Cricket 1902

D ec . 18, 1902. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 469 NOTES FROM SCOTLAND. (By O u r S p e c ia l C o r r e s p o n d e n t .) A meeting of the representatives of Mid-Lothian clubs convened by the Grange, ■was held at Edinburgh on the 12th to consider as to the formation of a Mid- Lothian County Club. I regret to state that there is no hope of such a club taking part in the county competition next season. Mismanagement and the policy of drift are responsible for this unsatisfactory state of affairs. The Championship Committee expected to receive an application for admission from Mid-Lothian. The latter not having considered the matter never of course applied. No application being forth­ coming the Secretary of the Championship Committee invited the Mid-Lothian clubs, appeal for co-operation as far back as June last. The Mid-Lothian clubs should not have waited until they were approached by the Championship Committee ; they should have met and considered the matter for themselves long before this- The Championship Com­ mittee are also to blame for not having called ; the attention of the Mid-Lothian clubs to the matter sooner, especially as they were aware that things were drifting. The only crumb |of comfort to be derived from the meeting is the statement of Mr. Grant Asher that the Grange are willing to give a Mid-Lothian County C.C. their support, provided the other clubs in the county wish such a club to be formed. This announcement, I need hardly say, gave universal satisfaction. Now that there is no prospect of a Mid-Lothian County C.C. being formed this year, it is, I fear, unlikely that Lanarkshire or Renfrewshire fessionals in some of our representative matches, and where we do play them I think the number should be limited to three. We must not, however, do as we did in the Australian match, play one professional and call the team an “ All Scotland” eleven. Let our amateurs be encouraged to bowl and not to develop their batting at the expense of their bowling. As everything points to their being more representative matches next season than in any former year, it behoves the authorities in Edinburgh to look out for some ground capable of accommodating the crowds that flock to these matches. If the Grange field is to be the venue of representative matches in Edinburgh that ground will have to be made more modern. Permanent stands and possibly banking will be required, as the ground was filled almcst to overflowing with the 6,000 THE AMATEUR MEMBERS OF THE CRICKET TEAM NOW TOURING IN NEW ZEALAND . F. L. Fane. P. K Johnson. E M. Dowson. T. L. Taylor. J. N. Tonge. C. J. Burnup. P. F. Warner (capt.) Reproduced by permission of “ The Tatler .” B. J. T. Bosanquet. A. E. Leatham, through the medium of the Grange, to con­ sider, at a fortnight’s notice, as to the formation of a county club. The above meeting was the result, and after a discussion the Mid-Lothian clubs decided that nothing could be done in the meantime, as they had not been given, and would not have, sufficient time to properly consider the matter in view of the annual meetings of the Scottish County Championship Committee, and of the Scottish Club representatives, taking place so early as December 17th and 19th respectively. It was remitted to a small committee to consider the whole question and report to a future meeting of Mid-Lothian clubs. The excuse of the latter that they had not been given “ sufficient time ” is absurd, seeing that they were supposed to have been considering the matter ever since Mr. A. K. Bell issued his will join the competition at present. In fa't, I should not be at all surprised if Clackman­ nanshire, who have applied for admission, be the only new county to take part in the com­ petition in 1903. In last month’s Cricket I was made to Fay, “ Why should we not play professionals in all our representative matches ? ” What I actually did say was we should not play pro­ fessionals in all our representative matches. I am opposed to professionals taking part in every representative match for the simple rea­ son that amateurs are inclined to leave bowling severely alone, giving, as their excuse, that there is no need for them to try 8nd im­ prove their bowling when they seldom get the chance to bowl in big matches. Hence, amateur bowling is fast becoming, as I said, a lost art. By all means let us play pro­ spectators present on the first day of the Australian match. The Grange may object to additional stands, etc., being erected on their own ground, but after all, a cricket-field is not for ornament but for use. If the Grange ground cannot be thus utilised, some other field that would bo commodious, accessible, and have a good playing pitch, will have to be fixed upon. To.morrow afternoon the annual meeting of Scottish club representatives is to be held at Edinburgh. The hope may be expressed that we may be able to look back upon this meeting as historical through much-needed reforms being instituted. May those in favour of reform show that they have the courage of their convictions and not surren­ der without firing a shot.