“William,” I said, “if you have to take the carpets up and have the chimneys swept, that cap must be found.”
William returned disconsolately to his search, whilst I fell into a train of dismal speculation. Falling to the Sportsman in despair my eye fell on a few items of a cheerful and peculiar interest:—
“Kent v. Notts.—Rev. E. J. H. Elphinstone, c Jones, b Attewell, 172; J. P. Carteret, b Dixon, 103.
“This brilliant pair of amateurs completely collared the Notts attack at Canterbury yesterday, and in the course of two hours and a quarter helped themselves to 254 for the second wicket.
“Middlesex v. Yorkshire.—A. H. Trentham, run out, 97.
“Yesterday, at Lord’s, that delightful batsman, A. H. Trentham, reduced the resourceful Yorkshire bowling to something that bore a family resemblance to common piffle. To the great disappointment of the enthusiastic company[B] he had the misfortune to be beautifully thrown out by F. S. Jackson when within three of the coveted three figures. Among his strokes were seventeen fours, including a couple of remarkable drives off Rhodes into the pavilion seats. Had he topped the century yesterday it would have been his fifth this season in county cricket. As it is, he is still second in the first-class averages; and we certainly think that the Old Country is to be congratulated on having A. H. Trentham to represent her in the forthcoming test games in Australia. His absolute confidence and his fine forcing method, it is not premature to say, will be seen to singular advantage on the fast and true colonial grounds.”
Reader (loquitur): “Damn his fine forcing method! I wonder why Wiggles hadn’t the sense to water that wicket. Anyway, I wish Jacker had let him have his fling. They’re always worse when they’ve been run out.”
“Household Brigade v. Royal Artillery.—Captain Trentham, c Wolseley, b Kitchener, 150.
“Playing for C.U.L.V.C. v. N. F. Druce’s XI. yesterday, H. C. Trentham, the crack Cambridge bowler, took nine wickets for eight runs. His performance included the ‘hat trick.’ The ball with which he bowled Prince Ranjitsinhji knocked one bail a distance of fifty-nine yards five and half inches. We believe we are correct in saying that this is a world’s record, providing that ‘up country in Australia,’ that home of the cricket miracle, is unable to furnish anything to beat it.
“Harrow Wanderers v. Gentlemen of Cheshire.—T. S. M. Trentham, not out, 205.”