Cricket 1894

MAT 17, 1894 SlRICKETs k WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAMB, 187 like myself to account for the eccentric course Davidson, the fast bowler of Derbyshire, takes to reach the wicket be­ fore he delivers the ball. Personally my first impression was that he had modelled himself on thep'.ttern of “ Bound the Corner Smith.” But I was evidently wrong. The Sun reporter who visited the Oval last week to describe the match between Surrey and Derbyshire has hit it exactly. After the graphic explanation which follows there can be no longer any doubt. Richardson, when he bowls on a wet wicket, generally leaves a tern track bfhind theciease. This morning the marks of his feet were plainly visible behind the stumps at the pavilion end. To avoid the rut, and to get a sure footing Davidson, who started the bowling for Derbyshire, took his run ac an angle of forty-five degrees from the left. *■A torn track behind the crease ” is gocd, decidedly good ! ” Q u e r n m o r e House School, Bromley, would seem to have a young cricketer on whom those interested would do well to keep their eyes. In their opening match against Shirley House School, played at Bromley (Kent) on Wednesday of last week, the Quernmore boys closed their innings on the fall of the ninth wicket. The total at the time was 143, of which Cyril Armstrong’s share was 102 not out. In young Armstrong the Quernmore authorities are of opinion there is all the making of a really good bat. They ought to know, as the School his been the nursery of not a few good cricketers—P. de L. Solbe and R. 0 . Schwartz among the number. L o r d H a w k e ' s objection to play on a wicket which had been protected from the rain at Old Trafford on Monday, could hardly have been a surprise to those who were responsib’e for the preparation of the pitch. The fierce light which now beats on county cricket does not fcive much encouragement for experiments. There is no better sportsman than the Yorkshire captain, and it is quite certain that if he could consistentlv have gone out of his way to give effect to a departure which was intended solely to further the interests of a deservedly popular pro­ fessional he would have strained a point. C r ic k e t , though, is regulated by certain rules. It is moreover an unwritten law, the outcome of established usage, that no artificial covering is admissible in the preparation of pitches for County matches. Some few years ago the Surrey Committee went to considerable trouble and expense to provide an elabor­ ate awning of sufficient size to protect thoroughly, not only the wicket itself, but a sufficient margin outside. Unfortu­ nately their care and money were both wasted. The system broke down at the very first trial. The Sussex Captain will no doubt remember the case, for, unless I am mistaken, it was he who objected, and rightly, to the pitch which had been so carefully safeguarded from the rain. In any case it was the Captain of one of the earlier Australian teams. As the author of “ At the Sign of the Wicket ” says patly, at the close of his article on tactics, “ Let us have a fair field and the rigour of the game.’ ’ T h o u g h he does not happen to have any official connection, after all, with the South African team, C r ic k e t readers are hardly likely to forget that Mr. H. G. Cadwallader, who reached London in “ The Scot ” last Saturday, was mainly responsible for the first visit of South African cricketers to England. It was, indeed, the result of his initiative, as well as of his subsequent organization, that the scheme eventually came into the sphere of practical politics. Mr. Cadwallader, I may also say, is the Hon. Sec. of the South African Cricket Association, under whose auspices the tour is practically tak­ ing place. Mr. C., whose headquarters will be at the Tavistock Hotel, is accom­ panying the team as the representative of some of the leading South African papers. It is hardly necessary to bespeak for him a hearty welcome at the hands of Eng­ lish Cricketeis. C a p t . B a r r o n , whose sudden death a few days ago will have been the cause of considerable regret to a large number of cricketers, was a well-known personality at Lord's, the Oval, ai d, indeed, on most of the principal cricket grounds in the Metropolitan circuit. The Barron brothers were conspicuous as sportsmen even in that most sporting ofinstitutions, the Stock Exchange. One of the fraternity, well-known in connection with Kensington Park, Incogniti, M.C.O., and the Surrey County C.C., was present at the annual dinner of the Incogs last Friday. It is only a w< ek or two, indeed, since I saw the captain himself, and in apparently the best of health and spirits. I n compliance with the undertaking given at the recent general meeting, the committee of M.C.O. have invited the opinions of the leading clubs on the subject of the alternative suggestions which have been made by way of amend­ ment of the existing rule. The three proposals are as follow :—1. To raise the margin of runs from 80 to 150. 2. For the present law to substitute the follow­ ing :—-“ The side which goes in second may be required to follow their innings, if they shall have scored 80 runs less than the other side.” 3. To abolish the law of “ Follow on ” altogether. In the event of this last being adopted, it will be necessary to alter Law 54, so as to enable the in-side to close their innings at any time after the first day. These proposed altt rations, I may add, do not apply to one day matches. T h e circular inviting the opinions of the various clubs contains a request that they should be returned within this week. Personally my leaning is towards the first of the three propositions, with per­ haps a reduction of the margin to 120. No. 1 is generally a safe guide. A m o r e interesting function than that of last Friday night at Limmer's Hotel has not come within my experience—and it is a long one, fortunately or unfor­ tunately— of cricket. Though the occa­ sion was an ordinary one, to wit, the annual dinner of the Incogniti C.C., the attraction which drew together such a large muster of Past and Present Incogs was quite out of the common. One object was paramount in inducing the gatherin'-, and that was to do honour to the ruling Councillor, Sir A. W . L. Hemming, to whoss untiring and devoted services for tv enty-four years the great success of the Incogniti Club has been entirely due. T h e testimonial took the form of a pretty claret jug, a pair of candelabra, and a bowl in silver, as well as an embossed tablet specially designed by an Incog, bear­ ing on it the name of the subscribers, two hundred and eighty-two in number. The testimonial was confined to past and present Incogs, bar one, and that one was no other than our old friend, Robert Thoms, who has been closely identified with the Incogniti Club as umpire since its formation. The inscription to which th subscribers’ names were appended was as follows : We, whose names appear on this address, past or present members of the Incogniti C.C., desire to record our appreciation of the un­ tiring energy and zeal with which you have successfully conducted its affairs during the many years you have been its Secretary, and gratefully to acknowledge the courteous and friendly spirit in whioh that work has ever been performed. T h e secret of the presentation had been so well kept that the hon. sec. of the Incogs could at the best have only had a faint idea that something was in progress, in the shape of a recognition of his long and honourable service, even if he had that. It was perhaps the lack of preparation that made his reply the more touching. By no means the smallest success was the graceful dedi­ cation of Col. A. II. Bireham. It was quite Ambrose-al, in fact. F r o m all I can hear, some of the mem­ bers of the South African team have been performing with a good deal of success in matches during the last week. Frank Hearne was in for another good score of eighty the other day, and H. H . Castens, the captain, as well as G. Glover, who is considered the best all round player in Griqualand West, and D. C. Davy, of Natal, have also made a lot of runs. Glover also, I learn, bowled with no small success a day or two ago. P filN C IP A L M A TC H ES F O R N E X T W E E K . M ay 17— Brighton, Sussex v. Som e set M ay 17— Cam bridge, C am bridge U niversity v. Mr. A. J. W ebt e ’s XI. M ay IT— K ennington O va',Surrey v. G louo sttrshire M ay 17— L ord ’s, M .C.C. & G- v. D erbyshire May 17— L eicester, L eicestersh ire v. Y o k th ire M ay 17— M anchester, L ancashire v. K ent May 2 — B irm ingham , W arw ickshire v. N otts M ay 21—Cam bridge, C am bridge U niversity V. Y orkshire M ay 2t— L ord’s, M .C.C. & G . v. K ent M ay 21—O xford. O xford U niversity v. M r. A, J, W ebbe’s X I.