Cricket 1896

474 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. D e c. 31, 1896. with it 'altogether and declaring an innings closed at any time, although I would declare after the first day. I should say that if the rule can be abused it would be as well to alter it. With regard to the number of runs which compel a side to follow on I think 120 quite enough. There may occur instances where the side which follows has an advantage. For instance, say a side has followed on and wiped off the runs with five or six wickets to go down; it rains in the night, and the tail knock up 60 or 70 on an easy w icket; the side has two good bowlers and wins the match on a gummy wicket. But this would after all only be the fortune of war. I think that Mitchell was quite within his rights in the ’Varsity match this year; but he hap­ pened to be caught at his own game. 1 admit that in our match against War­ wickshire this year we went for record instead of throwing our wickets away, but the wicket was so plumb that we thought there was no earthly chance of getting Warwickshire out twice in the time at our disposal.” “ Do you consider that it would be fairer if each county were to have the first innings once out of its two matches with other counties ? ” “ Not at all. The question has been much discussed, and many people think that such an arrangement would work for good. It often happens that it is of no use to win the toss, and again it is not at all unusual for a captain to wish that he might lose it in order to be saved from the anxiety of deciding. The responsibility of a captain would become greater than ever, for in one match out of the two he must have the choice of innings, with no chance of getting out of it. I believe, as a matter of fact, that I have won more matches than I have lost after being what is called un­ fortunate in tossing. Of course it is another thing if a captain wins the toss 20 out of 24 times ; but this very seldom happens, and generally iu the long run things come right.” “ Would you like to say anything about the coming tours iu the West Indies '<” “ Perhaps it would be as well if I ex plain my view of tie question. For two years before I went to America, in 1894, Dr. Anderson had been trying to arrange for a team to visit the West Indies, and asked me to take one. As I was unable to go I persuaded R. S. Lucas to undertake the captaincy, and, as far as I could, helped him to get the team together. With a deputation I went to interview the directors of the Royal Mail Steamship Company to ask for a reduction in the fares ; for unless a reduction is made it would be impossible to take any team there. At every meet­ ing or public function while the team was in the West Indies Lucas, in res­ ponding to the toast of his health, expressed a hope that I should visit the West Indies in J897, and it was always my intention to do so, for I had received a cordial invitation to take the first team, and the invitation was worded so as to express the desire of the cricket clubs in the islands that I should visit them at some future time.” “ When did the idea of taking a team occur to you again ? ” “ Early this year I thought of taking a team somewhere or other—perhaps to India, perhaps to the West Indies. It was not my place to offer to go to the West Indies until I had received a renewal of the invitation previously given me. At the beginning of last season, however, I learned that Mr. Priestley had several times asked Mr. Lucas whether he was going to take a team to the West Indies or not. Then, as far as I can understand, Mr. Priestley understood that Lucas was not going, and, probably thinking that I was going to India, wrote to ask if he should take out a team. Meanwhile I went on with my arrangements for getting my team together, Btill without any definite destination in view, until I received a letter from Sir Augustus Hemming, who, as you know, is Governor of British Guiana, asking me where I was going to winter, and whether I thought of visiting the West Indies. I wrote back saying that I should very probably like to go there. Then I received a very cordial invitation from Barbados, Jamaica, Demerara, and Trinidad. I accepted this invitation through the Sportsman, understanding that the acceptation would be telegraphed by Reuter to the West Indies. As it happened no telegram was sent; hence delay and misunder­ standing. At the same time they told me that they had only by the previous mail accepted an offer from Mr. Priestley to take out a team, but they hoped we should be able to amalgamate.” “ What were the difficulties in the way of amalgamation ? ” “ There were a good many. I met Mr. Priestley with an intention to amal­ gamate if it was at all possible. He told me that he had only asked two or three men, and I replied that I was quite willing to give him some places, but that I must have complete control over the tour and the side; it is absolutely im­ possible to carry out a tour with two managers. Unfortunately, there were two men who, Mr. Priestley said, must go, and as I did not know them, I was perforce obliged to say that I could not offer them places. I have found, from the experience gained in six tours, that if you want harmony in a side you must arrange that all the men agree as to its com­ position. For this reason, if a man offers to go with me I first write to many of the others who have already agreed to go, asking them if they approve. If they do not I reluctantly have to decline the offer. It must not be forgotten that in a tour of this sort social duties are largely pre­ dominant ; and if all the men don’t pull together there might be a great deal of unpleasantness, which quite spoils the tour. The upshot of it was that Mr. Priestley said, ‘ Well, I have had an invitation and I shall go.’ I told him that he must go his way and I would go mine.” “ What did you do after this ? ” “ I wrote to the West Indies saying that I was very sorry, that I had done my best to amalgamate, and that I was very sorry I could not bring out the two men to whom Mr. Priestley had given a promise. In answer to that I received a very cordial invitation from Trinidad and Demerara, and recently I have had a most friendly letter from Barbados, so no doubt I shall play there. Jamaica said that they must stand by their original invitation, as they considered themselves bound to Mr. Priestley, although they would not have been dissatisfied if Mr. Priestley had given way. The difficulties might have been smoothed over but for what, I take leave to think, is the too serious view of a contract held by Mr. Priestley. He says that, having giving his promise he cannot withdraw it, but there are agreements and agreements. If a man hands over the management of his team to somebody else, he can surely say to those he has already asked that so and so is going to be captain, and will give them a place if possible. Supposing that a man promises to play for me, and at the last moment finds that he cannot keep his promise; am I to take him by the siruff of the neck and put him on board ship ? ” “ Will the teams clash at all ? ” “ I don’t think that they will interfere with each other at all. We shall miss Jamaica, and shall not meet the other team on any of the islands; it might, perhaps, be different if there were any mainland to consider. I have got together an exceedingly satisfactory team now.” “ Your teams are, of course, always carried out on strictly amateur lines ? ” ‘ 11 may say that, to my knowledge, every team of which I have had the management has been taken out on the strictest and on the purest amateur lines, which means that a man has his bona-fide expenses paid, but that he himself pays for his luxuries—such as wines, etc. I am strong on this point to a degree. These are the liaes on which I have always acted, and shall continue to act. In the present tour we pay our own passages and are only guests when we arrive at the other end of our journey.” A short time ago Lord Hawke was presented by the players in his team with a cigarette case. “ I appreciated it,” he said, “ more than I can express. When they gave it to me they said they had not adopted the idea because of the other testimonial, but simply because they would rather give it to me while I was with them than afterwards. It is very nice to think that they don’t want me to g o ; but time goes on, and so much is expected of a captain. If you are doing well it is all right; and I hope I shall continue to do well as long as I am playing in first-class cricket. W. A. B e t t e s w o r t h . I V Y CRICKET AND LAW N T EN N IS G R O U N D , F orest H ill R o ad , H onor O a k . T wo minutes from Honor Oak Station, L.C. & D. and 12 minutes from Peckham Rye Station, L.B. & S.C. CRICKET PITCHES and LAWN TENNIS COURTS to Let, for the Day or Term. For terms and particulars apply to H . A n derson , Proprietor, 1, Hem Villas, Forest Hill Road, Honor Oak. N E X T ISSUE, T HUR SDA Y , J A N U A R Y 28.