OLD CLARKE
By the Editor
I have thought it well to bring together here a few testimonies as to the sterling merits and characteristics of Old Clarke, to follow his shrewd and valuable letter. I begin with Mr. Haygarth's memoir of him from vol. iii of Lillywhite's Cricket Scores and Biographies, against the score of North v. South on July 11 and 12, 1836.
'William Clarke's first match at Lord's, he being now thirty-seven years of age, thus appearing on this celebrated spot very late in life indeed for one who was afterwards so successful. His next match at Lord's did not take place till 1843, and, what is more extraordinary, he was never chosen for the Players in their match against the Gentlemen till 1846, at which period he had reached the mature age of forty-seven, and had already participated in the game for thirty seasons! He began cricket very young, his name being found in the Nottingham Eleven in 1816, but it was long before his merit was discovered at "Head Quarters". His bowling, which was slow under-hand, was wonderfully accurate in length and precision of pitch, cruelly deceptive, with a twist from the leg to the off, and getting up remarkably well. He obtained many wickets by the impatience of his adversaries, running in and trying to hit balls away for runs which could easily have been played down had the batsman stayed his ground. His general knowledge of the game and his skill in managing the field was also wonderful. He seemed to find out the defects of his adversaries' batting almost as soon as they had received a few balls, and he would arrange his field accordingly, generally with success. His only
