A HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX 



Among the features of 1882 was a grand 141 

 by Mr. C. F. H. Leslie at Nottingham, well 

 supported by Mr. I. D. Walker with 79. 

 The latter batsman, with Mr. A. J. Webbe, 

 put up 130 for first wicket after Surrey had 

 been dismissed for 117. Against Gloucester- 

 shire Mr. A. F. J. Ford effected seven catches 

 at short slip. A year later at Clifton Mr. 

 I. D. Walker and the Hon. Alfred Lyttelton 

 added 324 for the second wicket, the latter 

 having the remarkable average of 68. Sir T. C. 

 O'Brien's courageous batting formed the one 

 noteworthy feature of 1884, and in the seven 

 matches in which the Hon. Alfred Lyttelton 

 could not play, the wicket-keeping was put 

 'in commission." Disasters in 1885 followed 

 the retirement of Messrs. I. D. Walker, C. T. 

 Studd, and P. J. T. Henery, whilst Messrs. 

 T. S. Pearson, G. E. Vernon, G. B. Studd, 

 A. W. Ridley, and the Hon. Alfred Lyttelton 

 were only seldom available. However, Mr. 

 A. E. Stoddart was at last enlisted from 

 the Hampstead Club, and Mr. S. W. S'.ott 

 played a notable 135 not out against Glou^ es- 

 tershire. Mr. J. G. Walker in 1886 lent 

 valuable aid, but it was not until 1887 that 

 revival could be noted. Mr. A. J. Webbe 

 showed most remarkable form, averaging 51 

 for 820 aggregate, playing a great innings 

 of 243 not out in the match against York- 

 shire just after his 192 not out against Kent 

 in the Canterbury week. Wet wickets 

 checked the scoring in 1888, Sir X. C. 

 O'Brien, who averaged 53, alone rising 

 superior to the difficulties. Burton h? t fl the 

 remarkable analysis of I2'5O for ninety-two 

 wickets, taking all ten for 59 in the first 

 innings of Surrey at the Oval, and thiee for 

 19 in the unfinished second effort. 



Sir T. C. O'Brien's scoring again st York- 

 shire in 1889 will never be forgotten. In 

 the first innings 1 12 were added in les.s than 

 an hour, Sir Timothy making 92 with\ Mr. 

 G. F. Vernon, who scored 86. Set to get iaSo 

 in three hours and a half Sir T. C. O'Briien, 

 hitting fearlessly, obtained 100 not out, und 

 he and the same colleague made the ijhins 

 with ten minutes to spare, 151 being a^ded 

 in ninety minutes. Mr. E. A. Y^epean 

 showed admirable form with bjoth bat and 

 ball, and Mr. Stoddart played .<fine cricket. 

 After brilliant victories over Ncotts, Lanca- 

 shire, and Gloucester, persistent i-mediocrity 

 beset the Middlesex cricket of 189^0, but an 

 immense advance was to be noticedVin 1891 

 when third place in the championship list 

 was obtained. This great improvement was 

 mainly due to that great and willing \bowler 

 J. T. Hearne, whose patience and good llength 

 were always remarkable. At Old Trajfford 



he claimed ten Lancashire wickets for 83. 

 Rawlin also played gre at cr i c ket. In batting 

 Sir T. C. O'Brien continued to S h w con- 



sistent prowess, while Mr. A. E. Stoddart 

 played a magnificent i: nn i n gs of 215 against 

 Lancashire. 



The advent of the great wicket-keeper 

 Mr. Gregor Macgreg<j, r was a source O f 

 material strength in ^a, in which year 

 J. T. Hearne for th ie second time took 

 100 wickets in coun' ty matches, the only 

 Middlesex bowler wb o had yet done so. 

 Mr. S. W. Scott displayed an enormous ad- 

 vance in batting, his 2 44 aga j n st Gloucester- 

 shire at Lord's bein g remarkable for an 

 amateur aged 39. Mr. A. E. Stoddart again 

 occupied second place ir, t h e averages. In 1 893 

 the county again rose t o tn j r d position, owing 

 mainly to the fine for^ o f Mr. Stoddart, who 

 scored 1,178 in twent y .fi ve j nn j ngS) an d had 

 the highest county av erage of the year. In 

 the Notts match at L Dr d' s he took a double 

 century, 195 not out; ^d I24 . With Sir 

 T. C. O'Brien he put on 22 8 j n two hours 

 and a half for the first w j c ket against Surrey. 

 Mr. F. G. J. Ford h; t fj ne i y> but Hearne 

 and Rawlin found no SU pp Ort with the ball. 

 A similar position was obtained in 1894; but 

 the cricket, apart from t h e work of the two 

 bowlers, was not up ( o t h e standard of the 

 previous summer. Thj s observation equally 

 applies to 1895, although Sir T. C. O'Brien 

 made 202 at Brighton^ adding 338 in three 

 hours and a quarter vith Mr. R. S. Lucas, 

 who scored 185. Mr. (-. M. Wells in August 

 offered some bowling- re lj e f an d Mr. J. 

 Douglas strengthened tl, e batting at the same 

 period. 



Far better was the fc, rm in ^96, when Sit 

 T. C. O'Brien and M r . A. E. Stoddart time 

 after time played crick(. t ^ valuable as it was 

 brilliant, while J. T. Hearne bowled like a 

 hero. His taking of v we lve Surrey wickets 

 for 90 was a capital p; r f orrnanc e. In 1897 

 the form was less certai n> though Mr. F. G. J. 

 Ford gave some extr^ or di nary displays, and 

 Mr. Stoddart, as we'd as Mr. J. Douglas, 

 when available, was we n worth watching. 

 Mr. P. F. Warner, Wh o na d long been trying 

 for a place on the sjd e , at last won it, and 

 became at Lord's a s j ngu larly useful and 

 enthusiastic bat. 



Middlesex had only obtained two successes 

 up to the close of Ji a i y j n 1 898, but of the 

 eight matches played j n August seven were 

 won and one was drav n , with the result that 

 the county finished a goo d second to York- 

 shire. Hearne, now Assisted by Albert Trott, 

 bowled brilliantly, anq t h e Colonial exceeded 

 expectation. Mr. Sty dart averaged 52, his 



