A Game Sustained

31 Keeping going: 1914-1915 run the league on friendly lines only with no medals, but with the clubs playing for the Bingham Shield. In February 1915, a few more clubs were still needed ‘to make the experiment successful.’ Sensitive to the current difficulties, the Norton and District League decided that clubs withdrawing before 20 March would not have to pay subscriptions. Some were more optimistic than others. In Shipley, the District Sunday School League extended itsmembership from eight to ten clubs, while at Idle a new cricket pavilion was opened in December 1914 and became a popular local social venue, even opening on a Sunday such was the demand. This was copied at Eccleshill Cricket Club, despite opposition. In Huddersfield, however, local cricket officials considered dropping leagues and alliances, and instead allowing players a free hand as to where they played. George Hirst was also gloomy and commented at a Huddersfield League event that he feared there would be no cricket the following summer. In April, the Pontefract and District Cricket League decided not to have a league competition in 1915. In Bradford, the League committee also met in a pessimistic mood but, as was his stance throughout the war, J.J.Booth said that the league had decided to carry on for the sake of those fighting and for those at home who were carrying out ‘the national command’ of “Business As Usual”. However, he hoped cricket would be played ‘soberly and without the emotionalism which sometimes crept into the games.’ The Bradford League’s game with the Yorkshire Second XI was abandoned, but any suggestion that the competition itself should be run on a friendlies-basis was considered a recipe for financial disaster. The committee also determined to carry on with the Priestley Cup, although without medals and with funds generated given to charities. Clubs were also urged to constrain spending however they could, and reduce or abolish prize and talent money. Professionals were asked to sacrifice their fees. In March 1915, the Mexborough and District Cricket League decided to carry on as usual, but the Leeds Cricket League chose not to play competitive cricket, instead allowing those