James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Companion 1884

131 B ATSMEN, THANKS TO a FINE SUMMER, had a very good time in 1883, and a glance at the averages tabulated below will show that they are exceptionally high. A larger number of batsmen have attained a four-figured aggregate than has ever been recorded before, viz., nine—Mr. AY. W. Read (1,573), Ulyett (1,572), Mr. W. G. Grace (1,352), Barnes (1,308), Mr. C. T. Studd (1,193), Hall (1,180), Flowers (1,144), Shrewsbury (1,117), and Bates (1,024), and the race for the premier position was won by the shortest of heads. As in 1882, Mr. C. T. Studd has fairly earned the title of champion batsman of the year, with an average of 41 runs per innings as compared with 32 the previous season, when nine additional innings enabled him to obtain a larger aggregate. Mr. AV. AY. Read has a larger aggregate and also a higher average (47, as against 26 in 1882), but his cricket was confined to County matches, with the exception of North v. South at the Oval. Ulyett has made 30 runs more than in 1882, with eight innings less, and his average has gone up from 27 to 30, though it is doubtful— consider­ ing that 1883 was a great year for batsmen—whether his form lias been quite so good. Hall has made wonderful progress—from 546 runs, with an average of 14, in 1882, to 1,180 runs, with an average of 33, last season—and his success has been very i>opular. Barnes was out of form early in the year, and his average is the same as in 1882, but his play in July and August was beyond praise. Flowers has improved materially, and Gunn still more, with an average of 22 as compared with 11 in 1882! Hon. Alfred Lyttelton only played half as many innings as in 1882, but increased his average from 21 to the marvellous figure of 69, having shown such superb defence and hitting that it cannot be said that he had any superior amongst the batsmen of the year. Barlow has a five- runs worse average than in the previous season, and Maurice Read has hardly been so successful as in 1882, though he maintained his average. Mr, L D. AYalker has played excellent cricket, and has increased his average by no fewer than 13 runs per innings, and his Middlesex confrere , Mr. A. P. Lucas, and the Kent captain, Lord Harris, have well 811818,1066: signifies “ Not out n I M M t Abel, R. Ambler Armstrong, II.... Asher, A. G. Grant Atkins, F. M. ... Attewell, W. Bainbridge, H. W. Baines, M. T. ... Barlow, R. G. Barnes,W. 1 « • » ♦ i M l • • 9 • M • 4 | ■ • • 4 4 f • 4 « • « • • t * ft • « • • • • I I I • « « • 9 • • 1 » M * • • a • • • • « • « M • f t . £ introductory remarks. Inns. Times not out. Runs. .. 36 4 704 .. 7 0 129 .. 10 4 79 .. 11 0 284 .. 4 0 35 .. 23 1 204 .. 9 1 78 .. 6 0 62 .. 41 4 816 .. 61 4 1,308 The asterisk Most in anInns. 83 7626*18231262629 88 120 Aver. 22 18.313.126.98.39.69.68.4 22.32 27.3S