Cricket 1903

450 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. Nov. 26, 1903 yours on a plumb wicket, and perhaps even more, they were nowhere when we got on a sticky wicket. We are so used to fast wickets in Philadelphia that we never made the very best use of the slow ones which we so constantly met with.” “ In Philadelphia all your ordinary matches are decided in one afternoon ?” “ Yes, and it has always been one of our greatest drawbacks that there is hardly ever time to play them right out, and that we nearly always have to decide them by the first innings. In many cases each side has got through an innings by, say, four o’clock, and there is prac­ tically no interest at all in the next two hours. Numbers of plans have been tried to make the end of a game more interest­ ing to the people who are looking on, but so far none of them have met with much success. One of these plans was suggested by Mr. J. B. Thayer, now Vice-president of the Pennsylvania Rail­ way Company. He proposed that after each side had completed an innings, three batsmen should be sent in by the team that batted first, and when they were out the other side should follow suit, and so on until time was up, when the result would be decided by the aggregate. This was so opposed to everything to which I had been accustomed in England, that being English born, I was greatly opposed to it, especially as it seemed to me that a strong side with pretty even batting, but no stars, would always have much the worst of it when opposed to a side possessing two or three stars and perhaps a very weak tail.” “ Was the scheme ever given a practical trial ?” “ It was resolved to try it for a year. I remember that I was captain of Belmont, and, as Mr. Thayer played with Merion, I was naturally rather pleased that Merion got the worst of it in both matches when we met them. In the first match we were slightly behind on the first innings. I sent in our three fastest scorers with instructions to lay themselves out, and we managed to get rid of the three Merion men for a small score, and won the match. In the return we were a little ahead on the first innings with au hour and a half to play. I picked out a player who in the ordinary way hit with great power, though he had a strong defence as well. I said to him, ‘ We don’t want runs, but we want to keep in as long as we can, and I am sending you in first because you under­ stand the game thoroughly. Play as steadily and as carefully as you can, and don’ t hit.’ I lent in a sticker with him, and they blocked and blocked till they had played out time. At the very last my hitter sent a ball out of the ground, and apologised to me for his carelessness, adding that a good deal more time was lost in gettiog the ball back than there would have been if he had played it carefully.” “ The proposed new leg before wicket rule was tried in America P” “ Yes. We are naturally rather fond of trying experiments in the States. We tried the lbw rule for two seasons, but we found it a big mistake. In the first place, while it might have worked iu a fairly satisfactory manner if it had been used in England as well, we found that when English teams came over to the States we were greatly handicapped, for our men could not get back to the old style at a moment’s notice. Then, too, we had a great trouble with the umpires; players were not satisfied, and altogether the rule gave much more trouble than it was worth. I think that the general opinion among Americans at the present time is that the game is good enough for anybody as it stands, and that any changes would be a mistake. We are greatly opposed to wider stumps, for they are quite unnecessary with us, for when English teams come over the matches are always finished, and in ordinary matches the scaring is quite small enough ai it is. There is some talk of trying Nottingham marl for the wickets in Philadelphia, and I am having some samples sent over; it is always very difficult to get a wicket which wears well over there.” “ Are there many promising players coming on in Philadelphia ? ” “ Yes, I think that things may be said to be quite promising in this way. There is a bowler named Morris who is about as fast as Clark and varies his pace with great judgment. He is generally near the top of the averages. Graham, a youngster, who plays for Belmont, is the only first-class left-hander we have at present. He can turn the ball more than any of our men, and although he is not certain in his length, this will come in time. He is medium paca and ought to do very well indeed. Among the bats­ men is A. W. Jones—I see by the papers that he has an average of over seventy this season. He couldn’t play as much aa usual last year, and accordingly fell off, but this year he has been able to play regularly. Altogether there are quite a lot of very promising young players, and the schools and univer­ sities are taking up the game more than before, so that the outlook is good. I feel pretty sure that when the right man cames along there will be a lot more clubsin NewYorkand Chicago c jmprising native Americans; at present, they are practically confined to Englishmen living in the two cities. It must not be for­ gotten that if it had not been for the determined efforts of the brothers New- hall, Captain J. P. Green, and Alan Evans, cricket in Philadelphia might not be in anything like as flourishing state as it is now.” “ A reference to Captain Green reminds me,” said Mr. Wood, “ of the first visit of an Australian team to America. The first match was to be played on the Bel­ mont Ground at Philadelphia against them, but they only arrived at New York on the morning on which the match was to begin. We were in a quandary. We had spent a lot of money in advertising, and the gate money was of the greatest importance to us. Captain Green rose to the occasion. As vice-president of the Pennsylvania Railway Company, he chartered a special, took some of the committee with him, arrived at the New York landing stage in time to intercept the Australians, and over-ruled all their objections. When they protested that at least they must wait for breakfast, he said, ‘ I ’ve arranged about that, and you’ll find it all ready in the special.’ The up­ shot was that he brought them to the ground in time for play, and the match began at the ordiuary time. Of course, their sea voyage had quite put them out of form, and we beat them by an innings.” “ One would suppose you have had many amusing experiences on the cricket field ? ” “ Oh yes ! There are many I could mention, but probably the most unique and ludicrous occurred in a match between my own club, Belmont, and Trenton a year or so ago. You know when our bowler, King, gets a streak on he is very difficult to play, and is chuck full of confidence. In this particular match he supplemented a fairly good start by taking the eighth and ninth wickets with successive balls, and upon the last man coming in insisted upon every one of the other ten men on his side leaving the field. Seeing a good joke in prospect, no matter what the termination, the fielders all trooped off to the club house, and King was left to make good or take his medicine. His very next ball shattered the last comer’s sticks and completed a very sensational ‘ hat trick.’ ” W. A. BETTE8WORTH. CRICKET IN AMERICA. PHILADELPHIA v. UNITED SERVICE Played on August 5 and 6.—Drawn. The match was played on cocoa-nut matting, the Garrison (iround being very rough. Pleasants took eight of the tea Service wickets for 75 runs. P hiladelphia . First innings. A. W. Jones, b Williams ... 28 W. W . Foulkrod, jun., e Wright, b King ............................... 89 A. H. Brockie, c Tovey, b King ...............................52 J. H. Brockie, b Williams 25 W. P. O’Neill, e King, b Read ............................... 9 not out... F. E. Brewster, ran out... 0 8. Youug, b Williams..........12 E. Norria, b Read ..........30 H. R. Cartwright, c Wright, Second innings, c Mirnement, b ■VVright ..........22 st Goodyear, b Williams......... 2 not out.................71 b Mornement ... 0 ... 37 b Williams .. Henry Pleasants, jun., Tovey, b Williams ... W. D. Banes, not out... Extras .......... Total.......... , U n ited Sergt.Cronin.c O’Neill, b Pleasants ..........26 Dr. Mornement,; b Pleatants.................148 Mr. Tovey, c Young, b Pleasanis................. 3 Mr.Herbert.bPleaBants 6 Captain Williams, b Pleasants.................59 Mr. Harrison, b Banes 9 Capt. Wright, not out 22 . 22 c ... 1 ... 0 ... 22 Extras.......... 4 Total... ..290 S e rv ice . Mr. Munday, e Cart­ wright, b Pleasants Mr. Kiag, st Brockie, b Pleasants .......... Mr. Goodyear, b Pleasants ................. Sergt. Head, b O’Neill Extras............... Total 138 0 6 17 595 R ICHARD DAFT’S “ Nottinghamshire Marl.” — Particulars apply, Radolifle on-Trent, Notts.; [A dvt .]