Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/158

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150
CRICKET.

again, and were not parted until we had put on 227 runs, and raised the total to 430 for five wickets. The opinion of the Kent Twelve, Mr. Absolom's in particular, was, "that it had been a very hot day!" The total was 546 before I was out, my score being 344, made in 6 hours and 20 minutes, without a chance.

I had to travel by train to Bristol on Sunday; but by Monday morning the effects of it had worn off, and when I started the Gloucestershire innings against Nottinghamshire I felt very fit. I scored 177 in 3 hours and 10 minutes; and in it there were one 7, two 6's, one 5, and twenty-three 4's. My wicket went to the credit of Selby, and showed the value of a change, however indifferent the bowler. Alfred Shaw and Morley had been trying all they knew, and failed; so Seiby was called upon. He said he did not want any long-leg to his bowling; so my brother Fred promptly hit his first ball in that direction, and we ran 7 for it. The same over I hit him in the same place for 6; but in attempting it a second time, I got under the ball and was caught at long-on rather square. I believe the fieldsman was Barnes. He was in his right position at long-on when Fred and myself hit the 7 and 6 to long-leg, and had to go after the ball; for there was no boundary on the sloping side of the College Ground in those days. He quietly took his position almost square with the wicket and brought off the catch, and remarked afterwards that "he knew something about placing the field to a third-rate bowler, if Selby did not." Our total score was 400. Daft and Oscroft batted in magnificent form the first innings, but could not save the follow on; and on the evening of the third day Gloucestershire were left with 31 to win, which E. M. and Fred hit off in 25 minutes.

The Nottinghamshire men on the home journey met the Yorkshire Eleven travelling down, and told them to look out for squalls at Cheltenham. Tom Emmett