Lives in Cricket No 2 - Johnny Briggs

Chapter Nine Match double against Yorkshire ’Merry Johnny’ was then and for many years afterwards one of the most formidable of Australia’s opponents, and had he been a more reliable batsman he would, to my mind, have ranked with A.G.Steel as an all-round player next to W.G.’ George Giffen There was no rest for Briggs and the 1892 domestic season began on the first Monday after Lord Sheffield’s side returned to England following a six-week sea voyage. The Lancashire man was back ‘at the office’ opening the bowling, alongside Watson, against MCC at Lord’s. In MCC’s first innings he bowled 63 five-ball overs and conceded only 86 runs. Later that week he played for C.I.Thornton’s XI at Cambridge, and the following week, he was in Lord Sheffield’s side in a special benefit match for their manager Alfred Shaw, at Trent Bridge in cold, showery weather. There can be little doubt that Briggs’ services were still much in demand, but he played in few of the big representative games during the season, missing all three Gentlemen versus Players fixtures and the end-of-season festival matches. He did, however, turn out for the Married versus Single at Lord’s in a well-attended benefit match for the former Yorkshire, Northumberland and Lincolnshire fast bowler Robert Clayton over the Whitsun Bank Holiday and for North versus South at Edgbaston in late June. This was a largely domestic season without any major touring attractions and the county championship was of most interest to cricket followers. Lancashire made a poor start to their county matches, losing two of their first six games and were thus – the points system made deductions for losses – scarcely in contention for the title. Lancashire’s bowling was almost entirely entrusted to Briggs, Mold and Watson. Once again Briggs topped 100 wickets with 124 victims in all first-class matches at 13.75 and his run-scoring improved with 569 at 16.73. In the championship he took 85 wickets at 13.62. Roses matches against the ‘auld enemy’ Yorkshire always brought out the best in a man as competitive as 56