John and James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Companion 1882

29 after sending down about 350 balls on the Old Trafford, the most lifeless of grounds. Still M iddlesex in 1881 gained Mr. L eslie ,— excepting perhaps Mr. A. J. W ebbe , —the best bat as a f reshman who has been seen at Oxford since Mr. M itchell . She also profited by the amazing improvement in Messrs. G. B. and C. T. S tudd . The former in the early part of the season was unquestionably one of the finest batsmen in England, and though the necessities of study removed him for a time from cricket, he reappeared in the latter part of August to play for the County. Mr. C. T. S tudies general average establishes his position also among the most successful batsmen of the season. Very few players have a finer s ty le : brilliant leg hitting and driving, with a very hard wrist stroke in front o f point, a real straight bat, and a resolute nerve, make together a batsman whose back bowlers are very glad to see. Mr. V ernon again played innings against L ancashire , G loucestershire , and N otts , which were the most exhilarating of the year to watch. No transformation scene at any theatre can bring about a more rapid or enjoyable change than that which is effected by the arrival of Mr. V ernon on a sticky wicket, when several wickets are down and few runs got, when bowlers are confident and batsmen depressed. In a moment affairs are reversed, the telegraph is at work, catches are beii g missed, the wicket-keeper is getting demoralised, and the bowler’s head revolves on his shoulders. M iddlesex should not be dismissed without mention o f the beautiful innings of 76 played by Mr. I. D. W alker against Surrey, and a wonderfully resolute, plucky, and useful 24 (not out) of Mr. P earson ’ s on a foul wicket at Huddersfield. \Ve have dwelt at some length on M iddlesex cricket, owing to the fact that fresh blood has been imported into the team. This fact is also present with N ottingham , hut o f course owing to a very different cause. Two good bowlers whom we have not seen before have appeared, S hore and W right , the former slow left-handed with good change o f pace, but too high in the air, a fault which extends also to A ttewell ; the latter, fast with very baulking delivery, the ball coining in a good deal from the off. The new batsmen are of the most moderate descrip- class o f counties are well known, and one remark only will be made here with reference to the dispute. Professional cricketers ought to remember that their relation with County Committees is not the ordinary commercial relation o f labour and capital, where labourers and capitalists alike seek remuneration, and where in many people’ s opinion the labourer is fully entitled, by striking, to get his fair share o f profits. In County Cricket the Professional, who is the labourer, makes a profit: the Committee, which is the capitalist, does not, but merely seeks to encourage anil support the game. Hence a combination among the labourers for the purpose of getting higher wages is, we think, improper. K ent , in 1881, was the victim o f wretched ill-luck : Lord H arris was absent for a great part of the season, Mr. F rank P enn was incapacitated from sunstroke from taking any part in August cricket, and throughout the season Mr. B ligh was greatly out of health. This, with the complete loss of Mr. C unlipfe , who was also ill, was enough to cripple any comity, and the small list of K entish successes cannot therefore he surprising to