A Game Sustained

129 Getting cricket back on its feet: winter 1918/19 Others had bigger problems. Featherstone advised it should be considered ‘dead’ for the 1919 season, and Scarborough could only play against teams which would visit the town. Later in the month, Mexborough and District Cricket League, which had suspended operations for two years, agreed to restart in 1919. A number of clubs were reportedly willing to resume their membership, although Thorncliffe stated that it would not be able to field a side in 1919. The Airedale and Wharfedale Cricket League called a meeting of member clubs to consider whether to hold friendly matches and fill vacancies with outside clubs. At the annual meeting of the Huddersfield and District Cricket League, the only resolution passed stated simply that ‘we revert to pre-war conditions as near as circumstances will allow.’ 77 In Sheffield, there was a rush to reorganise. In November 1918, representatives of clubs of the Hallamshire Cricket League agreed to revise its rules and arrange clubs into divisions. The membership was expected to at least match the high-water mark of 1914. The Chapeltown and District Cricket League, inactive for two years, also decided to restart on pre-war lines. The Bird League’s 1918 membership of 39 clubs was the highest on record, although some works clubs were expected to withdraw once the Sheffield Works’ League was resumed. The Norton and District League made a number of changes to its rules. Play was extended to four and a half hours per match, registration of additional players deferred until June as demobilisation was still taking place, and steps were taken to avoid ‘cheap’ wickets or runs being taken into account for batting and bowling prizes. The cost of admission to matches was the ‘thorny’ issue. One Sheffield press reporter suggested that collections on the ground might be the only way out of the problems caused by the Entertainment Tax, and whist drives and dances would be needed by many clubs to generate additional funds. The Bradford Cricket League held a renewed debate about professionalism. In February 1919, the executive committee considered a limit on professionals, but this was seen as detrimental to the interests of the clubs. At the annual