Cricket 1904

CRICKET, A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME, JUNE 2, 1904. © J y | ] £9© w SR v .- )9' j j y T i 1 I /I “ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. Wo. 660. VOL. X X III. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. A. M ILLW ARD . Equally well known as a cricket umpire and an Association football referee, Millward is an old Worcestershire county cricketer, who has had a success­ ful career in the field. H e is now one of the umpires appointed for county matches, while he is in his thirteenth year as a football referee. He was first induced to undertake the duties of referee when he was on the Council of the Birmingham A s s o c ia tio n , after having played the game for several years in the district. He began to act as referee for the Southern League six years ago, and Mr. C. B. Fry has referred to him as “ a master of his art.” As a cricketer he may be said to have occupied the place in the Worcestershire team which is now taken by Arnold, one of his greatest friends. His best year was 1889, when he took 88 wickets for Worcestershire at seven runs each, and had a batting average of 33 for 29 innings. One of his most treasured possessions is a gold ornament given him by Sir Francis Jeune, to com ­ memorate his fine perform­ ances in August, 1901, at Arlington Manor, where Sir Francis has a cricket ground. Millward, who was then coaching the son of Sir Francis, made 924 runs in a week’s cricket there. He is on the board of directors of the firm of Messrs. "B. War- sop and Sons, the cricket bat manufacturers. M illward has not altogether given up playing cricket, although he no longer takes part in important matches. “ A little while ago,” he said, “ a match in which I was umpiring came to an end early on a Saturday afternoon, and I went to play for a team of which one o f my two boy 8 is a member. W e had to play THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1904. on a London County Council pitch, and I found that not only had it not been rolled, but a scythe had been used instead of a mowing machine. The result was that one had continually to get one’s head out of the way of the ball, and I felt quite proud of being able to score 34 or 35 against fast bowlers on such a ground. I have often gone to have a A . MILLWARD. (From a photo hy BusseU & Son , Baker Street, W.( look at matches in the parks, and it is a mystery to me why something is not done to improve the wickets, which are often dangerous in the extreme. After seeing them no one can wonder why it is that one so seldom hears of a good batsman in local cricket, for however much pluck a young fellow may have, he cannot learn to bat with any confidence on such PBICE 2d. wickets.” Millward is a great advocate for winter cricket, and under his direction the game is played during the winter months in a large recreation room belonging to the New College Chapel at Swiss Cottage. An article in “ Sandow’s M agazine” states that, after he had been in charge of the practice for only a short time, Millward said that he was “ astonished to find what sound work could be done within such limits.” “ A great many gentlemen,” said Millward, “ take an interest in this winter practice at the New College Chapel. Am ong them I may instance Mr. Lacey, the M.C.C. secre­ tary, who frequently comes to look on, and sometimes practises him self; and Mr. B. Paul Newman, the editor of the Week's Survey, who spends his spare time in doing all he can to provide games and amusements for the boys. I may add that the recreation room is fitted up with nets and all the neces­ sary appliances.” “ For how long did you play for Worcestershire ? ” “ About fifteen years. All through that time Mr. P . H. Foley was honorary secre­ tary of the county cricket club, and there is no doubt that it is entirely due to him that the club exists at all. In the days when I first began to play the eleven included the present Colonial Secretary, Mr. L. C. Docker, Mr. E. P. Jobson, now the Official Receiver for Wor­ cestershire, Mr. H .W . Wilkes and the Rev. M. B. Buckle. At that time the club received little or no support from the outside public. O f course, Malvern College has been of great assistance to the county, more especially in the way of producing great players like the Fosters. For many years Mr. Charles Toppin, the old Cambridge Blue, has coached the Malvern Boys, and he is, without excep­ tion, the best amateur coach I ’ve ever