Lives in Cricket No 7 - Richard Daft

made a more prominent contribution to his last three-day match of the season for Notts versus Fourteen Free Foresters. This produced another thrilling finish when the county, set 212 to win, had struggled to 148 for nine. Biddulph, the last man, then joined George Wootton, and they slowly worked up the runs until the scores were level. Then Biddulph, though moving well forward, was given out leg before. In the first innings, Richard took out his bat for 26. His second effort of 56 was the only score over 30 for Notts, before the breathtaking last stand: other incidents in the last innings which contributed to the outcome were a call of ‘one short’ and, to balance, a no-ball was called but not recorded. Richard earned an honourable mention in a long piece of versification sending another team on their way to the Antipodes, beginning: Twelve mighty cricketers of world-wide fame, Twelve Englishmen all highly known by name, Have lately left their native isle, to show What Britons in the cricket field can do. Jackson comes next; the ball his special care, His pace is awful: A Pilch, a Mynn, a Daft combined would take His balls to conquer and his bowling break. Apart from business, Richard had an additional reason for staying at home. Ten days after the departure of the intrepid tourists, Mary Daft gave birth to her first child, a son, who was christened Richard Parr Daft, named after his father and grandfather. More at Home 35