Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/159

 laughed, and said the "big 'un has exhausted himself, and cannot do the century trick thrice in succession. If he does, I mean to shoot him, in the interests of the game; and I know there will be general rejoicing, amongst the professionals at least!"

I do not think I ever played on a better wicket than the one which had been prepared at Cheltenham, and I was not surprised that runs came at a great pace. At the end of the first day the score was 353 for four wickets: Mr. Moberly, 73 not out; myself, 216 not out; and when we were parted about two o'clock next day, the total was 429; Mr. Moberly having batted in his very best form for 103. It was rather a curious coincidence that the long stand should have been made by the 6th man and myself both in this and the Canterbury match. Our total was 528, and my score 318 not out. Yorkshire made 127 for seven wickets.

I can say little about my 400 not out, for United South v. Twenty-two of Grimsby, that has not already been said. I can just remember that the Twenty-two thought our team rather a weak one; that the wicket was perfect; and that the grass was closely cut for about forty yards square, but the rest of it a little bit long. Holmes, one of the eleven, had occasion to grumble when he was given out l.b.w. to a ball that was far from being straight; but consoled himself the third day when the same umpire served one of the Twenty-two just as badly. "A perfectly fair umpire," he said, "but decidedly incompetent." I did not feel half so tired at the end of my Grimsby score as I did after the Canterbury or Cheltenham scores.

There is another match I must say a word about the North v. South, played at Nottingham for Daft's benefit. The South had a very good team, and so had the North, and every one was anxious that the match should turn out a real success. The weather was