Cricket 1903

50 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A pril 9, 1903. finest slow wicket player of the day. He has never looked back; on the contrary, he has continued to improve, and at the present time he may be said to be a better batsman than ever. Consequently it was with considerable misgivings th.it Yorkshiremen heard the first rumours of h's intended withdrawal from first- class cricket, and the announcement that he has gone to Japan, whence he is not likely to return until later in the season, has not tended to lessen their uneasiness. W. A. B ettesworth . HAMBLEDON, THE CRADLE OF CRICKET. We take the following extract from an interesting article in Baihfs Maga­ zine for April:— The way in which the present ground was procured is rather curious. Although tiroadhalfpenny Down had been abandoned in favour of Windmill Down, the rights of Hambledon over it had apparently never lapsed ; and in 18;*>7, when Broadhalfpenny was about to be ploughed up, a portion of it was allot.ed as a recreation ground, and by the same award this piece of ground was exchanged with Winchester College for a piece nearer the village, which forms the present ground. By a curious phrase in the wording of the award, the grant was made to the village of Hambledon and the neighbour­ hood, so that the adjacent villages have a legal right to play on the Hambledon ground. For this, as for many other interesting facts, I am indebted to Mr. Best, who is a very mine of information on everything connected with the early history of Hambledon cricket, and who was kind enough to show me the original award in question. Mr. Best is Secretary of the present Cricket Club, and it is gratifying to know that the old tradi­ tions have not been allowed to lapse, and that Ilambledon, though no longer able to defeat All England, can ttill do credit to a long list of local fixtures. Anxious to see the very spot where the great triumphs of Hambledon were won, I paid a visit to Broadhalfpenny Down, and as I climbed the lohg hill which begins about a mile from the villiage and lasts lor the whole of the remaining mile, the question occurred to me, Why did they play so far off? 1 asked a native for his views on the subject, but he could only suggest that “ they didn’ t a-care zo much about distance in those there days ” ; and, after all, there is a good deal in that answer, and we who in the hurry and bustle of twientkth-century life want our station within five minutes’ walk, and our church and post-office across the road, can hardly realise the time when there were no bicycles or express trains, and men could spare time for a two-mile walk before their game began. At last I came to the top of the h ill; the ground descended on all sides but one, in rolling downland and cornfields ; and there, right before me, was the historic ‘ ‘ Bat and Ball” itself, a comuion-place cheerless little inn enough, perched on this bleak upland with hardly another house in sight to relieve the solitude, but how full of memories of a mighty past ! Here it was that the giants of old used to meet and drink to the success of Hambledon cricket—one entry in the club book is as follows : “ A wet day, only three members present. Nine bottles of wine” — and look at those two bricks in the middle of the wall of the porch, but rather lighter and newer thm the rest. Through that hole in the wall, for the bricks have only been filled in recently, the scorer used to watch in shady comfort the game being played on the down opposite. For just across the road is the famous Broadhalfpenny Down, now a stone- covered ploughed field, but still green, metaphorically speaking, with the memories of those glorious victories. There, where the white flints are now strewn so thickly, Hambledon, in June, 1777, met an eleven of All England and beat them. Think what it means, one village against the united strength of north and south and east and west, and you will realise how completely the Hamble­ don Club dominated English cricket in those days. And so, standing on the very spot of these victories of long ago, I seem almost to see the thick, smooth turf cover the stones, and quaint old-world figures playing there before me ; David Harris bowling his terrific under­ hands and Silver Billy batting with all his wonted animation and energy ; while his Grace of Dorset holds his head on one side in studious contemplation. But soon the vision fades, and I leave the old inn on its solitary height to guard the great memories of the past, and descend the hill, pass through the village, past the field where the wickets are pitched and young Hambledon is playing the old, old game with a glorious background of wooded slopes, up the hill into the wood. One last look back at the happy valley, and the trees close round me, and Mecca has vanished from the pilgrim’s sight. M.C.C. FIXTURES. The following are the fixtures for the forthcoming season at^Lord’s :— MAY. 6. M.C.C. annual meetiog (6.30 p.m.) and dinner (7.16 p m.) 6. M.C.C. and Ground v. Notts 11. M.O.C. and Ground v. Yorkshire 14. M.C.C. aud o round v. Sussex 18. M.C.C. and Ground v. London County 21. M.C.C. and Ground v. Derbyshire 25. Middlesex v. Gloucestershire 28. M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent * JUNE. 1. (Whit Monday) Mid lesex v. Somerset (W. Attewe I’ m Lent-lit^ 4. Middlesex v. Yorkshire 8. M.C.C. and G ound v. Leic.steishire 11. fiuiddl sex v. Notts 15 Middlesex v Eit-ex 19. M < ’.C. and Ground v. Midd'e»ex Colts* 22. Gentleman of M.t’.C. v. Fhiladelphi ms 25. Vl.C and Ground v. Cambridge University *9. M C.C and Ground v Oxf >rd Unhersity* JULY. 2. Oxford v. Cam’ ri’ge tf. Gentlemen v. Piayers 10. Eton v. Harrow* '3. Midd esex v. r*urrey 17. Gentlemen of M.C.C. v. Royal Navy* 10. Geutlem^n of M.C.C v. Hoy*l Ar.illery*+ 2 i. Gentlemen of M.C C. v. Household Br.g*de*+ 24. Gentlemen of M.C.C. v. ttoyal Engineers*+ 27. M.C.C. aid Ground v. Grange Club 29. Ru*by v. Mail or ugu* 31. Cheltenham v. flaiieybury* AUGUST. ?. (Tank Holidtj).—M.C.C. anl Ground v. Public Schools ( v r. v\. J. F.-rd’s Xf.)* 5. M.C.C. aud or und v. H*»rtfoi-dfchire* 7. M .C.C. and Gr »und v. D t sat* 10. Mid tusex (2ud XI. v. fcssex (2nd XI.,* 12. M.C.C. and Ground v. Wiltshire* 1 M (J.C. and Ground v. Norfolk* 17. MidJUsex v. Lanca hire 20. Middlesex v. i>u8€x 24. Mid lie<ex v. Kant 27. M C.C a id Ground v. Oxf »rdsliire* 29. M.C.C. and Groun 1 v. Londcn Pliy.ng Fields* SEPTEMBER. 10. W. H. SI .tter’s Benefit * Two-day matci. t Mi itary Weak, t Oae-day m*t<jh. THE INCIDENT IN THE CANTERBURY MATCH (NEW ZEALAND). With reference to the episode iu the match between Lord H^vke’s team and Canterbury, Mr. A. E. G. Rhodes, president of the Canterbury Crickat Association, has received the following letter from Mr. Warner:— [C opy .] “ To the President of the Cricket Association. “ Dear Sir,—Referring to the incident which has been so fully commented on in the papers this morning, I need not, I am sure, say how much I regret that anything of this kind should have occurred to mar the enjoyment of the best contested match we have yet had in New Zealand, and, therefore, I hope I may be allowed to make a few remarks on what actually occurred. “ Iu the first place, we did not dispute the umpires’ decision, but some delay took place before we could get the umpires to give any decision, which ultimately was that neither of them had actually seen what had occurred, and I at once ordered the game to proceed. “ My remark referred to in the papers was made some minutes after the decision had been given, and was addressed to one of the members of our own side, and I very much regret to find that it was overheard, and still more, that it should have been repeated. The statement that the succeeding batsmen were subjected to a running tire of taunts and criticism is absolutely without foundation. I have this morning seen some of them, and they assure me that nothing of the kind took place. “ I hope this letter will prove satisfactory to your association, and I can only add that we all regret that anything of the kind should have happened. “ I am, yours truly, “ P. F. WARNER, “ Captain English Cricket Team.” THE EXTRA INCH. [A forecast w i’h regard to the probable alteration of ths wickets, with apjlogies to the lateC. Kijgsiey.] * * * * * ’O batsman, rise and go and stop the rot, And go and stop the rot; (It was indeed a rot, Six down for twenty-three). The batsman thought how wretched was his lot, And all alone went he. The bowler bared his mighty, cunning arm, His vengeance wreaking arm, His large, yet wily arm, With fearful powers endowed. The batsman took his guard; (a deadly calm Had fallen on the crowd.) O is it a half-volley or long hop P A seventh bounce long hop, A fast and fierce long hop, That the bowler letteth fiy F Tne ball was straight, and bowled him neck and crop, (He knew not how nor why). Full sad and slow pavilionwards he walked, The careless critics talked, Some said that he was yorked, (A half-volley at a pinch). The batsman murmered as he inward stalked, “ It was the extra inch.” 1^. Sassoojj.