Cricket 1898

A p r il 21, 1898. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 71 amateurs. That message was cabled, home to a prominent paper. I asked him to at once to send another cable stating that what he had said was an infamous lie.” “ As to the general pleasure of the tour ? ” “ In spite of all this, we have enjoyed the tour very much indeed. Our hosts, the Trustees of the Sydney Cricket Ground and the Melbourne Cricket Club, have treated us with every kindness and consideration, and we are very grateful to them for it. I’H E G E N E R A L IN T E R E S T IN C R IC K E T . IS IT REASONABLE AND JUSTICIABLE? The letter from the Sydney Daily Telegraph , by the Rev. George Walters, which appeared in the last two issues of Cricket , elicited the following pessimistic reply by “ Y orker” a day or two after­ wards : — “ In his paper, discussing whether the general interest in cricket is reasonable and justifiable, Mr. Walters says many 1hings that no one will care to dispute. The need for recreation and the excellence of cricket as a means to this end will readily and cheerfully be admitted. Even Mr. Walter’s obtrusion of his own personal predilection for the game can be generously overlooked in view of his brimful enthusiasm. But I venture to say there are many who delight in the contests between Britishers and Austra­ lians who, after all, would rather enjoy a fortnight’s holiday, with its varied opportunities for recreation and observa­ tion, than witness these interesting matches even ‘ from start to fin ish !’ But Mr. Walters is an enthusiast. That will explain why he has voted so solidly —plumped, in fact—in favour of the view that the general interest in cricket is reasonable and justifiable. But, really, is it ? I put the question seriously, as one who admires the game, and, moreover, as one who is in touch with the general interest now taken in it. I think Mr. Walters will admit that, in the regulation of one’s individual life, it is well to estimate rightly the value of things—to understand their true pro­ portion—and to act accordingly. It is obviously an unwise procedure to appraise too highly what should be subordinate. And what applies in this individual sense will apply socially and in other ways. Admitting this to be logical, does, or does not, interest in cricket hold too high a place in the general estimation? I f it can be shown that it does, then that interest is, in a measure, unreasonable and, therefore, unjustifiable. It goes without saying that any dis­ cussion of the development of Australian character must include athleticism as a “ factor,” and an important one. Y et there are other “ factors ” equally— indeed, more important—because dealing with higher aspects of the community’s life, which, however, it is to be feared, suffer by an undue devotion to athleticism. Mr. Walters is a man of observation, but whether his position enables him accur­ ately to gauge the degree—the excessive degree—of interest taken in cricket is, to judge by his paper, somewhat doubtful. Thepublicevidence is,amongotherthings, shown in the crowds which attend the matches, or the less favoured only which, with exemplary patience, stands before the newspaper offices to see the results of the scoring boards (which even a few zealous, or rather over-zealous, city alder­ men could not utterly abolish). But one crucial way of testing the interest in cricket is for Mr. Walters to participate in the daily activities of our large city institutions. I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that that interest has a demoralising effect upon nearly every­ body. It is discussed 1 ‘ in season and out of season.” It is the one absorbing topic of speculation. It interferes with the proper discharge of business duties in more ways than one. What should receive the superior consideration is made subordinate. Thus are created a restless habit and unwholesome excitement, which are not satisfied by a reasonable interest in cricket, but the time and thought that should be bestowed upon more important things are encroached upon. And this baneful influence has many ramifications. It is doubtful whether thousands of the youths who talk cricket and glibly criticise and con­ demn or approve are studious enough to be able to express their views in clear and grammatical English. Mr. Walters is admittedly a literary man. I ask him whether an acquaintance with classical English literature is not almost as desir­ able and useful as to know what “ back- cuts” or “ terrific drives ” or “ twisters ” are ? But is there any reasonable com ­ parison between the time and thought devoted to the former and to the latter ? Other contrasts m ight be instituted, but I fear the verdict would inevitably, because truly, be to show that cricket is a shrine too devotedly worshipped at. The Argus stated the other day that a funeral cortege was stopped at a public- house so that the mourners might be posted up in the scores of the international match then being played ! This serves to indicate, in a most striking and melancholy way, that interest in cricket is making its devotees indifferent even to the ordinary claims of courtesy and respect. And this is another of the really serious aspects of the question. To quote Wordsworth, “ The world is too much with us,” and “ it lays waste our powers.” Cricket has a proper and legitimate claim, but I am disposed to think the interest now taken in it is too absorbing, because it robs other and more important things of their rightful share, and in this degree, at all events, is unreasonable and unjustifiable. And I strongly believe there are many thought­ ful people who hold this view, yet who are as keen in their enjoyment of a well- contested game of cricket as Mr. Walters. —Yours, etc. YORKER . C R IC K E T I N SO U TH A F R IC A . PRETORIA v. MR. BAILEY’S TEAM (12 aside).- Played at Pretoria on February 28. ALBERT TROTT’S BENEFIT. P retoria . Y. M. Tancred, bLoh- mann........................12 A. B. Tancred, b Sin­ clair 3 A. E. Trott, b Sinclair 22 B. Wallach, c Loh- mann, b Sinclair ... 0 A. W. Seccull, b Loh- mann........................12 J. Wallach, c Beves, b Lohmann................. 0 W. E. Niemeyer, b Sinclair .................10 G. C. MacArthur, c Bailey, b Sinclair ... G. Kotze, c Walshe, b Sinclair ................ G. H. Robinson, c Shepstone,b Sin«Hir C. van Leenhol, c Lohmann, b bincl'iir W.C. Stevens,n-.t out Lb 2, w 1 .......... Total M r . B ailey ’ s T eam . J. J. Slatem, c V. M. Tancred, b Trott ..11 L. J. Tancred, not out 112 J.H. Sinclair,b Seccull 9 A. Walshe, c Seccull, b Trott ................. 0 M. Bathorne, c Trott, b Niemeyer .......... 3 G. A. Lohmann, lbw, b Niemeyer ......... 0 G. H. Shepstone, c Seccull, b Trott ... 6 G. Beves, 3Leenhof, b MacArthur ......... 44 H. Morton, b Niem- eyer ... .......... 1 A. E. Cooper, c Mac­ Arthur, b Trott ... 11 Abe Bailey, c V. M. Tanked, b Trott ... 3 W. H. Creese, not out 2 B 22, lb 2 ..........24 Total ...226 P retoria . O. M. R W . O. M. R. W . Sinclair ... 21 1 8 36 8 |Lohmann... 21 8 25 3 Sinclair bowled a wide. Mr. B ailey ’ s T eam . O. M. R. W . O. M. R. W- Trott........ 28 13 84 5 IA. Tancred 1 0 7 0 Seccull ... 20 3 43 1 MacArthur 8 1 20 1 Niemeyer...14 3 42 3 |Kotze............ 2 0 6 0 MR. BAILEY’S TEAM v. MARITZBURG GARRI­ SON.—Played at Maritzburg on March 2 and 3. G arrison . First innings. Second innings. Bandmaster Hughes, st Morton, b Sinclair ........ 0 c Shepstone, b Sinclair .......... 0 Lieut. Challoner, c Shep­ stone, b Lohmann ..........31 st Morton, b Sin­ clair ................. 1 Lieut. Loundes, lbw, b Sinclair ........................ 4 b Lohmann .. 7 Lieut. Renny, b Sinclair ... 2 b Lohmann ... 7 Sergt. Henson, c Slatem, b Sinclair ...................... 6 b Sinclair ........... 2 Lieut. Haig, b Sinclair ... 0 notout.................. 0 Sergt. Jones, c & b Sinclair 22 b Sinclair........... 11 8ergt. Davis, c Shepstone, b Sinclair ...................... 7 cBailey,b Sinclair 0 Corpl. Reader, c Lohmann, b Sinclair ........ ............... 6 b Lohmann ... 5 Capt. Sheppaid, c Bevej, b Lohmann ........................ 2 b Lohrnann ... 1 Sergt.-Major Saunders, not o u t.................................. 6 c sub, b Lohmann 4 Extras..................... 9 Total .................95 T otal............38 M r . B ailey ’ s T eam . V. M. Tancred, b G. H. Shepstone, c and Hughes .................23 b Challoner ........... 9 J. H. Sinclair, c and b A. Wa she, c Jones, b Hughe$ .................29 Davis... ..................44 L. J. Tancred, c and b H. Morton, c Shep- Jones.......... ........ 25 pard, b Challoner ... 9 J. J. Slatem, c Davis, T. B. Parker, c Reader, b Htnson................ 24 b Jones ........... ... 17 G. Beves, c Challoner, Abe Bailey, not out... 5 b Hughes.................37 Extras.................14 G. A. Lohmann, c — Hughes, b Challoner 47 Total ..........283 G arrison . First inningsSinclair, 8 wickets for 53 runs Lohmann, 2 for 33. Second innings:—Sinclair, 5 for 15; lohmann, 5 for 23. M r . B ailey ’ s T eam . Seven bowlers were tried, the most successful I eing Hughes, 3 for 68 : Challoner, 3 for 54 ; Jones, 2for 23. TH E GRASS ON CRICKET GROUNDS, by an 1 Expert. An interesting article on this subject appeared in “ Cricket’s Yea? Book” for 1897. A few copies may still be had (by post, 7 d Cricket Office, 168, Upper Thames Street, E.O,