The History of Wandsworth Common
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Title
George Lohmann photographed ten years later, in 1895.
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GEORGE ALFRED LOHMANN
A South Londoner, himself, by every association, to South London belongs the credit solely and wholly of the crioket training of the young professional who has done such good service for Surrey, with bat as well as ball, during the last two seasons. Born in 1865, on June 2, Lohmann first saw the light at a period of Surrey cricket when Jupp and Tom Humphrey had just made their reputations as two of the best batsmen of the day.
All his early practice was had on Wandsworth Common, and, in fact, the whole of his cricket until he was fifteen or sixteen years of age was learned on the Common. A member of the Church Institute Club which played there, it was with it that he first showed any signs of ability as a cricketer, and for three successive seasons (1876-77-78) he won both the average bat and ball given for the most successful batsman and bowler of that society.
Though he played little in the two following summers he became connected with the Alma Club in 1881, and he was not only actively connected with it at the time when he first appeared at the Oval, but is still a member.
His introduction to Surrey cricket was a little out of the ordinary course. Indeed he came up to the test practice of last year, on the Surrey Ground, in April, without any credentials and without a testimonial of any kind. In fact he was not at all fancied as a cricketer even by many in his own neighbourhood, and it was really the favourable impression created by his promising all-round form at this preliminary trial of Colts which gave him his first step in promotion as a professional cricketer. His unmistakable keenness and evident ability procured him the immediate offer of an engagement as a bowler at the Oval, and the commencement of last season found him regularly attached to the ground staff of the Surrey Club. Losing no opportunity of practice his cricket steadily improved, and in the numerous Colts' matches played at the Oval during the early
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part of May he rarely failed to to advantage, with either bat or ball. Against Surbiton and District, in particular, his all-round cricket was very promising, and it was in a great measure due to his form on this occasion that he was elected to represent Surrey, against
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Leicestershire, at the Oval, in the third fixture of the season. Though only moderately successful in the earlier matches he made his mark with a capital 24 not out against Gloucestershire, and also had the satisfaction of getting Mr. W. G. Grace caught from his bowling in the
24 second innings. At the end of the same week he figured even more prominently against Cambridge University, and his second score of 69, though not faultless, was a very promising display of batting. His stand with Wood, indeed, entirely altered the aspect of the game, and, while they were together, ths two professionals added as many as 95 runs to the Surrey total.
So far Lehmann had been more successful as a batsman, and it was not till nearly the close of the season that he reappeared in the Surrey eleven. His first achievement, too, on his return was with the bat, and he signalised his re-instalment with an exceedingly well-got thirty-two against Lancashire at the Oval, the highest score in Surrey's first innings. The three last matches on the Surrey programme of 1884. too, proved his capabilities unmistakably as a bowler, although he was also fairly successful with the bat, in particular against Yorkshire, in which match he got nineteen runs in very good style. The wickets just at the close of last summer helped the ball materially, and Lehmann advanced his reputation considerably as an all-round cricketer by the judgment he showed as a bowler in moat of the later fixtures. The victory of the Surrey eleven in the closing match of the season against Sussex at the Oval was indeed, in a great measure, due to his effective bowling. Varying his pace with considerable skill and getting a lot of work on to the ball, he puzzled the Sussex batsmen completely, and altogether in the two innings was credited with nine of their wickets at a cost of only 58 runs. Thougo unsuccessful with the bat in the opening match against Essex at the Oval, Lohinann began this season very auspiciously as a bowler. He was not put on at all in the fiitt innings of Essex, but in the second the Essex batsmen could nothing with him, and in all seven wickets, five of them bowled, fell to him at the very small expense of thirty-thrt e rune. His best score during the early part of the summer was one of 86 against Oxford Univer-
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sity, at Oxford, and runs were got at such a rapid rate while he was in that 100 were added in an hour. Though for a time, after this he was comparatively unsuccessful with the bat, he has recently, several times shown capital cricket, and more than once at very important periods of the game. His plucky play with Mr. Horner won Surrey a most exciting match at Gravesend against Kent with one wicket to fall, and too much praise could hardly be accorded to him for his excellent score of 34 not out. The following week, against Notts, at the Oval, he played sound cricke.t for his thirty; and again, a little later, showed to the greatest advantage against the Kent bowling, carrying out his bat for 92 in the second innings without a mistake. In the early put of the season his bowling proved very effective, and in the fiest few matches he got a large number of wickets. His best record was at Southampton, whore he seamed twelve for 31 runs. The heavy work, though, of the Surrey programme seems of late to have told on his bowling. and his only notable performance of late has been this week at Taunton, where he was credited with eight Somersetshire wickets at a cost of 67 runs. With care, Lohmann ought to make a first. class all - round cricketer. He bowls fast round, with a high delivery, and when the wicket helps him at all gets a lot of work on from the off. He is not afraid of pitching the ball up as so many bowlers are, and varies his pitch and pace with judgment, his slow ball being;particularly dangerous. He is likely, too, to train on into a good batsman. He plays the ball hard and can hit freely, although a little more discretion in his hitting, which will come with experience, will improve his play materially. Lohmann is also a capital field anywhere. Our portrait is from a photograph by E. Hawkins and Co., of 108, King's-road, Brighton.
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