🧢 Captain's Log

Mon 12 Aug 1867 🧢 1st XIv SC 1st Innings Leeds Park CC · HomeformLLLL

Monday last, the twelfth of August, saw Leeds Park Cricket Club visit us, and we had first use of the ball. Our opponents found little comfort at the wicket, F F Crawford and A Milner both sent back without troubling the scorers, and the whole side following in short order. The credit for this rests chiefly with X Carroll, whose five wickets without conceding a run was a spell as fine as any seen on our ground this season, well supported by W H Fryer's four.

When our turn came to bat, we too found the pitch no easy proposition, though X Carroll again distinguished himself, this time with the willow, making the bulk of our runs with a capital knock of 24. G a K Simpson, less fortunate, departed for a golden duck. For my part I contributed 12, a modest sum, yet one which carries me past F Garrett into third place among the club's run-scorers of all time, a distinction I accept with more surprise than pride.

X Carroll's five wickets in this match brought his season's tally to twelve, sufficient to carry him past R Morris into third on the club's all-time list of wicket-takers, and to keep him at the head of this year's bowling charts, while I find myself content enough in second place among the season's batsmen with thirty runs.

We came away winners by an innings and 25 runs, a handsome margin, but our visitors are thanked for a sporting contest fairly fought.

Tue 23 Jul 1867 🧢 1st XIv Staplehurst CC · AwayformLLL

On Tuesday last, the 23rd of July, I led our eleven to Staplehurst, where the toss went against me and our opponents chose to bat. There was no help for it but to take the field and trust to the leather to answer for what the coin would not.

Staplehurst batted with considerable application, R Thomson giving a fine display of sixty-two, well supported by H Oakley, twenty-nine, and W Bright, twenty. Our attack had its rewards too, H Simmons sent back without troubling the scorer, and W Crittenden bowling with great steadiness to claim three wickets, T Gandy matching him with three of his own, and W H Fryer adding two more.

Our reply found the willow rather less obliging. T Gandy, having done such service with the ball, again made the runs that mattered with a useful twenty-three, though R J Bennett had the misfortune to depart for a duck, and our innings closed well short of what was required.

Gandy's contribution carried him to thirty-nine runs and top of the club's all-time list of run getters, past J Down, while Crittenden's three wickets lifted him above C French Jnr into seventh among our bowlers of all time. He also leads our 1867 charts, with forty-three runs and nine wickets to his name. It was nonetheless a stern lesson, Staplehurst accounting for us by an innings and fifty-four runs, and we return to the nets with our compliments to opponents who outplayed us fairly and well.

Wed 17 Jul 1867 🧢 1st XIv SC 1st Innings Leeds Park CC · AwayformLL

Below the elms at Leeds Park, on the seventeenth of July, our eleven took the field first, and I confess we had rather the better of the exchanges with the ball. Woollett bowled quite beautifully, sporting a good length throughout to return five wickets for none, a fine performance and the day's outstanding feat, and he was well supported by Gandy, who claimed three, and Tootell, who took one. Crawford and Coles were both sent back without troubling the scorer, and only Porter, with a well-made 21, offered our visitors any real resistance before their innings closed.

Our reply, I am sorry to relate, did not do justice to the effort in the field. Gandy, Amies and Tomson were each dismissed without scoring, and the innings could not be repaired, so that we fell short by 37 runs. I should record, without dwelling upon it, that I contributed to our small effort with the bat, though it was not sufficient to turn the fortunes of the day.

There was, nonetheless, cause for some quiet satisfaction amid the disappointment. Woollett's eight runs carried him past C Le Feaver into fifth place among the club's run-scorers of all time, and Gandy's six wickets took him past R Morris into second on the club's list of wicket-takers, both matters of real credit to the men concerned.

Leeds Park had the better of us on the day, and we offer them our sincere congratulations on a well-earned victory. Our fellows shall return to the nets with good heart, confident that sterner performances lie ahead.