🧢 Captain's Log

Wed 12 Aug 1885 🧢 1st XIv SC 1st Innings Hunton CC · AwayformWLLWW

On Wednesday the twelfth of August we took the road to Hunton, where the toss fell kindly enough to grant us first use of the ball. Our opponents batted with some resolve, W Best compiling a capital twenty-nine and finding useful company in C Golding, who added twenty-one of his own. Yet the innings could not long withstand X Latter, who bowled with such venom and accuracy that he returned figures of six wickets without cost, running through their order almost unaided. Arthur Cornwallis and W H Fryer each lent good support with a wicket apiece, and I was glad to account for three batsmen myself, a performance that I am told carries me past E Tootell into sixteenth place among the club's wicket-takers of all time, a distinction of which I am not a little proud. W W Hubble, I should note, departed for a duck.

When our turn came at the wicket, fortune was less generous. L Barker alone stood firm, carrying his bat for a splendid twenty-three not out and, in so doing, passing J Down to take twenty-third place on the club's all-time run-scoring list. Elsewhere the story was less happy, A Barker, X Latter and F Danells all returning without troubling the scorers, each making the sorrowful walk back to the pavilion for nought.

In the end our opponents at Hunton proved much the stronger side, the match going against us by one hundred and ninety-one runs. It was a chastening afternoon, but an instructive one, and I have no doubt our men will show to better advantage next week.

Fri 26 Jun 1885 🧢 House Teamv The Mote CC · Homeform—

On Friday last, the twenty-sixth of June, we welcomed The Mote CC to Linton Park under skies fair enough for the game, though the fortune of the toss deserted us entirely, our visitors electing, upon winning the call, to take first use of the wicket. We took the field in good heart, and if the outcome of the day did not run with us, I may say our fellows gave a hearty account of themselves in the endeavour.

Their innings owed much to E Hickmott, who compiled a most watchful 25, finding a willing partner in F M Atkins, whose 21 gave the innings its backbone. Our attack, however, was not to be denied its due, F Warde being sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers. It was Tom Peach Snr who proved quite unplayable on the day, his figures of 5 for none a spell of bowling I do not expect soon to see bettered on our ground, and he found stout support in N T Nickolls, who claimed 4 wickets, and in Arthur Cornwallis, who took 1.

When our turn came at the wicket, N T Nickolls again did us the greatest service, carrying much of the innings upon his own bat and, in so doing, passing F Warde to stand seventeenth upon the club's list of run-scorers, a distinction well earned. Yet the arrears proved beyond our reach, and we were undone by 114 runs. It was not our day, but The Mote CC bowled and batted with a skill that commanded our respect, and we retire to the nets resolved to meet them again in better order.