Page:Jubilee Book of Cricket (Second edition, 1897).djvu/460

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438
COUNTY CRICKET.

runs. In this fixture Mr Michael Joseph Ellison played on the side of Yorkshire.

Mr M. J. Ellison has watched Yorkshire from infancy. His name will be found in the Sheffield matches for many seasons, commencing in or about 1838, and to him Yorkshire owes a great debt, for his wealth and time have always been devoted to Yorkshire cricket. From the day that the present Yorkshire county club was formed in 1862 he has been the esteemed president. In 1855 the historic Bramall Lane Ground was opened, and still flourishes in all its glory. In July of this year on its famous sward J. T. Brown and Tunnicliffe established a record of 378 for the first wicket against Sussex.

Mr M. J. Ellison is the steward for his Grace the Duke of Norfolk, who is landlord of the ground, and who most generously, years ago, granted a lease at the nominal rent of £45 per year. At the present time Yorkshire can boast of other splendid grounds at Bradford, Dewsbury, Halifax, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, and Scarborough. Yorkshire has ever been renowned for its professional cricketers, and of those who have fought for the honour of the White Rose, the following are the most prominent: W. Slinn, Ike Hodgson, Edwin Stephenson, Joe Rowbotham, George Pinder, George Anderson, G. Atkinson, Roger Iddison, George Freeman, Luke Greenwood, Tom Emmett, Allen Hill, Ephraim Lockwood, John Thewlis, Andrew Greenwood, George Ulyett, E. Peate, W. Bates, Louis Hall, Robert Peel, J. T. Brown, Hirst, Moorhouse, Mounsey, David Hunter, Tunnicliffe, Wainwright, S. Haigh, and Denton.

George Ulyett was undoubtedly one of the best all-round cricketers of the county of broad acres. Like Emmett, Ulyett has assisted Yorkshire for twenty-one years. Of splendid physique, he has done yeoman service in all departments of the game.

Tom Emmett, the wag, the conversationalist, has also done much for his county, and throughout his long service was among the greatest of bowlers, Tom was the contemporary of George Freeman and Allen Hill, two of the finest fast bowlers in the sixties and seventies, while Robert Peel has made a great' name throughout England and the Colonies. All his famous deeds with the ball and the bat have been written bold and clear in the sporting press, and at his benefit match at Bradford in 1894 the gate receipts alone amounted to £1580, 9s. 9d.,—one of the largest takings at any Yorkshire v. Lancashire match played in Yorkshire. Like Lord Harris of Kent, Lord Hawke has been a capital leader