Lives in Cricket No 7 - Richard Daft

Bell’s Life referred to an exciting scene when stumps were drawn for the day: ‘The umpires drew stumps and Tolley was justly cheered for resenting the ungentlemanly behaviour. It is to be hoped that such a scene as this will never again be witnessed on a cricket ground, especially when one side is composed entirely of amateurs.’ Notts made their deflated way to Temple Meads Station, bound for home. On the platform they found the Yorkshire team just arrived to take on Gloucestershire. ‘I’ll shoot W.G.’ said Tom Emmett, ‘before he takes so many runs off us.’ But W.G. scored 318 not out, while his side totalled 528! That summer he had already piled up 400 not out against Twenty-two of Grimsby. Back at Trent Bridge, Notts met Middlesex in a match played in beautiful weather and in good batting conditions, with many changes of fortune. Richard opened the match with his highest score of the season, a grand and faultless display which occupied three and a half hours: his was the ninth wicket to fall, being caught at 99. No other Notts batsman achieved more than 24 in the match. Middlesex followed on 83 behind, but fared much better and left the home side 132 to win. There then occurred another of Notts’ collapses. Barnes and Tolley staved off defeat and Notts finished on 90 for eight. After a break, Richard and his team journeyed to Bramall Lane, Sheffield for a match made remarkable by Fred Morley’s bowling. Over 6,000 were present on the first day, a local holiday, in showery weather to see their side shot out for 87. The appreciative crowd then witnessed the demolition of Notts on the second day by Robert Clayton, the fast bowler; Richard’s score, 16, constituted more than a third of his side’s total of 46. Morley, supported by Alfred Shaw, then dismissed Yorkshire for 32, and by close of play Notts, needing 73 to win, were halfway there at 36 for one. Richard batted throughout the 77 overs bowled in that innings, and with his 39 not out and useful support from Shrewsbury and Barnes saw Notts to an eight-wicket victory on the third day. Notts returned to Trent Bridge for another success. Early on the second day, when Richard was dismissed for 33, Notts, on 66 for one, were already 40 ahead of Surrey on the first innings! Shrewsbury, going in at No 3, scored 65 out of his side’s total of 150 before Shaw and Morley bowled Surrey out for 100, leaving Benefit in Kind 76