Cricket 1902

J an . 30, t 1902. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 11 T h e Adelaide Observer records a good performance of South Australian cricket in a match between the Mount Barker and the Kahndorf clubs on December 21. F. von Doussa and W. Atkinson, who opened the batting for Mount Barker, made 304 in two hours and a-half and were still not out — Von Doussa 162, Atkinson 128. A month before, also for Mount Barker against the Echunga C.C., the same batsmen put on 196 in an hour and twenty minutes without the fall of a wicket. T h e Bombay Gazette gives brief par­ ticulars of a match at Lahore on Decem­ ber 23rd, 24th and 25th, in which Lahore kept the Punjab F.F. out in the field while they scored 627. All that the Gazette tells us besides is that two bats­ men got 100, one 98, and six others 69, 67, 64, 40, 30 and 25 respectively. The Lahore team won by an innings and 256 runs. In an earlier column I have paid an honest tribute to a quarter of a century of good work by that sturdy little journal representing cricket on the other side of the Atlantic, the American Cricketer to wit. But I hope I shall be forgiven if I point out that Cricket with its last number completed its twentieth year. And I hope it will be pardoned as a not inexcusable cause for pride, if I add that it is the only paper in the world, so far as I know, which can claim to have devoted itself to cricket and to nothing else but cricket for so long, or anything like so long a period. T h e members of the Board of Control which is to govern the matches between England and Australia next summer are as follows :—Earl Howe (President), the Hon. Alfred Lyttelton, K.C., M.P., the Earl of Lichfield, Mr. A. G. Steel, K.C., Mr. Y. E. Walker, and Mr. W. H. Patter­ son (representing the M.C.C.), Lord Hawke (Yorkshire), Mr. A. J. Webbe (Middlesex), the Earl of Winterton (Sussex), Mr. S. H. Swire (Lancashire), and Mr. H.W. Bainbridge (Warwickshire). C l e m e n t H i l l ’ s three latest innings in the test matches are a curiosity in their way. For a man to score in successive innings 99, 98, and 97 in matches of any kind would be a remarkable occurence, but that the thing should have been done in test matches is altogether astonishing. A m o n g the announcements of recent promotion for distinguished service in South Africa, were the names of G. Kemp, the old Kossall and Cambridge University cricketer, now major, and R. M. Poore, who holds the rank of lieut.- colonel in South Africa. J. G if f o b d , who while over here on a visit a few years ago played for M.C.C. with a good deal of success, scored 109 for Lomas against Flores on December 29th. He has for some years been a prominent figure in cricket at the River Plate. T h e annual general meeting of the Surrey County C.C. will be held at the Oval on Thursday, May 1st. T h e report of the twenty-third annual general meeting of the Kensington C.C. (Kingston, Jamaica) has reached us. The club played 18 matches which are known as first-class, and was unbeaten. A total of 2,524 runs were scored against 1,642 by opposing teams, while the average number of runs per wicket for the club was 18'55 against 8-32. T h e following is the programme for the English cricketers during their visit to Jamaica:— Feb. 10 and 11. Sabina Park, v. All Jamaica. „ 12 „ 13, „ y. Jamaica Bora. „ 14 „ 15 „ v. All Jamaica. „ 18 „ 19. Black River, v. St. Elizabeth. „ 22 „ 24. Sabina Park, v. The Fleet and Jamaica. The expected arrival of the North American and West Indian Squadron at Kingston on February 20th is responsible for this last match. An “ At Home” will be held on the flagship on the 21st, at which the cricketers will be present. The Governor of Jamaica, a very old friend of Cricket, Sir A. W. L. Hemming, will captain the team to oppose the Englishmen in the last match “ by special desire.” A s t u d y of the notes in the various daily papers after the scores of the recent test match has not been without interest. Thus:— Monday.—Barnes’ knee is rather trouble­ some. Tuesday.—Barnes is in bed with his knee in a straight waistcoat. Wednesday.—Barnes was not well enough to bat; so he did not go to the wicket. Thursday.—Barnes will probably not be able to play in the next test match. Friday.—Barnes is too ill to be moved, and, it is thought that he will stay here for a time. Saturday.—Barnes is recovering rapidly. Sunday.—Barnes ate a pork chop with tomato sauce. B u s s e y ’ s C r ic k e t e r s ’ D i a r y , which comes out usually with the advent of the New Year, has now reached its eleventh edition. The only annual of a handy size for the waistcoat pocket, the Diary alone would make it valuable to cricketers for insertion of their engagements and personal scores. But in addition, it contains the results of most of the chief matches and interesting events of last year, as well as the principal fixtures for next summer, the laws of the game, and other information. THE TEST MATCHES. The board of oontrol appointed to regu­ late and carry out all the arrangements in connection with the test matches next season met for the first time on Tuesday last. The dates and places for the five test matches, provisionally arranged at the secretaries’ meeting at Lord’s in Decem­ ber, were confirmed, and the matches will accordingly be played on May 29th, at Birmingham; July 12th, at Lord’s ; July 3rd, at Sheffield; July 24th, at Manchester; and August 11th, at the Oval. It was also determined that in all five matches play should begin on the first day at 11.30, and on the second and third days at eleven o’clock, stumps being drawn at half-past six. The umpires will be appointed in the same way as in 1899. The proposals put forward by Notts with regard to the pooling of the stand receipts were discussed, and a reso­ lution was passed as follows:—“ All moneys taken at stands and enclosures at the test matches shall together with the balance of gate money in respect of the test matches less the Australian half of such gate money and less the expenses of the matches authorised by the board be placed in the hands of the board for dis­ tribution as follows : 40 per cent, to the ground where thematch is played, 10 per cent, to the second-class counties which take part in the second division of the County Championship, and 50 per cent, to the pool.” This means that ten per cent, of all the receipts for stands, enclosures, as well as the net receipts of gate money, less the half share to the Australians, will go to the second-class counties taking part in the second division of the County Champion­ ship, and fifty per cent, to the first-class counties with the Marylebone Club. THE PING PONG RECEUITY. [It is reported that Dr. W. G. Grace has joined a ping-pong club at the Crystal Palace.] Men say that I am growing old; They whisper that my legs are weak; They think 1 might retire, I’m told, And, blow me tight, it’s like their cheek! They said the same ten years ago, Yet still I make some decent scores, And still I bowl a tidy slow, And still the crowd my name adores. And yet, I own, of later years I’ve heaved a sigh on wintry days, And shed some hot and saltish tears, When thinking of my former ways. I scarce can run with beagles now ; My football days have long been o’er; I do not dig ; I cannot plough; I could not take up battledore. But lo ! a talisman I ’ve found, And, after I have wisely dined, From out my easy chair I bound, And leave all anxious care behind. With ping-pong racket see me stand (In my large paw it looks a toy), I call it my magician’s wand, My liver pill, my life, my joy. Across the dining table long I whack the ball with boyish glee, With many a ping, and many a pong It’s just the exercise for me. So now I warble “ Ping-a-pong For Sixpence. Who will have a go f ’ ’— And, when the summer comes along, Will I drop cricket ? Not for Joe ! W. A. B.