Lives in Cricket No 7 - Richard Daft

168, this was a fine effort by Richard – all the finer when you consider that Surrey’s two innings, 48 and 63, amounted to only 111. Notts’ next opponents were the almost new Gloucestershire side, so recently but perfectly formed that almost every match set up some sort of record. This was the first time the two teams had played each other and was the first county match played on the Clifton College ground. The home side had the better of the play, heading Notts by 51 on the first innings and setting them 247 in 2 hours 25 minutes to win. Richard, who had contributed 34 to Notts’ first-innings total, came in the second time at 17 for two. Following the dismissal of Wyld at 53, he and Selby made a stand which dispersed any notion of defeat: Richard was unbeaten on 51. There was not much stopping Notts that summer. They defeated Surrey at The Oval by ten wickets; Richard gave a masterly exhibition in achieving his highest total of the season, 92. This included a record sixth-wicket partnership of 132 with Alfred Shaw, the highest for the county at the time. Ten days later Richard was home again at Trent Bridge. This match saw Gloucestershire, of course, achieving another first – their appearance at Nottingham. The presence of W.G. attracted large crowds – 25,000 visitors over the three days in delightful weather. E.M.Grace related that before the start of the game, bets of 20-1 were laid against W.G. getting a century in either innings. But everyone had to wait and see as Richard won the toss and the home side went to the crease, greatly to the disappointment of the crowd, and batted on until the second morning. Richard himself, going in at 120 for two, first put on 61 with Bignall, whose 96 was one of the finest innings of his career, and in company with the young amateur, Tolley, added a further 92. He was eventually out for 84 to a marvellous catch low down by W.G. at mid-off. There was, indeed, no keeping that hero down. At the start of the match, he kept wicket in the absence of the regular stumper, R.E.Bush. To emphasise his enormous energy, W.G. fielded at long leg both ends – except when he was bowling. He then played a fine innings of 79, but Gloucestershire had to follow on. There followed an exchange between Richard and the great man: Richard : You ought to have made a hundred – it’s never been done in a first-class match on this ground. 52 The Graces and the Counties