Cricket 1901

M arch 28, 1901. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 37 A FEW REMARKS ABOUT DRAWN OR UNF IN ISHED MATCHES, AND HOW THEY M AY BE AVO IDED . By “ A n O ld H abrovian .” My wish and aim in this article on cricket matters is to call attention to, and prove as well as I am able, that drawn or unfinished matches are caused princi­ pally, but not of course entirely, by or through circumstances over which the authorities have almost complete control, if they with more vigour choose to exert their power and influence, which have, it seems to me, been sadly wanting for a long period. I therefore declare that, in my opinion at least, all committees, secretaries, hon. secretaries, managers, and captains of each eleven playing on all grounds can, i f they will, nearly put an end to this blot on our national game, which tends to make cricket almost a farce, and certainly reduces and degrades the same into entirely a money-making concern, this having teen very apparent to all true lovers of cricket for several years, and has become lately quite intolerable. It is evidently and naturally desired by all clubs that their funds should be in­ creased as much as possible, and to that issue there can be no objection whatsoever. But to obtain this wished for end nothing ought to be done or carried out which would act in any way to the detriment of cricket itself, and I refer at present solely to drawn or unfinished matches. A ll clubs reasonably wish that the matches under their control should be completed, but they “ spin out ” and waste so much of the daily allotted time of play, b y various delays and procrasti­ nations (most of which could easily be avoided) that the result is just the reverse. They naturally seek to obtain as much entrance or gate-money as possible, and to secure that result they try to regulate or arrange so that the play for the final or concluding day should not terminate till just when time would be called, or the bell rung, as the case may be. They desire of course that the sixpennies or shillings should continue to flow in up to the very last moment allowed, but this intention is almost always carried out too far, since it is impossible that they can be sufficiently accurate in their prognostica­ tions and calculations as regards the exactitude of time each contest will occupy, and therefore drawn or unfinished matches through this uncertainty and error constantly eventuate. The authorities are opposed entirely to a three-day match ending in two, or a tw o-day contest being completed in one. This is most reasonable, but the result is often as I have stated, as far as these constant draws are concerned, b y un­ necessary delays and tedious prolonga­ tions arranged so as not to finish the play too soon. The numerous stoppages also while each contest is in progress, whereby most valuable time is lost, combined with much dawdling, are the principal or rather nearly the entire cause (weather of course excepted) of these odious terminations repeated of late years “ ad nauseam ” everywhere. Given fine weather, drawn or unfinished matches should be rare, a td far more interest would be gained thereby, but little doubt exists, in my mind at least, that the desire to make money to add to the funds of each individual club is by far the chief reason of that which I complain of. Unfinished matches injure cricket greatly, because they destroy much of the excitement always felt b y all as to the result and completion of well fought out battles. Late beginnings, long unnecessary delays at the meals, including tea at five (no teas at all were provided fifty years back), tedious pauses between each bats­ man’s innings, far exceeding that allowed by the laws of the game, and above all the lack of authority and control exer­ cised by the captains of each eleven on various disputed points, thereby causing interruptions, are obvious to all true lovers of cricket frequenting the great matches and even those of a lesser calibre. No new laws, minor fussy alterations, and ostentatious additions, which now so frequently and annually appear, are required, I feel sure. What has long been wanted is to see that the old laws are more strictly carried out and sustained by those in authority, which they will most likely perform if they only love cricket more than “ filthy lucre,” but not otherwise I fear. That more supervision and firmness are necessary to put all straight on all points at cricket at the beginning of this new century is allowed b y all, and will have to be carried out eventually I feel convinced. I have strung together the above few facts, hoping that the authorities at cricket will notice them, and not think that I have written about what is not required or unnecessary or superfluous. Most persons frequenting the great matches, who have any knowledge of the science of the game, and not merely the seekers after “ fo rcin g ” or “ slo g g in g ” batting, are well aware of what I wish to promulgate, and I only recapitulate certain facts in order that some improve­ ment may perhaps be brought about in our national game b y calling attention to long unheeded rules and laws, the neglect o f which have eventually caused these blots. Drawn or unfinished great matches lose at least half the interest they excite in the cricketing world, and of that there can be no doubt at all. And let it be remembered that palpable and evident evils at cricket, as well as with other mundane affairs, require drastic and stringent remedies, while the longer these are delayed the more diffi­ cult it will be to renovate our national sport. All secretaries and authorities w ill be much to blame if they do not decide that the laws of cricket are to be carried out and enforced in their entirety and insisted on to the fu ll, this having long been de­ manded by all real admirers of our “ noble pastime” everywhere. What will future generations of cricketers say and think of this multitude o f unfinished contests, combined with the neglected laws about foul bowling, and the leg-before-w icket arrangement ? Also the great inequality which prevails as regards batting and bowling, caused principally and in fact almost entirely in these days through the over-prepared “ pitches ? ” They will assert that cricketers of former years loved money far more than cricket itself, and they will, I fear, speak the real truth, “ nemine contradicente.” Splendid pavilions, with their magnifi­ cent accessories and surroundings, com­ bined with the over-prepared wickets or “ pitches,” will certainly be poor sub­ stitutes for the lost equality at cricket, as far as regards batting and bowling, nor will they atone for these numerous draws, now universal, and which it seems are allowed, or rather “ winked a t," b y those who should be our law givers and stern superintendents, of all proceedings on various points on all cricket grounds. In conclusion, I wish to state that my remarks are compiled solely by the wish that our great game may be improved in many ways, and may not year after year deteriorate through want of proper and diligent supervision, and through being ruled entirely or nmrly through the longing to amass large sums of money at the entrance gates or turnstiles by all clubs and counties everywhere. The follow ing are the Bix chief blots now existing in our national and beloved game of cricket, and they ought to be removed speedily, as far as is possible, by or through keeping several disused regu­ lations in a more strict manner, and also by renewing various broken laws. They are all palpable and evident defects, painful to witness on all grounds, great or small. (1.) Unfinished or drawn matches, now un­ necessarily far too numerous. (2.) Foul bowling or throwing. (3.) The leg-before-wicket question, law, or regulation as it now stands or exists. (4.) The wickets or “ pitches” as used now, they being much over-prepared, there­ by helping greatly to destroy equality at cricket, as far ashatting and bowling are concerned, by causing the former to reign supreme. (5.) Inequality between the batsman and the bowler, cricket in consequence having become all one-sided. (6.) Great indifference as regards the actual play itself, money-making being thought of and considered first by a long way. “ Will there be a good gate !• ” is now a common question asked, while the science of the game has become a secondary matter altogether. Let no one, I pray, be offended at my friendly remarks and criticisms on cricket short-comings and defects, plainly shown and proved, I think, by me to have existed for a lon g time past, and which also at the present epoch have been very apparent. The blots I now point out were not known about fifty years back at any of the great or minor matches of that period, but have slow ly and gradually been introduced and adopted almost un­ perceived on all grounds universally.