Cricket 1903

J u k e 25, 1903. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 227 “ Do the coloured population play much ? ” “ Oh yes, and very keen they are, too, with their annual tournaments. They can be divided into three classes, v iz.: the Malays, Hottentots and Kaffirs. Un­ doubtedly the first-named are the keenest, but we never play with them or against them. I see you are not so particular in the Old Country. It is very amusing to hear all these natives speaking high- flown English during the progress of tbe game, but as soon as they get off the field they speak in their vatious dialects again. W. A . B e t t e s w o r t h . CTorresponDence. The Editor does not hold himself responsible tor th opinions of his correspondents. THE INDIAN CRICKET TEAM FOR ENGLAND. To the Editor of C r ic k e t. S ir , —All readers of Cricket will doubtless hail with pleasure the news that the Indian team is really visiting England in the summer of 1904. The visitors are sure to give a splendid account of themselves once they get accustomed to the English wickets, as those who are fit to express an opinion have often declared, that men like K. M. Mistri, the famous Patiala player, Ali Hasan, Jayaram, Mehta and Co. are amongst the finest exponents of the game in the East. There has also been some talk of Ceylon being represented, though no step has been taken in that direction yet. The best way to judge whether Ceylonese deserve a place in such a combination would be to arrange a few matches between India and Ceylon; but if the Selection Committee decide to include Ceylonese in the team without any test I desire to put forward the claims of two cricketers who I am certain deserve a place in any representative Eastern combination. I shall first refer to Tom Kelaart, the champion Ceylon bowler, whose wonderful record for the last thirteen years is well worth reproducing from the “ Ceylon Cricket Annual,” and which speaks for itself : Ions. Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Aver. 220 ... 3767 ... 1516 ... 5585 ... 1024 ... 5’45 Kelaart bowls left-hand medium, breaking both ways, and always maintains a perfect length. Then there is Douglas L. de Saratn, *Vvhose doings as captain of St. Thomas’ College, Colombo, placed him in the front rank of Ceylon cricketers at a very early age. De Saram is the finest left-handed batsman in Ceylon, possessing a moBt attractive and free style, and is also one of the most effective right-hand bowlers in the Island, and has had the rare distinction of standing second in bowling and batting for the last two years in Ceylon. He had the best all-round record for Ceylon cricket for 1901 and 1902, and is generally recognised to be the only Ceylon cricketer who is equally dangerous with bat and ball. Amongst the other Ceylonese cricketers whoso claims might be considered are J. A. Scharenquivel—at present in Aberdeen—W. de lto Zairo, the best wicket-keeper in Ceylon, and C. E. Perera, a capital batsman. Hoping this will catch the eyes of the proper authorities. I remain, Yours truly, A C eylon C ricketer . WET SEASONS. In the Sussex Evening Times “ Willow Wielder ” states that, having nothing in particular to scribble about, he turned weather-wise by diligently searching the cricket records in quest of wet seasons. He gives the following references to miserable summers :— Y e a r 1821. “ Owing to the exceptionally cold and wet season, there were very few days which were at all calculated for cricket.” —“ History of the Cambridge Cricket Club,” p 6. Y e a r 1830. “ Old chroniclers tell us that tbe cricket season of 1830 was as equally unpropitious as that of 1860.” —“ Sussex Evening Times,” June 20th, 1902. Y e a r 1843. “ The year 1843 was one of the wettest I can remember, equal perhaps to 1902, though 1879 was nearly if not quite as bad for the pursuit of our national sport.” —Mr. Arthur Haygarth, in “ Cricket,” vol. xxi., p. 434. Y e a r 1845. “ 1845 was probably the most unfavourable for the practice and illustration of this noble and manly pastime and science that can be remembered.” — “ Cricketers’ Companion,” 1846, p. 4. Y e a r 1853. “ The season of 1853 was an unfavourable one for cricket, the weather in some instances preventing matches even being commenced, while it was the cause of a vast number being drawn.” — “ Guide to Cricketers,” 1854, p. 22. Y e a r 1856. “ This season for cricket last year was altogether an unfavourable one in consequence of the wet.” —“ Guide to Cricketers,” 1857, p. 22. Y e a r 1860. “ Unfortunately, during the past season the weather has been most unpropitious for our national game, which has caused numerous contests to be drawn. Such a continuance of wet throughout a season has not been known for some 30 years.” —“ Guide to Cricketers,” 1861, p. 29. Y e a r 1878. “ Mucky, messy, muddy wickets played old scratch with true cricket and upset all calculations and anticipations. In May nine­ teen of the thirty-one days were thoroughly wet ones. Moreover, two-thirds of June was as miserable as the May days, for up to the 20th scarce a day of the leafy month passed away without copious rain storms pelting down, drenching the grounds, and making the cricket community as miserable as maniacs.” —“ Cricketers’ Almanack,” 1879, p. 18. Y e a r 1879. The season 1879 was the wettest ever known. So many days of one season when Lord’s ground was in too soaked and sad a state to play never before occurred. From early May to the back end of July rain fell piteously.” —“ Wisden,” 1880, p. 47. Y e a r 1888. “ Of the last cricket year it may fairly be said, to use the expressive phraseology of the inimitable Mantalini, that it was ‘ a demd damp, moist, unpleasant body.’ ‘ The rain it raineth every day ’ was an absolute truism of a very considerable part of the the four months during which cricket reigned. Any­ thing moro depressing than the experience of , cricketers during .Tune and July in particular, it would, indeed, be difficult to recall.” — “ Cricketers’ Annual,” 1889, p. 2. Y ear 1902. “ So wet a summer as the last had not been experienced by cricketers since 1879.” — “ Cricket,” Yol. xxi., p. 451. OBITUARY. The death is announced of Mr. E. B. Prest, an old Cambridge Blue, who played against Oxford in 1850, the last ’Varsity match played at Oxford. Mr. Prest’s scores were 0 and 1. In this match Mr. David Buchanan made his first appearance for Cambridge. Mr. Prest was educated at Eton and Tiiaity College. He was called to the Bar in 1855, and was afterwards appointed a District Auditor under the Local Government Board, which post he held till 1890. He is said to be the last survivor of the 1850 Cambridge eleven. ARKLEY V. KENSINGTON PARK.—Played at Rowley Lodge, Arkley on June 22. K ensington P a r k . First innings. A. Flayford, b Bacmeibter... 0 H. T. Roberts,b B .cmeiater 41 T. W . Hemmerde, b Ba> meister.......... ................. 0 E. H. Seaton, c Robson, b Hamm onl................. .. 11 F. W. DiUe, b Hammond.. 5 A. W. Browne, c Womcrs- ley, b Hammond .......... 6 H. D. Nicholas, not out ... 10 W. 8. Wynne, b Bacmeister 4 F. L. Halford, b Bacmeister 1 C. E. 8. Montefiore, b Bac­ meister.............................. 0 J. H. Fielding, bBacmeister 0 L?g-bye ................. 1 Total ........................ 82 A rklkt . Howard Williams, b G. A. 8. Hickson, b Second inoings. c Lowis, b Dum­ belton ..........2 c and b Lowis ... i c Bacmeister, b Dumbelton ... 1 c Robson,b Ham­ mond .............1 c Baemeibter, b Hammond ... 2 b Lowis .......... c Dumbelton, b Robson .............3 notout. ............ 2 c Williams,b Har­ ding ................. not ou t................ B 6, w 4 ... 1 Total .. ..138 Hemmerde ..........15 G. W. Hammond, c Dilke, b Hemmeide 28 Major Lowis, b Hem­ merde........................ 57 G. 8. Dumbelton.cSea- ton, b Hemmerde ... 0 L. H. Bacmeister, b Hemmerde ..........14 Dale Womersley, b Hemmerde .......... 1 D ilke................ ... 0 HarJing.c Hemmerde, b Dilke .................13 J. H. Robson, run out 2 Sergt. Allen, not ou t. 9 B 6, lb 2, w 1 ... 9 Total (9 wkts) 148 Chaplin did not bat. GENTLEMEN OF PHILADELP3IA v. H. TuOURON’8 X I .—Apreliminary match played at New Hall Farm, Addlestone, on June 6. P hiladelphians . F. H. Bohlen, c Paine, b Montgomery ... 64 J. B. King, b Mont­ gomery ................. 4 J. A. Lesttr, c sub., b Clode........................ 1 F. H. Bates, b Mont­ gomery ................. 0 N. Z. Graves, c sub., b Montffcra?ry .... 9 H. A. Haines, b Clode 1 R. D. Brown, lbw, b Montgomery........... 7 E.M. Cregar, b Mont­ gomery ................. 9 P.N. Le Roy, b Mont­ gomery ....................26 P. H . Clark, b Mont­ gomery ................... 22 T. O. Jordan, not out 9 Extras.................. 11 Total.......... 163 H. T h ou ron ’ b X I F. P. Knox, c Bates, b Cregar ................. 27 G. Brann, c King, b Clark........................ 1 Montgomery, o Clark, b King .................37 V. F. Leese, b Lester.. 11 Clode,c Graves, b King 7 P. Steele, o King, b Cregar ................. 6 E.T.Sirnpson.cLeRoy, b Lester .................12 J. H. Scattergood, c Graves, b Cregar ... 0 N .H . Paine, not out 14 Thorpe, c Jordan, b K in g........................... 0 A H. Godfrey, b King 0 Extras................ 4 Total ,.123