Page:Cricket (Lyttelton, 1898).djvu/65

Rh. They played a fast, forward, driving game, and though both used to cut, this stroke seemed more favoured among the Players than among the amateurs. Grace, of course, is left out of the question. At the present moment, however, the difference in style is not so obvious. Hayward, for instance, plays in real amateur fashion, so do Tunnicliffe and Baker. So many matches are played now that the Oval match has lost much of its interest, owing to the fact that it is difficult to get a decent eleven for the amateurs; and it is to be hoped that this match will be discontinued sooner than be played as it is now.

In bowling the Players have always had a great advantage. In very early days the Gentlemen used often to take one or two of the best professionals to make the match more even, but even then the Players nearly always won. It was not till 1843 that the Gentlemen scored a one-innings victory; while between 1822 and 1842 they did not bring off a single win, though they had some