Cricket 1900

1 3 8 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. M a y 17, 190 0 . the new scheme to bring over a team, and he is quite enthusiastic over it, and is confident it will meet with success on the other side. The combination of a cricket and football team will permit of a much longer stay in this country than would be the case with simply a cricket team, and the side will not be materially weakened. Mr. M il e s , adds Cricket Club Life, has recently heard from the other side, and among those who have approved of the scheme are A. E. Stoddart, of Middlesex, and S. M. J. Woods, of Somerset, both of whom were here last autumn, and have agreed to come over if Mr. Miles is suc­ cessful in his undertaking. Both of them are splendid football players, and for years past have occupied prominent positions in the cricket world. Some of the others who will quite likely make up the team are A. J. Webbe, Sir Timothy 0. O'Brien, Gregor MacGregor, and Francis G. J. Ford, all well-known amateurs of the Middlesex county team, and Professional Jack Hearne and Kawlin, both of whom play for the Metropolitan county. If Mr. Miles’ scheme goes through the above men would make a powerful neucleus for a cricket and foot­ ball team, and there is no doubt that the Associated Cricket Clubs of Philadelphia would gladly arrange a series of inter­ national matches during the coming autumn. R eferen ce was also made to this pro­ posed tour (if it is proposed) by the American Cricketer as follows: “ The team that proposes to make the visit would consist entirely of amateurs. The arrangements for the tour will probVbly be made by the well-known football player and all-round athlete and patron of sport, Mr. N. L. Jackson. The team will quite likely be captained by Mr. Wood, a county cricketer.” We fancy that the Mr. “ Wood ” must be Mr. S. M. J. Woods. A u st r a lia n papers again state that Mr. C. J. Eady, the famous Tasmmian cricketer, is about to take up his residence at Sydney. C lem e n t H il l made 118 for East Adelaide against West Torrens on March 31st. O w in g to a new ruling of the Asso­ ciated Cricket Clubs of Philadelphia allowing the professionals to play in the Philadelphia Cup contest, says the American Cricketer, it will be necessary to form a staff of umpires, regardless of the club professionals. The Association will pay for such services. W it h reference to the proposed match next year between the old members of Australian teams of Victoria and New South Wales, the Sydney Mail says :— It is proposed to har those who appeared in first-class cricket after 1886, and to make the engagement an annual affair, Sydney being the scene of the first match. I presume the takings would he for a charitable object, if not, then, notwithstanding the pleasure of seeing our old champions again in combat, the fixture would, I think, fail to attract a “ gate.” The New South Wales team would probably be chosen from the following:— R. C. Allen, C. Bannerman, F. Bryant (Newcastle), G. J. Bonnor, F. Downes, A. Docker, E. Evans, D. W. Gregory, C. S. Gregory, A. H. Gregory, P. Marr, J. Oatley, W. O’Hanlon, D. Ogilvy, T. Powell, R. Pope, and J. Tooher. H. Moses, H. H. Massie, T. W. Garrett, and others played for N.S.W. after 1886, and this colony also suffers because of the absence of W. L. Murdoch in England and W. M’Glinchey in Queensland. Bonnor played for both New South Wales and Victoria, but as he has been residing in New South Wales for several years past his name is included in the above. 1'. R. Spofforth played for Victoria in 1887, and therefore he would not be eligible if he were here. A pretty good Victorian eleven would include the following :—F. E. Allen, G. Alexander, W. H. Cooper, W . H. Monk, J. blight, H. J. H. Scott (now resident in N.S.W.j The limit to 1886 would, I fear, prevent too many well-known players taking part, in fact, would shut out some of the originators. I n the Kent match at Catford against Yorkshire, Mr. Burnup, in trying to place Brown junior to leg, allowed the ball to hit his pad. His partner called him for a leg bye and the two batsmen were putting in all they knew when they discovered that a sad accident had hap­ pened—Burnup had been given out l.b.w. B row n , juDior, the Yorkshireman, has altered his action considerably since last season. He has now a sort of a circular swing, and his pace is perhaps hardly as fast as it was. A c o r r e s p o n d e n t w iites:— “ On these wintry days, when playing at cricket is quite impossible, while looking on is likely soon to be interdicted by the London County Council as an cffence against the Public Health, one’s cricket books are the only resource. And in them what more delightful than Mr. Bettesworth’s ‘ Chats,’ To-day, after perusing my evening paper, which, presumably, by way of a huge joke had some nonsense about ‘ To-day’s Cricket ’ —fancy, cricket in this weather !—I turned to Cricket of 1899, and began to read Mr. Bettesworth’s ‘ Ghats.’ And one of those I read was that with Major R. M. Poore, now in South Africa. And very interesting it was. But as I read I could not help wonder­ ing how it was this ‘ Chat ’ included no mention of a match that even in Major Poore’s unique cricket career must have been noteworthy. I allude to the match between M.C.C. and Wiltshire, played at Lord’s on August 13 and 14, 1888. Was it the gallant Major’s forgetfulness, or kindly consideration on the part of his interviewer, that led to nothing being saidof the Major’sparticipation in an eventful game? For the M.C.C. team scored no fewer than 73.5 runs in that match, at that time very nearly a record score, to which poor little Wilts replied with hut 130. And Major Poore, then a mere beardless sub. of twenty-two, contributed 16 to the Wilts’ total. And yet, apparently, this match did not impress itself on the Major’ srecollection.’ ’ I t is anticipated that the West-Indian team will leave for Eugland on May 26th. Let us hope that by the time they arrive the weather will be a little like that to which they are accustomed. I HEAR that the Duke of Connaught has been re-elected president of the Bagshot Cricket Club. T h e New York Cricket Association, with its seven clubs, will have a busy season, says a writer in an American contemporary, and it is to be hoped that one or two of the grounds will be much bettsr than last year. The Association should also act up to its understanding with the League, and prevent floaters,” as far as possible, from playing for one club whilst still indebted to another. I was sorry to see the peculiar cricket spirit displayed at the general annual meeting, when a discussion took place, and a motion was, I believe, put, that no games should be played with outside clubs! It is quite a matter of opinion whether some of these organizations do much for cricket. T he death is announced of Tom Hearne, the famous old Middlesex and All England cricketer, in hi« 74th year. It was only a few days ago that his illness was commented on in the newspapers. A chat about him appears on another page. ------ A n o t h e r well-known cricketer has just passed away in the person of Mr. William Wright, the father of Mr. C. W. Wright. Mr. Wright was a good bat and a good lob bowler of the old- fashioned style, and in club matches he was a dangerous customer to meet. But it was in connection with Notts County cricket that he was best known—yet not as well known as he deserved to be. For he did much good work behind the scenes, and to again quote the words of Alfred Shaw in “ Chats on the cricket field ” last week, “ he was one of those men who, without showing themselves prominently, do the most useful work.” He was a man whom it was a great pleasure to meet, and an education to know. For some years he was honorary secretary of the Notts County C.C. T h e Daily Graphic weather girl is incorrigible. On Monday, which was by far the most miserable day of the present season, she had got herself up in a loose gown which had no sleeves, and, abso­ lutely ignoring north-east winds, sat down lazily in the open air, without a hat. But it was clear from her downcast expression that she recognised what a fatal mistake she had made, and the two doves which she had let out of their cage for a moment to bask in the breezes, showed plainly that they did not appre­ ciate her thoughtfulness. J. D a r l i n g , the captain of the last Australian team, has come out “ on top ” of the batting averages in the premier­ ship matches of the season just concluded at Adelaide. He made 722 runs in seven innings, and as he was twice not out he