CRICKET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 56, 20 August 1891, Page 9

CRICKET.

“ Robin Hood,” of the Australasian, writes : The record for the highest aggregate score in a first-class match has just been broken, the match between Cambridge University and Sussex: producing no less than 1,402 runs. Singularly enough the previous record, 1,339 runs, was made only last year by the same clubs on the same ground, and on the same Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Last year, however, the Cantabs made 900 runs of the total, while on this occasion the honours were equally divided. In other words Sussex were only beaten by 43 runs, after a glorious struggle. In their first innings they went in

with 412 runs against them, and less than four hours to get them in. Nothing daunted, they scored at such a terrific rate that 350 runs were up on the board with 40 minutes remaining in which to get the 62 runs then required, and five wickets still to fall. Just then, however, the sixth and seventh wickets- which had put on 217 runs—fell in rapid succession, and the three last batsmen added but few runs, the University getting them all out 20 minutes before time. Mr. Q, Brown for Sussex played two magnificent innings—B6 not out and 161. His was the only century in the match. Some of the papers say that the “ record ” is 1,441, made in the New South Wales v. Victoria match at Sydney, February, 1882. Others say that as the match took a fourth and even fifth day, therefore it cannot count. The same writer says that the dashing Middlesex bat T. C. O’Brien, who scored 105 and 14 for the M. 0.0. against the Australian team last year, is playing this season under the assumed name of J. 0. Johnston. He is in fine batting form, and is so far third in the list of batting averages with 28.42 for fifteen innings. Why the assumed name, I know not; but the public conclusion is that J. 0. has an enormously rich aunt, who would cut him off with a shilling if she knew he wielded the bat again. The veteran cricketer Mr. Charles Absolom is still to the fore, though he is in his seventyfifth year, and the other day at Fensbury Park he bowled three wickets for 10 runs. He always makes his thousand runs before the end of the season.