Lives in Cricket No 43 - John Jackson

53 At the Height of His Powers Yorkshire beat the AEE by 90 runs. In the locals’ first innings Jackson took three for 6 in 16 overs, and he had another prodigious spell of 42 overs to take twelve for 24 in the second, but the AEE were skittled out by the two professional given men, I.Hodgson and W.Slinn, for totals of 62 and 23. The match against XXII of the Sheffield (Shrewsbury) Club on 18, 19 and 20 August at Bramall Lane was won by five wickets, with Jackson putting in a bowling marathon of 48 consecutive overs in the first innings to take nine wickets for 19, and 27 overs in the second to take one for 20. R.C.Tinley took twenty-six wickets for 92 in the match with his lobs. Tinley starred once again against XXII of The Royal Artillery at Woolwich on 21, 22 and 23 August, taking twenty-one wickets for 115 runs. Jackson helped out with nine for 39 as the AEE won by six wickets. The AEE made another ‘missionary’ call when they went to Southsea in Hampshire on 28 August to play against XXII of the East Hants Club before a good crowd of paying customers. The AEE made only 84 and 61 in their innings, but Jackson took twelve for 49 in 27 overs in East Hants 105 all out in their first innings, and, with his bowling partner, George Tarrant, reducing the locals to 43 for ten, the margin of victory being eleven wickets. Immediately after the match the AEE had to hurry off to catch the 3.00 pm train to Bradford where their next match was due to take place. They may not have been too upset that, after a long journey, the start of the match against XVIII of Bradford was delayed by rain until 1.00 pm. The third day was completely washed out, with Jackson bowling only 7 overs on what must have been a dead wicket after all the rain. On 4 September the AEE began a match against XXII of Leicestershire at Hon.H.A.Reynolds-.Moreton’s ground at Lindridge House near Desford and won by 91 runs, with Jackson bowling 34 overs in each innings and returning figures of seven for 19 and six for 30. Jackson was beginning a purple patch which was to see him take another 101 wickets before the end of the season. At Bishop’s Stortford on 8, 9 and 10 September he took four for 11 in the second innings in 24 overs, as the AEE won by 130 runs. The local people made a real carnival of the event, with 6,000 paying for admission over the three days and the band of the 17th East Essex Rifles entertaining the crowd during the intervals. The AEE had to rush to catch the 5.22 pm train to Huddersfield where they were due to play XXII Yorkshire Colts at 11.00 am next day at Lascelles Hall - such were the stresses of the long distance travelling the AEE had to undertake. After Huddersfield they were due to play at Godalming in Surrey before returning to Batley near Huddersfield for the match after that. One does wonder whether the fixtures could have been better planned. In the match against Yorkshire Colts Jackson bowled 58 overs, taking eight for 28 and three for 39 as the AEE won by four wickets. Against XXII of Godalming on 15, 16 and 17 September he took eight for 18 and ten for 27 in a two wicket win. Back in Yorkshire, at Batley on 18, 19 and 20 September, the AEE made 84 and, and then Jackson and Willsher