Cricket 1891

4-68 CEICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME; NOV. 26, 1891 Middlesex, Kent, Notts,Yorkshire, Sussex, and Lancashire were unfavourable either because they had not been con­ sulted, or because they were of opinion that the visit was inad­ visable. Mr. Laverton, who enter­ tained the last team, was not desirous of another match, and Somersetshire, who were written to, agreed with the opposi­ tion. On the other side Gloucestershire, Surrey, Essex,Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Oxford University, Cam­ bridge University, the United Service C.C., at Portsmouth, the Lyric Club, the Hastings "Week, and the Scarborough Week, have all expressed their readiness to make matches. Applications have also been received in the same direction from Glasgow, Carlisle, Northampton­ shire, and Middlesbro’, for a North of Eng­ land match. Invitations have been ex­ tended by the Hon. IvoBligh for a South of England Match at Gravesend, and one for a similar fixture at Tunbridge Wells. The Marylebone Club, like Desdemona, appeared to “ perceive a divided duty.” At least, the reply was that, before con­ senting to arrange fixtures with the Australians, the Committee would like to know if the counties had been consulted, and what their views were on the subject. We ourselves have consistently expressed the view that all tours of English and other cricketers should be under the auspices of some responsible and sub­ stantial body. At the same time, no arguments that can be called con­ clusive have been used to prove the injury which it is alleged is done to English oricket by these Australian visits. Nor as far as we are aware,with very few exceptions, notably the team which visited Australia under the auspices of the Mel­ bourne Club, some six years ago, and the invitation to English Amateurs from the Germantown C.C. of Philadelphia this summer, have English touring combina­ tions taken much pains to ask the consent of the ruling bodies in Australia, America, or South Africa—at all events in the form as now suggested. Under practi­ cally similar conditions two English teams will this winter be heartily welcomed in Australia and South Africa. The enthusiastic reception given to Lord Sheffield’s Team on their arrival, and the liberality shown them, in par­ ticular by the Melbourne Club, which has given them the free use of its ground for all their matches, only serves to em­ phasise the regret that Mr. Cohen’s proposal to bring an Australian com­ bination here has not met with a better response. At the same time we feel sure that the real meaning of what opposition there is will be understood by the Austra­ lian public. The objection that the English Clubs have not been consulted they are hardly likely to take seriously. That there is a strong feeling, and in influen­ tial quarters, that there should be longer intervals between the tours has been fully shown by the combined opposition in the present instance. It will be essential, too, for the success of any team that it should be thoroughly repre­ sentative. We are confident that the Australians themselves will take these suggestions in thoroughly good part. That we are not by any means alone in the opinions we have expressed will be found by a perusal of more than one of the London papers during the last week. The following leader from the Standard of Monday last, may be taken as a practical and commonsense view of the situation. “ P e k v e r s e fortune seems to follow Lord Sheffield in all his efforts for the en­ couragement of cricket. He has only just begun his tour in Australia, after encountering innumerable difficulties in getting his team there—and simultan­ eously the people of the Colony have been infoimed by cablegram that the First-class Counties in England have practically resolved to prevent the visit of the Australian team which it was pro­ posed to send to this country next Spring. We hope this intimation will not excite a feeling prejudicial to the success of Lord Sheffield’s undertaking, but seeing how easily the susceptibilities of the Colonists are wounded, it would be use­ less to attempt to disguise the possibility of such a result. Of the nine First-class Counties, seven have declared against the proposed visit from Australia, and two in its favour ; while the Universities and several of the principal Second-class Counties are prepared to support it. The Marylebone Club, strangely enough, ex­ presses no opinion. One would think that on a question of this sort the body which is supposed to control the game would be the first to signtfy its approval or disapprobation ; but, having done nothing to assist the Counties when they were combined in Council, it now waits to be guided by their individual action. Such a course is not worthy of the history and purpose of the Club. Two objections appeared to be raised to the projected visit—one that the Counties should have been consulted before the arrangements were made, and the other that these tours are becoming too frequent. There is not much force in the first objection. When the matter was before the County Cricket Council in 1889, it was resolved that in future it would be convenient if teams proposing to make tours in this country would first obtain the consent of the County Clubs. That is exactly what the mana­ gers of the Australian team have been endeavouring to do, and they have given abundant notice before the annual meet­ ing for the arrangement of match lists. As to the second objection, it is entirely a matter of opinion whether the visits afe too frequent when made every other year. We have never been able to dis­ cover in what way they are believed to have worked harm to English cricket. They have done very little, if anything, to diminish the attendances at Countv matches; we cannot imagine that they involved pecuniary losses to the County Clubs, though, perhaps, in some instances, the Colonial players have claimed too large a proportion of the receipts ; and nobody would be bold enough to suggest that they have tended to lower the standard of play in this country. How, then, have they had an adverse influence upon the game ? It would afford some satisfaction to the cricketing public, who certainly favour the visits, if the County Committees that object would explain the precise manner in which the damage has been effected. The Counties have a per­ fect right to manage their business in their own w ay ; at the same time, they are under certain obligations towards their supporters, and they may fairly be asked to state frankly the nature and the extent of the ha m done to cricket by the periodical tours of Australian Elevens. There is still a cordial feeling entertained by the English public for the Australian cricketers, and it is to be hoped the action of the Counties will not be misunderstood in the Colonies. Until this incident occurred, the prospects before Lord Shef­ field’s team were of the most encourag­ ing character. Alike in batting, in bowl­ ing, and in fielding the Eleven are re­ markably strong, and, as the Colonists are naturally anxious to see Mr. Grace, who has not visited Australia since 1873, good attendances at the various matches seemed to be assured. In fact, Lord Sheffield has provided just what wa wanted to revive the interest in criekcj. in centres like Melbourne and Sydney and we trust his enterprise will be fully, successful, in spite of the action of the County Clubs at home.” The resolutions passed by Kent and Notts will be found in the reports of the meetings of the respective Clubs, which appear in other parts of the paper. A joint protest of Yorkshire and Lan­ cashire has also been furnished officially to several of the papers. It is stated to be signed by Messrs. M. J. Ellison, President, and J. B. Wostinholm secretary, of the Yorkshire County C.C., on the one hand, by Messrs. Richard Gorton, Chairman, and S. H. Swire, hon. sec. of the Lancashire County C.C., on the other. It runs thus, we understand. “ We, the undersigned representatives ol our respective counties, being of opinion that the visit of an eleven from Australia duriDg the ensuing season is extremely undesirable, hsreby intimate to you that, in the event of such visit taking place, it is not our intention to make any fixtures with the visitors, and further, that the professionals of our several counties will not be available for any repre­ sentative matches with them.” Somersetshire has taken the same view as Middlesex, and in a recent num­ ber of the Sporting L ife , Mr. H. E. Murrey-Anderdon, one of the joint Honorary Secretaries, gave the following as the reply of his Committee to the enquiry if Somersetshire proposed to make fixtures:— We think the counties should have bsen consulted before an Australian visit was arranged, and we think such frequent visits prejudicial to our English County Cricket. The Somersetshire committee also, it is added, wrote to the committee of the Marylebone Club asking them to kindly use their influence against the proposed Australian visit next year. This action reads a little curious by the light of the committee’s report at the annual meeting of the County Club only a few days before. An account of this will be found in another part of the r NEXT ISSUE DECEMBER 81