to win their match against the Gentlemen at Lord's on the 6th] and 7th July. He clean-bowled Messrs. A. N. Hornby, C. F. Buller, G. F. Grace and myself in the first innings. The Players had not won a match since 1866, and Hill had reason to be pleased with his performance. He was very keen, and tried all he knew to get wickets, no matter the quality of the batsmen against him: but after I got well set I have seen him decline to bowl a third or fourth time.
He was not much of a bat, being more inclined to hit than keep up his wicket; but he was a good field at short-slip, and one of the quietest and most unassuming players it has been my pleasure to meet. But that has been characteristic of Yorkshire county players generally, ever since I played against them.
His best bowling years were:
Overs. | Maidens. | Runs. | Wickets. | Average. | |
1873 | 741 | 299 | 1064 | 81 | 13.11 |
1874 | 668 | 266 | 983 | 89 | 11.4 |
1875 | 1265 | 577 | 1738 | 109 | 15.103 |
1876 | 1208 | 504 | 1861 | 109 | 17.8 |
1881 | 337 | 154 | 435 | 43 | 10.5 |
Mr. Albert Neilson Hornby is another of our brilliant amateurs. He was born at Blackburn, Lancashire, loth February, 1847. His height is 5 ft. 9½ ins.; weight, at his best, 11½ st. I have been associated very closely with him, for we made the trip together to Canada in 1872, and have fought side by side or against each other at home every year in the last twenty. Harrow boasts of him as one of her greatest sons; for he was in the school eleven at an early age, and has since done wonders at both cricket and football. Very few cricketers have so attractive a style, and it has always been a treat to watch his dashing play. Perhaps he is a little too anxious to score at times; but when he makes up his mind to defend his