Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/156

 County cricket flourished, and Nottinghamshire came to the front again.

My batting average dropped down to 32 that year, the reason being the weather. Quite naturally, critics thought "I had gone off;" but in my heart I did not think so, for I felt as fit as I ever felt in my life. Two or three times that remark has been made about Messrs. A. N. Hornby, W. W. Read, Shrewsbury, and myself; and I have been rather amused when one or the other scored a hundred runs the next match.

Charming weather prevailed during the greater part of the season of 1876, and at the end of it batting averages were very much higher than they had been for years. The bowlers had a very trying time, and were unfeignedly glad when the last ball was bowled. It was a year of exceptional batting performances for me, though my average was not quite so high as in two or three years I have already given. About this time I began to find that, in batting in particular, it took me longer to get into form and condition than in previous years. Increase of years and increase of weight may possibly account for it. I was close upon 28 years of age, and in weight about 15 st.

During the month of May I played 8 completed innings, scored 163 runs; average, 20.3. In June I played 12 completed innings, scored 464 runs; average, 39.5. In July I played n completed innings, scored 637 runs; average, 57.10. In August I played 10 completed innings, scored 1278 runs; average, 127.8. The month of August of that year was, I believe, the highest run-getting month in my whole cricket career; and I sincerely hope I shall not be considered egotistical in touching at some length upon one or two of the matches played.

It is now well known how Kent County scored 473