Lives in Cricket No 27 - CB Llewellyn

46 30 overs, as the home side thrashed Hampshire’s attack for 498, to win by an innings. His figures for the county in 19 championship matches were 1,010 runs at 32.58 (behind several amateurs in average, it has to be said); 33 wickets at 35 57 (also well behind several amateurs) and thirteen catches. For the third year in succession, Hampshire staged a festival week at Bournemouth and Buck found a place in both matches. In the first, beginning on 31 August, an eleven of England led by W.G. faced the Australians. Thanks to fifties from Ted Arnold of Worcestershire and Buck, the tourists, who led by 43 on the first innings, were set 159 to win: they scraped home with a leg-bye with their last man in. Sam Hargreave, the Warwickshire slow left- arm bowler, captured ten wickets, Len Braund, the Somerset and England all-rounder, claimed seven with his leg-breaks – and Buck did not get a bowl. He didn’t turn his arm over in the second match either, but worked off any frustration he may have felt, and amazed players and spectators alike when he went into bat. The Players of the South, who included six internationals, gave a consistent but unspectacular display and when Buck strode to the crease, six wickets were down for 205; with Arnold (54) he put on 94 for the seventh wicket. Then, with the reliable Jimmy Stone at the other end, Llewellyn began to hit the Gentlemen’s bowling all over Dean Park. He should have been caught by W.G. when he had scored 20; it was an easy chance, and an expensive miss, as Arnold and Buck added 94 for the seventh wicket. Buck punished W.G.’s bowling severely, running out to him and driving him three times for four in one over. When bad light stopped play, the pair had increased the score by 55, to 354 for seven. On the second day they overcame dull conditions to take their partnership to 144. It had taken them only 70 minutes. After the dismissal of Stone, Llewellyn continued to hit, adding 103 to his score out of 142 for the last three wickets. Buck’s innings lasted for only 160 minutes and his total of 186 included 27 fours. This time it was George Dennett, the Gloucestershire slow left-arm bowler who dismissed 10 batsmen, as the Players romped to victory by an innings and 196 runs. These festival games gave some cheer to Hampshire supporters, who again had little to encourage them in 1905, as the county again finished at the foot of the championship table, for the fifth time in six seasons, with only one victory. Llewellyn and the Chinaman