Cricket 1882

>86 CEICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. SEPr. 14, 1882 J R 1 C K E T ! L A W N T E I S T V I S !! F O O T B A L L ! ! ?irst Prize Medal at Melbourne Exhibition, 1880. W ES LILLYWHITE, FROWD & CO., inufactnrere of all articles need in the above and other aletic Sports. Sp6cialite for the highest class Goods. Bats >cially seanoned for hot climates. Price Lists and all parti- ars may be had post free. Shipperssupplied at wholesale prices. J. L., F. and Co. are the sole Manufacturers of Frowd’s new tent “ Special Driver” Bat, which drives better, jars less, and jrages 1£ ounces lighter than any other B at; universally owed to be the greatest improvement made in Bats since cane ndles were introduced. Publishers of JAMES LILLY- HITE’S CRICKETER’S ANNUAL. Manufactory and Ware- ufle :—i and 6, Newington Causeway and 73 and 74, Borough >ad,London. F O O T B A L L he very best quality Football Outfits. LARGEST STOCK IN THE WORLD. GEORGE^KENT, THLETIC CLOTHING MANUFACTURER 149. FENCHURCH STREET, L O N D O N . Intendingpurchasersshouldfully understand that in this class f Goods there are threeorfour inferiorand worthless qualities ade , but I havefoundfrom a long and great experience that the '.stquai;\y is the cheapest, and the only one to be relied upon, therefore only keep the best , but if most particularly ordered, ' course can make any of the common qualities. ERSEYS, best 3/9, 4/3, 4/6, 4/9.; Hose 2/, 2/3. SHIRTS, in two colours, 10/6, 12/6, 14/6. JAPS, l/» Garters, /6 ; Shin Guards, 3/6, 4/. CNICKERBOCKERS, for 8/6, 10/6, 17/6. „ Elastic Web Figure-fitting, 6/6. i’OOTBALLS, No. 5, 7/6, 8/6, 9/6, 10/6. UR PUMPS, 3/6, 9/6, 13/6. roal Posts, 17/, 19/6; do. Eugby, per set, 28/6 Boundary Staffs and Flags. .A C R O S S E Jerseys, Hose, Caps, Knickerbockers, Bats, Balls. 3 IC Y C L IN G Caps, Jerseys, Hose, Jackets, Knickerbockers, and Ribbons. 3 0 X I N G G L O V E S , Single Sticks, Foils, Masks, Fencing Gloves, Jackets, Dumb-bells, Iron Shot, Indian Clubs, Hammers, Wristlets, Quoits. 1 Y M N A S T IC Apparatus of all kinds. ^ A W N T E N N I S Jerseys, Hose, Caps, Knick­ erbockers, Nets, Balls, Bats, and Shoes. GEORGE KENT, 149, F EN CH URCH STR E E T , LONDON O E I O K E T . A .W c e k l y R e c o r d o f t h e G a m e THU R SDAY , SEPT. 14, 1882. ‘ C r ic k e t ” this week consists of twelve pages and a wrapper. “ C bick rt ” can be had at W. H. Smith & Son’? Book Stali3. Tbs first, second, and third numbers are out of print. T H E A U S T R A L I A N C R I C K E T E R S . No. 20of “ C rick et ,” to be published next Thurs­ day morning, will contain a portrait and biography of S. P. Jones, the Australian cricketer. No. 21, the last of the season, will contain portraits and biographies of W . L. Murdoch, the Captain, and C. W. Beal, the Secretary of the Team. IM P O R T A N T N O T IC E . The first season of C ricket will end with No. 21, published on the 28th inst, In the next two numbers we propose to publish the Results of Matches of the Principal Clubs. These will be inserted at a charge of 3s. 6d. a column. Secretaries desiring the insertion of their Club’s statistics should forward at once. None will be taken for the last number after Saturday the 23rd. *TEW>0fl:SttBg(3^IPTJ0N<-- “ C r ic k e t " is published at 17, Paternoster Square, London, E.C., and will be forwarded to any ad- dressinOreat Britain, for three weeks, including present issue, forl^d . in time for first ■post on Thursday Morning. It is requested that Postal Orders (not Stamps) be sent for Subscriptions and Scores. They can be made -zyable to W . R. W r ig h t , at the head office, and crossed London and County, Holborn. “ C r ic k e t "is registered f o r transmission abroad and can be sent, post free, at the regular newspaper rates o f postage to a n y p a rt o f the world. Reading Cases for holding four numbers of “ C kicket ” can now be had at the Office, price 2/-. TO ADVERTISERS. “ C r ic k e t ” presentsan unequalled mediumfor announcements in connection with the game , as the circulation is already in advance of any neiospaper of the kind. The scores of mostof the vrincipal Clhbs will appear exclusively in its columns , and there is already a large number of subscribers , including most of the leading players of the day. “ C r ic k e t ” will be filed too for reference in the Pavilions of all the principal Clubs, and it willthusappeal directly to every class of cricketer. A limited number of high-class Advertisements will betaken on terms to be obtained of the Manager. F o r ordinary Advertisem ents the charge w ill b e 3 /-an inch narrow colum n. UMPIRING REFORM. C r ic k e t e r s are as a rule so conservative in tlieir notions that it is a task of some difficulty to persuade them of the necessity of a reform. No matter whether the change is immaterial or of importance, there is the same objection to any alteration in the working of the game. The laws themselves are out of date, loosely worded, conflicting, and capable, some of them, of every con­ ceivable kind of interpretation. A little judicious revision would increase their value a thousand-fold. Instead of, as now, requiring special pundits to interpret their meaning, a proper and fitting re-arrange­ ment would relieve the code of some of the obscurity which at present pervades it. In sports of more recent growth it has not been considered undignified to amend the rules according as experience has suggested improvements. In cricket what is any­ body’s business is nobody’s business. The laws, susceptible of great emendation as they are, will remain unchanged until some abuse becomes so pronounced as to cry for universal action. For years the system of umpiring has been admitted to be faulty as well as improper. In spite of the protests of a. few, no steps have been taken to provide a definite remedy for what has certainly of late come to be generally recognised as a real abuse. From the first C r ic k e t has been persistent in its advocacy of a stricter policy in the appointment of umpires. We have strenuously insisted on the necessity of some proof of competency, as well as impartiality, by men who are ap­ pointed to positions requiring discrimina­ tion as well as decision. It is satisfactory to find, from the circular which the Committee of the Yorkshire Club has recently drawn up for distribution among the chief county clubs, that there is a disposition to recognise the force of at least one of our contentions. Omitting mention of minor details, the main point of the Yorkshire proposal is the recog­ nition of the principle that no umpire “ shall be appointed to act in any match in which by birth, residence, or other association he may be supposed to be interested.” This proposition is merely a modification of one emanating from the Surrey Club,and brought forward by its representatives at the recent meeting of County Secretaries at Lord’s. In one important respect the scheme presented by the authorities at the Oval had an ad­ vantage over that from Sheffield. The former, while they recognised equally with Yorkshire the importance of a disinterested opinion by an umpire, went much further. It was part of their idea that the question of competency was one even of paramount importance to that of impartiality. Their provision was to secure firstly, men capable of reading the laws they were placed to interpret, before the second necessity of disinterestedness had to be satisfied. The details o f the two plans were a httle different. Yorkshire proposes that the allotment of umpiring places should be vested in the hands of a sub-committee formed from the counties. Surrey’s sug­ gestion included a kind of judicial examina­ tion of umpires, and consequent distribution of certificates of competency by an altogether disinterested body, the Committee of the Marylebone Club. We certainly prefer the Surrey test for many reasons. It is of course essential for the well-being of the game that an umpire, like C*sar’s wife, should be above suspicion. It is equally necessary though, that a very onerous post should not be entrusted to an inexperienced or incompetent person. During this season there have been not a few complaints about the decisions of umpires in the most im­ portant matches. It is too much to expect that men chosen to fill the most important position on the cricket-field should prove the possession of the requisite qualifications, experience,rand knowledge. They may be quite impartial, and yet lacking in the rudi­ mentary requirements of an umpire.