Cricket 1903

M a y 7, 1903. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 121 benefit of our fellow creatures. Werewe to follow the usual custom in such cases of self-introduction,we should urge that our presence is due solely to a philan­ thropic desire to remedy some existing evil—to rectify some abuse. But to be frank such plea is none of ours. It seems singular that, while bicycling and yachting can each claim organs devoted to the advocacy of their particular interests, cricket, which is truly our national game, should have been for so many years without a paper in any way representative. We are not ambitious enough to arrogate to ourselves that we are going to supply a national want. Perish the thought of such pretensions. At the same time we claim that we have had the consideration of the best interests of the game mainly before us in deciding on the production of a paper which shall study to represent every class of cricketers. It was in response to the expressed wish of the secretaries of a large number of the principal clubs that the conception of C r i c k e t was first due. It will be our aim to justify in every way the generous ex­ pressions of sympathy and confidence that have reached us from all quarters since the first intimation of our inten­ tion was made known. We shall spare no pains to make C r i c k e t interesting as well as useful for reference, and with confidence we solicit the co-operation of everyone who takes an interest in the development of the game. The short time that has elapsed since it was finally decided to appeal to the cricket public will, it is hoped, be a full excuse for any shortcomings of our opening number. To quote from Matthew Prior— “ Be to our virtues very kind, Be to our faults a little blind.” $atolltoit # o s 8 tp. The abstraet and brief chronicle of the time.— Hamlet. The fact that Cricket reaches its majority with the present number has been duly chronicled, I hope not with unbecoming pride, in another place. Perhaps I may be forgiven for introducing into the commemoration a personal note. It was my good fortune to be responsible for “ Pavilion Gossip” at the first, as it has been my privilege to be responsible for it throughout these twenty-one years, and to allow such an important anniversary to pass without expressing the hearty appreciation I feel of the unvarying kindness these notes have met from Cricket readers would be the basest ingratitude. I can only say that I value very highly the numberless expressions of goodwill it has been my privilege to receive from cricketers, many of them in distant parts, to all of whom I have been known solely as “ a snapper-up of uncon­ sidered trifles.” A lthou gh just twenty-one years have gone by since No. 1, Vol. 1 of Cricket appeared (May 10th, 1882), one finds references in various parts of the paper to several cricketers who in one way or another are still btfore the cricket public. Thus, in “ Pavilion Gossip ” :— “ What they call Murdoch now in Aus­ tralia—the Vampire batsman.” “ Everybody will be truly sorry to hear that Mr. W . G. Grace is laid up with that extremely unsatisfactory complaint, the mumps. “ ‘ Wait till we get Spofforth,’ was the general remark out at the Antipodes, when Shaw’s men in the first match with the com­ bined team knocked their bowling about all over the place. And when Spofforth did come, what a falling off! His one wicket in the last match cost 128 runs.” O t h e r references are to George Giffen (who astonished the world this year by his wonderful all-round performance for South Australia v. Victoria), Alfred Shaw, C. Bannerman (now the best-known umpire in Australia), C. I. Thornton, H. G. Owen, C. P. Wilson (now head­ master of a school of his own) 0. A. Smith (now the well-known actor), J. E. Haven (so long connected with the Incogniti), A. Shrewsbury, F. Gale, A. N. Hornby, S. Colman (the well- known member of the Wanderers C.C.), Robert Abel ( “ a diminutive player, who made his debut last year” ) A. P. Lucas, S. H. Bettesworth (who, under his real initials of W. A. is known to the readers of Cricket), C. C. Clarke, the Hon. J. S. Udal, and last, but by no means least, A. G. Steel (now K.C., and last year’s President of the M.C.C.). T h e annual meeting of the M.C.C., so anxiously anticipated, took place yester­ day (Wednesday) at Lord’s, with Mr. A. G. Steel, K.C., the President, in the chair. The report of the committee was adopted and the accounts passed. The meeting was afterwards made special in order to consider and vote upon the proposed widening of the wicket from eight inches to nine. After a short discussion a vote was taken, and it was found that 215 members were in favour of the alteration and 199 against it. But, as a two-thirds majority is necessary before a law can be changed, the proposal was not carried, and the law remains as it was. Lord Alverstone, President of the Surrey County C.C., waB elected President, and the following gentlemen go on the Com­ mittee : Mr. A. G. Steel, K.C. (the retiring President), the Earl of Litchfield, Major W. E. Hardy and Mr. F. H. E. Cunliffe. “ T h e r e were two peculiarities in con­ nection with the match in Western Australia between Perth andWest Perth,” writes Mr. R. H. Kelsey (“ Onlooker” of the Morning Herald, Perth). “ One was that in the innings of North Perth no fewer than three men were thrown out, and one was run out. West Perth were very deadly in their returns, and in seven efforts to throw men out the wicket was hit on every occasion, and the batsman was out of his crease on three of them. “ I n the second case,” continues Mr. Kelsey, “ Coles and Nicholls had been batting together for West Perth, and when the latter was dismissed, Coles returned to the general pavilion to get another bat. Barnard, the next man in, came from the full members’ pavilion, and took up his stand at the north wicket. He received block, the umpire called ‘ Play,’ and the bowler sent down a ball, which was hit by the batsman. It was then discovered that his partner Coles was just emerging from the general pavilion, and that the game had been resumed oa the 6ingle-wicket principle. The rest of the afiernoon was spent in speculations as to what position Coles would have been in had the bowler put the wicket down at the end which he should have been at. If the game was being proceeded with, Coles was certainly a couple cf hundred yards out of his crease, but then, is it possible for the game to go on with only one batsman ? The position was unique.” A t a meeting of the members of the Philadelphia team, which will visit Eng­ land next summer, held at the office of The American Cricketer on Monday, March 23rd, Dr. John A. Lester was unanimously elected captain of the team. This election must meet with the approval of all, as with the exception of Mr. Patterson, who will unfortunately be unable to accompany the team, Dr. Lester is in every way the best qualified to assume the responsibilities of this important position. The team sails from New York on the “ Majestic ” on Wed­ nesday, May 27th. F ro m the American Cricketer :— No greater misfortune could have befallen the All-Philadelphia toam than the loss of the services of Mr. Patterson. While there are possibly two men who surpass him in actual playing ability, considering all points of the game, and several others who approach him closely, it is no bold assertion to say that he would have been the man of most use to tho team in England. His long experience in international matches makes him a man to be relied on in a tight place. He necessarily has that supreme confidence in himself that is absolutely important and requisite when things are going wrong with a side. His example at the wickets and in the field and its effect on the younger members of the team would have been of incalculable benefit. Add to this his worth as a captain and the undis­ puted position he would have occupied in tho batting strength of the team, and it can be seen what a loss has been suffered. C o r n e l l U n iv e r s it y has recently organised a cricket club and will put an eleven in the field this spring. There are a number of English and Australian players who have had more or less