Anyone For Cricket?

The soldiers being cared for in the Corsham Hospital were, we know, often entertained by concerts arranged by local people but in August 1916 we find the men of Corsham challenging the soldiers to a cricket match. Local reporting of the time seems quite harsh to describe the play as ‘pathetic and humorous’ but it was clearly enjoyed by players and spectators alike:

INTERESTING CRICKET MATCH.

Pathetic and Humorous.

Corsham C.C. v. Corsham Wounded Soldiers.

Considerable interest was attached to a match on Saturday between the Corsham Cricket Club and Corsham wounded soldiers, as nearly all the local team were veterans, and to see Mr Edward Sainsbury amongst them took one back to the Club’s rosiest days in the ‘seventies.’ Then came Kinneir, Spackman, Jessie Smith in the ‘eighties,’ another successful period. The match had its pathetic and humorous side, pathetic to see some of the wounded limping about the field from the results of the “Great Push,” and humorous, to see the veterans “roaming” about, trying to rouse sleeping muscles. A very pleasant game resulted in a win for the local team by 40 runs on the first innings. The soldiers fielding was excellent, quite a pleasure to watch, but in the batting they seemed puzzled with Spackman and Fido’s slow breaks. As one of them remarked “I like bowling that comes on a bit, not that ‘wriggley stuff.’”

In Private Johnson the soldiers had a good cricketer.

The wounded improved in their second attempt, making 67, Alexander bowling well. The Matron and nurses from the Hospital attended and provided tea. Scores: - –

CORSHAM WOUNDED SOLDIERS

1st Innings

Lce. Corpl. Lewis, run out ..................0

Pte. Howth, run out.............................1

Pte. Johnson, b Spackman..................8

Pte. Wood, b Spackman.......................8

Pte.Tridgitt, c Davis b Spackman........1

Cpl. Walker, b Smith...........................1

Pte. Wall, b Spackman........................2

Pte.Campbell, b Fido...........................2

Pte. Green, c Kinneir b Fido...............12

Pte. Carter, c Smith b Fido..................0

Pte. McKight, b Spackman..................0

Pte. Doherty, not out...........................0

Extras...................................................6

Total.........................................41

2nd Innings

b. Aust................................4

c Smith b Aust...................9

c Kinneir b Alexander.......4

b Smith.............................10

b Alexander.......................6

b Fido.................................1

b Alexander.......................15

b Gibbons...........................1

ht. Wkt. b Alexander..........2

b Smith...............................0

not out................................3

b Alexander........................16

Extras..................................2

Total............................67

CORSHAM C.C.

A.C. Kinnear, b Green................................8

A.Aust, b Johnson......................................5

W.Alexander, c Campbell b Johnson.........0

J.Fido, b Johnson........................................5

C.F.Spackman, b Tridgitt............................8

J.Smith, c and b Johnson............................4

E.Sainsbury, b Howarth..............................3

H.Gibbons, c and b Johnson.......................2

J.Davis, c and b Johnson.............................10

E.Hudd, b Tridgitt........................................11

J.Aust, c and b Johnson...............................14

E.Merrett, not out.........................................4

Total.................................................81