Cricket 1903

A p ril 30, 1903. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 105 f^OR SALE.—Complete set of Wisden’s Almanack, r 1879 to 1902 inclusive, in excellent condition.— 1889 and 1892 in duplicate.—T. H. G ibson , 67, Gren­ ville Street, Stockport. ^atulton #ossip. The abstract and brief chronicle of the time.— Hamlet. T he M.C.C. report 3hows that in 1902 there were 4,847 members, an increase of 64, of whom 4,125 paid, 403 were life members, and 317 abroad. Mention is made of the Cricketers’ National War Fund, which realised £2,290 13s. 7d., the introduction of lacrosse, the formation of luncheon arbours instead of tents on the practice ground, the ground staff, and the fact that the Minor Counties do not desire the proposed alteration to Law 24 ( lb w ). The total turnover of the club in 1902 was upwards of £26.000. The refreshment department, chiefly owing to the unfortunate experiences of the Test Match, has been worked at a loss of some £1,200. The entrance fees and subscrip­ tions to the club were £13,056 5s. 3d., against £12,831 in 1901. A t the annual meeting of the Essex County C.C. Mr. C. E. Green said that he did not think that the increase of half an inch or even six inches made any difference to a batsman when thoroughly set. Another point was the artifically preparation of the wickets, and over the resolution of the M.C.C. there had been a difference of opinion. Essex had regarded it as a prohibition, and had dropped the practice two years ago, together with other counties, but some still adhered to the same, which he should like to see prohibited, instead, as it turned out, of being merely a suggestion. M r . G reen added that considering the wet season and the experiences of some other county clubs, he thought the result was fairly satisfactory, the loss on the year’s working only having, thanks to insuring the games, been £19, but the reduction of their membership was a serious matter. On December 31st it stood at 1,470 gentlemen and 134 ladies, but they should make every effort to raise it to 2,000—a number really necessary. The ground would be opened for practice on Saturday, May 2nd, and the bowlers engaged were Sewell, Inns, ■Reeves, Tremlin, Buckenham, E. Bussell, E. J. Freeman, Benham, and Littlewood. A iter the ordinary business of the meeting the presentation to Mr. H. G. Owen was made by Mr. C. E. Green, who spoke the literal truth when he said that Mr. Owen’s good temper and tact had endeared him to everybody. Mr. Owen, who said that he had no intention of re­ tiring from the game, stated that he had given up the [captaincy for two reasons, viz., a oaptain ought to be able to play m , “ itch es, and he thought it would look better to resign now instead of waiting to be kicked out. (Much laughter). He had always been loyal to •frssex, and would continue to be so. A rthur S hrewsbury , who has been ill nearly all the winter, recently had to undergo an operation in London, and on Thursday last Alfred Shaw was tele­ graphed for from Leyton to go to see him. Fears were expressed that Shrews­ bury was very seriously ill, but on the following day he was able to return home to Nottingham, so that there are hopes that things are not as bad as they seemed. U nder the heading of “ Cricket in Portugal ” the following appears in T.P.’s Weekly :— Though indolence is rather a favourite failing of my countrymen, yet can one wonder at it, and at their love for the “ dolce far niente,” with a perfect climate, and when food for the masses can almost be had for the asking ? Some years ago a cricket club was founded by the English Colony, and for a time the eli'e of Lisbon were seized with a perfect furore for the sport. They joined in a body, and it became quite the thing of that season. However, as the summer went on their sporting fervour decreased in propor­ tion as the temperature rose, to the despair of the English members. With great difficulty they had organised a match between both nationalities, at which Royalty had promised to be present. Both sides were to have an English captain, and had arranged to practise on several evenings a week. Imagine the horror of the captain of the Portuguese side when his eleven began sending their valets and footmen to practise in their stead on account of the heat! T he annual general meeting of the London County Cricket Club was held in the Board room at the Crystal Palace on Thursday, 23rd April. The secretary announced that the club during the season 1902 played 14 first-class and 87 minor matches. Of the first-class matches five were won, three lost, and six left unfinished. For the coming season, 1903, 12 first-class matches and 90 other matches have been arranged. The prospects of the club are very en­ couraging, and 40 new members have already been elected since March 1st, 1903. Dr. W . G. Grace, as everybody knows, is the secretary. M r . E. B. S hine , the Cambridge University Blue and Kent Amateur, intends to assist Sefton Park this season. He played for them on Saturday and scared 18 not out. He had the satisfac­ tion of scoring two very fine 4’s off another old Cambridge Blue, the Rev. J. Burrough, and clean bowling him. D uring the match between Sefton Park and Northern, at Sefton Park on Saturday, Kitchener, the Sefton Park fast bowler, had a very nasty accident. A fast ball from Steen struck him on the eye after hitting the shoulder of his bat, and he had to leave the ground suffering great pain. T he following story about Dr. W . G. Grace appears in the Captain. But fancy describing the Doctor as “ an elderly gentleman ” !:— On the occasion of a Croydon school foot­ ball eleven playing another school at Kenley recently, they had rather a big slice of luck. Not only did they win their match, but also came off trumps by my brother and one or two of the others going into a shop after the match to get some tea. Two gentlemen in riding attire were in the shop at the time. The elderly gentleman of the two came up to my brother and said, “ How did you get on this afternoon?” “ We won, sir, thank you.” “ That’ s good,” he said. “ I will treat all of you to a tea,” and told my brother to go out and fetch all the others in. After they had had a jolly good sit-down tea, the younger of the two gentlemen came up to my brother and said : “ Do you know who it is you have to thank ? ” My brother said, “ Now I come to think, surely it is good old Doctor W . G. Grace.” The gentleman laughed and said, “ Yes, it is my father, Doctor W . G. Grace.” Then all the boys got up and shook hands wtth the Doctor and thanked him, and went home very pleased with themselves. I t is stated that a small boy at Swansea recently stole a cash-box containing a considerable sum of money, which he spent in buying a set of cricket materials, including, above all things, a tent. The youngster seems to have done the thing pretty thoroughly. Doubtless he is now wishing he had bought a roller instead of a tent. I t is a little previous to jump to the conclusion that because the Next Sixteen of Surrey scored a gocd many more runs than the First Twelve on Monday, the Surrey team will be hopelessly out of the running this year. For many of the younger players have had far more practice than the regular members of the eleven, and it very often happens that fine cricketers cannot get into form until they have got well into the swing of their work. I t was only to be expected that after his fine bowling performance against the Surrey Twelve on Monday, Jackson, the young Mitcham professional, would be heralded by many critics as, at the very least, a future Lohmann. This is hardly fair to a most promising young bowler, who, however g o o i he may eventually prove himself, cannot always live up to the reputation of taking nine wickets for a few runs. But, as far as can be judged, Jackson is very likely indeed, with more experience, to be the man so badly wanted by Surrey. He is left-hand, slow to medium, with an action which promises well, and evidently has some knowledge of tactics ; indeed, he is the sort of bowler of whom it is often said that he cannot help taking wickets. So may it be. T he Artists’ Cricket Club has lost one of its best cricketers by the lamented death in Dublin of Walter Osborne on Friday last, after a short illness.. was one of the finest painters amongst the younger artists, and when he was able to join in the cricket matches he showed considerable power both with bat and ball. On Varnishing Day it was pathetic for his brother artists to look