Senior among these must be named Mr. F. G. J. Ford, youngest and
best cricketer in a family of sportsmen. Like all big hitters, more
especially perhaps left-handers, he was uncertain. During his four
years at Cambridge he was not, except at Brighton, the terrifically
punishing bat he subsequently became. But he was in those days a very
useful bowler, as well as a formidable run-getter. Mr. R. C. Gosling,
an excellent bat of the Eton type, actually was not dismissed by Oxford
until his third University match, a curious feat for a man going in
seventh. Another Etonian bat, but essentially fast wicket player, was
Mr. C. P. Foley, who fairly won the match of 1891 by his steadiness.
An even better bat was Mr. R. N. Douglas, whose play was freer than
subsequently for Middlesex, and who was always attractive. Mr. E.
C. Streatfield would have taken prominent rank, had he really cared
more for the game. Batting with a trace of the style which made him a
capital racquet-player, he could lay about him with perilous rapidity,
whilst his fine bowling claimed five for 14 when Oxford was dismissed
for 42, and his ball removed the bails each time. It would be idle
to suggest that at Cambridge Mr. D. L. A. Jephson showed much of the
great ability he subsequently developed. Indeed, he only once scored
50, and his over-arm bowling was far below the standard of his later
lobs. But his fielding was invariably excellent. Mr. A. J. L. Hill was
an excellent all-round cricketer. His placing was always excellent,
and his dash in meeting the ball, and when bowling his capacity for
suddenly sending in a ball which whipped back unexpectedly quick,
proved that he was of value in all departments. Finally comes Mr. F. S.
Jackson. Possessing a huge school reputation at Harrow, he did not at
first effect any sensational cricket. A steady fast bowler and sound
bat, was perhaps all that could be reported until his third year, when
he became captain, and signalised his skipperdom by heading both tables
of averages. In 1893 he improved materially on his batting figures, and
was by this time recognised as the great cricketer whose finest triumph
was his batting at the pinch in the test matches of 1902. A phenomenal
self-reliance has always characterised his play, but it is certain
that since Mr. S. M. J. Woods no such fine all-round amateur has come
into prolonged participation in good matches.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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