Cricket 1882

36 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. MAY 25, 1882. C R I C K E T ! L A W N T E N N I S !! F O O T B A L L ! ! ! First Prize Medal at Melbourne Exhibition, 1880. JAMES LILLYWHITE, FROWD & CO., Manufacturers of all articles used in the above and other Athletic Sports. Speciality for the highest class Goods. Bats specially seasoned for hot climates. Price Lists ;n l all parti­ culars may be had post free. Shippers supplied at xcliolesale prices. J. L., F. r.nd Co. are the sole Manufacturers of Frowd’s new patent “ Special Driver ” Bat, which drives better, jars less, and averages 1$ ounces lighter than any other B at; universally allowed to be the greatest improvement made in Bats since cane handles were introduced. Publishers of JAMES LILLY- WHITE’S CRICKETER’S ANNUAL. Manufactory and Ware­ house :—land 6, Newington Causeway and 73 aud 74, Borough Road, London. C E I C K E T . A W e e k l y R c c o r d o l ' l l i e G a .m e ’ THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1882. Vs*- S = J Mr. H. Perkins, the Secretary of Marylebone Club, writes to the Editor— li 1 think it highly desirable tint a Cricket paper should be published weekly under responsible authority. I consider n i one more qualified than yourself, and you shall haot my hearty support." “ Cbicket” can be had at W. H. Smith & Son’s Book Stalls. The first number is out of print. • ^ T E W v O F v g a B g C R I P T j e j 'R “ C r i c k e t ” will be forwarded to any address in Great Britain, fo r the Season of 19 weeks, by first post on Thursday Morning, including piesent issue, for 3/10 4 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 ivorId. TO AD VERTISERS. “ C ricket ” presents an unequalled medium fo r announcement8 in connection with the game. The scores o f most o f th principal Clubs w ill appear exclusively in its columns , and there is already a large number o f subscribers, including most o f the leading players o f the day. “ C ricket ” will be filed too for reference in the Pavilions o f all the principal Clubs and it w ill thus appeal directly to every class o f cricketer. e A limited number o f Advertisements w ill be taken on th follow ing terms — -ri x- £ s. d. For entire Page .. .. 3 3 0 „ Half p a g e .......................... 1 15 O „ Quarter page .. 0 18 6 Narrow column, per inch . 0 2 0 A reduction will be made for the season. THE CEICKET SCANDAL. Up to the present time it does not appear that any steps have bean taken t:> prove or disprove the scandal circulated respecting certain memubrs of Shaw's Eleven just re­ am e d from Australia. It is true that a '^ tion of a semi-official kind ap- -(T>iTYa. ‘ ' peared in a contemporary on Alfred Sliaw’ arrival in Nottingham, but this is hardly enough. A most serious charge has been made against the honesty of two of our most influential professional cricketers. From the first we have been consistent in refusing to believe the truth of the report, and we are still of the same opinion. At the same time, despite the published denial of Alfred Shaw, it must be admitted that there are still grave rumours afloat in England, cir­ culated by men whose position in connec­ tion with the trip gives some responsibility to their statements. It would be idle to deny the fact that even the rumour of the pos­ sible wala titles of players whose names have been regarded as the synonym for manli­ ness and uprightness has shaken the confi­ dence of, at least, a section of the cricket- loving public. It is absolutely necessary, we repeat, in the interests of a game which we are proud to regard as above all suspi­ cion, that the charge so freely circulated should be thoroughly sifted. It will not suffice to urge the apparent improbability of such a story. To argue the difficulties of selling a match will not convince even those who are desirous of being convinced that the whole rumour is a fabrication. More than this is required. It is in the interests of the men whose characters have been attacked that a most complete investigation should be made into the affair. The Australian cricketers ridicule the idea that there is any truth in the story, but as we have already said, the rumour still obtains a cer­ tain amount of credence. In our first number we urged that it was the duty of the Marylebone Club, as the custodian of cricket honour, to institute a searcliiug in­ quiry into the matter. We have seen no reason to change that opinion ; on the con­ trary the revival of the statements confirms the necessity for action. Steps should be taken at once to clear the reputation of two of our best professionals from what we have persistently held to be unfounded charges. The men themselves should long before this have seen that an authoritative and public denial was given by the managers of the team, and in default of such a measure on their account the Marylebone Club should procure an official and explicit contradiction from Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lillywhite. What steps the Committee of M.C.C. intend to take we do not know, but we do know that a request or what may be called a demand has been made by Lord Harris that they should commence proceedings in the case. In the event of any disinclination on their part we understand that the Kentish Cap­ tain is himself prepared to conduct an in­ quiry. In this case he will expect an affi­ davit from each member of the team which Shaw commanded in Australia,duly testifying that there is no foundation for the charges that have been made against two of its members. Testimony of this kind would effectually remove whatever doubt may still exjst. The restoration of public confidence is,we hold, essential to the well-being of the game, and we shall await anxiously the first step taken to securing that end. ^*P/IVIM0N:G0$£IP^ They are the abstracts and brief chronicles of the time.— Hamlet. Ready ; aye, Ready ! * A c o r r e s p o n d e n t has sent the following quotation from Troilus and Cressida, which he considers appropriate to “ C r ic k e t ” :— “ The baby figure of the giant mass of things to come.” Gently, my dear young friend— for you must be young. I am sensible of your good intentions, but you might have pitched your note just one key lower. M o r e Shakespearian mottoes for the Austra­ lian cricketers. “ Thus far have we marched into the bowels of the earth without impediment.” — Packard III. H. H. MASSIE. 1 ‘ Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence. ’ ’— H amlet. W. L. MURDOCH. 0 ! wonderful, wonderful, and most won­ derful, and yet again wonderful! ”—As you Like it. G. E. PALMER. “ He will come straight, look you lay home to him.” — Hamlet. TO ENGLISH CRICKETERS. “ But screw your courage to the stick­ ing place, and we'll not fail.”— Macbeth. Come the three corners of the world in arms and we shall shock them. Nought shall make us rue, if England to itself do rest but true .”—King John. 0. W. BEAL. “ My business in this state made me a looker-on here in Vionna .” — Measure fo r Measure. S ome one suggests that after ail it is quite * By permission of the Australian Sketcher .