Lives in Cricket No 43 - John Jackson

72 Jackson taking eight wickets. Jackson contributed 55 to the AEE second inning of 273 who thus led by 318 when the match was called off after their second innings finished. A local XXII at Rochdale was beaten by an innings and 63 runs on 29 June but one of their players, John Leach, had the distinction of scoring 57, the highest individual score of the match. He was given a warm reception from the large crowd and a rendering of ‘ See the Conquering Hero Comes’ from the band. He was presented with a new bat by the Club President. Jackson bowled 37 overs to take five for 26. In a close match at the Swallowfield Park near Reading on 3, 4 and 5 July, the AEE beat a local XXI by three runs with Jackson taking 15 wickets, Tinley and Tarrant 11 apiece. No team total higher than 87 was made and the highest individual score was 24. In the circumstances Jackson’s unbeaten 23 was a fine effort. On 17 July at Bramall Lane, Sheffield the AEE took the field against Yorkshire in an eleven-a-side match which they won by an innings and 265 runs. All their batsmen made double figures and their stars from Cambridgeshire, T.Hayward and R.Carpenter, hit 112 and 134 respectively. Several of the leading Yorkshire players were not selected as they had refused to play for Yorkshire against Surrey. England made 524 and in Yorkshire’s innings of 125 and 144, Wootton took all ten wickets in the second innings. Jackson had three for 41 in 27 overs. On 20 July the AEE played XXII of Burton-on-Trent in a benefit game for William Peace, a player of some note in the Burton area. The AEE won by 37 runs with Jackson bagging 13 victims and Tinley with 21 again proving the effectiveness of his lobs against inexperienced batsmen. Peace’s scores were 0 and 0* - no ‘one off the mark’ for the beneficiary in this match. The next match at Thornhill Lees, Saville Town, Dewsbury on 24, 25 and 26 July was much closer. The local XXII won by one wicket after dismissing the AEE for 113 and 147, Dewsbury scored 183 and 73 for 20 with Jackson taking 12 wickets. The AEE had a strong bowling array in this match with Tarrant, Hayward and Tinley amongst the wickets as well. Jackson’s next AEE appearance was on 31 July, 1 and 2 August at Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire where the Eleven were soundly beaten by the local XXII with 20 wickets in hand. Jackson took three wickets in the match. Back in North Yorkshire the AEE met XXII of Thirsk on 3 August and won again, this time by six wickets. Tinley took 21 wickets and Tarrant 19 in the Thirsk innings of 97 and 76. Jackson did not bowl and he did not bowl at Aston-under-Lyne in the next match either as the last two days were washed out by rain. In the play that was possible on 10 August the XXII scored 44 being demolished by Tinley and Tarrant. The AEE made 259 in reply. The AEE played XXII of Earlsheaton at Chickenley near Dewsbury on 21 August. Jackson took 21 wickets in the match, bowling the AEE to victory by a margin of 59 runs. On 28, 29 and 30 August at the Castle Hill Ground, Scarborough the AEE drew with a local XXII dismissing them for 38 in their first innings with 17 batsmen failing to pass 2. So much play was lost to Still at the Top