Cricket 1900

22 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. F e b . 22, 1900. In the Artillery-Ground, Monday and Tues­ day, September 5th and 6 th, 1743. HORSMONDEN AND WOLD OF KENT v. LONDON. London won by one wicket. When the last man went in three runs were required. Played for a large sum of money. The wickets were pitched at eleven o’clock. In the Artillery-Ground, Monday, September 12th, 1743. HORSMONDEN AND WOLD OF KENT v. LONDON. Won by London. The wickets were pitched at eleven o'clock. In the Artillery-Ground, Wednesday, Sep­ tember 14th, 1743. SEVENOAKS v. LONDON. This was the third match played this season between the two sides. In the Artillery-Ground, Monday, September 19th, 1743. 1 st inns. 2 nd inns. L O N D O N .........................70 .. 97 M IDD LE SEX , B E R K ­ SHIRE and BUCKING­ HAMSHIRE .. .. 71 .. 43 London won by 53 runs. Owing to the lateness in the season the wickets were pitched at ten o’clock. 1 7 * 4 . This year was, for two reasons, a most important one as far as cricket was concerned. In the first place, the laws of the game were drawn up by the noblemen and gentlemen who frequented the Artillery Ground (where the London Club matches were played), and, in the second place, w© come across the first fully-recorded match. The Laws drawn up this year were as follows:— The pitching the first wicket is to be deter­ mined by the cast of a piece of money. When the first wicket is pitched, and the popping-crease cut, which must be exactly three feet ten inches from the wicket, the other wicket is to be pitched directly opposite at twenty-two yards distance, and the other popping-crease cut three feet ten inches before it. The bowling-creases must be cut in a direct line from each stump. The stumps must be twenty-two inches long, and the bail six inches. The ball must weigh between five and six ounces. When the wickets are both pitched, and all the creases cut, the party that wins the toss-up may order which side shall go in first, at his option. The laws for the bowlers. Four balls and over. The bowler must deliver the ball with one foot behind the crease, even with the wicket, andwhen he has bowled one ball, or more, shall bowl to the number four before he changes wickets ; and he shall change but once in the same innings. He may order the player that is in at his wicket to stand on which side of it he pleases at a reasonable distance. If he delivers the ball with his hinder foot over the bowling-crease, the umpire shall call no-ball, though she be struck, or the player is bowled out, which he shall do without being asked, and no person shall have any right to ask him. Lawsfor the strikers, or those that are Niw. If the wicket is bowled down, it is out. If he strikes or treads down, or he falls himself upon the wicket in striking, but not in over-running, it is out. A stroke or nip over or under his bat, or upon his hands, but not arms, if the ball be held before she touches ground, though she be hugged to the body, it is out. If in striking, both his feet are over the popping-crease,-and his wicket put down, except his bat is down within, it is out. If he runs out of his ground to hinder a catch, it is out. If a ball is nipped up, and he strikes her again wilfully before she comes to the wicket, it is out- If the players have crossed each other, he that runs for the wicket that is put down, is out; if they are not crossed, he that returns is out. If in running a notch, the wicket is struck down by a throw before his foot, hand, or bat is over the popping-crease, or a stump hit by the ball, though the bail was down, it is out. But if the bail is down before, he that catches the ball must strike a stump out of the ground—ball in hand, then it is - out. If the striker touches or takes up the ball before she is lain quite still, unless asked by the bowler or wicket­ keeper, it is out. Bat, foot, or hand over the crease. When the ball has been in hand by one of the keepers or stoppers, and the player has been at home, he may go where he pleases, till the next ball is bowled. If either of the strikers is crossed in his running-ground designedly, which de­ sign must be determined by the umpires, N.B. The umpires may order that notch to be scored. When the ball is hit up, either of the strikers may hinder the catch in his running-ground, or if she is hit directly across the wickets, the other player may place his body anywhere within the swing of the bat, so as to hinder the bowler from catching her: but, he must neither strike at her, nor touch her with his hands. If a striker nips a ball up just before him, he may fall before his wicket, or pop down his bat before she comes to it, to save it. The bail hanging on one stump, though the ball hit the wicket, it is not out. Laws for the xcxcket-keepers. The wicket­ keepers shall stand at a reasonable dis­ tance behind the wicket, and shall not move till the ball is out of the bowler’s hand, and shall not by any noise incom­ mode the striker; and if his hands, knees, foot, or"head be over, or before the wicket, though the ball hit it, it shall not be out. Laws for the umpires. To allow two minutes for each man to come in when one is out, and ten minutes between each hand. To mark the ball that it may not be changed. They are sole judges of all outs and ins, of all fair or unfair play, of all frivolous delays, of all hurts, whether real or pre­ tended, and are discretionally to allow what time they think proper before the game goes on again. In case of a real hurt to a striker, they are to allow another to remain, and the person hurt to come in again ; but are not to allow a fresh man to play on either side on any account. They are sole judges of all hindrances, crossing the players in running, and standing unfair to strike; and, in case of hindrance, may order a notch to be scored. They are not to order any man out, unless appealed to by one of the players. Those laws are to the umpires jointly. Each umpire is the sole judge of all nips and catches, ins and outs, good or bad runs at his own wicket, and his determination shall be absolute, and he shall not be changed for another umpire without the consent of both sides. When the four balls are bowled,''he is to call over. These laws are separately. When both umpires call pla^ three times, it is at the peril of giving the game from them that refuse to play. The above old laws throw an interesting light upon the game as it was played over one hundred and fifty years ago. Cricket bibliophiles will hardly need to be reminded that in 1755 the laws of the game were pub­ lished in book form in a pamphlet entitled “ The Game at Cricket as settled by the several Cricket Clubs, particularly that of the Star and Garter in Pall Mall. London, printed for M. Reed and sold by W. Keeve, in Fleet Street, 1755.” The publication, which was issued at sixpence, consisted of nineteen pages and a large folding plate of the game, entitled ‘ ‘ A Representation of the Game of Cricket Inscribed to all Gentlemen Lovers of that Diversion.” On Moulsey Hurst, Monday, May 14th, 1744. SURREY v. ENGLAND. Surrey won by 4 runs. H.R.H., the Prince of Wales, was present at this match and ordered the return to Ic played in the Artillery-Ground the following Monday. The match was completed in one day. In the Artillery-Ground, Monday, May 21st, 1744. SURREY v. ENGLAND. The wickets were pitched at eleven o’clock, and the match completed in one day. In the Artillery-Ground, Saturday, June 2nd, 1744. Cuddy A. Newland J. Newland of S. Dingate John Harris Joseph Harris R. Newland f Sussex. T. Faulkner Ridgeway Green of "Surrey. Stevens Stevens Collins I of j London Gr. Jackson ) v. Maynard 1 J. Bryan I of Gr. Smith fSurrey. Bennet J Ilowlott Norris, of London. T. Waymark/of Berks. The wickets were pitched at one o’clock. In this match passes were given to all those who left the ground but desired to return. It was not stated which Bryan it was playing above: there were two, John and James. There were also two Bennets—Little Bennet and Tall Bennet, bat which one it was, whose name appears in this match, cannot now be said. (To be continued.) COMPAR ISONS OP A DECADE . From Cricket Club Life (Philadelphia). While it is generally conceded that the team captained by Prince Ranjitsinhji was about the strongest that ever visited these shores, this fact cannot be thor­ oughly appreciated without a comparison of the records made by the players who have come over here within the past decade. The Prince’s aggregation does not alone enjoy the distinction of not having met a single defeat, for the same can be said of Lord Hawke’s team in 1894, and Warner’s team last year. It is only by placing the scores of the