Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/96

 and I only hope every member of the team will do as well as I expect him to do." Henry scored 11 and 49 against the Surrey Club: I scored 5 and 38, and nothing further was said about my standing out.

The Brighton match was played on the old Hove Ground, on the I4th, 15th, and 16th of July, and it was my first appearance at that famous watering-place. The wicket was in excellent condition, as it was always there; and after the discussion between Henry and the South Wales captain, I was eager to do well. Henry was not playing, and I felt that the entire responsibility of the family credit was resting on my shoulders. Up to the last moment we hoped E. M. would turn up; and I desired it eagerly, if only to give me heart. His ringing voice and cheery tones would have been invaluable to me; but I had to be content with a paragraph in the newspapers to the effect that the Rev. Mr. Grace, who had done such wonders in Australia, was expected to play. We have had E. M. described times and forms innumerable; but that was the only occasion we ever had him given as the "Rev.," and we never could make out whether he considered it in the light of a compliment or as a bit of sarcasm. The match has been reported and criticised more than once, so I need not enter into minute details. South Wales won the toss, and I batted first wicket down. Before the second wicket fell, Mr. Lloyd, the South Wales captain, and myself raised the score to close upon 200 runs; and at the end of the first day the total was 356 for nine wickets, of which I had scored 170 made up of 19 fours, 9 threes, 17 twos, and singles without giving a chance. I was out in attempting to cut a wide ball getting over it too much, and cutting it into my wicket. We had news the same afternoon that E. M. had stepped on English soil, and he was wired to turn up next morning. He did not; possibly