Twenty-One Years of the ACS

forming an independent body; 12 supported the plan but wanted to explore affiliating to the CricketSociety;and four others abstained.In view ofthe close vote it was agreed that the Cricket Society should be approached to consider 'affiliation and co-operation in statistical aims.' Several cordial discussions took place but the issue gradually petered out. The ACS wasted no time in launching research programmes on several fronts and the members' mood slowly hardened in favour of autonomy. It is clear with hindsight that any merger would always have been liable to present recurring difficulties. By the 1970s the Cricket Society were placing little emphasis on detailed figure work and had broadened the scope of its activities considerably. As the years unfolded it proved the best thing that could have happened for the two bodies to remain separate. In different ways each has succeeded in serving the game and its adherents and many are members of both. Reverting to the inaugural meeting, it was chaired at the start by Rod Wright, an old friend of Brooke's with experience ofsuch occasions. Once the Cricket Society topic was out of the way,numerous administrative items were settled. Among them eight long term objectives were approved, starting with the compilation of world-wide registers for every first-class match played. Another was the eventual publication ofa'complete and accurate' book of first-class records. For some reason that the minute book does not mention,this was omitted from draft rules - later prepared by the committee and approved by members. A book the ACS would seem to be the ideal authority to produce was kept in mind,however,and in 1980 tentative plans were laid for work to start on it. By then a good reason for doing so was the growing number of inaccuracies being discovered in existing record books. Soon afterwards, though, the committee decided there was little point in competing with other forthcoming publications elsewhere - notably by Bill Frindall - and the ACS shelved its own version. FrindalTs full-time, professional work as a statistician, particularly in broadcasting, has earned him a higher profile to the ordinary person than any other ACS member. In more than one of Frindall's own books he has been scrupulous in acknowledging the value of the ACS's work,especially its guides to I'irst-class matches. Robert Brooke was elected the first ACS chairmcin, Dennis Uimbert secretary, Peter Wynne-Thomas treasurer and a five-strong committee was completed by David Gallagher and Philip Thorn. Various circumstiinces soon brought inter-changes of role, as well as resignations. These have remained a perennial worry for the ACS, with career and family commitments, or travel problems, usually responsible. Even Wynne-Thomas relinquished office early in 1974 for a few months when he moved briefly to Scotland. He returned as secretary in July that year to begin the longest, unbroken sequence in office in ACS history and one which happily remains intact. Gallagher left after only a few months and in addition to Wynne-Thomas's short absence, Lambert and Thorn also resigned in 1974. First Philip Bailey and then Ken Trushell were