The Canterbury week

THE CANTERBURY WEEK of 1872 was commenced in a rain storm, continued in a thunder storm, and concluded in a wind storm. That week's weather will not easily be forgotten by the strangers that were within the gates of the old clerical city. On Monday, the 5th (the Bank Holiday), it rained so persistently the whole day, that no cricket was played. On Thursday, the 8th, a rain storm in the morning so swamped the ground that fresh wickets had to be pitched to continue the match commenced the preceding day, and visitors on the ground that Thursday partook of luncheon to the accompaniments of fierce rainfalls, vivid lightning flashes, and distant thunder peals; and the week's cricket was tempestuously wound up on the afternoon of Saturday, the 10th, with a characteristically strong combination of wind and wet. But this is only one side of the picture; per contra, there was a pleasant day on Tuesday, the 6th, an agreeably fine afternoon and evening on The Ladies' Day, and an enjoyably bright day on Friday, the 9th,-the large companies present on the ground when it was fine unmistakably indicating that, had all been bright and fair, the attendances in 1872 would have-in numbers and brilliancy-surpassed the gay gatherings on St. Lawrence's Ground of all preceding Canterbury Cricket Weeks. But unpleasant weather was not the only disappointment visitors suffered- several cricketing celebrities announced to play could not. Dr. E. M. Grace was unable to journey south (the Doctor is a great favourite at Canterbury); Mr. Dale could not play; Mr. Mitchell was too unwell to take part in the great match; the visit to Canada prevented several promised visits to Canterbury; Mr. W. Grace was compelled to leave ere his match was finished; and the two crack slow bowlers of England- Southerton and Alfred Shaw-were absent through illness. These important voids in the teams for the match of the week were filled by Mr. Tennent, Hearne, Bignall, Charlwood, Morley, and Andrew Greenwood, the two last named being Colts at Canterbury ; and it is a pleasure to have to record that both Colts made successful debuts on the famous old ground. But why Charlwood was left out of the originally selected South Eleven the cricketing public could not understand, for few, very few, excel him as a run-getter and run-saver combined. However, the ranks were duly filled up, and all were ready to commence the annual Canterbury cricket Autumn Manoeuvres.

ON MONDAY morning, but rain fell from morn to eve, and cricket on that day was so obviously impracticable, that they did not pitch the wickets; but

ON TUESDAY the weather was favourable, and in the afternoon the attendance up at St. Lawrence was large, fashionable, and influential, many of the magnates of the county being present, including an unusually large number of ladies, whose bright and many coloured costumes set the pleasantly located ground off in its best and most attractive form. The stiff breeze from the west that had blown over the ground throughout the morning sufficiently counteracted the effects of Monday's heavy rainfalls, to enable them to commence, at 10 minutes past eleven, cricket for the week with

NORTH v. SOUTH.

THE SOUTH commenced the batting with Jupp and R. Humphery, the North bowlers at starting being J. C. Shaw and Lockwood. (Here it is as well to state that all hits to the seated visitors counted 4 and were not run out, hence so very many 4's were made.) From the third ball delivered Humphery was run out, and the seventh ball glanced from Jupp's thigh and whipped the off bail from his wicket, the first Southern wicket going with the score 0, and the second for 4 (a leg-hit by Jupp). Mr. Fryer and Mr. I. D. Walker stayed; brought Morley on to bowl v. Lockwood, and the score to 37, when Shaw bowled down the middle stump of Mr. Walker's wicket. Then a stirring Kentish cheer notified Mr. Thornton's walk to the wickets and I hope he will do 50, exclaimed one of the many admirers of hard hitting present; but the 50 did not come off, for when, by a brace of 4's and a 2 (all leg-hits and all from J. C. Shaw), Mr. Thornton had made 10 runs in 5 minutes, Shaw bowled him. On Charlwood going to Mr. Fryer's aid, the North bowling was mastered. Morley was succeeded by Emmett, Shaw gave up the ball to McIntyre , and as 13 runs were made from 3 overs of Emmett's, he was supplanted by Lockwood; nevertheless, the score increased to 105, when Charlwood was smartly had at wicket by Pinder for 20. Mr. Grace having arrived, then went in (the score at 5 wickets down for 105 runs); but when only 3 more runs had been made, Mr. Fryer was easily had at cover-point for 55, an innings that eminently merited the hearty applause that was awarded it from all on the ground. In at 12 minutes past 11 before a run was scored for the South, Mr. Fryer was 6th out at 12 minutes to one with the score at 108; his 55 included eleven 4"s-eight of those 4's being successive hits, and there can be no doubt that, bowling and fielding being duly considered, this 55 was the best amateur innings played during the week. A clever-a very clever catch at mid-off, by Daft, soon settled Pooley, and the second ball Hearne received he played on. Mr. Grace had a life at leg from Mr. Tennent, but was had at long-on, by Emmett, for a badly played 15. Then four more runs only were made when a very fine left-hand catch-low down-at point, by Carpenter, settled Willsher, and finished the South's innings for 131 runs. The wickets fell as follows:-

Daft"s fielding was excellent, and so was Carpenter's, but the cream of the field work in that innings was excellent, and so was Carpenter's, but the cream of the field work in that innings was Greenwood's, at long-field; it was really brilliant, and saved the North many runs.

THE: NORTH'S innings was commenced at 20 minutes to 2 by Bignall and Lockwood, the Southern bowlers being Mr. Fryer (round arm medium) and Lillywhite. When Bignall had made 8 runs he gave a chance that both Charlwood and Mr. Grace went after; Charlwood let it alone, Mr. Grace waited for and missed it; but when he had made 18 Bignall was bowled by Lillywhite, who thus inaugurated the somewhat unusual bowling feat of obtaining all the 10 wickets of an innings in a top class match. The score was at 34 when Bignall left and Greenwood faced Lockwood, but it was more than three times 34 when those two clipping little Yorkshire batsmen were separated. Greenwood hit freely, and scored rapidly; opening with a single, he followed that up with four successive 4's, then he was missed by Mr. Grace at mid-off; subsequently he made six more 4's-four of them successive and very fine hits, and in all he had made 52, when a thorough good catch (so well was it judged and so patiently waited for) at long-field, by Mr. Thornton, settled him; how hard Greenwood hit can be realised from the fact that his 52 included ten 4's, and how rapidly he scored, as easily estimated, by the knowledge that he made 52 out of the 79 runs, scored whilst he was at wickets. Daft was welcomed to wickets with an earnest cheer that told how pleased the men of Kent were to see him once more in flannel on their historically famous cricket ground; he was 23 minutes before he scored, and at 149 lost Lockwood, who was very cleverly had at wicket for 68-the highest score in the match, and one of the most scientific batting displays of the week. First man in Lockwood was third out, the score at 149; Mr. Fryer, Lillywhite, Willsher and Mr. W. Grace bowled to him; he played them all correctly, and hit them just when and how they should have been hit; he gave no chance until he was settled by a catch at wicket that very few keepers would have secured; his hits included seven 4's- legs, drives, and cuts- and when all was over it was the general opinion that the best played innings of the week was Lockwood's 68. But neither the fine batting nor the effective scoring of the Northerners was over when little Lockwood left, as on Carpenter taking the vacant wicket he and Daft made another great stand; they scored slowly at first, but eventually hit freely and finely, and despite the bowling of Lillywhite, Mr. Grace, Hearne, Willsher, Mr. Fryer, Mr. Thornton, and Mr. Walker they put on 113 runs after the fall of the preceding wicket, then - on Lillywhite resuming bowling Daft was had at wicket for 64. The score was at 113 for 2 wickets when Daft went in at 20 minutes to 4; it was 262 for 4 wickets when he was out at 8 minutes to 6 for 64-a very finely played innings that included five 4"s and 16 singles. Mr. Tennent was bowled at 264, and at 275 another well-judged catch at long-field by Mr. Thornton settled Carpenter, so many as 126 runs having been made during his stay; his 54 was an especially fine leg-hitting innings that included nine 4's-five of them leg hits; both Daft and Carpenter were heartily cheered. An exceeding clever catch by Humphrey settled McIntyre at 278. The two Yorkshiremen, Emmett and Pinder, then scored so merrily that when Pinder was had at point for 18, the score was 311; then Morley was bowled; shortly after the first day's cricket ended, there having been 19 wickets got rid of and 444 runs scored that day; the North innings standing at 313 for 9 wickets- Emmett not out 24, J. C. Shawnot out 2.

ON WEDNESDAY a showery morning was succeeded by a fine afternoon, and the attendance on the ground was equal to that on any off-day of previous weeks. They resumed the cricket at 16 minutes to 12, and when 8 minutes had been played off the reel of time, Mr. Walker, at mid-off, caught out Shaw and so ended the North"s innings for 319 runs- Emmettnot out 27, a hard hitting score. The wickets fell in this form :-

The whole of the 10 wickets-3 bowled-fell to James Lillywhite's bowling. There was some good fielding by Mr. Thornton, Mr. Walker, Pooley, and Jupp, but there was also fielding the reverse of good, Mr. Grace being quite out of form in bowling, batting, and fielding.

THE SOUTH'S second innings was commenced at 18 minutes past 12; the, necessary absence of Mr. Grace, on account of his leaving Liverpool for Canada early the following day, causing general regret. Jupp and Humphrey began the batting to the bowling of McIntyre and Lockwood, but when 23 runs had been made from 16 overs McIntyre resigned the ball to Morley, who was in such capital form that his first 13 overs (10 maidens-6 in succession) were bowled for 7 runs and a wicket, he then having clean bowled Jupp, who had been one hour and 10 minutes scoring his 21 runs, an innings that included three very fine cuts for 4 each-one from McIntyre, one from Morley, and one from J. C. Shaw. Mr. Fryer was not in form, and when he had made two 3's and a 2, J. C. Shaw clean bowled him. Mr. Walker made a single and a cut for 4 when he was had where he himself has put an end to many a good cricketer's innings; and when J. C. Shaw bowled Humphrey for 28 there were 4 of the South's best wickets down for 66 runs. Mr. Thornton began with a sensationally big on-drive from Morley into the old hop garden for 4; he followed that up by another on-drive for 4 from Morley, who then bowled him, and half the wickets were down for 77 runs. Pooley and Charlwood then rapidly hit the score to 104, when Charlwood was easily c and b for 22, and Hearne had at cover-point for 0. Lillywhite then rattled away in his usual hard and fast form, and the score was up to 124 when Lockwood-by a rare bit of fielding-threw down the wicket, and Pooley was run out for 18. Mr. Grace being away, Willsher was last man in; he made a 2 and was then again caught out, this time easily, at point by Carpenter, and so, at about 20 minutes to 4, the innings was ended for 142, and the North had won by an innings and 46 runs, Lillywhitenot out 29-a hard hitting innings that included five 4's. (The part played by Lillywhite in this match was a curious one-not out both innings with the bat, and all the North wickets with his bowling). The wickets fell as under:-

Morley'sbowling in this match was excellent for a Colt on a strange ground and against such a team of top-class batsmen; his first 13 overs were sent in for 7 runs and a wicket, and the last 22 balls he bowled were all maidens, the actual last ball having a wicket. Lockwood bowled well, so did Willsher, who at one time sent in 8 successive overs for a hit for 3; but the prominent bowling feature of the match was Lillywhite"s monopoly of the North men's wickets.