Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/380

 year 1872, for Nottinghamshire v. Gloucestershire, when I was in Canada with Mr. Fitzgerald's team. Gloucestershire scored 317 first innings, my brother Fred making 115 not out and E. M. 108. There were nine of the Notts men out for a little over 200 runs, and Daft was playing an uphill game to save the "follow" as steadily and pluckily as he ever played in his life. Very little faith was put in Shaw's batting powers; but for once he rose to the occasion—although it was well known he had not gone to bed at orthodox hours the night before and kept his bat in front of everything until Daft made the requisite number. I should say J. C. Shaw holds the record in England for going in last man. He was in the Players' Eleven v. Gentlemen in 1871 and a year or two afterwards, and bowled with effect every time he played for them. He has also taken all ten wickets in an innings.

Mordecai Sherwin was born at Kimberley, Nottinghamshire, 26th February, 1851. His height is 5 ft. 9½ in.; weight 17 st. 4 lbs. He is one of the best wicket-keepers in England at the present time. His pluck has been tried against all kinds of bowling, and it has never failed him. Hard work he likes, and hard work seems to like him; for his big, burly figure has been seen behind the stumps in first-class cricket for fifteen years, and his powers to-day show no abatement. For so heavy a man he is surprisingly active, and the player who thinks he can steal a short run on account of it is hugely mistaken. He can sprint from the wicket as quickly as a more slenderly-built man, and he is always on the alert for any attempt of the kind. He takes the ball as well on the leg-side as on the off; and he has a wonderfully safe pair of hands for a catch.

From 1876 to the end of 1889 he has a very fine record for his county, having caught 254 and stumped