🧢 Captain's Log

Mon 01 Aug 1910 🧢 1st XIv MC Maidstone Conservative Club CC · HomeformDWLDL

I called correctly at the toss on Monday and elected, without hesitation, to take first use of the wicket against our visitors from Maidstone Conservative Club. It proved a sound decision, though not without its trials, for while H G Smith gave a truly admirable display, carrying his bat for a chanceless 92 not out, the remainder of the eleven found the going less kind. Guy Bracher chipped in with a useful 25 and F W M Cornwallis with 23, but I must confess to a duck of my own, keeping company in that regard with Rev J R Leigh, and our innings closed for all our efforts rather sooner than we should have liked.

With the ball, however, our fellows made handsome amends. A Eltham bowled with fine control to take three wickets without cost, and was well supported by F W M Cornwallis and Ernest Cruttenden, each also claiming three. Messrs Cloke and Loder were both dismissed without troubling the scorers, and though W T Beeching played a spirited innings of 38, with W Betts and E J Banger lending useful assistance, the Maidstone total fell short of our own.

I ought to note, in passing, that A Eltham's fine performance carried him past J N Tonge on the club's roll of wicket-takers, a distinction he wears lightly and deserves well.

We were fortunate enough to prevail by 27 runs, a result our visitors took in the true spirit of the game, and a most agreeable afternoon's cricket for all concerned.

Sat 16 Jul 1910 🧢 1st XIv MC Maidstone CC · HomeformWDWLD

On winning the toss upon a fair Saturday at Linton Park, I had no hesitation in electing to take first knock, and our men went out with good heart to face the Maidstone attack. It must be confessed the innings did not prosper as we might have wished, three of our number returning to the pavilion without troubling the scorer — F S W Cornwallis, the Rev J R Leigh, and A Eltham each falling for a duck. Happily I found some form with the willow, and a score of thirty-three from my own bat did something to steady the innings and give our total a respectable look, though the visitors' bowling kept us honest throughout.

When Maidstone took their turn at the wicket, they gave a fine account of themselves. B W Payne played a handsome innings of fifty-five, well supported by A Brownscombe with fifty-two, while O Flint remained not out with twenty-two to his credit. Our attack was not without its moments, however, Charles Wycherley, F W M Cornwallis and Guy Bracher each claiming a brace of wickets, and B G Ellis was sent back without scoring. Wycherley's efforts, I might add, carried him past Arthur Cornwallis in the club's bowling annals, a satisfying note amid the disappointment.

In the end Maidstone proved the stronger side, taking the honours by two wickets. Our visitors are to be warmly congratulated, and our fellows will return to the nets the wiser for a hard-fought and sporting contest.

Wed 29 Jun 1910 🧢 Midweek XIv SC 1st Innings Boxley CC · Awayform—

We travelled to Boxley on Wednesday last, the twenty-ninth of June, and having had the good fortune to win the toss, I elected to bat — a decision I confess pleased me well before the day was out.

Of our innings there is much to commend. F W M Cornwallis batted with real judgement to remain 34 not out, and found a capital partner in H G Smith, who contributed a sound 20. I will own that not every man among us prospered, Tom Peach Jnr being sent back without troubling the scorers, but the total we posted proved ample for our purposes.

Turning to the leather, our trundlers found Boxley's batting altogether to their liking. H H Foster, W L Reading and J Trousdell were each dismissed without scoring, while A Eltham bowled quite beautifully to claim seven wickets without cost, Charles Wycherley chipping in with two more of the same economy. Boxley's innings closed in short order, and the match was ours by an innings and 13 runs — two points thoroughly earned.

The day carried honours beyond the scorecard. H G Smith passed one thousand runs in the club's colours, a fine landmark generously received, while Captain Walter's 18 runs carried him past Tom Peach Jnr into twenty-first place among our all-time run-scorers, and Eltham's efforts lifted him past F Reeves into fourteenth on the wicket-takers' list. Cornwallis and Wycherley continue to lead the season's charts with distinction. A most satisfactory afternoon's cricket, and our visitors bore their reverse with good grace.