MONTHLY ROUND-UP: MARCH/APRIL 1867
The Old Westminsters’ challenge for a third successive Metropolitan League championship has got off to a bad start, with the reigning champions suffering defeats in three of their first four games this year. Indeed, they were fortunate not to have been beaten in all four as only a late turnaround against the City of London Club earned a victory, but there have been signs of improvement in the last two weeks. Successive wins over Clapham, who have started very poorly, and also The Regent’s Park, who have started well, moved the Westminsters up to an even three wins and three defeats.
Before that defeat to the Westminsters, the Regents had been sharing first place with Angel Islington, both teams winning four of their first five. By ending the month with victory over Clapham however, Angel now have the lead on their own. Many people’s favourites for the championship this year, Angel won their first four games and only a 2-1 defeat in twelve innings against the City of London Club prevents them from having a perfect record at this stage.
Angel then lead by a game from the Regents, while the Westminsters are a further game behind. They share third place with the City of London Club, who started slowly but have now won their last two. The real surprise of this year is the poor form of Clapham, with last year’s runners-up losing five of their six games to sit in last place at the end of April. Pitcher Frederick Maiden, so impressive last year, has been struggling and Clapham have allowed more runs than any other team, leaving them a game behind Kensington at the bottom of the standings.
