A Game Sustained

67 Shocks to the system: 1916 in February 1916, some leagues were compelled to revise their preliminary arrangements. This was not a surprise as it was always likely that the call up of men under the ‘Derby’ scheme would deplete still further the playing strength of clubs. In the spring, many clubs were down to one side and had lost numerous players to the forces or to the munitions factories, from which they could only spare an occasional afternoon. Crookes Church Cricket Club in the Norton League, for example, advised that it had 47 members serving in the forces and many of the 1915 side were now absent. Other clubs relied on older players or, like Thorncliffe Cricket Club, were able to draw on colliers and munitions factory workers who remained at home. Many of those clubs which pressed on with reduced numbers needed to cut costs. Thorncliffe Cricket Club decided not to engage any professionals and to keep expenses to a minimum after experiencing a heavy deficit the previous year. In Sheffield, the United professionals agreed to play as amateurs, ‘displaying their known loyalty to the club’, and so saving a large sum. The annual report of the Dewsbury and Savile Cricket and Football Club also noted a ‘gratifying reduction in expenses’, and thanked players for returning part of their match fees. Despite this, a loss was made on the year’s work of £39. In the north of the county, Thornaby Cricket Club dispensed with its groundsman, and volunteers did all the work on its field. In some areas, club members agreed they needed more flexibility in how they played competitive cricket during the emergency. Halifax Council League clubs decided that matches should be played but there should be no registration of players and clubs were allowed the ‘utmost latitude’ in raising teams to fulfil engagements. Matches were to be regarded more like friendlies than ordinary league games. The decision of the Yorkshire Cricket Council to resume competitive cricket led to some reorganisation. The absence of York, Rotherham, Hull, Sheffield, Whitwood Colliery and Leeds Police disturbed previous arrangements, and so Ossett and Wakefield were transferred to section C from B.