A Game Sustained

131 Despite all the challenges in getting the game back to normal at local level, there was an air of optimism in the press coverage. The Star Green’un , reviewing the prospects of clubs in Sheffield, was adamant that: minor cricket in and around Sheffield this year will be run on almost as large a scale as in pre-war days, despite the great difficulties of grounds and fees. Glancing through the various Leagues one finds many old names, also a remarkably large number of beginners, and prospects appear very bright. To a certain extent the ground difficulties have been overcome by a welcome spirit of amity between clubs, whereby fields are to be shared. 79 Rebuilding Yorkshire County Cricket Club As has been seen, throughout the war Yorkshire County Cricket Club performed a number of roles which helped to maintain the game in a manner that was deemed acceptable to a large number of people. Once the war was over, however, the club returned to its traditional concerns. The county committee officially thanked Hirst, Rhodes, Denton and Drake for their loyalty and efforts over four seasons, and praised club members for responding to the call for subscriptions, despite getting little in return. Looking ahead, the committee urged members to introduce new people to the club, aiming for an additional 2,000 members. 80 Dolphin and Kilner remained on £1 a week while in the army, although the county determined that this would cease once they were demobilised. The future of B.B.Wilson, who was now 40, was also under consideration. He had joined up in 1917 and so had received winter pay, but in 1919 the club decided to dispense with his services on the grounds of age, and he was awarded £250 (two-thirds of which was retained in trust). 81 In January 1919, ‘Old Ebor’ reflected optimistically on the prospects for Yorkshire cricket. He noted that the club captain Sir Archibald White was only 41, and that six of the most experienced players were retained. Others in the frame were Percy Holmes (depending on his Bradford League commitments), Ernest Smith of Ossett and Thomas Getting cricket back on its feet: winter 1918/19