Related article: amount of first- class cricket that has to be got through in our all too brief summer that now- adays all the counties get to work quite early Buy Cheap Super P-Force in May and keep going until September, a state of affairs very different to the time when Gloucestershire was, in the seventies, champion county with a card of but six matches. First- class cricket has now so over- grown all bounds that a promi- nent cricketer, who is willing to devote his time to the game, will find that his life for the summer can consist of little else than cricket-grounds, cabs, trains and hotels. The chief item of fresh interest in the coming programme is the visit of a team from South Africa, and the appearance of Mr. J. H. Sinclair in England would of itself be sufficient to lend interest to the team of which he is a member. This young giant has made for himself a grand reputation in South Africa, and his performances against Lord Hawke's team stamp him as a great player ; and so we shall watch with interest his doings on the good grass wickets of this country. South Africa has al- ready supplied us with a valuable cricketer in Llewellyn, who will this season be qualified to play for Hampshire. His best per- formance since his residence in England was against the Austra- lians in 1899, when he made scores of 72 and 21 and secured eight wickets ; he is a free bats- man, and a medium pace left- handed bowler who uses his head, whilst in the field he is inde- fatigable. Hampshire has given up so many of her best amateurs to service in South Africa that it is fitting enough that a South African should step into the breach. The stir created in cricket I90I.J "OUR VAN. »i 387 circles by the action of the county captains in proclaiming some bowlers unfair and others not quite incorrigible has, to some extent, been abated by the inter- vention of the Marylebone Club with a resolution to the effect that the bowlers named shall be allowed a further season for pro- bation. It is probable that in- terest will attach to the early appearance of Mold, Tyler, Mr. Fry and others whose names have been so emphatically mentioned in this connection. County cricket will again provide the interest of the season, and we could almost wish that this interest could be less absorbing. Yorkshire with its splendid team of last season all eager for conquest should easily maintain their position at the top of the list, and, to the credit of the champion county, let it be said that their bowlers are beyond reproach. Surrey has fallen from her high estate, and will have to find some bowler who can assist Lockwood in his desperate endeavour to dismiss good batsmen Generic Super P-Force upon the bowler- proof wickets provided by Apted at the Oval. Anyone can bat upon such wickets, and there are some members of the Surrey eleven who spend hour after hour at the wicket on fine days, but that way lie drawn games. Pro- bably, after Lockwood, Mr. Jeph- son, the captain, with his lobs is the most dangerous bowler on the side, that is, of course, upon a perfect wicket. Now that the 'Varsity match almost always ends in a drawn game, the great interest formerly taken in the prospects of the rival Super P-Force Online teams must of necessity flag. Cambridge are likely to have the services of six Old Blues under the command of Mr. S. H. Day, and Mr. W. P. Robertson, who last year kept wicket and batted so well for Middlesex, should occupy the post of stumper so ably filled last sea- son by the captain, Mr. T. L. Taylor. At Oxford Mr. F. P. Knox will have only four other Old Blues to assist him ; but there are some very good crick- eters in residence at Oxford, so the Dark Blues should prove a strong combination. Mr. Martyn, whose brilliant wicket - keeping and batting so impressed the critics at Lord's last year, will be missing, and it will be a good day for Somerset when he becomes qualified for that county of wicket- keepers. Mr. Findlay, the Eton captain of 1899, is a most capable wicket-keeper and is at Oxford, and we feel sure that, one day Mr. H. J. Wyld will fulfil the high expectations formed of Buy Super P-Force Online him at Harrow, although last season his performances, when tried for Oxford and Middlesex, were most disappointing. Mr, E. W. Dillon, the Rugby captain of 1900, is a freshman at Oxford, and should straightway find a place in the 'Varsity eleven if he keeps up the fine form he displayed at the end of last season, notably for Kent and London County. The 'Varsity match is fixed for iuly 4th, 5th and 6th, Eton v, larrow July 12th and 13th, and Gentlemen against Players July 8th, 9th and loth. The first big gate at Lords will probably be for the Somerset v, Middlesex match on Whit Monday, May 27th, when we trust that VV^illiam Gunn will get a valuable benefit. Somerset have not always proved themselves the best team to play for a benefit, notably at Lord's in 1899, when they were beaten in an Buy Super P-Force innings by Middlesex within the space of 3} hours, much to the chagrin of poor Wilfred Flowers, the beneficiaire. Let us hope that better fortune may be in store for Gunn and the many 388 BAILY S MAGAZINE. [Mat Other good fellows who are to take the gamble of a benefit this season. Death of Mr. E. W. Bastard.— We regret to have to record the Order Super P-Force death of Mr. £. W. Bastard, the Oxford and Somerset Cheap Super P-Force cricketer. Mr. Bastard was only in his fortieth year when a sudden illness proved fatal to him at his home at Taunton. Educated at Sherborne School he was the contemporary of such good cricketers as Mr. F. E. Lacey, the Secretary of the Marylebone Club, and the brothers Crosby, who have since distin- guished themselves in the North of England. Mr. Bastard went up as a scholar of Wadham College, Oxford, and his excellent left-handed slow bowling won him a place in the Varsity XI. in his second year of residence, and in that and the folk>wing two seasons