Badby the beautiful was on Friday visited by a party numbering nearly a hundred, consisting of members of the Daventry Board of Guardians and the Union officials, with wives, daughters, and friends. The original object was merely to make the place the tilting ground for a struggle at cricket between the Board and the officers, but Sir Charles Knightley (chairman the Board) and Lady Knightley gave the event a social side by inviting the party to tea, and especially desiring the presence of the ladies.
When the match was first suggested by the Rev. E. T. Sanders (Byfield) at a Board meeting the members smiled, but Mr. Sanders insisted that he was quite serious about it. Then the idea began to catch on, and in the end the following gentlemen were constituted a committee to arrange the preliminaries: - The Rev. E. T. Sanders, the Rev. W. H. Logan, the Rev. W. H. Shackle, Mr. W. L. Johnson. Mr. E. Ellard, Mr. W. Green, and Mr. S. Smith.
Plenty of enthusiasm was soon aroused, and the kind invitation to tea issued by Sir Charles and Lady Knightley promised to enhance the social side of the event so much that practically every member resolved to attend if possible, and few were actually absent. Luckily it was nice, sunny day.
As to the cricket, each side was an unknown quantity, and every man a “dark horse." The Board, in its official capacity, had never played cricket before, but the members had hopes of maintaining their prestige in the eyes of their officers—and also at their expense. The officers, for their part, were fairly confident that they had latent talent which was bound to emerge, and submerge the Board.
The play proved full of surprises. For instance, there was the bowling. Such variety is never seen on the County Ground at Northampton. There was over-arm and round-arm, fast and slow, swervers, googlies, and all kinds of breaks, and wickets fell like ninepins - in fact, three innings were got through in two hours and a-half.
Among the minor surprises were dropped catches. There was not much real leather-chasing, because the grass was long, and the ball generally stopped where it fell. The biggest hit of the afternoon was a five, scored by S. Luscott (Superintendent of the Homes) for the officers. The ball dropped about half dozen yards from the wicket, and the batsmen risked a single, but the leather had concealed itself and four more runs were comfortably registered before point trod on the sphere.
Mr. Sanders won the toss, and gave the Board the first knock. Things did not go at all well with them first, but the Rev. W. H. Logan, batting in good style—though presented a few catches which were refused —hit 39, and when the Board finished they had 72 to their credit. Mr. Luscott took seven of the wickets.
The officers had a brief and chilly existence. Mr. Logan met with success again, as a bowler, and the innings ended for 19. The officers went in second time, and shaped better, but still the Board's bowling was too much for them, and all were out for 28. Thus the Board won by innings and 25 runs.
The scores were follows:
E. Ellard, b Luscott ... 8
Hall, b Luscott ... 8
S. Smith, b Luscott ... 3
J. B. Nicholson, l.b.w Luscott ... 0
Rev. W. H. Logan, not out ... 39
Rev. E. T. Sanders, c Darley b Luscott ... 3
W. L. Johnson, st Newitt, b Cox ... 1
W. Lucas, c and b Cox ... 0
W. Green, run out ... 2
J. Blincowe, b Luscott ... 4
J. Waring, b Luscott
Extras: 4
Total of innings: 72
Dr. A. E. Cox, b Logan ... 5
Dr. A. R. Darley, b Logan … 3
S. Luscott, run out ... 4
G. D. Spearing, b Logan … 3
T. Newitt, b Sanders ... 0
Dr. J. C. O’Rafferty, b Logan ... 0
W. W. Band, c Sanders, b Logan ... 2
Dr. A. H. Hope, run out ... 0
W. H. Smith, b Logan ... 0
E. J. Tarpley. not out ... 1
T. Durose, b Sanders ... 0
Extra ... 1
Total of innings ... 19
c Green, b Hall ... 0
b Lucas ... 4
run out ... 11
c Sanders, b Smith ... 0
Ibw, b Smith ... 2
b Hall ... 2
not out ... 2
c and b Hall ... 2
b Hall ... 0
b Hall ...0
c Ellard, b Lucas ... 0
Extras 5
Total of innings ... 28
At the close of the game all present adjourned to "the old beech tree," where in a marquee Sir Charles and Lady Knightley had provided an excellent tea. After all had refreshed themselves Mr. Fraser Capell, J.P, (vice-chairman of the Board) voiced the thanks of the party to Sir Charles and Lady Knightley, whose kindness and courtesy everyone appreciated. Dr. O’Rafferty seconded "as skipper of the unfortunate officers." (Laughter.)
From the form of the 22 cricketers present he predicted that the Selection Committee would have no difficulty in forming a team for the next Test match. (Laughter.)
Sir Charles Knightley replied that it had given Lady Knightley and himself the greatest pleasure to see many of their friends there. The Daventry Band (which had provided music during the afternoon) played "For he’s jolly good fellow" and "Auld Lang Syne," and the visitors then departed after a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.