Cricket 1905

108 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. M ay 4, 1905. we do not desire to experience another such cricketing day as that we had this “ back­ end.” C r ic k e t Leagues are sometimes as pro­ ductive of disputes as football leagues. Hence the following paragraph in the Irish Field. We understand that there is likely to he an appeal to the Northern Union arising out of the League match played on Monday between Lisburn and North Down, the point at issue being that the winners, on the first innings, refused to again go in to bat although there remained about two hours until the stipulated time for drawing stumps would have been reached. In their action Lisburn would appear to have violated not only the rules of cricket, but also the rules of the League com­ petition, which, among other things, provides for a certain number of hours’ cricket to be played in a match. A n unusual incident occurred in a match at Sydney between Leichhardt Second and Sydney Second. The Leich­ hardt captain appealed against one of the Sydney batsmen for exceeding the two minutes allowed by law for him to reach the wickets. The umpire upheld the appeal, and awarded the match to Leich­ hardt, who nevertheless continued the match. With regird to this incident Rule 45 is as follows:—“ They (the umpires) shall allow two minutes for each striker to come in, and ten minutes between each innings. When they shall call ‘ play,’ the side refusing to play shall lose the match.” In the “ Decisions and Inter­ pretations ” of the M.O.C. there is a note to the law : —“ It is the duty of the Cap­ tains to see that this Law is stiictly ob­ served.” But what happens when, as in the case of the above match, the Captains allow play to be continued, is a mystery which no man can solve by reading the laws. It is just possible that the umpire did not call “ p la y ” before giving his decision, and that the other tide were sharp enough to spot the omission. W h e n the Australian cricketers arrived in Christchurch, (N.Z.), says the Tas­ manian Mail, they were chided by a local newspaper for paying more attention to their luggage than to the friendly greet­ ings that were being extended to them. Small matter this to take tbe visitors to task about. A team making a seven months’ tour of England does not want to take any chances with its luggage, more especially when a valet is not carried to look after it. No amount of hand­ shaking will restore a missing portman­ teau, as Clem Hill knows to his cost. W r itin g to a friend in Tasmania, about the New South Wales team which went there after the Australian team had begun its voyage, Mr. J. C. Davis, the Australian critic, said:— “ You will find the New South Wales team a very young lot, excellent sportsmen, and keen and clever players. If Tasmania beats them under equal conditions, it will be a first- class achievement. They are very good in batting—some of them brilliant—splendid in the field, and very good in bowling. Tas­ manian cricket will never go ahead properly until you play regular home and homematches with New South Wales and Victoria or other States. ”iou want more big cricket.” F rom the Sydney M a il :— The exhibition by the eleven to visit Tas­ mania against the Next Eleven on March 18th, was of the poorest description. I do not think there is any good derived from these matches. When it was proposed that the Australian Eleven should meet the next best eleven in Australia I opposed it, for the reason that if the team for England were defeated—and everyone knows that anything is possible at cricket—they would go home a discredited side. This all but happened on one occasion at Sydney, when S. E. Gregory and Johns dragged the match out of the fire. This contest on Saturday was only a scratch affair, each side batting two hours and yet the first eleven were defeated on a good wicket by three wickets and 18 runs. It is not fair for Tasmania that a beaten team should be sent there ; perhaps the fact might influence the attendance. In these cases the first eleven have nothing to gain and all to lose. T h e match which was to take place at Chesterfield on May 18th, 19th and 20th between Lancashire and Derbyshire has been transferred to Derby, on account of the impossibility of getting the wicket ready in time for the game. A t the annual meeting of the North­ amptonshire County C.C. on Monday, the honorary organising secretary, Mr. P. W. Dale, stated that there was a loss on last year’s matches of £182 19s. od. The club now owes only £357 19s. 51., thanks to Lord Lilford’s fund which pro­ duced £1,145. Mr. A. J. Darnell was again elected as honorary secretary and Lord Lilford president. A c o n te m po ra ry says that the present Australian team is strictly teetotal, a statement which may be taken in the spirit in which it is made. It seems to be a case of “ Cotter, Cotter everywhere, And not a drop to drink.” G ood er, the Surrey professional, had a somewhat curious record for Padding­ ton v. Lauderdale on April 29th at Paddington. From the subjoined score of Lauderdale it will be seen that he had a hand in the dismissal of nine men, catching four off Wreford’s bowling, and taking five wickets himself:— I j AUDEROALK. Sales, c Gooder, b Wreford.......... 0 Crofts, b Gooder ........................ 8 Gorton, o Gooder, b Wreford ... 17 Sheen, c Gooder. b Wreford ... 0 Hunt, c Barton, b Gooder .......... 2 Richardson, b G ooder................. 0 Parkes, b Gooder ........................ 0 A. Arnold, b Wreford ................. 0 W. Wicks, c Gooder, b Wreford 8 A. Wicks, b Gooder ................. 2 E. Arnold, not out........................ 0 Extras............................... 6 Total ........................43 T h e Warwickshire committee have arranged to publish the progress of the matches at Edgbaston four times a day on I thirty notice boards scattered about Birmingham. Naturally, this scheme is not entirely philanthropic, but it has been adopted with the idea of attracting the attention of the public and increasing the attendance. In Australia the pro­ gress of an important match is shewn at all the chief newspaper offices, but the Warwickshire plan carries this idea a step further. ------ A t the annual meeting of the Norfolk County C.C. on Saturday, Mr. G. B. Raikes was chosen as captain, and Mr. Russell J. C ilman, to whom the club is indebted for the use of the ground at Lakenham, president. The honorary secretary, Mr. E. G. Buxton, stated that subscriptions last year had increased by £46, but that theg ite money had decreased by £16. Mr. J. H. Walter said it was a thousand pi ies that in Norfolk, which had produced a cricketer like Fuller Pilch, more interest could not be excited in cricket. Twelve thousand people had attended two football matches that week, and he considered it a shame that half that number could not be found to take an interest in cricket. There were only the same old supporters when Dr. Grace came down. ------ S ir R e g in a ld H anson, Bart., who died in Florence some ten days ago, was a liberal patron of all outdoor sports. He had been on the Committee of the Surrey County C.C. for a number of years, and was also an old member and active supporter of the L.A.C. His interest in Association football, too, was very keen, as shown by his gift of the handsome Charity Cup to the London Football Association. T h e County Championship season will open for London at all events at the Oval to-day with the match between Surrey v. Essex. The Surrey eleven will be selected from Lord Dalmeny, N. A. Knox, Hayward, Hayes, Lees, Stedman, Nice, Holland, Baker, Smith (W. C.), Hobbs and Davis. A SIXER. [On the last day of the match between Gentlemen of England and Surrey, Dr. Grace, at the age of fifty-six, hit a ball out of the Oval.] Nearly forty years ago, When the crinoline was worn, Long ere Clement Hill was born, Long ere Rhodes began to grow, W.G. was making runs, Scoring hundreds every week, At the age when learning Greek Supersedes the time of buns. Sixers here and sixers there Were the order of the day When he went a-making hay Of the bowling, anywhere. Now, when over fifty-six, W.G. still drives a ball Boldly o’er the Oval wall. And he still defends his sticks In the same old sturdy style, Makes the same old lusty drives, Still can run his threes and fives, Still can bowl with sinful guile. W . A. B.