CAN MIDDLESEX DO IT?

By SIR PELHAM WARNER

ONE has to go back to the cricket seasons of 2920 and 1921 for a parallel to the present situation in the County Championship. In both those summers the ultimate destination of the championship was in doubt up to the last moment, and a further parallel may be found in the fact that today, as in 1920 and 1921, Middlesex are one of the two teams concerned in a thrilling fight which is drawing crowds to our cricket grounds in numbers unknown during recent years. And there may be, in certain circumstances, yet a third parallel with 1920 and 1921, for the last county match of the year, at Lord's, between Middlesex and Surrey, may be the vital game. Mathematics has never been my strong suit, and decimal points—those "damned dots," as a Vic- torian Chancellor of the Exchequer is said to have described them—are beyond my ken, but what is certain is this, that should Middlesex win their last two matches, versus Notting- hamshire, at Trent Bridge, and versus Surrey, at Lord's, they are bound to be champions, by a " d—d dot" or two, whatever their redoubtable opponents, Yorkshire, may achieve in their remaining matches versus Sussex at Eastbourne and Hampshire at Bournemouth.

Can Middlesex do it ? If history is a guide they will, but the goddess who presides over cricket and loves to bring down the most skilful players and teams has not yet made up her mind on which side she will ultimately bestow her favours. But whatever her choice, either Middlesex or York- shire will be worthy champions.

What sort of an eleven is this Middlesex side which Mr. R. W. V. Robins—a great cricketer himself—leads with such enthusiasm, energy and enterprise ? They began the season badly, as always, but their form during the last two months has been devastating. They have defeated Lancashire, GIQucestershire, Kent twice, Worcestershire twice, Somerset twice, Sussex, Surrey, in one of the finest matches ever played, and Essex, and drawn with Warwickshire.

Their real strength lies in their bowling, and this is reflected in the averages in which we find Sims, Smith (J.), H. G. Owen-Smith, Gray, and the captain, amongst the first dozen names. And there is variety as well as numerical strength— for Smith and Gray are fast, while Sims, Owen-Smith and Robins represent the googlie school of bowling—though none of these three is quite like the other. This is a formid- able attack, suited to practically every type of wicket, and would be even more formidable were G. 0. Allen, who was a yard faster versus Kent at Lord's last Saturday than any bowler I have seen this season, more frequently available.

The figures of the five bowlers may well be set out in detail :

o.

M.

R. W. Average.

Sims ..

.. 673.1 138

1,856

117

15.86 Smith (J.) . •

.. 658.2 233

2,116

132

55-89

H. G. Owen-Smith

.. 280.1 36

55 16.56 Gray .. .. 386.4 83 1,006 6o 16.76 R. W. V. Robins

-- 571-5

85 1,672 87 19.21

The batting has revealed, until Hart's recent reintroduction to the side with such happy results, one very weak point ; there was not a reliable pair of opening batsmen ; in this respect Middlesex compare very unfavourably with York- shire, who have over and over again been given a splendid start by Sutcliffe, still a master, and Hutton, his pupil. At No. 3 we find Edrich, sound and reliable, one of the best and most promising of the young generation ; at No. 4 the great Hendren, and at No. 5 Compton, only 19 years of age, full of strokes, adaptable, and with a touch of genius in him. Then fcrllow a couple of attacking, quick-footed, wrists' batsmen in Robins and Owen-Smith—Sims a Useful player, and Smith a giant of a man and a prodigious hitter of a cricket-ball if in no sense to be relied on for runs. The name of J. H. Human has been omitted only for the reason that he is so seldom available. He is a very fine batsman on a hard wicket, with lovely strokes, as those who saw him play at Hove and at the Oval will readily agree. His 74 not out versus Surrey was a great effort worthy of a great occasion, and it is no exaggeration to say that in the long and not unsplendid history of Middlesex cricket few finer, or braver, innings have ever been played.

In Price Middlesex possess a most capable and consistent wicket-keeper—one of the best in the country—very safe, standing back to the fast bowlers, and knowing all the tricks and mysteries of the googlie men, while if the catching has not always been up to the mark the ground fielding has been of the highest standard.

Middlesex play " fast " cricket ; they bowl fast, they score quickly, they get other sides out quickly, and they run fast in the field. There is penetration and there is punch in all their work, and this is very largely due to the example of the captain, one of the keenest cricketers that ever lived, and with a devotion to Middlesex cricket which has not been surpassed by any leader of the county eleven.

Above every other reason why Middlesex supporters desire to win the County Championship is because this is Hendren's last year. He first played for the county in 1907, and an eminent statistician informs me that up to the end of last season he had scored in all first-class cricket, including tours abroad, 55,783 runs, with an average of 51.84. His deeds for Middlesex would fill a volume, and apart from his magnificence on the field he has been a guide, philosopher and friend to the young men. He goes to Harrow next May. There he will instruct the young generation, not only in the finer points of the game, but in the manner in which he has always played cricket, a manner which has made him the most popular cricketer in England for many a long day now.

He plays his last match at Lord's on Saturday, and when he goes out to bat he will, I venture to think, receive a reception which may, possibly, be overwhelming to him, but which will be a genuine reflection of the esteem and affection in which he is held by the cricket-loving public. Lord's will not seem the same without " Patsy" Hendren.