KINGS OF CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2006, 4 August 1892, Page 30

KINGS OF CRICKET.

REMINISCENCES AND ANECDOTES, WITH HINTS ON THE GAME. By Richard Daft, Member of the All England Eleven, ex-Captaia of Notts County, Captain of the AngloAmerican Team 1879, &c, &c.

The Rights of Reproduction ark Strictly

Reserved.

"THIS COUNTIES FROM 1860 TO 1871."

There were not many County matches played during the early part of my career ; but in a few years there were almost as many played every season as there are at present. About 1865, Notts, Surrey, and Cambridgeshire were all very strong ; and Yorkshire, Kent, and Sussex were each able to put good elevens in the field. Notts had at this time some wonderfully good young players coming on, who bade fair to equal the old ones, some of whom were now beginning' to show signs of falling off.

We had a grand bowler in J. C. Shaw — the best left-hander, in my opinion, we ever had. He came a great pace from the pitch, with a good deal of break, and a slow ball he kept dropping in now and then very often obtained a wicket. But when Jemmy finished bowling he had finished altogether, for he was a very indifferent fielder, and was about tho worst man with the bat I ever came in contact with. In plain words he was never worth four runs against any bowling in his life. I, however, well remember a match when he saved his County from signal defeat by remaining with me at the wickets for an hour and forty minutes.

This was at Clifton, when we were playing Gloucestershire. Dr Grace mentions this match in his most interesting book, and alluding to Jemmy's performance observes that he had on the previous night "not gone to bed at orthodox hours." As a matter of fact he never went to bed at all. On the morning of the third day of the match I went to breakfast at the house of a friend in Bristol, who, when I arrived, told me he was afraid we should have to bat a man shgrt that day, for he had heard that old Jemmy Shaw had, the previous evening, gob quarrelling at cards with some of his friends at the place where they were staying, and after breaking all the glasses in the room, had rushed out of th • house without his coat, saying he woulrl " go ami do for himself," and hal not btcsi heard of miico.

I was much annoyed at hearing this, and considerably alarmed, too, for my thoughts at once turned to the Suspension bridge. Some hours later, however, I met Mr Frank Townsend, who relieved me by telling me that when walking across the Downs a short time before:

he had seen an object lying under a tree in the distance, which, op his going up to examine it, proved to be nothing less than Jemmy Shaw, fast asleep. I had been not out myself over night, and on this morning we required, I believe, something like 70 runs to save the follow on when Jemmy came in last man. He had kept out of my way as much as possible, being sure of a sound rating from me for his conduct of the previous night, but this lecture I thought it advisable to postpone until after the innings was over.

Well, Jemmy, to the amazement of all on the ground, remained at the wicket till the innings was saved. I gob the greater part of the runs myself, bring 90 odd not out at the finish, Jemmy making nine only. I never in the whole course of my life saw such an exhibition of batting as his was that day. Sometimes he was down on his knees, then he would come out to drive a ball which would miraculously fly over the head of long slip. I kept going to him between the overs to tell him to be careful, but every time I did so he coolly told me that he was all right and that he shouldn't get out, seeming to imply that it was my wicket that would go down if either did. But directly the requisite number of runs were obtained he collapsed.

During the whole of the day he kept looking very shyly at me, expecting the deferred lecture with regard to his nocturnal adventure, and at last I made his mind easy by saying, " It's lucky for you, Jemmy, that we saved the match to-day, and as I never saw you play half so well before, I should strongly advise you never to go to the expense of a bed again, but should always, if I were you, sleep in the open air in future."

Jemmy had as good an appetite as most men. Once, on the second or third day of a match at Birmingham, he was very seedy and unable to bowl. I expressed some surprise at this to Carpenter, as he had seemed perfectly well the day before. "You wouldn't feel much surprised if you had seen what he had to eat last night," Bob replied ; "for he came into the hotel ' elevated ' about 9 o'clock, and sat down and ate 11 eggs, and finished off with cold beef and cold peas, which," Carpenter continued, " the old fool kept pelting at me as I sat at another table writing letters."

This account, I expect, was somewhat exaggerated, but I have often seen Jemmy perform some extraordinary feats in the eating line myeelf.

Jemmy possessed at one time a favourite dog — a greyhound. This dog was tho terror of the inhabitants of Sutton, where James resided, and his maurading visits to the neighbours' larders were many and frequent. Jemmy used to tell a good tale about this dog. He said he had on one occasion had a beefsteak kept hot for his own dinner on the oven in his house. The dog was lying fast asleep on the hearthrug and as Jemmy wanted to leave the room for only a minute or two, he thought he might safely do so, taking care not; to wake the dog. He declared he was not two minutes out of the room, but when he returned there was no beefsteak to be seen, and there lay the dog to all appearances as fast asleep as when his master had left the apartment. Indeed, ho had committed the theft so cleverly, that Jemmy, though deprived of his dinner, could not find it in his heart to give him the thrashing he so richly deserved.

Charles Brampton was a good bat who did useful service for his county for many years, always going in first at one time.

George Wootton was a fine left-hand bowler, and being at his best at the same time as Jemmy Shaw, we had now perhaps what no other county had at this period — viz., two as good left-hand bowlers as could then be found.

Biddulph was our wicket-keeper, and one of the best in England, besides being a very useful bat. Oue match I recollect well which he won for us. It was against Surrey, at the Ova], in 1874, and here again J. C. Shaw was called upon to distinguish himself. Wo required 15 runs to win when Jemmy went to the wicket (last man, of course). Biddulph, at the other end, having made four or five ruus. I remember I sat in tho pavilion with a telegraph form in front of me which I was writing out to send to George Parr, at Radcliffe. I had already written Surrey won by — —and waited for the end. But here, as at Clifton, Jemmy was equal to the occasion, and though he only made one run himself, he kept his end up till the required number were made by his partper, which having been done, Jemmy was seized by some of the delighted supporters of Notts and carried to the pavilion shoulder-high.

The last time I played with Jemmy was in a little match in Derbyshire. After the game was over we were entertained at dinner by the opposite team, after which some singing and music were indulged in. When several pieces on the piano had been given, someone having been erroneously informed that Jemmy Shaw was an accomplished pianist, called on him for a solo, which call was unanimously echoed by all in the room, accompanied by much rapping on the tables and cheering. This was rather rough on Jemmy, who had probably never struck a note on a piano in his life. " Whatever am I to do ?" he whispered to me, who sat next to him. So to get him out of his difficulty I rose and informed the company that Mr Shaw would have been most happy to havo obliged them, but as the piano in the room was not a left-handed one, he greatly regretted his inability to do so.

I remember a laughable incident that occurcd once when we went to play on the oval. Biddulph was ill and unable to go, and after some deliberation the committee decided to play little Frauky Moore in his place. Frank was then (and is now, for that matter) litlle more than sft in height, and made a queer figure when he walked down from the pp.vilion padded and gloved to take the wicket, of course getting between two of the biggest men in the eleven.

Mr Johnson, our secretary, had asked me to look out some nice quiet lodgings for Frank, as he had never been in London before. This I had some difficulty in doing, for whether the lodging-house keepers thought Frank was a suspicious-looking character, or whatever was the reason, I cannot say, but at the first halfdozen places at which we called they "declined him with thanks." At last I succeeded in planting him at a place a few hundred yards distance from the ground. At lunch time on the first day Frank was not out, and when the bell- rang after tho 40 minutes' interval he was no iv here to be seen. The second bell rang, and still there was no Frank.

I then ran round to the different refreshment places on the ground, but could hear no tiding-- of him. The Surrey players began to wall; into the field, and I desj)aired of his turning up at all, when all at once I thought of his lodgings, and, alter beggiug a few minutes' j»r.'fo from the Surrey captain, to that place I rli-=hed oft". "Is Mr Moore here ?" I called out at the open door as soon as I got there, when a little squeaking voice replied from an inner room, " Yes, all right, Mr Daft, here I am." I walked into this apirlment, and was for some seconds thunderstruck with what I saw. On the table were the re niin.« of a beefsteak, and there in an armchair, his coat and waistcoat off , smoking a long

churchwarden pipe, sat the man for whom some thousands of spectators were waiting at the oval. He had thought the luncheon interval was an hour, whereas it was but 40 minutes.

"Confound you," I shouted, "what the deuce are you doing here ? The players have all been in the field ever so long, and you have forfeited your innings."

Frank did not wait to hear any more, but snatching up his coat and waistcoat he flew down tho street like a wild man, taking with him in his excitement his churchwarden pipe, and with this in one hand and his coat and waistcoat in the other, and having no hat on, he cut a most remarkable figure. The people in the streets must have thought him an escaped lunatic. He arrived on the ground only just in time, and to see him putting on his pads was a sight not to be forgotten, for ho was quite out of "wind" with running, and after every buckle he fastened he looked up to see if the fielders were still on the ground, or whether they had become tired of waiting and had claimed his wicket.

Frank is still to be seen as a helper on the Trent Bridge ground at all cricket and football matches. He has often stood umpire hi matches in which I have played of late years. Not long ago I was playing at Captain Oates' house (Langford Hall), and Frank was appealed to for me for leg before, and gave the decision in my favour, although both the bowler and wicket-keeper declared I was well out. After the innings was over someone asked Frank if it had not been a near thing.

" Yes, sir," answered he, "it was just about the heighteenth of a hinch off being out, that's all."

Although Franky is such a little bit of a fellow, his wife, he tells me, is a very fine woman, and he also relates how she once took a child's ticket for him when travelling by rail, and passed him off for " under age." After playing our match at Captain Oates' house it has been our invariable custom to drive from Langford to Newark, to dine at the Clinton Arms, and there to spend a few hours before returning home. After dining, Frank always disappears until train time, when he appears, generally emanating strong odours of spirits. When asked where he has been, he always says ;—"; — " Well, you know, Mr Daft. I've a lot of relations lives in Newark ; there is my 'huncle' in this street, and my 'haunt' in that, and my second cousin somewhere else, and if I wasn't to go and see them and have a drink with 'em all round they'd be ever so offended "

As a matter of fact, I don't think Frank has a single relation within miles of the place. After one of these matches, as we were returning home in the railway carriage someone seized Frank's hat and threw it across the compartment to someone else, and in this way it was passed round several times. The window, however, being op3ii the hat was accidentally thrown out. Of course a subscription for a new hat for Frank was at once started, and half a sovereign was quickly collected. Considering that Frank's hat was a very old one, probably not being worth more than eighteenpence, he came off handsomely by the accident. Next year when we went to Langford I noticed Frank wore what was evidently the very oldest hat he possessed, hoping, no doubt, that on our return in the evening it would be thrown away, and another half sovereign awarded him ; but this, unfortunately for him, did not take place this time.

Poor little Frank ! He has, I believe, always been greatly attached to me. He used to bowl at me on the forest when I was a boy, and years before I took part in first-class cricket. He was always n favourite with me, and always will be.

Another young player came into note about this time, being first played for his batting, but who afterwards turned out to be one of tho finest bowlers of his own, or any other time. This player was Alfred Shaw, whose name, for years to come, will be a household word everywhere where cricket is played. He had always wonderful command over the ball, and never seemed to tire. His many remarkable

performances in this department of the game are far too numerous to mention here. He ouce achieved a great feat when we played Lancashire at Manchester, wiien I won the only bet, I believe, I ever made over a county cricket match during my career.

We were dining after the day's play, and on the following morning Lancashire had to go in for the second time to get comparatively few ruus. A Lancashire gentleman called down the table to me and asked how many wickets they were going to beat us by the next day. "Oh! I don't know." I replied, "it is not a hundred to one that you will beat us at all." " I'll lay you five pounds to five shillings we do," sard he. "Done!" I replied, and the bet was made. The next morning so splendidly did Shaw bowl that the whole of the Lancashire Eleven were out without obtaining the required runs. I ordered a case of champagne at our hotel for our team in honour of so great a victory.

William Oscroft was another of our crack bats at this time, as he continued to be for many years. He was one of the finest leghitters we ever had, hitting like Carpenter, high and square. His hitting all round was a treat to behold whenever he was well set. He gave me a fright at the Clifton Suspension bridge many years ago. I have always a great objection to looking down from a great height, and when crossing the bridge in question took care to keep well away from the side. Oscroft, knowing this and probably to let me see that he felt no such fear himself, took a run and vaulting on the parapet sat across it as though on a horse, swaying himself about in the (to me) most alarming manner ; and the more frightened I became the better he enjoyed it. Oscroft succeeded me as captain of the Notts Eleven after I left off playing-, and was himself succeeded by Alfred Siiaw some years after.

Tom Bignall was another fine batsman. His leg-hittiug at one time was little inferior to that of George Parr, beiug a similar kind of stroke, low down and "fine." For years he aLd Fred Wild were the two first men to go to the wickets for Nottinghamshire. I once played old Tom a trick of which I reminded him only the other pay.

At the time of which I write I always carried a box of cigars in my cricket; bag, and often fancied I ran through many more of these than I either smoked or gave away, and at last got to know by a side wind that Tom Bignall was in the habit of helping himself to one whenever he felt inclined. So one day I purchased some explosive ones and put them in the box in my bag, and during the day Tom was *een blowing away at a weed as usual. Someone who vras in the joke asked him where he had got it from, to which he replied with a wink, " Hush ! Not a word. One of Richard's ! A real foreigner ! "

He was in the dressing room when the explosion took place, and never having heard of such cigars before he was frightened very nearly out of his wits. There was a skylight in the roof of the room (which was not a lofty one) and through this he tried to throw the cigar, but missing his aim, it came down again right on the top of his head. He was not hurt, however, and I am pleased to say that my cigar box received no more visits from him from that time forward. I met Tom only last year, when he officiated as umpire in a match I was playing, and asked him if he remembered the circumstance which I have just related, and he assured me it was still quite fresh in his memory, and would always continue to be so.

When poor George Summers was struck on the cheek by a ball from Platts, which afterwards proved to be fatal, Tom Bignall was batting at the other end, and I never saw a man so completely thrown off his play as he was by this unhappy event, and ha soon succumbed to a ball from Platts. He had to pass my wicket on his way to the pavilion (for I had joined him after Summers had been carried away), and he, pulling a long face and rubbing his stomach, saic to me, " It's no use, Richard, but since I saw him knocked over my inside's been all on the churn."

One of the most promising bats we had was Fred Wild, who in after years rendered excellent service both to his county and to the other clubs for which he played. My elder brother, Charles, was a very useful bat. He had good defence, and could hit clean and sharp all round, being especially good at cutting. He began cricket rather late in life, or otherwise he would have attained a higher position than he did as a batsman.

A young player, full of promise at the time of his fatal accident, was George Summers. I well remember the match in which he got what afterwards proved to be his deathblow. We wer« playing Notts v. M.C.C. at Lord's, and Platts was bowling a terrific pace this season. Summers and Bignall were batting in our second innings, and the former, before he had scored, was struck by a rising ball from Platts on the cheek bone, and was carried off the field insensible. The blow caused concussion of the brain, and the poor fellow died three days afterwards. Besides being so promising a batter he was a splendid field, and one of the nicest fellows I ever played with.

There was some remarkable cricket in this match. There was a good deal of betting before the game began as to whether Mr W. G. Grace or I made the larger score. Grace was first to bat and made 117, and, most curious to relate, I obtained exactly the same number. I had to receive the next ball from Platts after the one that struck Summers. Platts was a fine fast bowler in his day. During the latter part of this time, however, he has taken to bowling slow. The last time I played against him was at Skegness, in 1886, when I scored 138.

Mr J. G. Beevor was one of the few amateurs who played for Notts in my time. He was a very fine hitter, and often made large scores. Mr W. Bury, of Radcliffe-on-Trent, was another. He was one of the finest fielders we ever had, being so fleet of foot that he obtained the nickname of " Deer foot."

We were extremely fortunate in having for our hon. sec. during these years ajjentleman who was one of the most liberal and indefatigable supporters of cricket the county ever possessed, Mr J. Johnson. He took an immense amount of interest in the game generally, and in our counfly in partisular, and there were few of our matches, no matter where played, from which he was absent. In 1862 he presented me with a beautiful silver cup. He often came down to Radcliffe to stay with me from Saturday to Monday, and when on one of these visits he nearly caused the death of George Parr's brother, William.

We were playing a game at skittles at George Parr's house, for he had a frame in his. coachhouse, and we had all bowled in turn but Mr Johnson, who was now going on, the rest of us standing close to the pins and looking down expecting to see _some of them fall, when suddenly the ball came high into the air as though shot from a cannon, just missing William Parr's head by an inch or two, and then rattled into the rafters of the building. We all rushed out of the place, so terrified, that at first we scarcely realised what had happened, but not one of us, even Parr himself, who had so narrow jin' escape, was so alarmed as Mr Johnson, who declined to bowl aaother ball and the game was given up

I remember a match we won with Cambridgeshire at Cambridge, which Mx Johnson, Captain Holden, and others went to see. We had a. certain number of runs to get to win and it looked a " toss up " whether we should obtain them or not. Mr Johnson and our other supporters felt very anxious and nervous as the game progressed and our wickets fell. Mr Johnson had taken his seat on a roller on the ground, and there he sat for some hours afraid that if he changed his seat he might alter the luck of the game, and ho resolutely stuck to his post until we had obtained the victory. I also recollect him ascending with some friends to the roof of a warehouse, which was of immense height. The getting up there was not so bad, but on arriving on the roof and seeing the streets and houses so far below, Mr Johnson declared that although he had got up, yet no earthly power should ever induce him to come down again ; and, indeed, he' was so nervous and dizzy that it took several of his friends a long time to persuade him to attempt the descent, which, however, he at length accomplished buccessfully. Mr Johnson died in 1877. I have in my possession a gold snuffbox which was presented to him in 1836 by the members of the Nottingham New Forest Cricket Club, at the time he was their honorary secretary.

('To be continued.)

A novel exhibition, to be called the Sportsmen's and Industrial Exhibition, will be held at Melbourne during the Cup carnival, on the same lines as the .Sportsmen's Exhibition in London.

Some time ago the Wellington Land Boird decided to forfeit the improvements as well us the interest of M. K. Samurland W. J. Nathan in the laud held by them in the Haurangi district, owing to alleged irregularities in selection. The question was reopened on the Friday, -when a motion was carried that the valuation of the whole improvements shall be handed over to the belect'>rs of the forfeited lands, less any expenses involved.