Lives in Cricket No 29 - AN Hornby

37 The long-whiskered Doctor that laugheth the rules to scorn, While the bowler, pitched against him, bans the day he was born; And G F with his science makes the fairest length forlorn; They are come from the West to work thee woe! It is little I repair to the matches of the Southron folk, Though my own red roses there may blow; It is little I repair to the matches of the Southron folk, Though the red roses crest the caps, I know. For the field is full of shades as I near a shadowy coast, And a ghostly batsman plays to the bowling of a ghost, And I look through my tears on a soundless-clapping host As the run stealers flicker to and fro, To and fro: O my Hornby and my Barlow long ago! Thompson was a great cricket-lover and must have attended the second day of the match at Old Trafford in 1878, when the legendary W.G.Grace and his brothers, Edward (E.M.) and Fred (G.F.) were in the Gloucestershire line-up. After the visitors had taken a first innings lead of 27, Hornby and Barlow went in just before 5 pm and by close of play at 6.30 had put together a partnership of 90, with Hornby on 68 and Barlow not out 15. The Hornby-Barlow partnership begins Old Trafford in the time of Hornby and Barlow. When going out to bat, the amateur and the professional players would have emerged from pavilions at opposite ends of the ground, and only met in the middle.