Cricket 1887

APRIL 28, 1S87. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 89 the Colony they thoughtthey ought to do some­ thing Inthe cricket line worthy of the occasion, and determined to have an English team brought out under their auspices and manage­ ment. Having so determined they went to Shaw, Shrewsbury and Lillywhite, told them their project, and invited them to bring out a team m the manner wished, at the same time telling them that if they refused the under­ taking the Trustees should arrange with such of theirteam asthey required and negotiate the matter themselves. Shaw &Co. considered the matter and finally agreed to the proposals. Up to this time I am quite sure Shaw and Co. had no intention whatever of again visiting Australia next season. Having so fixed the matter Lillywhite immediately wrote to England with a view of securing those amateurs whom he wanted, and secured Briggs, Lohmann, Read, Sherwin, with Shrewsbury. The Trustees announced their scheme in the newspapers and then for the first time M.C.C. informed them that they intended bringing out a team. M.C.C. say further that they from the outset intended to ask the Sydney Trustees to co-operate with them in the undertaking, and want the Sydney promoters now to give up their idea and join with Melbourne. This of course the Trustees have declined to do, having become too far involved in their own scheme to think of giving way now, though if M.C.C. intimated to the Trustees in any shape or form that they wished them to join them in bringing out a team I have not the least doubt but that the Sydney management would have done so. A n o t h e r communication from “ F.G.” SAVING TIME. To t h e E d it o r op “ C r ic k e t . ” Sir,—In the first place hear my vow. I never again will lei a letter of mine go in without correcting proof, as I know that my handwriting is no* always legible. My last letter reads, “ if Mr. Spofforth cannot bowl six balls,” instead of “ if Mr. Spofforth can bowl six balls ” (as I fancy I wrote it), as it should have been, for, when writing it, I was in imagination shaking both paws of the Aus­ tralian kangaroo, and patting Mr. Spofforth on the back for his invaluable opinion as to the capabilities of a bowler. If Mr. Spofforth with his great pace can bowl six balls, any bowler in the world who says he can only bowl four has a fair chance of being shunted should the M.C.C. alter the number of balls to five, or possibly six. Now let us see what the saving of time would be by altering overs from four to five balls, and limiting time for each over to thirty seconds sharp. Take 1,800 balls as a low standard of the number of balls bowled in a three-day match which is finished. There would be 450 four-ball overs or 360 five-ball overs. Taking Mr. Spofforth’s estimate of 40 seconds for each over, as at present, the time saved bv five-ball overs, which would save 90 overs (substituting 360 for 450), would be exactly one hour in the match. Making the time for each over 30 seconds instead of 40 seconds would save in 450 overs (as at present) one hour and a quarter, in 360 overs one hour. In addition to the above savings, much time might be gained by playing longer hours. In great matches amateurs and professionals also, like smart soldiers, must not expect to do what they like, but what they are called on to do for the honour of the game, and all should join in preventing waste of time. F. G. [The error in last w eek’s C r ic k e t was our’s, not “ F.G .’s.”— E d .] have a large number of working men, here and in the neighbourhood, who are anxious to play cricket, but who want somebody to lead the way and show them how. A Saturday afternoon game in Victoria Park would be a novel experience to some of our gentlemen cricketers. If gentlemen cannot come and play regularly through the summer, can they come once or twice and play with the men just to encourage us; or if they cannot do that, can they give us old or new cricket things, bats, balls, stumps, pads, flannels, or caps ? I earnestly recommend these sugges­ tions to the consideration of cricketers; probably they little know how good and useful such a work may be.—Yours faithfully, J. G. A d d e r l e y . Oxford House, Bethnal Green, N. I h a v e much pleasure in giving pub­ licity to the following appeal:— S ir ,— May I through the medium of your columns appeal to ■cricketers to give some of their spare time to East London? We T h e Daily News has the following remarks on the Brotherhood of Cricket, induced by a similar letter from Mr. Adderley:— T h e B r o t h e r h o o d o f C r ic k e t . —These Universities settlements in the East End try to make life a little more diverting to their young neighbours by giving social entertain­ ments andlectures in the winter, and by playing cricket with them in the summer. People who have lectured at Toynbee Hall will probably admit thatthey have nevermet a more friendly, appreciative, intelligent, and jolly audience. No doubt the cricket is on the same level, and catches are made as smartly as allusions are taken. But money is needed, and coaching is needed. We sincerely trust that our cricketing readers will help these East End clubs in both ways—by subscriptions, and by devoting some Saturday afternoons to play in Victoria Park. The results will be good for cricket all round, and it is always good for men of all sorts and stations to meet at the wicket and in the field. More diversion worthy of the name is what hundreds of thousands of us need in thistown, and there is no diversion that can compete with cricket. It is, or should be, a school of temper and manners as well as of muscles, not to speak of theintellectual discipline of bowling “ head-balls.” Mr. J. G. Aaderley is the person for cricketers to apply to, or send cheques to, if they cannot go themselves and play in Victoria Park. A T o ron to correspondent and pro­ minent Canadian cricketer writes me that the Gentlemen of Canada are announced to leave Toronto on June 29, on the first stage of their journey to England. On the following morning they are to reach Seabriglit, where they are to meet Twelve Gentlemen of New York, on June 29 and 30. Seabright is the scene of the inter­ national match between America and Canada last year, and the opportunity will be taken of the Canadians’ visit to give them a banquet. They are to be the guests of Mr. Herman Clarke at dinner in New York on the evening of Dominion Day, and the following morning are to sail in the Anchor Line steamer “ Furnessia,” for Dublin. The party will.consist of the following players:— Allan, A. C., Toronto Feme, R. B., Hamilton Gillespie, A., Hamilton Henry, W., jun., Hali­ fax, N.S. Harley, F., Guelph Jones, G. W., St. John, N.B. Jones, W. W., Toronto Lindsey, G. G. S., To­ ronto (secretary) Little, W. C., Ottawa Ogden,Dr.E.R.,Upper CanadaCollege Saunders, D. W., To­ ronto Vickers, W. W., Tor. And another. draw, owing to business reasons, and his place will be filled from the province of Quebec. Mr. H. P. Perry, of the Trinity College School, Port Hope, will accompany the team as Umpire, and Mr. R. C. Dick­ son as Scorer. T h e Committee of the St. George’s Club, Hanover Square, have kindly invited the team to become honorary members of the Club during their stay in England. Mr. W. G. Grace has been unable to secure the use of the Clifton College ground on August 12 and 13, and the fixture arranged for the Canadians for those days has, con­ sequently, had to be altered. They will play instead on Mr. Tankerville Cham- berlayne’s ground at Yatton, Somerset­ shire, where there is every reason to believe they will be most hospitably entertained. The managing lion. Sec. of the Kent County Club has been good enough to send me the names of the players from whom the eleven to take part in the first fixture of the season, against Marylebone Club and Ground at Lord’s on May 16, 17 and 18, will be selected. The thirteen are as follow:—Rev. R. T. Thornton, Messrs. M. C. Kemp, W. H. Patterson, L. Wilson, J. N. Tonge, A. M. Streatfeild, and A. J. Thornton; G. G. Hearne, F. Hearne, A. Hearne, Wootton, Martin, and Walter Hearne. A n o t h e r cricketer turned Benedict. On Tuesday last Mr. Leonard Stokes, the old International Rugby Union footballer, well known in connection with the Black­ heath Cricket Club, was married at All Saints’, Blackheath, to Miss Ethel Spur- ling, a sister of the brothers Spurling, of Rugby Union Football fame. Mr. Stokes, one of a brotherhood of cricketers and footballers, played occasionally for Kent some few summers ago, and is President of the Rugby Football Union for the year. O n more than one occasion during the winter I have hinted at the probability of the visit of another party of Aus­ tralian cricketers to England during the course of next summer. I am now able to state that it has been definitely arranged to send a team “ home” in 1888. The undertaking will be under the manage­ ment of the Trustees of the Association Ground at Sydney, and, if he can get away, Mr. C'. W. Beal, who had the direction of affairs when the Third Aus­ tralian Team—the best the Colonies have as yet sent us—were here, will accom­ pany the team. Mr. Bell, of Montreal, has had to with­ P e r c y M c D o n n e l l , who has been in such brilliant form this winter in the Colonies, will, it is expected, act as captain of the team, and in addition there will be C. Turner, whose wonderful success with the ball has been the most