John and James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Companion 1882

GENTLEMEN v. PLAYERS. A FTER SERIOUS D ISAPPO INTMENTS in the two previous year? the Surrey Committee were favoured with fine weather for their most attractive fixture, and the Oval was very largely attended. The match began on Thursday, June 30th, and ended rather before lunch time on the Saturday. In selecting the P layers ’ team, the Surrey Committee did not ask any o f the men concerned in the Nottingham dispute, a course o f action which did not escape criticism . Certainly the side was not strengthened by the substitution o f Gunn and Robinson fo r Barnes and Selby. The third professional new to the match was Peate, and lie, of course, had thoroughly earned his place. The gentlemen who had not played before were Messrs. Leslie, C. T . Studd, G. B. Studd, and 11. T, Ellis. A contest so full o f remarkable changes has rarely been seen. At the drawing of stumps on the first evening the Gentlemen seemed to have an immense advantage, being only 37 runs behind, with eight wickets to fall. A total o f over 300 was fu lly expected, but on the fo llow ing morning the eight wickets only put on 76. Mr. Grace’ s 100 was to our thinking the best innings of the London season. The bowling opposed to him was first- class, and except fo r a possible chance at the wdcket he never made a mistake. On going in for the second time the P layers made a capital start, Ulyett and Midwinter scoring 105 fo r the first w icket. Unfortunately the batsmen who came after them could do nothing with the capital bowling o f Messrs. Grace and Steel. Ulyett gave a chance in each innings, but his hitting was o f the most brilliant description. The Gentlemen had 144 runs to get, and it was thought they would win easily. M r. Hornby, however, somewhat unwisely, altered the order o f going in, and, as in the England and Australia match o f the previous year, the consequences were disastrous. Bates and Peate bowled their best, and at the call o f time on Friday, five wickets had fallen fo r 41 runs. The finish proved highly exciting,’ the Gentlemen owing their two wickets’ v ictory to the nerve and steadiness of Messrs. Leslie, Ty lecote, and On T . Studd. The result, however, might have been different, had H ill accepted a chance which Mr. Leslie ’ offered him at mid-off. A ltogether it was a capital match, the P layers ’ bowling being exceptionally good. Bates s preformauce in the second innings was especially brilliant. A word too is due to L ockw ood fo r his innings of 62 . Score and analysis:—