Lives in Cricket No 46 - George Raikes

34 Raikes’ Meteoric Rise as a Top Quality Footballer themselves together, leading to some end-to-end play and the prediction of a draw – however, Hewitt scored a late goal for the Oxonians to secure a 3-2 victory. After their poor start, the Dark Blue forwards proved to be the more skilful pack and only stout defence from Gostling, Hoare and Lodge prevented a deluge in the second half. Raikes then found time to represent Norfolk County for the second time. The Eastern Daily Press revelled at the prospect of seeing him play “To see Raikes between the uprights should alone be worth all the time and trouble required to reach the Lakenham enclosure”. Unsurprisingly, given that this was a local derby match between Norfolk and Suffolk, it was covered to some length in the local press. The report in the Eastern Daily Press contained the following comments on a game played on April Fool’s Day: “This … fixture … was brought off on the Lakenham ground … in the presence of about 1100 spectators, the home side gaining a popular victory by two goals to one … The afternoon was beautifully bright and warm … and the players found the heat very trying … Nor was the turf in perfect position. It was too hard to suit the tastes of the average footballer, the ball as a natural consequence being very lively. As an exhibition of football the game was only moderately successful, the forwards on both sides with but few exceptions playing below the usual standard. Nor can it be said that the heavy charging indulged in by several members of the teams tended to improve the character of the game, in connection with which there were several incidents which did not redound to the credit of the players engaged. Quite the feature of the game was the play of the rival goalkeepers, whose methods of clearing were greatly admired. “… soon after the start Suffolk worked the leather over the Norfolk goal line . The Oxonian’s kick off was a huge affair [no evidence of a weakness in kicking here], the ball dropping some way into the Suffolk half, enabling Norfolk to attack on the left. Staines [of Suffolk] … was responsible for some effective work on his wing, the ‘middle ’ being cleared well by Raikes. Clever play by Frank Barwell gave the home side an advantage … and in trying to clear Gostling [the Suffolk keeper] ceded a corner … Orams twice caused Gostling to punt out, while some clever work between the right and centre seemed likely to bring about the downfall of the visitors’ citadel, but the wily Cantab again averted the danger … Fairweather was given a magnificent chance of opening the Suffolk account… Raikes was called upon to clear …. A [few minutes] later, the ball coming from the left, [touched] an opponent as it went across to Newby, who had little difficulty in registering Norfolk’s first goal … gradually Norfolk went ahead, and, though failing to improve their score, their men gave Gostling … plenty of work. Nearing half-time Suffolk improved, but the home defence successfully staved off the visitors’ attack, the game for a time evoking plenty of excitement … the Norfolk right transferred operations to the other end, and the ball being turned over to [Charles Wiltshire], the latter registered a second goal for Norfolk. The interval arrived shortly afterward.