Page:Jubilee Book of Cricket (Second edition, 1897).djvu/306

284 the houses play League matches among themselves, with a time limit, so that the application of the closure and scoring against time form a specially interesting feature of the contests. Apart from these games is a series of regular house-matches, each house putting its best team into the field, whereas in the League games the exigencies of the "College Pick-up" require the presence of the best players. It should be added that the League games are played between first, second, and third elevens from the different houses, and that the ground is close and accessible to all the houses, a very important point. Further than this, Cheltenham is fortunate in having a number of cricketers among its masters; and though there is boating within reasonable reach, the river does not attract too many boys away from the cricket-field.

The chief matches are played against the Incogniti, Liverpool, and some Oxford colleges; while no less than three schools are encountered—Marlborough, Clifton, and Haileybury. The first two are home and home matches, so that there is always one school-match at home and one away; while the Haileybury match, which has produced some singularly close results during the four years in which it has been played, takes place at Lord's immediately after the Rugby and Marlborough match in early August or late July. Against Marlborough Cheltenham has won 16 matches, lost 16, and 10 have been drawn. Against Clifton the score is 7 to 12 (7 drawn) in favour of Clifton. With Haileybury 1 match has been won and 3 drawn.

The second eleven has also a regular series of four matches, which are found invaluable as recruiting-grounds.

Among well-known Cheltonians may be mentioned G. Strachan, Sir R. T. Reid, A. T. Kemble, H. V, Page, G. N. Wyatt, E. I. M. Barrett, C. E. Horner, F. H. B. Champain, Captain A. H. Luard, Col. H. W. Renny-Tailyour, M. Kempson, C. Filgate.