Cricket 1900

M a t 1 7 , 1 9 0 0 . CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 1 37 T h is raises the question how far a bowler is really justified ia rubbing a new ball hard on the ground, with the object of making its surface sufficiently rough to allow the hand to grip it firmly. “ H ad we left off in the position of the Australians we should not have con­ sidered ourselves the better side.” Taus says Mr. MacLaren in one of his articles in the Evening News, referring to the matches between England and Australia last year. M r . M ac L aren is of opinion that “ if cricket is to keep up its popularity the game must be played in a more lively manner than is now the case. There are scores of instances when batsmen, with­ out necessari.y playing for the gallery or crowd, sacrifice their innings in attempting to cheer the crowd u p ; in other words, they prefer to run risks of beiug caught while knocking up 50 in almost as many minutes — and get out, rather than take three to four hours in the compilation of 70 or?80 runs. Now there is no doubt we want more dishing bats­ men than we have to-day, and I maintain that there ought to be greater induce­ ments offered to batsmen to hit. I feel sure that if we had more forcing batsmen there would not’ be anything like the number of drawn games of last season.” N e v e r was a Freshmen’s match at Oxford baguu in more startling fashion than that which was played last week. In his first over Mr. Munn, who starttl „ne bowling with Mr. Fawcett, did the hat trick, getting rid of Messrs. Wyld, Darling, and Crawley-Boevey. Mr. Munn, a left-hand medium- paced bowler, is an old Forest School boy. recording secretary, J. Hatton; corres­ ponding secretary, W. Law, 364, Wood- side Avenue, Forest H ill; treasurer, J. H. Flannery. For a moment one wonders what has become of Mr. Borradaile, Mr. C. E. Green, etc., etc., but it turns out that there is another Essex County Cricket Club in the United States. I t is stated that James Phillips, the Middlesex professional, has passed the examination in geometry for which he entered. O n March 31st Harry Trott did great execution with the ball, says the Australasian, for Kew Asylum against the Commercial Travellers, on the pleasantly-situated asylum ground. The Travellers totalled 64, and Harry took six of their wickets for 30 runs. He did the “ hat trick.” Kew Asylum made 109, Busbell scoring 30 not out, and Harry Trott 28. M’Alister bowled well, getting six of the Asylum players for 31. To mark their appreciation of Harry Trott’s “ hat trick” feat the Travellers presented him with a new hat. The gentleman who has favoured me with this note says:—“ Trott looks really well, and recognised stveral of the bagmen.” F r o m an American source we learn that at Sydney, on February 21st, Victor Trumper won the prize for throwing the cricket ball, in a sports competition, with a throw of 124 yards 10 inches. One would hardly have thought Trumper capable of making such a fine throw. ‘ ‘ S o m e time ago it was announced,” says Cricket Club Life (Philadelphia), which is generally well informed,’’that it was not likely that the Associated Cricket Clubs would invite an English team of cricketers to visit Phila­ delphia the coming autumn. The Britishers have looked with keen interest upon the annual visits, now that they realise that their excessive demands have been so great that the cricket fathers in Philadelphia have decided to discontinue the matches they are seriously considering making a tour upon their own responsibility, similar to the visits that the Philadelphia teams have made in England.” O u r contemporary continues : Eustace H. Miles, the champion racquet player of the world," who recently visited Phila­ delphia and gave a brilliant exhibition at the Eacquet Club is the promoter of •This is a mistake. Mr. Miles is at present the holder of the amateur championship of Tennis. ±ie is also a well-known lawn tennis player. Th e other day a match was being played on the East Melbourne ground, says the Sydney Mail, and a well-known I Victorian, who is a very prominent mem­ ber of the East Melbourne Club, and who , can splendidly appreciate a joke, went down after work to have a look at the cricket. When he got there he was intro­ duced to a gentleman (in flannels) much stouter than himself, and the following conversation took place :— “ I ’m surprised that a man with so much flesh as you have on can play cricket.’ * “ Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think I am any fatter than you. I don’t mind betting drinks for the crowd that I could get into your togs, anyhow.” “ Done, it’s a wager.” “ Well, I ’m in ’em now ! ” (Curtain.) The key had fitted our prominent cricketer’s locker. THE LATE MR. WILLIAM WEIGHT. (From a Photo by A. W. Cox , 11, St. James Street, Nottingham is only one ground between cricket, cycling and general sports, yet we possess the best wickets in the colony, so you see what great disadvantages cricketers out here labour under. There are a good few English cricketers residing here, mostly from Hailey- bury and Rugby; there are one or two Cliftonians also. I have had the pleasure of seeing F. E. Gaddum, of the Rugby School XI. of a few years ago, performing, and he was also reckoned the best bat in the pro­ vince at one time. Hawkes Bay’s best players have all come from English public schools and colleges.” I n an American contemporary it is stated that the Essex County Cricket Club has elected as its officers for the coming season the following : President, J. Hobbins; vice-president, S. Morton; A f t e r a most enjoyable tour in New Zealand, the Melbourne team arrived in Melbourne on April 2nd. W r it in g from Napier, New Zealand, on March 28th, Mr. P. R. Fulton says: — “ The hon. sec. of the Scinde Club, to which I belong, is Mr. G. H. F. Hill, an old Epsom College boy, and my coach is an old Cheltonian who remembers C. E. Green at school, and a few more of the old Identi­ ties. I have an old Surrey man to work with, one who saw Lockyer, Stephenson, Caffyn, Mortlock and Co. in their palmy days, and he never wearies telling of their famous deeds. Football and horse-racing of course are the fashionable manias, and cricketers are hard pushed sometimes to get a recognition at all from the public, and there