A Game Sustained

41 Keeping going: 1914-1915 conducted under similar conditions. Afterwards, F.C. (later Sir Frederick) Toone, the Yorkshire Cricket Club secretary, provided feedback on the experiment, remarking that opinion was unaninimously in favour of the eight-ball over. Toone, who held the post between 1903 and 1930 after being Secretary of Leicestershire County Cricket Club, said the saving of time was obvious, while no particular strain upon bowlers was reported. Major Booth commented that he was a little tired as a result, probably because he was out of practice, but he thought someone used to regular cricket could take it on comfortably. On the other hand, opinion was divided about larger stumps. Some disliked the change but one man who did not mind was wicketkeeper Arthur Dolphin, who said he had to crouch down less. As well as appearing in the “Pals” matches the well-known enlisted players were used for other recruitment purposes. Kilner, Booth andDolphinwere all part of a recruiting party in Leeds in late May. With the authorities keen to enrol a further 400 men, the whole battalion of 1,300 soldiers marched through the city to the Headingley ground for another match organised between Yorkshire and a team selected from the “Pals” on 3 June. Those intending to join up were admitted to the game for free and a temporary recruiting office was set up. The venue was full of soldiers and their girlfriends, and Percy Holmes and Edgar Oldroyd (who would play 383 matches for Yorkshire between 1910 and 1931) provided ‘breezy cricket’ as a bugle call rang out. Keen to replicate the enthusiasm generated in Leeds, F.C.Toone announced that any other town could have a similar match at any time. The Yorkshire players were useful attractions for those seeking to recruit more men for the army and Arthur Dolphin was pictured in the Leeds Mercury talking to two men in the street. Later in the month, Major Booth was part of a Leeds recruiting campaign, with two well-known wrestlers and a local rugby player. Their role was to mix with the crowd and take recruits to a waiting tram-car to sign up, surrounded by cheering crowds as patriotic speeches were given by the Mayor of Pudsey and Vicar of Leeds. There