Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/114

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106
CRICKET.

had 14 runs to make to win when the ninth wicket went down. They obtained them; but the Nottinghamshire players and some spectators alleged that Sewell, the last batsman, had been run out, and spoke bitterly of the umpire's decision. Quite a crowd gathered in front of the pavilion at the finish, and neither of the elevens measured their language, nor forgot to rake up old sores. The relationship between the two counties had become so strained, that the committees of both clubs decided to abandon the match in 1866, and contests between them were not resumed for three years.

Yorkshire's performances were sadly disappointing to its supporters; but the committee had to contend against internal dissensions, and on more than one occasion were without their full strength. Five of the regular eleven refused to play against Surrey at Sheffield on the 19th, 20th, and 21st June; and afterwards the committee tried all in their power to do without them, with the result that every match was lost. The county had commenced the season with satisfactory hopes, too; and amongst their fixtures was a match against the All-England Eleven, which turned out to be the most humiliating defeat a good eleven had experienced for years, the county losing by an innings and 255 runs. Carpenter and Hayward scored over a hundred runs each for the All-England Eleven, and every member of the team made a double figure; and in the second innings Wootton took all ten wickets.

On the 22nd June I played my first representative match. The Gentlemen of the South met the Players of the South at the Oval on that day, and it was my good fortune to be on the winning side, the Players being defeated by an innings and 58 runs. Mr. I. D. Walker was the successful batsman, scoring 91 out of a total of 233. I need not say I was anxious to do well, and was chagrined at being stumped without scoring.