Cricket 1884

52 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. APRIL 17, 1884. yards for men, bnt varying according to the size of the player.” I wonder how the writer would have managed when Bonnor and Bannerman were together, if these bats­ men had lived in the year 1830. Here is another leap in the dark— “ The ball for the use of men should weigh about five ounces ; for youth, however, it should be lighter.” The weight of the ball was fixed by law then, as now, though nothing was said about the circumference. The size of the wickets is given at twenty-four inches by seven inches, though they had been fixed at twenty-eight inches by eight inches thirteen years before. There is a fine piece of advice which must have puzzled the wits of those who sought to profit by it. “ A s ’ soon as the ball is delivered the striker may follow it, but should not run too far, so that if no runs be obtained, he may return in time to save his wicket.” It is clear that the non-striker is referred to. Here is a piece of counsel which has been given and taken in more rece^; times. “ The bowler and his partner at the opposite wicket should have a secret sign, by which they may hint to each other the propriety of varying the direction or swiftness of the balls.” The difference,between wides and byes was recognised by the laws in 1830, but the Boy's Pook calls wides byes. If umpires consulted the book to learn their duties, which is ver}r improbable, they would be mystified to learn that “ If the striker shall run a notch, the umpire shall call no-notch.” These selections will showhow imperfectly the man who took upon himself the office of cricket tutor fulfilled his task, and how bewildering was tho account he gave about a pursuit which he professed to admire. Still he was a reformer, and though he suggested no alterations in double wickets, he said about single wicket, “ The distance between the wickets is ^precisely the same as in double wicket, consequently the runner has twice the ground to win, in obtaining each notch*; but we would suggest that this evil might be remedied by running only a little more than half the usual distance. By this method single wicket would be rendered much less fatiguing, and far more lively and amusing, at least to the batsman.” ZOUAVE CLUB. April 26, at Dulwich v. Royal Insurance May 8 , at Clapham, v. St. Joseph’s College May 10, at Sydenham, v. Sydenham and Forest Hill Ibay 17, at Blackheath, v. Trafalgar May 24, at Bayswater, v. St. Charles’ College May 81, at Barnes, v. Hanover United June 2, at Barnes, v. Shamrock June 4, at Blackheath, v. Blackheath Proprietary School June 7, at Lower Sydenham, V. Commercial Union Assurance June 14, at Lower Sydenham, v. St. Joseph’s College June 21, at Lower Sydenham, v. Columbia June 28, at Lower Sydenham, v. Royal Insurance July 5, at Lower Sydenham, v. St. George’s July 12, at Lower Sydenham, v. Cassland July 19, at Lower Sydenham, v. Elm July 26, at Lower Sydenham, v. Hanover United August 2, at Lower Sydenham, v. St. George’s August 4, at Lower Sydenham, v. Shamrock August 5, at Lower Sydenham, v. St. Edmund’s College August 9, at Loughborough, v. Commercial Union Assurance August 16, at Lower Sydenham, v. Sydenham and Forest Hill August 23, at Lower Sydenham, v. Trafalgar August 30, at Eton and Middlesex Ground, v. Elm Sept. 6 , at Honor Oak, v. Columbia, Sept. 13, at Lower Sydenham, v. Cassland Peter Gardner, Hon. Secretary, 126, Chancery Lane, W.C. GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY CLUB. The annual meeting of the members of the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club -was held at the Grand Hotel, Bristol, Captain Warren in the chair. The balance-sheet for the past year was as under:— R eceip ts. £ ei. d To Balance from last account ..................... 2570 11 To Middlesex Match, Gate M oney.............. 173 7 0 To Somerset....................................................... 79 12 6 To Yorkshire...................................................... 89 4 6 To Lancashire.................................................. 160 15 6 To Nottingham and Surr'ey Matches at Cheltenham .................................................. 140 0 0 Privilege to Sell Refreshments at Clifton and Gloucester.............................................. 56 10 0 To Annual Subscriptions.............................. 437 1^ 2 To Life Members.............................................. 21 0 0 Total..........................................£1,415 5 7 P ayments . By Expenses of Players.................................. 520 7 0 By Preparing Grounds .................................. 55 7 8 By Umpires....................................................... 58 3 0 By Scorers and Telegraph Men .................. 41 5 0 By Materials, Tent Hire, Presentation Bats, &c............................................................ 81 12 2 By Money and Check Takers ...................... 27 7 6 By Printing, Bill-posting, Postage, Adver­ tising, &c......................................................... 76 9 8 By Committee Rooms and Annual Meeting 1 0 2 By Clifton Co’ lege, for Stand, Carpentry,&c. 35 18 0 By Police .......................................................... 14 8 0 By Auditor’s F ee.............................................. 3 8 0 By Secretary’s Salary...................................... 60 0 0 By other Expenses .......................................... 8 4 0 By Balance......................................................... 432 0 5 Total..........................................£1,415 5 7 The Secretary stated that the council of Clifton College did not wish the Committee to play more than three matches there. With the Philadelphian fixtures the County would have three extra matches this year. The retiring members of the committee were re-appointed, and the secretary’s salary confirmed. A bonus of £25, it was added, had also been awarded to the secre­ tary in recognition of special exertions in the interests of the Club. The Chairman reported that out of the balance the Committee had also determined to give £50 towards the Clifton College Racquet Court, as some acknowledgment for the generosity with which the college had lent them the ground for nothing for ten or eleven years. MA TCH E S FOR N E X T W E E K . SATURDAY, A pril 19. At Basford, Ruddington V. Basford Park At Bromborough, Sefton Park v. Bromborough At Clifton. Long Eaton v. Clifton At Huddersfield, Lascelles Hall v. Huddersfield United At Mortlake, Bellevue v. St. Mary the Less At Newstead, Westwood v. Newstead Colliery At Peckham Rye, Cliftonville v. Globe At Pleasley, Annesley v. Pleasley At Tooting Common, Streatham Hill v. Wandsworth Manor S urrey B icycle C lub .— S pring M eeting . —Kennington Oval, April 26, commencing at 3 o’clock. Ten Miles Scratch Race (Open).—First Prize, 50 Guinea Challenge Cup and Gold Medal of the Club ; Second Prize, Silver Medal. Entrance Fee, 5s. One Mile Handicap (Open).—Four Prizes, valued 10, 5, 3, and 2 guineas. Entrance Fee, 2s. 6d. One Mile Invitation Tricycle Scratch Race. Prize valued 5 guineas. Two Miles Handicap (Club). Entries close Saturday, April 19, to the Hon. Sec., G. J. Hasell, 17, Mount Pleasant Road, Lewis­ ham, S.E: Handicapper, G. P. Coleman, Esq., N.C.U, * ! - C ® I ^ E g P 0 p E f i C E > We are not responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents. No communications can be in­ serted unless they bear the name and address of the writer, as a proof of good faith, not necessarily for publication. LAW X. To the E ditor of “ C kicket .” S ie .—A suggestion made by me for an amendment of Law X. having been noticed in your paper, I think it right to inform you that the committee of the M.C.C. fully con­ sidered my proposal, and came to the con­ clusion that the wording of the Law is suf­ ficient, if properly enforced by umpires. In the portion of the new code relating to umpires words are proposed, which it is hoped will keepmore strongly before umpires than hitherto their duty in respect of that Law. Taking these reasons into considera­ tion, and having great hopes that the agree­ ment which has been entered into between some of the principal counties will have a good effect in the encouragement of fair bowling only, it is not my intention to bring forward any amendment at the coming meeting. Yours truly, B essborough . THE FOURTH AUSTRALIAN TEAM. To the E ditor of “ C ricket .” D ear S ir , —When I saw in the February Number of C ricket the letter of “ Sweet Seventeen ” commenting on the absence of a match between the Past and Present of Oxford University and the Australians, I expected there would be some correspondence on the subject. As, however, there has been none, please allow me a small space in your valuable paper to say that in my humble opinion it seems hardly fair to the cricketers (Past and Present) of Oxford University for the Past and Present of Cambridge to have a match with the Australians and for Oxford to have no similar fixture. Surely a match with the Past and Present of Oxford would be as interesting, both to the Australians themselves and to the general public; and if such a match could be ar­ ranged I should not bo at all surprised to see the Oxonians beat the Colonials. I am, &c., C. A . A tk in s. CHARTERHOUSE SCHOOL. May 24, at Broadwater, 7 . Broadwater May 31, at Charterhouse, v. M.C.C. June 7, at Charterhouse, v. Esher June 11, at Charterhouse, v. Brasenose College June 14,at Charterhouse, v. Butterflies June 18, at Charterhouse, 2nd XI. v. Broadwater June 25, at Charterhouse, 2nd XI. v. Upper Tooting July 3, at Charterhouse, v. Old Carthusians July 5, at Wellington, v. Wellington College July 9, at Eashing, 2nd XI. v. Eashing July 12, at Charterhouse, v. Aldershot Division July 16, at Charterhouse, v. I Zingari July 26, at Charterhouse, v. Westminster School Aug. 2, at Charterhouse, v. Rev. W. Rom an,s XI. Aug. 6-7, at Brighton, v. Gents of Sussex. A n additional fixture has been made for the Australians on June 23 and two follow^ ing days, at Liverpool. They will be opposed by an eleven of the District.