Cricket 1900

62 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A p r il 12, 1900. itself quite a success, if it is as royally welcomed as its predecessors, and finds it can hold its own as well on the crease. In the meantime, Captain Hinchman realises the worth of careful preparation. The strong teams of the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, and the home clubs scheduled for the spring must, of course, from a Haverfordian standpoint, be beaten also. And so, besides the regular batting practice in tbe shed, under the eye of Coach George Woolley, there are bowling periods for a dozen or so men, in which they bowl at a spot to cultivate pitch. When the wind and weather will allow, squads of four will practice lively fielding for about half-an- hour each day. Fielding readily shows up the results of hard work. The members of last year’s team who have returned for this season a re:— W. S. Hinchman, ’00, captain; F. C. Sharpless, ’00 ; W. W. Justice, jun., ’00 ; C. J. Allen, ’00; 8. W. Mifflin, 00 ; C. H. Carter, ’00; R. Patton, ’01; L. W. De Motte, ’01; and A. C. Wood, jun., ’02. Among the other candidates for the team may be mentioned J. E. Lloyd, ’ 00; R. M. Gummere, ’02; A. S. Cookman, ’02; W. Y. Dennis, ’02; D. Roberts, ’02; and J. B. Drinker, ’03. Oh, y e s; Haverford means to do her best, and bring honour to all concerned. Long life to her, and to cricket, her college game, and the gentleman’s game ! (JTorrcsponlicntt. The Editor does not hold himself responsible Jor the opinions of his correspondents. AN INTERESTING POINT. To the Editor of C r ic k e t . D e a r S i r , —As secretary of the Auck­ land Umpires’ and Scorers’ Association, may I claim a portion of your valuable space for the stating of a point with reference to the game of cricket. I should say that the umpires and scorers in Auckland occupy purely honorary positions, and have associated for mutual benefit and the welfare of cricket generally in this part of the world. It is the custom in first-class cricket in England and elsewhere, that when a batsman is caught out while attempting a run, if he has crossed his partner, the incoming batsinan occupies the wicket to which the outgoing batsman was running at the time he was caught. The above practice has been discussed in Australian papers, and the arguments urged in favour of a reversal of this custom are briefly as follows :— According to the laws of the game, a batsman being caught out, no runs shall be scored (Rule 32). The logical deduc­ tion from this fact is, that the batsman is practically out directly he has struck the ba ll; otherwise the rules would provide for the scoring of as many runs as were made before the catch eventuated. This being granted, it naturally follows that the wicket from which the stroke is made should be considered the vacant one, whether the batsmen have crossed or not. Therefore the incoming batsman should go to the wicket from which the stroke was made (i.e. the vacant one) which resulted in the disaster. I think that this question might very well be considered by cricketing authori­ ties with a view to deciding whether the prevailing custom has a good legal basis, or whether the arguments as stated here­ with should not open the way to a better understanding on this question. In thus writing to you I have every confidence that with the wide circulation enjoyed by your paper, the matter may be taken up with advantage on your side of the globe. Thanking you in anticipation for the insertion of these lines, I am, yours faithfully, A. Le H. H o y l e s , Hon. Secretary, Auckland Umpires’ and Scorers’ Association. Auckland, N.Z., February 3rd, 1900. INDIAN CRICKET GROUNDS. By “ Old Bossallian ” in the Indian Sporting Times. “ The Tice” has been discoursing on the cricket grounds in the country on which he has played. Apropos of this, the Happy Talley ground at Mussoorie is, as “ The Tice ” rightly describes it, the smallest in India and is in many res­ pects, perhaps, the most remarkable in the world. It was originally a narrow defile between two hills, which has been enlarged by means of excavation. Some idea of its size may be gathered from the following measurements, which I believe are correct:—Length 90 yards, breadth at lower wicket 70 yards, at upper wicket 60 yards. The ground is covered with fine gravel, which has to be swept off the pitch before the matting is spread. The out fielding is unpleasant, not to say dangerous, owing to the erratic behaviour of the ball, and the placing of the field itself is a matter which sorely exercises the wisdom of a captain not acquainted with the ground. I have often shivered for the safety of point, who has to take up a position in dangerous propinquity to the wicket, when a hard-hitting bats­ man was in. It ia a case of danger in front and danger behind with this un­ fortunate fieldsman, as should he misfield a hard cut, the ball would travel with tremendous velocity to the side of the hill and rebound in the direction of the fieldsman and the wicket. I have wit­ nessed some very amusing cases of “ run out ” owing to the erratic conduct of the ball off hits which, under different cir­ cumstances, would have meant an addition of four to the batsman’s score. Despite all these drawbacks the game is played with great keenness and enjoyment, and although the matches cannot be taken very seriously owing to the limited size of the ground, they are always full of interest. High scoring is tbe exception rather than the rule, and taking last season as an example there were but two innings of over 200, while of individual scores E. T. Cresswell, of the R.A., was the only batsman who was credited with a century. It was not owing to lack of talent that small scores prevailed, as several old public school cricketers par­ ticipated in the season’s cricket, but the smallness of the ground, which enabled the field to set traps for the unwary batsmen. The Annandale ground at Simla is the most picturesque and sporting in India. To Lord William Beresford belongs the chief credit of bringing the ground to its present state of perfection, and those who visit the station will be able to appreciate the untiring energy and interest he showed. All branches of sport flourish at Annandale, but none more than cricket. Last season I had the good fortune to be at Simla, when I met for the first time some of the best cricketers in India. Two Oxford Blues—H. D. Watson and J. B. Wood—and a host of old public school players, among them C. T. Allen (Eton), C. N. Rowe and B. N. Bosworth-Smith (Harrow), C. Wigram and R. Q. Ricketts (Winchester), F. G. Turner (Bedford), C. H. Browning (Merchant Taylors), E. Q. French (Marlborough) were there during May, while we also had the Patiala team, including H. H. the Maharajah, Mistri, Billimoria, Badesi Ram, Mehta, and Nanak Ram. It was on this ground last season that I witnessed one of the most interesting and exciting matches ever played in India. The two teams that met were the Simla and Patiala elevens, and the interest in the match was enhanced as the Simla team was composed of Europeans and the Patiala team entirely of natives. The result of the match is now a mattsr of history, and the easy victory of the Patiala team on that occasion cannot be over-rated, seeing the strength of their opponents. The Annandale wicket, which is a mat one, is not the easiest in the world for quick run-getting, and at times gives the bowlers some assistance. It requires no little nerve to stand up to trundlers of the pace of Wigram and Mehta, and I have seen some batsmen badly knocked about when a fast bowler was on. Billi­ moria, last season, for Patiala v. Simla, scored two successive sixes, the ball on each occasion pitching clean into the grand stand, and off the same over scored two 4’s and a 2, bringing his total to 22 for the over, which establishes a record for Annandale. The unlucky bowler was C. H. Browning. JUNO CYCLES FOR LADIES AND GENTS. T H E V ERY B E S T . Free or Fixed Wheels. Moat Up-to-Date. Monthly. £ 8. d. £ s. d. 8 10 0 0 14 2 12 0 0 1 0 0 13 0 0 1 1 8 14 0 0 1 4 6 Standard Cyclo­ meters, 10,000 miles, 1*. lOd. Farnell’s Stand, 2a. 9d. Juno Lady Safety. £10; monthly, 16s. 8d. JfcJll; monthly, 18 b . 4d. Duck Cy3le Cover, 4s. Handle-bar Basket, Is. Write fo r Nttv Season's List o f Juno cycles and Accessories ; over 100 pages. Post Free. METROPOLITAN MACHINISTS’ CO., LJD. JUNO CYCLE SCHOOL, 75 and 76, Bishopsgate St. Without, E.C.,and Piccadilly Circus, London, W '