Cricket 1901

CR IC K E T , APRIL 18, 1901. “ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. n o. 6 6 4 . v o i.. x x . THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1901 p b i o s aa. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. M R . H . W . PR ICE . Although Mr. Price has taken an active part in the game of cricket for nearly fifty years it is perhaps as an organiser that he is best known to London club cricketers. It is to such men as he enthusiasts, and untiring workers, that the present prosperity of so many famous clubs is due. What Sir Augustus Hemming has been to the Incogniti Mr. Price has been to the Ken­ sington Park C.C., and no higher testimony to his efficiency is necessary. H e began his career of useful­ ness in 1859 when he became honorary secretary of the Hornsey C.C.,an office which he held until 1861, when nominally ow ing to the exor­ bitant rent charged for the cricket ground, but actually because he was about to be married and could undertake the duties no longer, the club was dissolved, to be resusci­ tated a few years later. In 1864 he became a member of the Middlesex County C.C., which was then first started, and in the same year joined the Kensington Park C.C., being on the committee in 1870. In 1875 he became vice-president in conjunction with Mr. Charles Prescott, and since 1899, on the death of Dr. Waddilove, he has been, with Mr. Sam Bircham, acting president; for the president, Mr. St. Quintin, the owner of the club ground which he has let on the most moderate of terms, does not take an active part in the club’s doings. Mr. Price is a member of the M .C.C. and the Surrey County C lu b ; also of the Esher C.C., and formerly of the Incogniti, the W imbledon C.C., and the Hindlesham C.C., while he was president of the Cob- ham C.C. for fourteen years, and is still an active member. His earliest score was 17 made as long ago as 1849. In 1853 and 1854 he was in the H ighgate School eleven, and after joining the Old Westbourne C.C., which was famous in former days, he entered on an active career as a wicket-keeper, batsman, and an exceedingly keen field, which is fortu­ nately not yet closed ; in his last match, , last year, for Kensington Park he scored 25 not out. In the matter of getting teams together, organising dances, smok­ ing concerts, club dinners, testimonials, etc., and in committee work he has been unrivalled. A man who had never played cricket would be surprised at the inexhaustable number of “ legal points ” which occur in the game. To Mr. Price it has fallen to come across some of exceeding interest. “ In one of the Kensington Park matches against Surbiton,” he said, “ we were batting. Those of us who were in the pavilion suddenly noticed that the game had been stopped, and that the Surbiton captain was com ing towards us. It seems that an odd thing had happened. The wicket-keeper appealed for a catch, and understood the umpire to say ‘ not out.’ The game proceeded, and seven or eight more runs had been made, when one of the field, after the over was completed, said to the umpire, ‘ I thought that was out,’ to which the umpire replied ‘ I gave it out.’ The Surbiton captain was in duty bound to take notice of this, and accordingly he came to talk the matter over with us. He considered that as the man had been given out, he ought to go out, despite the fact that the game had pro­ ceeded. I held to the con­ trary opinion, arguing that as the game had proceeded for some time the episode had been passed over. |It was a question whether the umpires ought to have said at once that a mistake had been made. But not wishing to take advantage of a technical point we withdrew our man and cancelled the runs which had been made after the decision. As it happened we won the the match b y three runs, and thus was virtue rewarded.” “ Another odd question arose in a match at Cobham against a visiting eleven,” said Mr. Price. “ One of our opponents played at a ball which went upwards off his bat, and as it was descending he struck it a second time. As some of our team were certain in their own minds that he did it intentionally with the object of making a run, they promptly appealed for hitting the ball twice. Now the ball was caught by the bowler, and the question arose ‘ H ow was the batsman