Cricket 1893

Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1893. PRIOE 2d. CRICKET NOTCHES. B y the R ev . R . S. H olmes . Cannot a batsman be caught from a ball that has struck against a tree or wall? It would appear not, according to the general usage. But this rule, remember, gets no sanction from the authorized laws. Law No. 22 simply pronounces a batsman out. “ If the ball. . . be held before it tonoh the ground.” Had not the law better be amended so as to cover these excep­ tional cases? As my readers are aware, I am conscientiouslyopposed to the practice of modifying any law to suit anybody’s notions of what is fair and right. Make the laws perfect, and then abide by them. On Saturday last I was watching a match in my own town. It was a second eleven affair, and the wickets were pitched some dis­ tance away from the centre of the ground, and in close proximity to a handsome lime-tree which stands well inside the inclosure, and which an obstinate landlord refuses to cut down. Well, the said tree stopped at least two hits that would have been easy catches to long-off. What if the ball had been caught under the tree either or both times ? Shouldn’t it have been out ? In strict fairness it should. Of course a rebound from a wall is somewhat different, in that owing to bound­ aries on nearly all grounds, the ball would be dead because out of bounds when it struck the wall. Not many years since I was um­ piring — my favourite week-end diversion of late owing to a sprained knee. I was at the bowler’ s wicket; batsman hit ball with terrific force to square-leg, low down. Other umpire had j ust time enough to see ball, and to turn round. Ballhithim full in the back, sailed up straight, and was caught by short-leg. Bowler appealed to me: my reply was a very loud and indignant “ What ? ” And nothing more was said. Afterwards, in the pavilion, I spoke as follows : “ The Laws do not give such a man in, and if you had pressed your point, out he must have gone; but no real sportsman would ever appeal under such cir­ cumstances. Remember a sportsman is, must be, a gentleman, and cricket is for gentlemen only.” I am very glad Somersetshire will play at Sheffield after all. It would have been wholly unworthy of any county to take such extreme action on account of the unsatisfac­ tory wickets provided there. Perhaps too muoh has already been written on this matter. I am convinced the pitch at B ramall Lane is not half as bad as represented. The Oval has also been a handy target for fault­ finders. What would they have thought of the grounds thirty and more years ago? Lord’s was positively dangerous then. I saw oor Summers, of Notts, felled by a ball elivered by Platts, of Derbyshire, and from the effects of whioh the young Notts man never recovered. Perhaps, however, it had been as well could the Yorkshire Committee have given their famous ground a complete rest for this season. It would have been a gain to the ground, and perhaps no loss to their exchequer. W ith two such grounds as those at Leeds and Bradford, there was no absolute necessity to make use of Sheffield. Sometimes I wish all home matches could take place on one and the same ground. Of course this is the case with Nottinghamshire and Surrey, not to include Sussex, and with the happiest results so far as the former are concerned. There is a decided advantage in playing at home when there is but one home county ground. I don’ t see there is, when you happen to possess four or more grounds. Certainly your players are spared sundry expenses incurred in out matches, but that is all. Yorkshire this year have given first-class county matches to Shef­ field, Bradford, Leeds and Hudders­ field, whilst Kent in one and the same season have played at Catford Bridge, Tonbridge, Gravesend, Blackheath, Maidstone, and Canter­ bury. That is to say, they play no oftener on most of their own grounds than do their opponents; no oftener indeed, supposing the same county match be relegated to the same ground year after year. One was always under the im ­ pression that knowing your ground thoroughly was a decided gain both at football and cricket Anyhow, Yorkshire perhaps were lever so strong and successful as in those years when Sheffield boasted the only county enclosure. It would not be feasible to go back to the old regime for a County that can show towns of such importance as Yorkshire can ; their claims cannot be overlooked. When there is but one town of importance in the County, as with Notts, you can act differently. Y e ti should'not be sorry if each of our large West Riding towns took, in turn, all the matches for one season. The ex­ periment might be worth trying. For instance, say Bradford were selected. One result would be that the county treasurer would have a bigger balance in hand than in anv former season, for the Bradford matches always run well into the third day. Turner, the Australian, told me last week as we walked up together from town, that the best grounds in England are those at Bradford and Brighton. I cannot speak confidently about Brighton, but Bradford I know well. Losing the toss there makes but little differ­ ence beyond the fact that a long outing is never the best preparation for successful batting. And I am quite certain there is no ground in the country where the spectators can see so easily all the p lay; stands and terraces are so sloped, and built so high, that everybody looks right over the field of play, and by beirg well above it can follow every detail. As far as seeing the game is concerned, I would just as soon stand in the sixpenny part as have a the MR. S. E. GREGORY (E ig h th A u s tr a lia n Team).