Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/364

 Mr. Henry Perkins (cricketer), the secretary of the Marylebone C.C., was born at Sawston, Cambridgeshire, December 10th, 1832. His height was 5ft. 8½ ins.; weight, 11 st. 7 lbs. He played for Cambridge University v. Oxford in 1854, and was captain and manager of the Cambridge County Eleven from 1858 to 1864. As an all-round player he performed very well for years, but 1859 was ms best, when he was in his 27th year, his results being exceptionally good. At the end of that season he could show the very fine batting average of 33.25 for 51 completed innings; total number of runs scored, 1,708. Average and aggregate number of runs were thought highly of then, for grounds were far from perfect, and the ball had to be very carefully watched. He was just as successful with the ball that year, and in one match, against a strong University eleven, on Fenner's ground, carried everything before him, taking 9 wickets for 35 runs.

His defence was good and he could hit very hard, driving particularly well to the off and on. He bowled fast underhand lobs, and fielded his own bowling smartly. But he could field well anywhere, and earned a good reputation at mid-off and in long-stopping.

He was elected secretary of the M.C.C. in 1877, and the old club has flourished greatly under his charge. When he took office the number of matches played annually did not exceed 60; last year as many as 160 were played.

Henry Phillips (cricketer) was born at Hastings, Sussex, on the 14th of October, 1844. His height was 5 ft. 4 ins.; weight, 9 st. 7 lbs. To the best of my recollection, he is the smallest first-class wicket-keeper who has yet appeared. In many respects height is a decided advantage in that post; but Phillips has proved that in wicket-keeping, as in batting and bowling, height is not everything. His cat-like activity and quickness quite made up for his short reach, and his