SPORT ANCIENT AND MODERN 



John Gunn, as hard-working an all-round 

 professional as ever could be found, joined his 

 uncle on the side in 1897. Mr. J. A. Dixon 

 with 268 played the largest score yet made at 

 Trent Bridge, when Sussex were the victims. 

 Some formidable batting throughout the summer 

 threw into clear relief the enormous difference 

 between Attewell and his colleagues with the 

 ball. 



There was not much satisfaction to be de- 

 rived from two wins, four defeats, and ten draws 

 in 1899. The side, however, made 607 at 

 Bristol and 581 at Derby. Mr. A. O. Jones, 

 who had rattled up 250 against Worcestershire, 

 was fitly linked in the averages with Shrewsbury 

 and Gunn. A capital fast bowler was found in 

 Wass, who with John Gunn had thenceforth to 

 bear the brunt of the bowling. A Test Match 

 was played to a disappointingly small attendance 

 at Trent Bridge, time alone saving England 

 from defeat. K. S. Ranjitsinhji gave a mas- 

 terly display, and Gunn was the only local 

 representative chosen. Matters improved in 

 1900, thanks to the increased prowess of the 

 two young bowlers, and an important new bat 

 destined to be of great service was Iremonger. 

 A victory over Surrey early in 1901 by five 

 wickets was hailed with enthusiasm. No such 

 result had been chronicled since 1892, while in 

 the return the Notts, team was again successful. 

 On the other side must be set the fact that 

 Haigh and Rhodes on their own ground sent them 

 back for 13. Iremonger justified his inclusion 

 in the team by making centuries in four successive 

 matches, and Mr. A. O. Jones played splendid 

 cricket. The pair without being separated 

 made the 140 required against Surrey in eighty 

 minutes, the captain forcing the runs in astound- 

 ing fashion. John Gunn was emphatically the 

 best all-round man on the side. 



As they finished third in 1902, the Notting- 

 hamshire side could feel pleased with their work, 

 although three out of the first five places in 

 batting averages were obtained by men over 

 forty. Shrewsbury appeared to take a fresh 

 spell of youth, and for the first time scored a 

 double century, 101 and 127 not out, against 

 Gloucestershire. Wass bowled splendidly, taking 

 138 wickets for 15 runs each, though Hallam 

 gave him but moderate support. Dropped 

 catches robbed Nottinghamshire of any chance 

 against the Australians. In 1903, as again in 

 1904 and 1905, John Gunn accomplished the 

 notable feat of scoring 1,000 runs and taking 

 100 wickets, being the only man who has yet 

 done this while playing for Nottinghamshire. 

 So flattering to batsmen was Trent Bridge in 

 1 903 that in the matches against Leicestershire, 

 Surrey, and Essex, only seventy-one wickets fell 

 for 3,398 runs. Later in the season Notting- 

 hamshire scored 427, to which Lancashire re- 

 sponded with 491, Mr. R. H. Spooner in seven 



hours scoring 247, the largest innings ever 

 obtained against this county. In this game 

 Mr. A. O. Jones obtained his first double cen- 

 tury. He scored 296 in the match with Glou- 

 cestershire, thus beating John Gunn's score of 

 294 against Leicestershire two months earlier, 

 until then the longest score amassed for Notting- 

 hamshire. 



In 1904 four men Mr. A. O. Jones, Ire- 

 monger, John Gunn, and Wass practically did 

 all the work for Nottinghamshire in a successful 

 season. So carefully had the home wicket been 

 prepared that in five games in June and July 

 totals of 352, 452, 602, 356, 447, 586, 395, 

 363, 636 and 393 were obtained. The out- 

 fielding of Hardstaff and the steady defence of 

 George Gunn excited admiration. The county 

 dropped, however, from fifth to tenth place in 

 1905. With Wass hurt, John Gunn and Hallam 

 had too much to do. Iremonger was very power- 

 ful in his watchful scoring, especially at Trent 

 Bridge. George Gunn as a stonewaller and 

 Hardstaff as hitter materially improved, whilst 

 Oates continued to keep wicket well. It was 

 owing to Mr. Bosanquet's phenomenal success 

 eight for 107 that England won the Test 

 Match at Nottingham by 213, when Mr. A. C. 

 MacLaren had scored 140, the Hon. F. S. Jack- 

 son 82 not out, and Tyldesley 61. Mr. A. O. 

 Jones and John Gunn were both chosen in the 

 national team. 



The fine record of 1906 was marred by a 

 couple of defeats in the last week of the season. 

 The triumph was the defeat of Yorkshire by 

 25 runs after Nottinghamshire were 77 runs 

 behind on a bad wicket. A superb effort by 

 Mr. A. O. Jones was followed up by fine bowl- 

 ing. HardstafF scored 100 for the Players at the 

 Oval, and Iremonger batted superbly. 



In 1907 Nottinghamshire were unbeaten and 

 regained the championship, but they did not 

 meet Kent or Worcestershire, and rain spoiled 

 both matches with Yorkshire. Throughout the 

 season they played the same side, and the bowl- 

 ing of Hallam and Wass seemed to need no 

 support other than that given by the fine fielding 

 of the side. The sensational figures of these two 

 bowlers were as follows : Hallam 156 wickets 

 for 1,901 runs, I2'i8 average; Wass, 163 

 wickets for 2,328 runs, 14-28 average. Nei- 

 ther was chosen for the Players at Lord's. 

 Payton's success in getting 149 not out 

 against Surrey deserves special mention. Of the 

 fifteen victories five were by a single innings, 

 and only thrice were the Notts, men pressed. 

 After the season Mr. Branston went with 

 M.C.C. team to America ; Mr. A. O. Jones 

 captained the M.C.C. side in Australia, for 

 which George Gunn, as supernumerary, batted 

 best of all ; and HardstafF also assisted regularly. 



The following are the principal batting and 

 bowling averages up to the close of 1908, 



409 



