Cricket 1893

fS Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.5’— Byron • No. 331 VOL. XII. Registered for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 18S3 PRICE 2d. CRICKET NOTCHES. B y the R ev . R . S. H olmes . I used to think that a cricket reporter passed about the pleasantest life imaginable ; I think so no longer. I often envied him, snugly es- concedat the right elevation and at the right angle, spending the entire summer watching the most delightful of out­ door games. And I daresay many others have shared these senti­ ments. It is a case of ignorance being bliss. Granted that on every ground the best accommodation is provided, that there is ample work­ ing space, comfortable seats, writ­ ing slopes wide enough to hold a variety of papers, the best view of the game commanded (that is, of course, the end in view) ; granted that the reporting box is free from draughts, and well-sheltered from the weather, that it is near enough to the scorer’s box, and handy enough to the telegraph office, for constant communication to be maintained with the least possible exertion and waste of tim e; granted all this, and there yet remains this one stern fact, that the men to whom we are indebted for sundry daily pleasures put in an immense amount of very hard work indeed all through the match and for some hours afterwards. They must be all eyes, every ball watched, every hit noted, every run analysed. The exact Greenwich time when two batsmen come together, of whom it can never be predicted that they purpose a long and profitable part­ nership, and I know not what else —all has to be recorded for the benefit of the public at large. Then think of the labour entailed by our half-penny evening papers all over the country, six or seven editions appearing nightly. Fancy one man — a friend of mine — supplying cricket matter to at least thirty of these papers, all of which have several editions; that means that some 200 telegrams have to be written at various stated intervals, each being sent off so as to be in time for the special we are wont to get in order to learn the state of the game at a certain time. No, gentle reader, be thankful you and I can enjoy a match freed from the strain in­ separable from the men in the box, that we can take a stroll whenever bo disposed, and are under no necessity to be in at the start or at the death. Theirs is downright hard work, yours and mine is a pleasant diversion. Occasionally I go and have a look at them at their work. And let us give ungrudging honour where it is thus due. If you are old enough to remember the reports given of matches 30 or 35 years ago, then be thankful that you have been spared to read all about “ Cricket as she is played ” in the last decade of the nineteenth century. I wish all our cricket grounds would banish foolish and irksome restrictions. I mention edition J. MEE (O f N o tts). See page 186. no names, but surely it is pushing matters to a ridiculous length when representatives of the press are refused admission into the pavilion when on business bent. It is bad enough to fence your ground with iron rails, and allow nobody to step on to the enclosure during the luncheon interval or between the inn­ ings. If we could only get the Uni­ versity match on these grounds, there would have to be a change in this respect. Imagine the ladies being denied the oppor­ tunity of parading the ground, as happens at Lord’s. One of the most charming spectacles of the season would thereby be lost. Some few years ago I had a letter from W.G.,asking me, if possible, to meet him on one of our northern cricket grounds. I was not a mem­ ber of the County Club in question, just be­ cause my house at the time was, say, 50 miles away from the head-quarters of the game. I went to the match: paid two shil­ lings to get into the reserved space: enquired at the pavilion for the Champion. He was soon in evi­ dence, and would have taken me in as his guest, but was not permitted until he had first of all obtained special permission from th« County Secretary. I never wTould have believed such an act of discourtesy could be shown to W.G. on any cricket ground in any part of the world. It was an eye-opener to us both. The past week has witnessed a splendid triumph for Yorkshire, Surrey, and, in a lesser degree, for Sussex. The week before Middle­ sex were at the top. Yorkshire are now. It is scarcely possible for Southerners to form any adequate conception of the unbounded en­ thusiasm at the present moment of all Tykes. Everybody up here is a genuine lover of sport—football, racing, and cricket, and everybody can talk intelligently upon his favorite pastime. Just now the cricket fever is upon us ; and the county’s present place at the head of the list has evoked the heartiest and most appreciative recognition. We can whop creation now- Already I hear of sundry bets; your genuine Yorkshiremen does love to have something on—a few shillings only — not for the sake of gambling, but simply because his interest in his sport thus receives a fresh fillip. I tell all my friends to keep their shillings in their own pocket; the only answer I get is a significant wink, accompanied by a tap of the nose with the forefinger. One of the foolish ones told me on Satur­ day he had backed Yorkshire, at evens, to beat Notts in the averages this season. I told him he had better have taken on Surrey. Hi3 reply was, W e can only hope for the best when Shuter and Co. come Sheffield-way next Monday. Yes, it was a big week for ,l our coonty.” Losing the toss twice, and yet running home first on both occasions. And the call for inn­ ings meant much, especially at Leeds last week. Mondaj7, a blank through rain. Tuesday, the ground decidedly on the soft