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 A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE topping the averages. Yet he was the only one averaging over 20. Consistently good batting put a better com- plexion on 1896, so that the county tied with Northamptonshire and Northumberland for third place. Mr. H. Pigg came out head of the averages, in which five batsmen exceeded 20. The brunt of the bowling fell as before on White and Titchmarsh, though Mr. J. Wood proved a useful change. That fine field and steady bat, as well as most respectable man, William Hearn, now retired in his forty-sixth year. Disasters came in battalions in 1897, for after easily beating Norfolk they lost eight of the remaining eleven fixtures and had no further success. Thirty-three players were seen on the hapless side. Messrs. C. Pigg and A. Butcher did good service with the bat ; but the bowling was deplorable, and the totals hit off it included scores of 493, 459, 403, 397, 396 and 391. Mr. H. H. Cobb, who subsequently played for Middlesex, batted some half-dozen times. As the result of a private meeting convened on November 6, 1897, by Sir J. Blundell Maple, to which he invited the four county members of Parliament, the Lord Lieutenant, the president of the County Council and a few cricket officials, a general meeting was called for the 22nd of the same month, and steps were at once taken to reorganize the club and put it on a sound basis. A fresh committee was elected, new rules framed, and a guarantee fund started with a view of raising a subscription list of at least 500 a year. Lord Clarendon was elected president, and Captain the Hon. W. Grimston, R.N., became secretary, the duties of that office being subse- quently shared by Dr. Earle Norman, who on November 27, 1899, became sole secre- tary, a position in which he is doing admir- able service. The St. Albans Town Council in 1898 handed over the entire management of the county ground to the club, who thus became virtually the tenants, and pay a stated annual rent for the property. The fresh efforts had little practical result on the fortune of the side, for not a game was won in 1898, whilst of the seven defeats, all substantial, five were with an innings to spare. On six occasions their opponents exceeded the third hundred, and the bowling figures form sad reading. The batting showed a marked advance, with Mr. Herbert Pigg again at the top. Both he and Golding made centuries, whilst a useful recruit was found in Mr. T. H. K. Dashwood, the old Welling- tonian. The famous Carthusian footballer, Mr. G. O. Smith, himself the hero of one of the finest innings ever played in the Univer- sity match 132 in 1896 appeared in one fixture scoring 89. Though not satisfactory, matters so far improved in 1899 that Cambridgeshire were defeated by 6 wickets, whilst four defeats were registered. Again the weakness in bowling was sadly apparent, such scores as 486, 434, 370, 361 and 280 being chronicled against them. At Lakenham v. Norfolk Mr. T. H. K. Dashwood scored a brilliant 151, the largest innings made for the county, and the three professionals, White, Golding and Field, all played with consistent steadiness. The Harrow fast bowler, Mr. E. G. McCor- quodale, was of some service ; but Mr. D. J. Cassavetti alone of the rest merits mention. Finally, in 1900, Hertfordshire again went through a season without winning a match, though ten men averaged over 20 with the bat. All the amateurs were comparatively unknown ; but Messrs. J. H. Kicking and R. C. Grellet ought to be of future use. The former learnt his cricket at Tettenhall College and the latter at Bedford School. Golding scored 170, the largest innings ever made for the county, and obtained his runs by free fearless play. This was against Norfolk on July 1 7, when Mr. J. H. Hichin also notched 124. Again the lack of 'sting' lay in the bowling, for though Coleman and White had fair figures, all the changes were impotent, whilst the fielding was loose. In concluding the most exhaustive survey of Hertfordshire county cricket ever compiled, it cannot be summed up as encouraging or remarkable. Taking the very best names right down the five-and-twenty years a fair side might be collected ; but as no regular team has ever been placed in the field, consequently no coalition between the members was ever discernible. Whilst the batting was generally steady, apart from a few individuals the lack of energetic hitting was painfully apparent, and the county has materially suffered from never having retained a reliable wicket-keeper possessing much experience. The bowling has invariably lacked variety to such an extent that the principal trundlers were never afforded sufficient respite to do themselves justice, whilst Titchmarsh did not fulfil the early hopes entertained of him, for his attack seemed to lose ' devil ' when he was on a sound wicket. On the other hand the county cricket has enjoyed no measure of popular support, for even in 1900, when there were 400 subscribing members, the receipts from the gate-money for the whole season were less than 19. If the con- tention of Mr. J. P. Kingston is true that 378