Lives in Cricket No 27 - CB Llewellyn

56 four wickets for 36 (seven for 116 in the match) contributed to a Hampshire victory by five wickets, though he failed with the bat. He suffered a loss of form at the crease and in his next nine innings his highest score was only 37, while his victims with the ball numbered no more than thirteen after the Leicestershire match. This dreary period terminated when he hit up 51 in the second innings for MCC against Cambridge University at Lord’s on 26 June, though he proved ineffective with the ball as the University achieved the 327 required for victory for the loss of eight wickets. In his next county match, against Sussex at Portsmouth beginning on 29 June, he was right back to form. At four in the batting order, he soon found his side nastily placed at 11 for three, facing the visitors’ 208. With A.J.L.Hill (37) he added 90 before being joined by Sprot in a partnership of 132, which occupied only 90 minutes. Eventually Buck was bowled by Killick for 141. This fine innings lasted only three and a half hours, while he stroked 17 fours, and gave only one chance, when on 109. He cut and drove brilliantly. The spectators showed their appreciation by subscribing £14 for him, about £270 at 2012 prices. When Hampshire led by 100, Badcock, the fast bowler, overcame what some perceived as a lack of fitness, to scatter the men of Sussex, dismissing eight of them for 44 and leaving Hampshire only 52 to win. This they achieved for the loss of one wicket. Yet Buck’s only subsequent score of over 50 that season came a fortnight later, against the Philadelphians at Southampton; indeed his next nine innings produced no score greater than 34, before he made good with an allround performance which contributed to a remarkable victory over Kent at Canterbury. Winning the toss, the home side made very slow headway against Newman, Mead and Llewellyn, but their 203 was too much for Hampshire by 25 runs. Sprot (48) and Buck (43) were top scorers. Kent struggled to 185 for eight by the end of the second day, but next morning they revived a little to reach 240. Buck dismissed five of them for 74. Set 268 to win, Hampshire lost wickets regularly and their ninth wicket fell at 215. Kentish hearts leapt, but Stone and Newman were up to the task and this exceptionally interesting match finished in a Hampshire victory five minutes before time. Three games later, Buck’s seven victims in the first innings played a major part in a nine-wicket defeat of Gloucestershire at Cheltenham. This was the first occasion on which he had captured as many as seven wickets in an innings since 1902. Two The Beneficiary