Cricket 1903

314 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J u l y 30, 1903. A crick et match near Wavertree (Liverpool), between two teams of school boys, was brought to an abrupt conclusion at an interesting stage of the game through the sporting instincts of a large sheep dog. The ball was hit to leg, and the dog, who had previously been a quiet and interested spectator, suddenly made a rush for the ball, which he instantly secured, and darted across some clover fields. It was impossible to find the ball, for no one had the slightest idea where the dog bad dropped it. The boys only had one ball, so that stumps werepromptly pulled up, and the match was declared a draw. ------ I t seems distinctly hard on the men who have either not yet decided to go with the M.C.C. team to Australia, or have declined the offer, to be accused of want of patriotism. After all a cricket tour in Australia is not quite on all fours with the Boer War, and even in the Boer War volunteer officers were paid something over and above their expenses, while a volunteer sergeant received more pay than a private. Nor does it seem quite fair to appeal to the generosity of men by telling them that tbeir presence in the team is absolutely essential, and that they will please everybody if they go with it. After all it is a man’s own private affair whether he can afford to lose six months out of the year. Again, it does not seem quite the right thirig to point out to men that they are sacrificing their own interests by not going, for dozens of men have ruined their reputa­ tions by going on an Australian tour; and many professionals have indirectly lost hundreds of pounds by such a visit, through being dropped by their counties because of their loss of form. A m erican newspapers state that Presi­ dent Roosevelt has taken up cricket as an antidote to listlessness, that he is receiv­ ing instructions from a British profes­ sional, that he is learning to bowl as well as bat, and that he shows signs of great S romise. “ British professional” is a ttle vague, perhaps. Mr. W . 0 . N ock , the manager of the West Indian team which visited England in 1900, has received a Government appointment at Tobago. Previously he was in the Government service at Trin­ idad. ------ T h e Maharaja of Cooch Behar has subscribed 3,600 rupees towards the fund which is being raised for the visit of an Indian team to England next year. F rom the American Cricketer :— Arrangements have been made to play the international match between Canada and the United States in Toronto on the grounds of the Rosedale Cricket Club on Monday, Tues­ day, and Wednesday, August 24th, 25th, and 26th. The team which will represent the United States has not as yet been chosen, but it seems to us that it should include a number of players from other cities, such as the Mallinckrodt brothers, from Baltimore, I'. F. Kelly, M. E. Cobb, and several others, from New York. This year, particularly, we think the team should include players from other cities, as the opportunity presents itself in the fact that so many of the strongest players who live in Philadelphia will not have returned from the English trip at that time. T h e Aylesbury Athletic Club ground has recently been under water, and it is stated that the groundman, bent on em­ ploying his time usefully, went fishiDg the other day and caught a perch just over the space which is usually reserved for wickets. I t is not only in England that the rain has been spoiling matches. At Phila­ delphia, on June 20th, all the games in the Halifax Competition had to be abandoned. Possibly they may be played in the autumn. Most of the matches arranged for the national fete on the fourth of July were spoiled by heavy rain in the morning. T he Rev. J. Alexander Dowie, the “ modern Elijah,” permits his disciples to play cricket, and it is said that “ Zion City,” situated eight miles from Chicago, can turn out a fairly well-balanced team. A ccording to the American Cricketer, a curious point came up in the Frankford- Belmont Halifax Cup match on July 4th. The former were all out for 107, and as Belmont at one time had over fifty runs for one wicket, Mr. Crawford Coates left the ground, thinking that his team would have no trouble in knocking off the necessary runs. But the eighth wicket fell at 102, and the next at 107. Bel­ mont claimed that the match should be continued at a future date when Mr. Coates could be present! T h e first individual innings of 100 scored in Canada this season was 130 for Toronto University v. Upper Canada College, on June 3rd, at Toronto, by Dean Plump're. T h e following remarkable paragraph appeared on June 27th in the Adelaide Observer, which is hardly ever wrong as to its facts:— Major Wardill (secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club) states that as soon as the club received word from Mr. Maclaren earlier in the year that he would be unable to bring out a team, it communicated with Mr. War­ ner, who was here last summer as captain of Lord Hawke’s XI. One advantage gained by the new arrangemeut was that all diffi­ culties with regard to Yorkshire players would probably disappear, and Australians might expect to see Rhodes and Hirst in the team. The greatest number of players who have hitherto come to Australia with a team is 14, but it is surmised Mr. Warner will be both manager and player. The M.C.C. will probably undertake the arrangements for the tour on this side. The usual five test matches with Australia will be played. V ictor T rijmper is said to have taken up baseball. He was to have played his first match on Saturday, June 20th. A d e ta ile d report of the meeting of the Victorian Cricket Association on June 23rd appears in the Australian papers. Hitherto the ODly news of it in England was to be found in a cablegram in the Daily Mail. It seems that a letter from the New South Wales Association, invit- viting co-operation in sending the next Australian Eleven to England, was read. It was decided to refer the letter to the annual meeting, which takes place in September or October. A l it t e r was also received from James Phillips, the umpire. According to the reports of the meeting, Phillips expressed his opinion that Noble’s delivery was fair, but he had no doubt, after careful watching of Saunders, that every one of one particular class of delivery by him was unfair. T he subsequent proceedings were as follows :— Mr. J. T. Lipscomb said he resented Phillips’s remarks as quite uncalled for, and moved: “ That a letter be sent to Phillips, calling his attention to the fact that he had not been asked to express an opinion on any player's bowling, and that this Association does not agree with his attitude in submitting his opinion of the fairness or otherwise of any players who come under his notice.” Mr. L. A. Adamson thought that Phillips was trying to pose as the apostle of the no-ball. His remarks wera very injudicious, but he thought the best way to deal with the matter was to refuse to receive the letter. He moved as an amendment: “ That the letter be not received.” Mr. W. Bruce thought a strong protest should he entered against Phillips’s expressed views, especially as he had indicated in his letter a threat as to what he would do in future. The amendment was carried by seven votes to six. Mr. J. T. Lipscomb then moved : “ That the Maryle- hone Club be communicated with, and that copies of Phillips’s letter and the Association’s reply be enclosed, with the opinion of the Association that the matter was outside an umpire’s jurisdiction, and that the Associa­ tion objects to such an action by an umpire.” The motion was agreed to. M r. R. D. B row n , one of the members of the Gentlemen of Philadelphia team, has received a cablegram which has necessitated his immediite return to America. He left London yesterday. Last Saturday for Mr. Home Gordon’s X I. v. Mr. Geoffrey Barnett’s X I. he made 71 not out, at Gorhambury Park, St. Albans, hitting with great power. U p to the present the M.C.C. team consists of the following :— P. F. Warner (Captain) R. E. Foster B. J. T. Bosanquet Hirst Rhodes Hayward Strudwick Relf Fielder O ne of the paragraphs in the official announcement made by the M.C.C. last Friday evening, about the forthcoming team for Australia, reads as follows : “ The M.C.C. Committee selected Mr. Warner to be captain of tbe English team from the first, and have in no way qualified that selection at any time since.” This is a perfectly plain and clearly-worded statement, and apparently disposes, once for all, of the assertion that the Hon.