Cricket 1901

JuLT l i , 1901. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 263 (ZTorregponBence. The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions o f his correspondents . To the Editor o f C r i c k e t . D e a r S ir,—As an enthusiastic follower of the game and an ardent reader of Cricket, I have been following out with much interest the various suggestions anent the doing away with over-large scores and the undesirable frequency of drawn games. With all due deference may I suggest a possible solution of the difficulty ? The really weak spot—bad fielding—has several times been touched, but I have not yet seen suggested what seems to me the only real remedy for this. Why not establish in the scoring book an “ error column ” ? When a man misses a catch or makes a misfield that costs a run, let it be put on record, and let this record form a prominent part of every report of a match. I think I am justified in saying that there is no feature of cricket more enjoyed by the public than quick, close and accurate fielding. I know I am justified in saying that such fielding, by a whole side, is the exception and not the rule. Cricketers are only human after all, and as long as it is the fashion to write eloquently in praise of a long innings or a brilliant bowling perform­ ance—giving statistics—and dismiss the fielding, good or bad, with a line or two of general praise or blame, it takes a more than ordinarily conscientious man to devote the same interest to fielding that he does to batting or bowling. For instance, I have seen in Cricket several interesting statistical columns of the doings of the various wicket-keepers. What does such a column convey ? Of what avail is it to read that “ Lilley has stumped eleven and caught seventeen,” while Butt has stumped two and caught 129,” when no mention is made of their opportunities ? Would it not be interesting to every follower of the game, and doubly so to the players themselves, if a record were kept of every fieldsman’s opportunities and the use he made of them. We read that “ John Doe is the best short slip in England.” This is the opinion of the—unsigned—writer of the article. Let us read rather, at the end of the season, that John Doe’s percentage of accepted chances is so-and-so, and then we can fully appreciate his work. Why cannot cricketers realise that no man has a right to miss a catch that he can get both hands to ? This may sound a big word. A few years ago it would have seemed a very big word to me, but here in America, in baseball, it obtains. I hope my mention of baseball will not cause prejudice against n.y argument, but I cannot see why less attention should be paid to fielding in cricket than it is to fielding in baseball. I believe it is in the absence of an “ error column,” The man who, in fielding, loses runs for his side, is equally responsible for his side’s defeat with the batsman who fails to make runs. The one is pilloried in score-sheet, the other escapes umcathed. Show me a drawn game where no catch has been dropped that should have been held, and where at least 50 runs per innings have not been allowed where they could have been saved, and I will admit that my argument is faulty. Not till then. This scheme would of course entail extra work on the scorers, but work of a most interesting kind. The “ errors ” of the wicket-keeper or the fielders close to the wicket might be left to the umpire to keep track of. Some may claim that this would overweight an already very trying position. I can only say that the umpire in cricket has an easier task than the umpire in any other game. How often is his decision disputed ? With apologies for taking up your time, I am, very truly yours, G r a n t S t e w a r t . “ The Lambs,” 70, West 36th Street, New York. AN ENTIRELY NEW SCHEME. To the Editor o f C r i c k e t . D e a r S i r , —The batting of some of the players in the University match has suggested a scheme to me which, if cariied out, would probably render first class cricket much more attractive than it is now. There are, doubtless, objections to the scheme, but it is at least as practicable as some other schemes which have been put forward. I would suggest that a space on every County ground should be netted off. In this space each batsman should have a certain amount of practice before he goes in, the amount to vary according to the time which he takes on the average to play himself in. Thus Jessop would be allowed two or three minutes, while some other men whom I could mention would have two or three hours— one or two might begin overnight. Each man would then be able to begin at once to score at his fastest rate as soon as his turn came to go to the wicket in the match proper, and to get over the difficulty which would be caused by a long partnership I should divide the time available for the match by 40, and thus allow each man so many minutes in which to do his best. If rain came on during his period for batting, he wouldn’t get an innings, but this would be quite as fair in the long run as things are at present, when a side may bat all day on a perfect wicket and send in the other side to bat on it when it is ruined by rain. Now under my scheme (by which a batsman might get out as often as he pleased) he would hit as hard as he could, and the one object of the field would be to keep down the runs. It would be excellent sport, and would be exciting at times. A n O p t im is t . THE DOUBLE-TIE MATCH, j ' To the E d itor o f C r ic k e t . D e a r S ir ,— I notice in your last issue of Cricket a reference to a match played between Peter Symonds’ School and Eastman’s Royal Naval Academy, which is situated at Northwood Park, about four miles from Winchester. Speaking generally the facts are correct, but a few details were omitted. The facts were as follows: Peter Symonds batted first, and made 52. Northwood Park then went in and made the same total. On going to the wickets the second time Peter Symonds ran up the score of 26. I may add that it had been arranged to draw stumps at six o’clock. When Northwood Park entered on their second innings, only about half-an-hour re­ mained for play. At the call of time five wickets were down, and according to the scorers (boys) the total was 26, so another over was allowed them to score the extra run. This run was made, and the teams left the field ; but on adding up the total again the scorers found that they had made a mistake, and when they said it was 26 it should have been 25. Hence the rather unusual occurrence. Strange to relate our team played another tie on Saturday last, the match in this instance being with a local club called “ St. Thomas.” The score in each case was 50. I enclose a cutting of the match played ten days ago : — PETER SYMONDS’ SCHOOL t . n okthw ood PA RK .—Played at "Winchester. P e te r S ym ond ’ s S chool . Carter, b Mortimer ........... 6 c Freeman, b Shenton........... 0 Pullen, c Dane, b Shenton 0 b Mortimer ... 0 Shilling, b bhenton ........... 9 b Mortimer ... 1 Cattle, DMortimer ........... 6 c Dane,b Shenton 0 Galpin, c Dane, b Shenton.. 6 b bhen ton.......... 1 "Wright, c Dane, b Shenton 8 c Shenton, b Mor­ timer.................. 2 Bond,cSmithwick,b Shenton 1 c *rine, b Mor­ timer................... 0 Stickland, b Mortimer ... 3 c Earwaker, b Mortimer........... 4 Garrett, b Shenton ........... 0 b Mortimer............12 W inl, not out ................. 2 not out................... 0 Chalke, b Mortimer ........... 0 b Shenton ........... 1 Extra 8 ...........................12 Extras.......... 5 Total ...................52 Total ... 26 N orthwood P ark . First innings. Second innings. Dane, b Shilling ...................10 not o u t ............... 3 Brine, b Bond ................... l Shenton, b Bond ................. 0 run out ............ 4 Mortimer, b Bond ...........13 b Cattle ... ... 6 Farie, run out ................... 3 not out................" 13 Freemantle, not out ........... 3 b Bond........... ’.!! o Earwaker. c Bond, b Cattle 1 c Carter, b Bond 0 Smithwick, c Carter, b Shilling ........................... l Almach, b Cattle................... 1 Mann, b Cattle ...................14 c a r d b Cattle ... -0 Bradshaw, c Bond, b Galpin 2 Extras........................... 3 Extras.......... 0 Total ...................52 Total (5 wkts) 2d The cutting is taken from the Hamp­ shire Chronicle and General Advertiser for the South and West of England. I remain, Yours truly, W. B r y a n . Peter Symonds* School, "Winchester. July 8th, 1901.