Not as good as 1885, but the season was remarkable for the tremendous average obtained by the professional: 100·9 for 18 innings; the next to him was 15·8! He made 174 not out against the Navy at Plymouth; Britannia scoring no less than 337 for 5 wickets, against their opponents’ 83.
In 1887, which was a remarkably fine summer, nearly every match came off, returns being played in several instances.
Underwood again showed great form, but he failed in the first match, against the Royal Marines; the cadets pulled off the match, however, scoring 68 against 53. These are small scores for such redoubtable teams, and the Marines determined that theirs, at least, should be larger in the return match, in which they reversed the former decision, scoring 197 to Britannia’s 81. This was largely due to the fine batting of Lieut. Rait, R.M.L.I., who took out his bat for 119.
The following was played on June 1st:—
| “Britannia.” | |
| Underwood, c Carr, b Sim | 30 |
| Cadet Evans, c Gervis, b Carr | 1 |
| Cadet Delacombe, st Arundell, b Sim | 0 |
| Lieut. Shortland, c Denison, b Sim | 0 |
| Cadet Henslowe, hit wkt., b Sim | 0 |
| Mr. Tims, b Sim | 24 |
| Cadet Gillett, b Carr | 1 |
| Mr. Taylor, c Arundell, b Sim | 6 |
| Cadet Watson, c Shrubb, b Carr | 0 |
| Cadet Walter, not out | 3 |
| Cadet Carr, c Sim, b James | 6 |
| Extras | 4 |
| Total | 75 |
| Teignbridge. | |
| Sim, l b w, b Underwood | 91 |
| James, b Taylor | 8 |
| Comming, c Delacombe, b Underwood | 43 |
| Denison, run out | 12 |
| Ridley, not out | 21 |
| Carr, c Underwood, b Shortland | 7 |
| Shrubb, b Underwood | 0 |
| Bafen, b Shortland | 0 |
| Arundell, absent | 0 |
| Llewellyn, b Underwood | 0 |
| Gervis, b Underwood | 2 |
| Extras | 6 |
| Total | 190 |
REGATTA DAY: TWELVE-OARED CUTTER WINNING A RACE.
Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth.