A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



appointment, but was unfortunately compelled 

 to relinquish it after the first twelve months, 

 when Mr. F. Tyler succeeded him for a season. 

 Mr. T. Horton, the present captain, then took 

 up the responsibility, and the county went on 

 increasing in strength until 1899, when it suc- 

 ceeded in heading the list of the second-class 

 counties. 



The management of the club during these 

 later years, since Mr. Vialls took up the 

 treasurership in the place of Mr. A. C. Pear- 

 son, who for years had rendered the club great 

 service in this capacity, has been in the able 

 hands of Mr. A. J. Darnell, the present hon. 

 secretary, and Mr. Percy W. Dale, who acts as 

 organizing secretary to tennis and other attrac- 

 tions which the ground offers. At present 

 Mr. Horton has at command a strong com- 

 bined team of amateurs and professionals. 

 Thompson, who is now engaged at Lord's, has 

 been invaluable, and was well supported by T. 

 Brown, Colson, and East, whilst of the amateurs 

 the captain, Messrs. E. Scriven, T. G. Beale, 

 and the younger Kingstons, H. E. and W. H., 

 have given their unceasing services. Other 

 gentlemen who at various times have been most 

 energetic in serving the interests of the county 

 may be mentioned ; Messrs. J. M. Markham, 

 C. E. Thorpe of Northampton, the Messrs. 

 Thursby of Harlestone, H. J. Stockburn of 

 Kettering, the brothers Claridge, and Mr. F. 

 Knight of Rushden ; but it must be stated 

 that the wealthy residents have never given 

 that support which might have been expected 

 of them in promotion of the national game. 



The antiquity of the county club is rather 

 difficult to determine, for several authorities 

 speak of the formation taking place ' about ' 

 1843. In 1867 Messrs. HoUis and Butterfield 

 jointly resigned the post of secretary, which 

 position was filled by Mr. H. Becke, who was 

 succeeded by Mr. T. S. Muddeman. Mr. F. 

 Tebbutt subsequently took that office in 1873, 

 and five years later the county club was re- 

 organized and matches arranged on a more 

 business-like footing. 



The Australians substantially defeated 

 Northamptonshire on 3 July 1882, although 

 the county was assisted by Alfred Shaw and 

 Messrs. Herbert and Charles Pigg. These 

 three made iii out of 164 from the bat in 

 the two innings, and the brothers added 45 

 runs by their association at the wicket in 

 each innings. Messrs. GifFen, Bonnor, and 

 McDonnell were the largest contributors to 

 the colonial score of 270, and Mr. Palmer 

 claimed 6 wickets for 22 runs. In the same 

 year at Lord's v. M.C.C. and Ground, Potter 

 took 7 wickets for 1 5 runs, 5 clean bowled, 

 and in the match 12 wickets for 60 runs. In 



the same encounter in the following year, 

 Bowley took 13 wickets for 136 and Mr. 

 R. F. Winch scored 75 not out. 



The earliest centuries for the county were 

 in 1884, when Mr. H. J. Kingston made 168 

 V. Rutland and Mr. G. J. Gulliver 103 v. 

 M.C.C. and Ground. The Parsees were 

 severely defeated in 1886 by an innings and 

 61 runs, the first effort of the Indian visitors 

 only realizing 26. Chatterton on behalf of 

 M.C.C. and Ground hit 165 off the county 

 bowling. During his only year, 1887, with 

 Northamptonshire, prior to qualifying for Lan- 

 cashire, Mold's delivery was severely censured. 

 He claimed 80 wickets for I2'i4 each. The 

 bowling of Briggs, Watson, and Barlow proved 

 far too good for Northampton batting when 

 Lancashire was encountered, though G. Bull 

 made 42. After this matters went very badly, 

 and a victory over Bedfordshire on 13 July, 

 1 89 1, was the only success in the next four 

 years, whilst in each of the fourfoiiowingseasons 

 there was but a solitary victory apiece over Lin- 

 colnshire, Bucks, and over Staffordshire (two). 



Cricket in the county improved when in 

 1896 Northants entered for the minor county 

 championship in the second year of that series. 

 The total of 412 v. Durham was the largest 

 the midlanders had yet made in a county 

 match, but this was surpassed in 1899, when 

 442 was scored against the same opponents, 

 whilst on 17 May, 1 900, at Lord's, 429 was 

 the aggregate against M.C.C. and Ground, 

 Thompson making 186 not out, the biggest 

 innings yet credited to a batsman on the 

 side. However, in 1901, 470 was compiled 

 against Hertfordshire, and in 1904, 469 for 

 8 wickets V. Northumberland. 



By far the finest all-round cricketer was 

 Thompson, who in 1905 was not much below 

 test-match form. A fine free batsman and 

 excellent bowler, as well as capital field any- 

 where, he is the only professional from the 

 shire who has been taken on tour. He did ad- 

 mirably in all departments with Lord Hawke's 

 team in New Zealand and Australia in 1903. 

 In 1897 he was supposed to be qualifying for 

 Kent, but this, happily for Northamptonshire, 

 was averted. In conjunction with East, an 

 untiring fast bowler, he has borne such a 

 share in the attack as recalls the work of 

 Hay and Mycroft for Derbyshire, and of 

 Watson and Mclntyre for Lancashire, in 

 the seventies. Here are the bowling figures 

 for 1901-1905, before the promotion of the 

 county to the first class : — 



390 



