Cricket 1883

454 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. d e c . 27, xsss. B O Y L E «Se S C O T T ' S AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS’ GUIDE, 1882-3. With fall and complete account of Hon, Ivo Bligh’s Team in Australia, The Austra­ lians in England, America and Australia; Inter-Colonial Matches, Club Averages, and other Interesting Matter. PR ICE 2s. 6 d. PUBLISHED BY W R I G H T & CO. (T h e C k icket P r e ss ), IT , Paternoster* Square , LONDON, E.C. N O T I C E S . Vol. II. will be ready January 10. It contains P ortraits and B io g r a ph ie s of Twenty-One celebrated Cricketers, together with the most reliable Australian News, P avilio n G ossip , Special Articles by Author of “ C r ic k e t F ie l d ,” and the Best Writers on Cricket. C r ic k e t can be had at W . H. Smith and Son’s Book Stalls, and of all Newsagents. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. C r ic k e t will beforwarded by first post after publication to any address in Great Britain, for twelve months, on receipt of a Postal Order for 6a. or la. 3d. for six Winter Numbers (with two last issues). Post Office Orders and Cheques can be made payable to W . R. W r ig h t , at the lieai office, and crossed “ London and County, Holborn C r ic k e t is registered for transmission abroad and can be sent postfree, at the regular newspaper rates of postage to a n y part of the world. The remaining issuesfor the Winter are Thursday, Jan. 31. i I Thursday, Feb, 28. Thursday, iviar. 28- A limited number of high-elass Advertisements will be taken on terms to be obtained of the Manager. For ordinary Advertisements, the charge will toe 31- per inch narrow column, The next number of Cricket w ill be published on January 3 1 , 1884 . Th is will be the First o f Vol. I l l, Subscriptions for 12 M onths, post free, 6 s . 1 (Ettcftet: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27 , 1883. CRICKETERS IN^COUNCIL. T h e meeting, held recently at Lord’s, mainly for the discussion of the best method of checking the dubious action now so common among bowlers, was in every sense a representative one. The result of its deliberations showed that on the main question of doubtful de­ liveries there was really only one opinion. It was universally admitted that the in­ fringement of Law 10 was not confined to one County, or to one particular class or division of players. And yet the col­ lective wisdom of a most influential gathering of cricketers failed, after an exhaustive debate, to provide a remedy which could be regarded as satisfactory by all. There was no difference of opinion about the main fact, the neces­ sity for a resolute enforcement of the law relating to fair bowling. The unani­ mous request to the Marylebone Club to instruct all the umpires in County matches to carry out that rule in its in­ tegrity showed a common agreement as to the need of resolute action. It was only the question of its really stringent application which gave rise to a diver­ gence of opinions. Mr. I. D. Walker’s proposal, that the nine principal Counties should unite to bind themselves not to employ any bowler whose action might fairly be considereddubious, met with op­ position from three of the shires inter­ ested. It was urged that such a combi­ nation would be to undermine the posi­ tion of the Marylebone Club as the ad­ ministrator of the laws, as well as to usurp the office of the umpires, who are the sole judges of fair and unfair play. On the other hand it was generally ad - mitted that the umpires had not fully recognized the responsibilities of their position. The admission of Lord Harris that the Marylebone Club had done all they possibly could without the desired effect, made the necessity of collective action of the Counties the more urgent. It is, therefore, the more to be regretted that the agreement not to employ any doubtful bowler was not signed by Lan­ cashire, Gloucestershire, and Sussex, as well as the other six shires. The critics who have dealt with the resolution agreed to by Surrey, Kent, Derbyshire, Middle­ sex, Notts and Yorkshire, are many of them of opinion that no step has really even now been taken to remedy the abuse of unfair bowling. The contention is that no County is likely to consider its own bowlers unfair, and in consequence the scheme will be practically inopera­ tive. There is a good deal in the argu­ ment, and the meeting perhaps might have taken more decided steps with ad­ vantage. Still, if the Counties all adopt the resolution in the true interests of the game, as it is probable all the nine will, there will be no difficulty in carrying it out in the letter as well as the spirit. It is to the prevention of a lapse of the young and rising bowlers into the doubt­ ful style of action, now so prevalent, that the efforts of those who desire the uni­ versal adoption of a legitimate delivery should be chiefly directed. The develop­ ment of cricket is retarded by the lack of encouragement given to genuine bowling, and those who wield the destinies of the Counties have every incentive to study the general welfare of the game, regardless of their own interests or of special rights. - ^ c p ^ v m i e N v G B S g i p ^ The abstract and brief chronicle of the time,— Hamlet, As more than one paragraph has ap­ peared in the sporting press to the effect that the Australian team to visit Eng­ land next summer will not be thoroughly representative of the whole of the Colonies, I may state authoritatively that such statements have not the slightest foundation in fact. I ndeed , the latest advices from Aus­ tralia show that Mr. G. Alexander, who may be considered the promoter of the tour, will be accompanied by the full strength of Colonial cricket. Nothing definite will be done with regard to the completion of the team until after the Inter-Colonial match, to be commenced at Melbourne on Boxing Day. It is intended to play a series of preliminary matches (possibly as many as ten) in Australia. I believe that ten of the team may fairly be considered as fixed, and the trials will be arranged with a view to secure the best players to fill the three vacant places. T he Australian papers are fairly making capital out of the mammoth total of C80 made by East Melbourne against Fitzroy, a score of which appears in another column. The Jolimonters, as the East Melbourners are termed at home, won by an innings and 601 runs, and the Australasian thinks that this is the most decisive victory ever gained in a match on Victorian soil or elsewhere. I should fancy it is, too, myself. Modern Society is responsible for the announcement of the forthcoming mar­ riages of two well-known amateur cricketers. According to that paper it is expected that the wedding of the Hon. Ivo Bligh with Miss Florence Morphy will take place at Melbourne in February next. From the same source I learn that the marriage of Mr. Charles*Carlos Clarke and Miss Orpen, is to be celebra­ ted at Mamhead, Derbyshire, on Jan. 8. Both gentlemen are members of I Zin­ gari, though Mr. Clarke is, perhaps, best known in connection with Esher and Surrey cricket, and both are deservedly popular. Mr. Clarke’s varied powers of entertainment have contributed to the amusement of cricketers many a time and oft. The well-known line in Henry IV . might very appropriately be applied to him :— I am not only witty myself, but the cause that wit is in other men. Next Number of CRICKET will be publUhed Thursday, January 31.