3) Middlesexv. Somersetshire. TauntonAug. 2, 3 and 4. Asplendid finish , Somersetshire just managingto escape defeat with their last twobatsmenin. Atthe outset the run-getting was high all round, and each side's first innings got into the fourth hundred, that of Middlesex far into it . Mostof the Middlesex batsmen scored well , though Messrs . Stoddart (109) and J. Douglas (70) accounted for more than one-half of the total from the bat. Eight of the Somersetshire Eleven , too , got double figures in their first innings , with Messrs . L. Palairet (72), Roe (58), and F. A. Phillips (52), the best of them. Owingto a strained knee Mr. Stoddart was unable to bat, and the highest con- tribution was Mr. H. R. Bromley-Davenport's well -hit 50. In the end Somer- setshire hadto get 237 to win, and with eight wickets down for 80, a defeat seemed certain . Fortunately the last two batsmen, Tyler andMr. Porch, who both got 13 not out, defied all the efforts of the Middlesex bowlers , so that the gamewasdrawn. Middlesex , 363 and 190 ; total , 553. Somersetshire , 317 and 123(9 wickets ) ; total , 440.