Cricket 1901

A pril 11, 1901. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 61 The captain was the first to bat, attired in his best Sunday clothes and a smart red, white, and blue flannel cap, made by his sweetheart, and worn with the peak looking down his neck. The solitary leg-guard possessed by the club was strapped on the back of his right leg, and in his mouth, after the manner of all village cricketers, he carried a blade of grass. The secretary bowled, and the spectators crowded around as close as they dared go. The first few balls passed uneventfully, as, owing probably to a want of practice, not one of them went within ten yards of the wicket. This made no difference however to the bats­ man, who slashed wildly at the air, and after each stroke looked round for applause, which he received, everyone thinking what a grand game it was and how well he was playing, except one cantankerous subscriber, who remarked that they might as well play without the ball, and save the club the expense of buying one. At last, by good luck, a ball pitched on a mole heap and broke, eo that the bats­ man by running across the wicket managed to get it full on the bat, and with a wild mowing; stroke smote it towards short leg. Now, as it happened, close in that position in the field, stood the owner of the field, eagerly watching the game and seeing that too much turf was not dug up for a block-pit (which, by the way, was deep enough and large enough to bury a cat in). At the mom­ ent the aforesaid stroke was made he was engaged in calculating what damages he should charge theclub forthishole, and did not notice the ball coming his way: consequently before he could say “ knife” he found himself lying flat on his back with a black eye. The effect of this incident is indescribable. In a little less than no lime the whole of the spectators had disappeared, the women running with their sun-shades open behind them to keep off the ball, which they felt certain would hit them, and the old men tumbling over one another in their hurry to get out of the field. As for the unfortunate victim, he lay on the ground moaning pitifully, saying he was killed, and threatening to bring an action against the club, claiming damages for assault. Finally he got up in a fury and ordered the playersoff the field, saying they should never play there again, and he kept his word. No other field being obtainable, the club had perforce to break up, having existed, so far as actual play went, for about an hour. The stumps were seized by the occupier of the field for rent, but the bat and ball are still preserved by the secretary as a memorial of the Village Cricket Club. CAMBRIDGESHIRE. JULY. 1. Bedford, v. Bedfordshire 8. Hertford, v. Hertfordshire AUGUST. 5. Cambridge, v. Oxfordshire 7. Norwich, v. Norfolk 9. Lord’s, v. M.C.C. 12. Cambridge, v. Hertfordshire 14. Cambridge, v. Norfolk 19. Cambridge, v. Bedfordshire 28. Oxford, v. Oxfordshire CRICKET IN SOUTH AFRICA. PRETORIA y . GARRISON.—Played at Pretoria on February 16, the Garrison winning by 38 runs. It will be noticed that among the players in this match we-e Major Poore, the famous Hampshire batsman, and Dr. G. Thornton, the well-known Middlesex cricketer. P retoria . First innings. Second innings. Dr. G. Thornton, c Grigson, b Dennett ........................15 absent P. H. Brain, b Dennett ... 1 absent T.Fawcett,cHudson,b Poore 43 not o u t .................25 T. Hill, c and b Dennett ... 10 c Griajson, b Den­ nett ...................25 A. J. Anderson, b Dennett 3 st Bonham, b D en n ett........... 4 M. Hill, b Steele.................53 b Hudson ............ 0 V. M. Watermeyer, st Bon­ ham, b Poore ................... 4 cPoore, b Dennett 4 H. C. Bindon, c Poore, b Dennett ......... ..........40 c Abbott, b Den­ nett ...................22 P. Lapia, b Poore ............ 5 b Hudson ............ 0 Drawbridge, b P oore........... 2 c Abbott, b Den­ nett ................... 2 D. G. Hafner, not out ... 13 Extras......... 13 Total ...202 G arrison . Total (8 wkts) ! Capt. Sillem, c M.Hill, b Fawcett.................. 4 Capt. Hudson, b Faw­ cett .......................... 3 Major Poore, c Draw­ bridge, b Thornton ICO A.E.Grigson, b Tnorn- toa ..........................29 Clark, run out ........... 0 Piivate Abbott, b Thornton.................. 6 CorporalDennett,lbw., b Thornton .......... 3 Capt. Bonham, b M. Hill ........................... Capt.W right,b Thorn­ ton ........................... Lieut. Steele.c M .Hill, b Thornton ........... T. Coleman, not out... Extras ........... Total ...164 MOUNTED TROOPS 17 th BRIGADE v. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT. — Played at Bethlehem, Orange River Colony, on January 29. S outh S taffordshire R egimbnt . Lt. Cummins, b Day... Cpl. Brierly, b Day ... Lt. Boncer, b Day ... Pte. Price, not out .. Cpl. Cronin, b Day ... Capt. Blackwood, b Day .......................... Capt. Cuppage,c Airey, b D ay.......................... Lt. Dunns, c Day, b Thornycroft ........... Dr. Quinn, b Thorny­ croft .......................... Pte. McDonald, c Airey, b D a y ........... Pte. Lane, absent B 1, lb 1................... Total ...109 M ounted T roops 17 th B bigadk . Lt. Barrington, c Cronin,b Blac nwood 17 Lt. Airey, b Blackwood 1 Lt. Thornycroft, b Cronin .................. 10 Tpr. Philips, b Black­ wood .......................... 1 Lt. Howes, b Black­ wood .......................... 6 Capt. Trueman, c Mc­ Donald, b Cronin ... 23 Lt. Palmer, b Cronin 0 Lt. K . Ward, c Cup- page, b Cronin ... 9 Capt. H ill, b Cronin 2 Q,trmst.-8gt. W ay, b Cronin ................... 6 Pte. Day, not out ... 48 B 3, lb 2, nb 1 ... 6 Total ...129 MANCHESTER MOUNTED INFAN TRY v. M IDDLESEX IMPERIAL YEOMANRY, 34th AND 35tii COMPANIES.—Played at licKsDurgh, Orange River Colony, on Febru ry 9. M anchester M ounted I nfantry . Lt. Thornycroft, c and b B arron ...................29 Pt. Day, b Barron ... 33 Capt. Trueman, retired hurt ..........................36 Pte. Pearson, b Meeson 15 Pte. Howarth, c and b Meesjn .................. 6 Maj . Goldfinch, c and b M eeson.................. 2 Pte. Evans, b Spicer Pte.Coppoch,bMeeson Pte. nodkinson, b Meeson ................... Pte. Lloyd, c and b Meeson ................... Pte. Forster, not out B 7, w 1 ................... Total .. 140 M iddlesex I mperial Y eomanry . Lt. Palmer, b Thorny­ croft .......................... 0 Tpr. Philips, lbw, b Thornycroft .......... 16 Lt. Barrington, b Truem an.................. 25 Tpr. Meeson, run out 16 Tpr. Barron, b Tiue - man .......................... 13 Lt. Howie, hit wkt, b Thornycroft ........... 6 Tpr. Clifford, b True­ man ........................... 3 Lt. Kings wood, run out .......................... 8 ' Tpr.Forbes,bTrut man 15 Tpr.8picer,b Trueman 9 Ip r. Yessop, not out 3 Byes ................... 3 Total ...117 A FEW REMARKS ABOUT UM­ PIRES, THEIR DUTIES, TRIALS, GRIEVANCES, FAULTS, FAILINGS, AND DIFFICULTIES. WITH SUGGESTIONS. By “ A n O ld H ar r o v ia n .” It is my purpose, intention, and desire, in this essay to point out, and dilate upon, certain defects and short-comings, exhibited by most umpires of the present period, caused principally through or by the authorities not having provided sufficient remedies and safeguards for those they employ. I will also briefly touch and enlarge upon, the merits of two notabilities, who have had upon their shoulders a large portion of the necessary burdens apper­ taining to our noble game as now displayed in all parts of the world. The great and principal failure all umpires have been accused of lately is that they are unwilling or rather perhaps they dread to “ call,” or to “ no-ball,” all bowlers whether they are “ big or little,” who deliver in an unfair or doubtful manner, or in plain words throw. This hesitation or fear has yearly palpably increased, and will after a time, give great extra trouble, by producing additional, and painful disputations among all lovers of cricket, whether engaged personally in a match, or par­ ticipating only as lookers on. The umpires everywhere and also the authorities, will soon find their task almost insuperable, unless the present faults and omissions are “ nipped in the bud ” and old laws carried out in their entirety, as they should always have been. I see looming in the near future a crash on certain points or matters, through or by, the non—observance of various rules and regulations, whether old or new, good or bad, as experienced by all everywhere, in these money making days of cricket. The splendid pavilions lately erected on all grounds, with their magnificent accessories and surroundings (which many despise altogether), give no equivalent in my eyes at least, for broken laws, since it is well-known that several of our admirable old rules have been sadly defaced and mutilated from time to time by various alterations and uncalled for additions on all points, especially of late years. Tne chief reason I think why unwilling­ ness to “ no-ball ” a bowler for throwing has arisen, is because the laws, year after year have not been enforced and made strong enough to protect the umpires themselves. The laws are now so clouded and mystified, that at length they have actually become too arduous and too difficult to execute properly, and to be remembered, or to be understood fully, even by those umpires who are willing to act as they ought, namely strenuously. Nevertheless, the rulings and decisions of all umpires, whether correct or the reverse, have of a necessity to be complied with by all contending elevens universally. It is not generally known or rather it is