Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/337

 George Howitt was born at Old Lenton, Nottinghamshire, 14th March, 1843. His height was 5 ft. 8½ in.; weight, 10½ st. He was a very successful fast left-hand, round-arm bowler, with a good break from the leg. Now and then he would put in a real beauty which would test any batsman's defence. In 1868, he got me out for a brace of "ducks" at Neath, in the match United South v. Twenty-two of Cadoxton Club, when he was playing for the Twenty-two. He moved to London about 1860, and afterwards played for both Middlesex and Nottinghamshire. He was an indifferent batsman; but he has the credit of winning a very exciting match by one wicket for Middlesex and Surrey v. England at the Oval in 1868, which was played for the benefit of Julius Caesar. He was last man in, and skied a ball very high to Charlwood at long-on, which everyone expected that player would hold; but for once about the safest pair of hands in England failed, and the ball fell to the ground.

Thomas Humphrey was born at Mitcham, Surrey, 16th January, 1839. His height was 5 ft. 5 ins.; weight, about 10 st. Humphrey's style was very free, and he could play forward as well as back. He had great patience, and his cutting was equal to Caffyn's in his best days. As a fieldsman he was first-class anywhere, especially at long-leg or long-on, and he was always a willing worker; 1,000 runs during the season was a common thing with him. I remember my father and a clergyman friend travelling up to Swindon solely to see Humphrey and Jupp batting. When they arrived on the ground the pair were in together, and they kept together until my father and his friend were compelled to return home. "What do you think of them?" I asked my father before he left. "Wonderful!" said he; "but, do you know, I should like to see someone else before I go."