Sensational Cricket.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 25, 21 December 1910, Page 9

Sensational Cricket.

EIGHT WICKETS IN EIGHT BALLS. The last English cricket season has been notable for some truly brilliant bowling feats, among which must certainly be reckoned Fowler’s 8 wickets for 23 runs —a performance which won for Eton a sensational victory over Harrow. Killick’s 7 wickets for 18 runs, when for Sussex he vainly attempted to avert defeat at the hands of Essex; Smith’s 5 wickets for 18 runs, for Players v. Gentlemen, and his 14 wickets for 29 runs agaanst Northamptonshire; and Rhodes’ 5 wickets for 5 runs against Derbvshire, may also be placed on record. ‘A few years back, A. E. Trott, on the occasion of his benefit at Lord’s, twice in one innings performed the hat-trick. With four successive balls he captured four Somersetshire wickets, and finished his opponents’ innings by disposing of the last three batsmen in three balls. The late Alfred Shaw ran this close when, bowling against Gloucestershire, in 1884, he did the hat trick in each innings. Four wickets, too, have on more than one occasion been captured with four successive balls. Lockwood, Shacklock, and Ulyett, among others, being able to lay claim to this distinction. In minor matches this has been surpassed. On July 7 last, Harry Turner, an Ayr professional playing against Lord Eglinton’s eleven, captured five wickets with five successive balls. In October, 1859, John Wisden. when playing at Rochester U.S.A., for the All England Eleven aoain’st 12 of the United States and Canada, disposed of six of his opponents with a like number of consecutive balls; while in May, 1884, James Walker, playing for Ashcombe Park against Tunstall, sent down eight balls and took eight wickets. No more wonderful bowling feat ever wrought spectators to the highest pitch of excitement than that performed by J. T. Hearne and Rougher, who. in 1896, when bowling for the M.C.C.. disposed of the Australians for the ridiculously small total of 18, 14 of these being hit off Attwell, for whom, when three wickets were dowii for 18. Rougher was substituted. Not another run was scored, Rougher a

analysis reading, 3 overs. 3 maidens, • run, 5 wickets; while that of Hearn, if not so marvellous, was more than creditably siipplemen.ed by his taking in the second innings nine wickets for 73 runs. Cobden’s wonderful over, with which he won the 1870 University cricket match for Cambridge, is still remembered. All seemed lost, for with three wiekets still to go down but four inns were wanted by Oxford to win. Cobden was put on. His first ball dispatched in the direction of long-off—surely a fourer and the winning stroke! But no; just as Oxford’s supporters were on the point of giving vent to their jubilation Bourne, by a fine piece of fielding, saved the situation, and Oxford stood in the slightly improved position of wanting three runs to win and a like number of wickets to fall. Butler, who re<-eived the second ball, struck out recklessly, and was caught. To Belcher, the newronur, Cobden sent down one of his famous yorkers; the batsman raised his bat, undershot the ball, and his wicket was shattered. Stewart, Oxford’s last man. now appeared to receive the final ball of the over. Down sped the ball: it struck Stewart on the thigh. The same second hie wicket fell, and Cambridge had won the match by two runs. The test match of 1882 will ever be remembered as a victory for ball over bat. To win the match. England, in the fourth innings, had to get 85. Two wickets went down for 15, but then W. G. Grace and Ulyett got set. nor were they separated until 51 runs were upon the telegraph board, when UJyett’s wieket fell. Two runs later Grace left. Though it looked as if Australia were doomed to defeat, their bowlers, Spofforth and Boyle, never lost heart-. At 66 the fifth wieket went down, and the chances looked more even: but when, with only another four runs scored, Steele and Maurice Read had to go, matters began to look serious for England. Then, at 75, Lucas played on and Barnes was caught by the wicket keeper off his glove. Two runs later the end came, when Peate. having scored a couple, was bowled by Boyle. England thus lost by seven runs. For the match Spoffc .th s average was 14 wiekets for 90 runs and Boyle’s 5 wickets for 47 runs.