Lives in Cricket No 46 - George Raikes

50 note 2: It was about this time that Raikes achieved the feat of bagging a brace when turning out as a guest member of the pack for Weybridge, a relatively unimportant club with which he had no known connection. note 3: In the two seasons, 1894-95 and 1895-96, Raikes appeared in 20 of the 49 fixtures honoured by the Corinthians. Of the other goalkeepers, AGS Lawrence played in 12 matches, Billy Moon in seven and A.H.Harrison in six. I am in immense debt to Rob Cavallini whose histories were invaluable in drawing up these statistics. note 4: The nearest town to Hedenham is Bungay; however, Raikes was born in Carleton Forehoe, which was closer to Wymondham than any other urban settlement. note 5: Despite the weather, Raikes was able to turn out in his last competitive game for the Casuals but was unable to prevent them from being knocked out of the first round of the FA Amateur Cup by Reading. note 6: In truth, Raikes only played four matches for the Corinthians during the October term of the 1895/96 season but he also played in three games for the Casuals. note 7: The website that lists the winners of the Oxford University Inter Collegiate Cup does not inform as to who won the trophy in 1895-96 – or indeed in 1896-97 – but the Eastern Daily Press leaves no doubt as to the winners in the first of the two ‘missing’ years. Magdalen are listed as winners in again in 1897/98, so that they won the cup at least six, if not all seven years between 1891/92 and 1897/98. At this point they had to yield to Oriel, who triumphed in six of the next seven years. note 8: Magdalen College was not just a home for footballers as it also produced a significant number of cricket Blues; in the period 1890-1903, no fewer than 14 Magdalen students appeared in the annual fixture with Cambridge at Lord’s. Of these, H.D.G.Leveson-Gower and Frederick Fane went on to captain England in Test matches. note 9: Rob Cavallini reports that this match was played in front of a large crowd of 15,000 spectators. note 10: There were two sides in Bungay at this time, Bungay Chaucer Press and Bungay Athletic: the two sides that Raikes played for possessed four other players in common so it seems likely that Raikes played both his games for Athletic. note 11: The White Company also appear to have fielded a cricket team and to have had a clerical tinge about them; they are covered further in chapter six. Raikes the International ‘Keeper’