Cricket 1899

476 CR ICKET : A W EEKLY RECORD OF TH E GAME. D e c . 21, 1899. T h e excellent all round cricket shown by Tasmanian players during the last few yearshas fully warranted the recogni­ tion of the other colonies of Australasia. New South Wales has given them the most practical encouragement, deciding to send a representative eleven to Hobart to meet a Tasmanian team next in 1900. In 1874 the Albert Club of Sydney sent a fairly strong combination to play at Hobart and Launceston. But next year will be the first season in which New South Wales has been represented in Tasmania. In the pro­ gramme of the New South Wales Association the match is down for next March. As was only to be expected, the idea of sending a team representing the native cricketers of India to England has been definitely abandoned for the present. Mr. J. Framjee Patel, the Parsee cricketer, was mainly responsible for the proposal, and in his hands the scheme would have been carried out in the best possible manner if it had ever reached the region of practical politics. Ranjitsinhji’s refusal to accept the captaincy of the team however removed the only chance such a tour would have had of real success. |In face, too, of the visit of the South African and West Indian teams to England next summer, the combination Mr. J. M. Patel would have been able to send as representatives of Indian cricket would have hardly been able to arrange a programme. Hence the decision to give up the idea at least for the present, is,underthecircumstances, a wise one. M e t r o p o lit a n cricketers will be inte­ rested to learn that the Surrey committee have arranged an important match at the Oval for Easter Monday and two follow­ ing days. It is merely a repetition of history, as thirteen years ago when Easter fell unusually late Surrey played Gloucestershire. The result was a run- getting game, in which Mr. Frank Town­ send and Abel both scored a hundred for their respective counties. Mr. W. G. Grace, who led the opposition against Surrey then, will lead it again next Easter Monday. This time the Surrey Eleven will be opposed to the London County Club and Ground. T h e two distinguished lawyers on whom the Queen has been pleased to confer a baronetcy in recognition of their services in the Venezuelan arbitration have both played an important part in cricket in one way or another. Sir Richard Webster, the Attorney-General, has been for the last few years and still is the active president of the Surrey County C.C. Sir R. T . Reid, it is hardly neces­ sary to recall, was in the Cheltenham Eleven in his day, and subsequently played for Oxford University. T h e Surrey eleven, to judge by the extent of the programme arranged for them, will have very little rest during the season of 1900. In addition to home and home matches against the other fourteen first-class counties, the Surrey team will have to play London County Club and Ground as well as Cambridge University twice, and Oxford University once. In addition, they have to meet both the South African and West Indian teams. These will make a card of no less than thirty-five important fixtures. F o r the first time for years the Somersetshire County C.C. is able to show a small balance on the right side, toward which favourable position the proceeds from the Australian match and the share of the “ Test ” matches helped considerably. Members’ subscriptions have, however, somewhat fallen off in amount. It was announced at the annual meeting, at which Sir Spencer Ponsonby Fane was re-elected president, that although Tyler’s benefit had only produced £69 in gate money, subscrip­ tions had raised it to £400. T h e death is announced of Mr. Henry Turner, the official scorer of the Yorkshire County C.C. for the past twenty years. T h e list of names of members of the Lancashire County C.C. has attained to more than 3,000. Last season’s receipts showed an excess of nearly £1,900 over the expenses. Mr. A. N. Hornby was re­ elected president; Mr. S. H. Swire, honorary secretary; and Mr. J. A. Mac­ Laren, who, I regret to hear, is very ill, honorary treasurer. It was pointed out at the annual meeting that the club had to meet an expense of £20,000 for the purchase of the ground, and that the receipts next season might be smaller. On December 14th, the marriage took place at Heyford of Mr. A. C. S. Glover, the well-known Warwickshire amateur, to Miss Ida Judkins, of Heyford Grange, Northamptonshire. Mr. H. W. Bain­ bridge was the best man. As a mark of their appreciation of the valuable services rendered to Derbyshire cricket by Mr. 8. H. Evershed, the late Derbyshire captain, the cricketers of the county presented him with two loving cups and a punch bowl. The presentation took place last week at a dinner given at Derby in honour of Mr. Evershed. T h e regular winter practice has begun at Haverford College, U.S.A. I n the course of the proceedings at the annual meeting of the Lancashire County C.C., Mr. Hornby stated that the receipts in the five matches between England and Australia were as follows : Nottingham, £1,211 13s.; Leeds, £2,315 Is.; Lord’s, £1,868; Manchester, £3,737 16s.; Oval, £2,441. T h e golf championship of Philadelphia —a very important meeting—has been won by F. H. Bohlen, the well-known cricketer, who visited England with one or two of the Philadelphian teams. He is said to play a somewhat erratic game, but in his day he was one of the best golfers in the States. W. Thayer and J. W. Biddle, also well-known cricketers, took part in the competition with con­ siderable credit to themselves. A l t h o u g h Mr. G. L. Wilson will not be able to play for Melbourne, he hopes to take his part in the matches at Sey­ mour, where he is now residing. T h e old, old story of a man being fairly out (but not appealed against) leg- bafore-wicket with the last ball over­ night, and the bowler appealing next morning, has once more left England on a tour round the world. We fancy that it started on its present voyage from the Globe office, and it has now reached Aus­ tralia, where it is having a fine time, It will probably reappear in England about the middle of next season, and it is pretty safe to say that it will be received with open arms. T h e r e is some amusing correspondence in the Madras Times on the subject of Rajagopaulchari, which seems to be the latest way of spelling this gentleman’s name. One of the correspondents writes : “ There was Rajagopaulchari; and he was silently left in the cold to wander from one wicket to the other, over after over, to stand extra-slip. But no one thought of giving him the bowling. And even when he was put on he was not allowed to bowl more than three overs.” This is sad enough, but another correspondent writes : “ Rajagopalachari (it is the same gentleman aa above) was bowled rather too long.” Y e t another correspondent states that on their way home the crowd were very dissatisfied, and the only three of the native team they didn’t abuse were— well, Raja, etc., was not one of the three. I n his first match at Sydney after his return from England Victor Trumper scored 116 for Town v. Thirteen of the Country. A big score was made by the Town on the first day (November 9ch) as follows :— ...108 Pye, b Kenna ........... 8 Farquhar,c Lipscomb, b K enna.................93 Trumper, c Cummins, b K enna................116 M‘Kenzie, st Norman., b Moore.................. 96 Evers, c sub, b Moore 64 The total was afterwards increased to 632. Jansen, not out. Duff, b Phillips......... y Donovan, not out ... 16 Gregory, st Norman, b Kenna .................. 23 Extras...................10 Total (7 wkts) 633 A n o t h e r member of the last Austra­ lian team since his return home has been giving practical evidence of his undi­ minishedcapabilityas arun-’ etter. Satur­ day, November 11th, seems to have been