Page:Cricket (Lyttelton, 1898).djvu/125

Rh match of 1872 Yardley scored his second century, but the real credit of Cambridge's long innings may justly be put down to the then young Etonians, Longman and Tabor, who for the first time in these matches put up 100 before the wicket fell.

As showing how completely calculations may be upset in cricket, we can turn to 1884 and 1885. In the former year Oxford played no fewer than seven freshmen, and won the match easily by seven wickets. The following year they had eight old choices, and won the toss; but Cambridge won the match by seven wickets. The public, as a rule, like the side that plays the most old choices, but they must have had a rude awakening in 1885. So frequently does nervousness show itself in this match, that a side is fortunate if it has players who have gained experience in playing for a first-class county. Such was the experience of the famous K. J. Key in 1884, for he had won his spurs in playing in a well-remembered match at the Oval against Lancashire.