MONTHLY ROUND-UP: MAY 1873
This year’s Metropolitan League championship race looks as though it may be between the winners of the last two titles, as the Old Westminsters and Greenwich both completed undefeated months in May. The Westminsters have the advantage at the moment, especially having played and won one extra game in the month, but reigning champions Greenwich have found their form. The highlight of their month was a 9-4 victory over early-season leaders Angel, who lost four out of five in May and are in danger of falling out of contention.
In the Manchester and District League, the final undefeated record across baseball was ended at the tenth attempt when leaders Rochdale fell 3-0 at Oldham, but they have still won ten out of eleven so far this year and continue to lead the way. Reigning champions Salford looking dangerous though, as having lost to Miles Platting in their first game in May, they won the remaining four to move clear in second place. Liverpool St Patrick’s still look tough to beat in the Liverpool and District League, winning their last four games of the month for the concession of only a single run. Great Float, who came so close a year ago, have moved into second place but St Helens have dropped well off the pace, losing their last four including a heavy 6-0 defeat to Liverpool.
The Leeds and Bradford League sees all eight teams realistically still involved in the race, as only two games separate Wakefield in last place from co-leaders Leeds and Bradford. Both of the leaders lost twice in May to keep them close to the chasing pack, while nobody has been able to show any consistent form so far this season. Elsewhere in Yorkshire, the Sheffield and District League race is between Doncaster and reigning champions Sanderson’s Weir, with Weir looking as though they were going to pull clear when they defeated Doncaster midway through the month. A narrow extra-innings loss to Hallamshire and a heavy defeat at Barnsley followed however, and Doncaster won both of their next two games to end the month fractionally ahead.
There appears to be no race to speak of this year in the Middlesex County League, as Isleworth won every game in May and have now won six in succession and nine out of ten this year. They have a comfortable lead over Ealing and Tottenham, with the other story being the appearance in last place of reigning champions Edmonton who lost three of their four games this month. In the Kent County League, the form team are Rochester who won their last four games in May, ending with a stunning 17-3 victory over struggling Erith. That was enough to leave them fractionally ahead of Bexley Heath, who had opened the month by defeating Rochester but could only win two of their other four games. The race is very close in the Birmingham and District League, with early leaders Dudley regaining their form and Small Heath and Birmingham both faltering late in May. Those three teams are tied at the top alongside Walsall, while Edgbaston and Aston are both within two games of the lead as well.
Just two games separate all six teams in the Glasgow and District League, as champions Lanark-Renfrew ended the month by losing twice in a day against a Tollcross team who had been in last place that morning. Partick and White Cart lead the way currently, but there appears to be very little between any of the teams. In the East of Scotland League, it looks to be a battle between Arthur’s Seat and The Grange for the inaugural title. Arthur’s Seat had begun the month with two successive losses but edged to a vital 2-1 victory over The Grange which leaves them fractionally ahead moving into June.
The University season has reached the three-quarter mark and things look good for Clare College at Cambridge, and for Balliol at Oxford. Clare had seen their advantage over Trinity cut to a single game but their rivals then proceeded to lose their last two games of the month by a combined margin of 20-2, allowing Clare to extend their lead to three games by winning their last two. At Oxford, long-time leaders Balliol suffered a heavy loss at outgoing champions Trinity to extend their poor run to six defeats in eight ahead of a vital meeting with second placed Wadham, where another loss would have seen them slip out of the top position. They regained focus however and recorded a 3-0 victory, extending their lead further in the final game of May when they defeated Merton and Wadham were beaten by New College, falling below their opponents into third place as a result.
