Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/157

 runs in its first innings against the Gentlemen of the M.C.C. at Canterbury on the 10th August Lord Harris being the top scorer with a grandly-played 154 and then got the M.C.C. out the day after for 144. The M.C.C. had to follow its innings a few minutes before five the same evening, and Mr. A. P. Lucas and myself started the batting. Every one believed that the match was now a hopeless thing for the old club I and I was exceedingly anxious to get off that night, so that I might reach Clifton next day, and have a quiet Sunday's rest before meeting Nottinghamshire on the Monday. It was no use trying to play carefulty; so I made up my mind to hit. I risked a little more than usual, helped myself more freely than I would have done under different circumstances, and everything came off. The 100 was scored in forty-five minutes, and when stumps were drawn at 6.45 the total was 217 for four wickets, made in an hour and fifty minutes. My share was 133 not out; extras, 17.

Saturday was one of the hottest days of a very hot month; and I thought I might as well put my best foot forward in the early morning. My partner was Mr. P. C. Crutchley, and he being in the scoring mood also, we kept the ball travelling at a great pace. The ground was in rare order, and from noon to luncheon-time we put all we knew into our hitting, only stopping for a few minutes while I borrowed a bat, having broken the one which had served me so well. The new bat was a good one, but much too small in the handle for me, and the pace slackened slightly; however, during the luncheon-hour the Hon. Spencer Ponsonby Fane very kindly got hold of some thick twine, which he wrapped round it and brought it up to the right size. Tired nature began to tell its tale during the afternoon: but relief came from the officers' tent in the form of champagne and seltzer; and at it we went