Cricket 1898

CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. S e p t. 15, 1898. T H E DECADENCE OF NORFOLK CEICKET. (From the “ N orfolk Cricket A n nual.” } SIR KENNETH KEMP IS DOUBTFUL CONCERNING THE FUTURB. I f it is the general opinion that there has been a decadence in county cricket, I should say it is due to the follow ing causes, which are so inter-dependent, that it is impossible to place one as the primary cause more than another :— (1) Natural lack of interest on the part of the masses of Norfolk in crick et; (2) Consequent lack of opening or employment for professionals, without whom no county can prosper, or improve, or foster the love of the gam e; (3) Want of private grounds, and the necessary means to keep up those that exist fo r public benefit; (4) Decrease in the county of boys at public schools where the best cricket is taught. As to the rem edy:— (1) There is none. Golf, biojcles, cheap tickets to the sea and river keep on attracting the gallery and thinning the gates. N o county can flourish which cannot have a gallery to play to sometimes. The “ spirit of cricket ” —as the Can­ terbury epilogue has it—cannot live in our icy cold climate and barren wastes; (2) Professianals are both born and and made. When born here they can’t live, and there is no chance of making th em ; (3) These are a source of great expense in themselves, and in the entertainment that they require given, and “ times ” are so inexor­ able that there is no chance of these being promoted cr kept up ; (4) The same applies to the few real county residents that remain. The cheapest schools are selected, where there is not the staff, or the same traditions, and the same endeavour on the part of masters to produce “ fo rm ” in the game as in our great cricket nurseries. The universities themselves com­ plain of the falling off of college “ b a ts” and “ bowlers,” as far as numbers go. I may be a pessimist of the worst type — “ laudator temporu acti ” —but having seen the attempt made under the most favourable circumstances to inculcate the love of the glorious game, and raise its tone and form in the county, I fear that what the powers of Pnil Morton, A. P. Wickham, Kerry and F ox Jarvis, sup­ ported b y the liberality of the Buxton family, and the energy of Harry Birkbeck failed to attain, will never be reached in the future. W . B. HANSELL WRITES ENCOURAGINGLY OF THE SPRHAD OF THE GAME. Things certainly m ight look rosier, but there has been no decadence. It is true that Norfolk once produced a Fuller Pilch, and that in the early eighties we had a galaxy (some fifteen or sixteen strong) of University and Public School talent. So f . r we may never have been so fortunate since; but, on the other hand, the area for selection has been greatly extended, and we have to remem­ ber that the measure of advance is not only our success or ill-success in the county matches of a particular year. Just a word as to our representative teams. It appears to me that in fielding fault can hardly ever be found, but I should like to see our best batsmen and bowlers playing more regularly. It was a severe loss when A. P. Wickham left Norfolk. All honour to those who have stood up in his shoes, but they would themselves be the first to tell you that we must not rest until we have filled his place with one who can be dubbed his equal. But the chief reason we have r:ot won more county matches of late years is because other counties—our former oppo­ nents, some of them—have been able to afford increasing professional assistance, whilst we have not. The cause for this is not far to seek. Not one word can be said against the Norfolk subscription list, which is and always has been a thing to be proud of, and I don’t think much can be said against the Management, which has gone on pegging away, in face of great dis­ couragement, giving the best possible sport under the circumstances, and afford­ ing many opportunities for the spread of the game in the county. It is simply in the gate that we fail, and (to account for the mischief) I think that some of the follow ing reasons may not be very wide of the mark :— (1) Cricket is not indigenous in N orfolk; (2) We are not an over-quick people in assimilating anything which is new to u s ; (3) Cycling, golf, bowls, quoits, and lawn tennis are easily to be had, and they are all capable of giving good exercise in comparatively little tim e; (4) The situation of Norwich (and of the other towns in a somewhat less degree) affords remarkable opportunities for seaside trips, yachting, boating, and fishing. But, as compared with twenty years ago, there are now quite twenty times as many active cricketers in N orfolk ; and let us hope that herein, both as regards players and spectators, lies the guarantee for better things to come. R . T. GURDON REVERTS TO THE “ GOOD OLD TIMES.” It is about thirty years since I managed Norfolk cricket, and then on a very different principle from now. We played only gentlemen, and had much pleasanter and more satisfactory matches at a very trifling expense. MR. SANDWITH MAKES A FEW SUGGESTIONS. I think that the decadence of cricket in the county is due to want of enthusiasm in the game. I t struck me very much indeed when I first came into Norfolk ; nor have I altered m y opinion. I think that the better management o f village clubs would help to improve matters. Also if cricket “ weeks ” at country houses were more distributed over the season, instead of nearly all taking place within a period of six weeks. Then there is the travelling question. Short dis­ tances take so long a time to cover, that the experience gained from meeting new players is rendered difficult, and often men cannot be induced to play in a match which will involve a couple of hours in the train each way or a long drive after a quite long enough j ourney. Golf has, no doubt, something to answer for as well in this matter, as eacier of access, cheaper, not neces­ sarily taking up so much time, and always insuring an innings; iu striking contrast to what cricket offers. I mean that the worse a man plays at golf the longer he may with confidence expect his innings to last. This I have proved to be true in golf ; but I cannot discover a particle of evidence that is so in cricket. For my own sake I wish that I could. STOICS. M atches played, 24 ; won, 4; lost, 13; draw n, 7, BATTING AVERAGES. No. Times Most of not T otal in an inns. out. runs. inns. Aver. A . W . R am m ell........... 11 ... 3 ... 374 ... 99 ... 46 75 E. Gregory .................... 6 ... 3 ... 79 ... 36*... 26’33 C. 8. B. H iggs ............ 6 ... 2 ... 86 ... 43*... 21 50 F . W . P. Holton............ 13 .. 0 ... 274 .. 54 ... 21 07 F. M . Lee ..................... 6 ... 0 ... 115 ... 62 .. 19 16 G. A . M edcalf ............ 8 ... 3 ... 93 ... 47#... I8 60 H . P . Gadsdon ............. 8 ... 0 ... 138 47 ... 17 25 G. H . Gadsdon ............19 . 2 ... 3 j H... 65 ... 16 11 C. C am pbell-R oterts... 10 ... 0 ... 157 .. 62 ... 15 70 J . Elston ..................... 6 . .. 1 ... 60 ... 40 .. 12 00 H . A. H. Carson............ 20 ... 2 .. 187 ... 36 ... 10 38 H . W . Sm ail ............. 8 ... 1 ... 66 ... 24 ... 9 42 E. J . Brown..................... 11 ... 2 102 ... 27* .. 9 27 V. G iven-W ilson ... 16 ... 2 ... 132 ... 39 ... 8-25 H . B . Fraser ........... 6 ... 0 ... 44 ... 33 ... 7 33 C. Van der Gucht ... 9 ... 1 ... 50 ... 2 ... 6 25 C. E. E. Lee......................11 ... 0 ... 62 .. 16 .. 5*3 W . J . H aycraft ............12 . 1 ... 51 . 10 .. 4 63 8. G. Feler ................... 6 ... 1 ... 18 ... 7*... 3 60 B . Rennie .................... 6 ... 1 ... 9 ... 3 ... 180 Ih e following also baited : - J . W . Bonner, 0, 15* and 20 ; A . W . F. R utiy. 59* and 19 ; A . 8. Johnston, 7 and 8 ; O. R . Borradaile, 7. 4 and 6 ; A . H . B artlett, 0, 1, 7, 0 and 0 ; E. C. Palm er, 80* ; A. F. N *pean, 4, 10, 2, 0 and 11; F. A . Japson, 10 and 9 ; li. J . Hutchinson, 2 and J 5 ; E. W . R ichar son, 4 ; W . S. Page, 16, 2 and 1 ; J . Brydone, 1 andO; H. H . D avis, 5 ; A. Read, 11; H. W . Carson. 4 ; P. Roberta, 3 ; C. E. G. Lee, 4 ; L . M . L eggatt, 0 ; K. A . Brown, 0 ; T. B . Berger, 0 ; and H . 8. Bonner, 15. * Signifies not out. BOWLING AVERAGES. O. M. R . W . Aver. E. Gregory ............ 42 ... 7 97 ... .3 ... 7 J6 W . 8. Page ............ 34 ... 8 ... 107 ... 11 ... 9 74 H . W . Sm ail............ 95 2 ... 18 ... 272 ... 19 ... 14 31 W . J . B aycraft ... 139 3 ... 25 ... *77 ... 33 ... 14 45 E. J . B ro w n ....... 168 .. 53 ... 4S8 3 • .. 15 26 F. W . Holton ... 157 2 ... 31 ... 4-'H ... 27 ... 15 77 F . M . Lee ............ 44 ... 10 ... i65 ... 10 ... 16 50 C.C’mpb’ll-Roberts 1 0 *9 .. 302 ... 12 ... 26 16 C. 8. B. H iggs ... 71 ... 2 l .. 23 i ... 7 ... 3314 The following also took wickets :—C. Van der Gucht, 5 for 85; V. Given-W ilson, 5 for 98 ; H. A. H. Carson, 4 for 71; A. » . J . h n s»i, 4 for Wi>; c5. G. Feler, 3 for 58; A . W . Ramm ell. 3 for 187; G. H. Gadsdon, 2 for 41: A. 1 ead, 2 for 61; A . F. Nepean* 1 for 6 ; and L . M . L eggatt, 1 for 25.