Cricket 1901

A p r i l 25, 1901. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OB' TIIE GAME. 87 very mildly. Some of the county cap­ tains afterwards denied that the voting was unanimous, while others were not present at all. A few critics thought that the captains had done wisely; the majority that they had made a huge mistake. The upshot was that the greater number of the county com­ mittees asked for a ruling of the M.C.O. committee on the question. This was given on April 1st:— That this committee approve of the prin­ ciple of the action taken by the captains, but are of opinion that it would be expedient to postpone the actual suspension of any bowler during the coming season, in the hope that this course may strengthen the hands of the umpires, without being unnecessarily drastic. This, of course, meant that the action of the county captains was overruled. The recognition by the M.C.C. of the Minor Counties Championship necessi­ tated certain alterations in the wording of the rules for the classification of counties, which need not here be repeated. A new rule was also made in March, 1901, v iz.:— County Championship (Second Division).— Second-class counties and second elevens of first-class counties shall be entitled to com­ pete in this division. No county or second eleven shall be eligible for the Championship unless it shall have played at least four out and home matches with other second-class counties, themselves being qualified competi­ tors. The qualification of players for the sebond-class competition is the same as in the first-class. At the end of March the M.C.C. issued the following code of signalling to be added to the general instructions to umpires, which by this time have reached formidable proportions: — Boundaries shall be signalled by waving the hand from side to side. Byes shall be signalled by raising the open hand above the head. Leg-byes shall be signalled by raising the leg and touching it with the hand. Wides shall be signalled by extending both arms horizontally. No-balls shall be signalled by extending one arm horizontally. The decision Out shall be signalled by raising the index finger above the head. Umpires should wait until a signal has been answered by the scorer before allowing the game to proceed. Besides signalling, the umpire should “ call” distinctly for the information of the players. On giving a decision the umpire should make sure that the batsman understands what the decision is. In April, 1901, an alteration was made in the instructions to umpires as to fitness of light and ground, v iz .:— In the event of the captains agreeing as to the condition of the ground or light, the umpires will so far be relieved of their responsibility. Thus the formidable list ends. If the next two years produoe the same amount of legislation the laws of cricket will be almost unrecognisable. Perhaps it would not greatly matter if they were, for, no doubt, cricket would still flourish. W . A. B k t t e s w o k t h . FREE FORESTERS. The following is tbe Foresters pro­ gramme for this season :— MAY. 25. Sunningdale, v. Silwood Park 29. Woolwich, v. Royal Military Academy 29. Oxford, v. Christ Church* 30. W indsor, v. Home Park 3'. Stamford’ v. Burghleigh Park* JUNE. 1. Harrow, v. The School 5. Cambridge, v. Quidnuncs 8. Esher, v. Esher 8 Ludgrove, v. A . T. B. Dunn’s X I. Wellington College, v. The College Eton, v. The College Hillingdon, v. Evelyns Potters Bar, v. Northaw Place Chelsea, v. Household Brigade* Haileybury, v. The College Brad field, v. The College Ruerby, v. The School* Winchester, v. The Co1 lege Hemel Hempsted, v. The Golden Parsonage L mgley Place, v. Eton Masters Wolverstone Park, v. Mr. Berner’s X I.* Shoeburyness, v. School of Gunnery* JULY. Uppiogham, v. The School* Godalmiog, v. The Charterhouse Repton, v. The School* Reading, v. Gentlemen o f Berks* Wargrave Hill, v. S. Platt's X I.* Camberley, y . The Staff College Tonbridge, v. The School Malvern, v. The College* Colchester, v. The Garrison* Bury St. Edmunds, v. Bury St. Edmunds* Tunbridge Wells, v. Tunbridge Wells anl Dist.* Clewer Park, v. Sir D. Gooch’s X I. Egham, v. M iltoi Park Broadstairs, v. Rev. Churchill’s X I. B icester v. Bicester* Aylesbury, v. Aylesbury* Weybridge, v. Oatlands Park W oolwich, v. Royal Artillery* Chipping Norton, v. Heythrop Hunt* Kendal, V Northern Nomads* Bath, v. Lansdown C.C.* H igh Legh, v. Col. Legh’ s X L * AUGUST. Malvern, v. Eton Ramblers* Oswestry, v. Shropshire* Epsom, v. Epsom* Godalming, v. Losely Hall* Ludlow, v. Ludlow* Horsham, v. Horsham* Maidstone, v. The Mote* Aldershot, v. The District* Shornecliffe, v. The Camp* Winchester, v. Hampshire Hogs* Chatham, v. Royal Engineers* Hinton Admiral, v. Sir G. Meyrick’s X I.* Portsmouth, v. United Services* Irish Tour* * Two-day matches. PROPOSED CHANGES IN A U S T R A L IA . In the last two or three issues of Cricket we have referred to the question which, although it is not quite as important as the throwing question, is greatly agita­ ting the minds of Australian cricketers, viz., the scheme for handing over the control of Inter-State and International cricket to the Melbourne C.C., and the consequent disappearance of the Victorian Cricket Association. We now learn that the scheme was brought before the Victorian Association on March 13th. It is as follows :— 1.—The M.C.C. to have full control in Victoria of all Inter-State and International cricket, on the condition that (a) The club shall take over and pay the liabilities of the Victorian Cricket Association. ( b) The club shall finance Inter-State matches, and shall divide the net profits among the clubs now forming the V.C.A., provided that before there bo any division of profits the M.C.C. shall be reimbursed the amount it has paid in liquidating the debts of the V.C.A., and in addition a reserve fund of, say, £500 has been established to meet future probable losses. (c) In the case of International cricket, the M.C.C. shall regard the clubs now forming the V.C.A. in the same way as it does the cricket associa­ tions of the other States, and shall divide the Victorian share of any profits amongst the clubs. (i d) The M.C.C. shall appoint a paid selector of teams, whose duty it will be to attend matches and practice during the season, as well as to pick Victorian teams. The suggested scheme also deals with the question of club cricket thus :— 1.—The M.C.C. shall appoint a sub-com­ mittee to confer with a sub-committee of the V.C.A., to devise a scheme of district cricket. 2.—Such scheme having been decided on, the various clubs shall appoint a delegate to join a committee to arrange details, fixtures, etc., and such committee shall have full power to settle all differences between the clubs. 3.—The M.C.C. shall drop out of Pennant club cricket. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY. The following is a complete list of matches for the forthcoming season :— APRIL. 29. Cambridge, v. two Elevens of Seniors M AY. 2. Cambridge, v. two Elevens of Freshmen 9. Cambridge University v. Mr. A J. Webbe’s X I, Date not fixed. Cambridge, First Twelve v. Next Sixteen 23. Cambridge, Cambridge University v. Yorkshire 27. Cambridge, Cambridge University v. London County 30. Cambridge, Cambridge University v. Worcester­ shire JUNE. 6. Cambridge, Cambridge University v. Surrey 10. Cambridge, Cambridge University v, South Africans 17. Crystal Palace, Cambridge University v. London County (return) 20. Oval, Cambridge University v. Surrey (return) 24. Brighton, Cambridge University v. Sussex 27. Lord s, Cambridge University v. M.C.C. and Grouud JULY. 4. Lord’s, Oxford v. Cambridge 8, Liverpool, Cambridge University v. Liverpool and District 11. Dublin, Cambridge University, v. Dublin Uni­ versity X V III. O ? MIDDLETON AND DISTRICT v. J. T. TYLDESLEY’S LANCASHIKE X l.-P la y ed at Middleton on April 20. X V III. of M iddleton and D istrict . J. H. W ood (capt.), c t H. Brierley, b W ebb 0 Irving, Jt>Broughton 3 |T.Pollitt,cBroughton, H. W . Hampson, Smith, b Webb ... 0 Brown, b W ebb.......... 31 H. Heyworth, c Smith, b Broughton ........... 0 Tuck, b Broughton ... 4 H.Kinder,b Broughton 10 Dr. Ramsbottom, b Hallows ................... 7 Dux bury, c Smith, b Webb.......................... 2 E. Tweedle, c Smith, b W ebb.......................... 6 b Webb A. Capper, b W ebb ... R. Christopher, b Broughton ........... P. Hulton, b Webb ... T. Cocker, b W ebb ... J. Ogdtn, not out ... E. Broadie, b W ebb... J. Kirkham, b W ebb Extras ......... Total Holland,c Christopher, b Broadie.................. 1 Tyldesley, b Brown ... 26 Hallows, c Kinder, b T u cfc.......................... 24 Broughton, b Tucfc ... 6 Huddlestone, c Tuck, b Broven ................... 1 T yldesley ’ s E leven . C. Smith, b Tuck ... 0 F. Waud, c Capper, b Brown ................... 5 Irving, not o u t........... 2 Extras .......... 2 T otal (7 w its) 72 Wright, Radclilfe, and W ebb did not bat.