Cricket 1905

280 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J uly 20, 1905. JIM WSDEI t Cl. CRICKET BALL MAKERS, Supply all the Principal Counties and Clubs through out the world with their well-known M a r v e ll o u s T e s t im o n y . The Inns of Court Hotel, 25th August, 1902, Messrs. J o h n W isd b n & Co. })ear Sirs,—I have much pleasure in stating that your “ Special Crown” Cricket Balls were used in the five Test Matches played between A ll England and Australia this Beason. At the Oval the play was delayed on the first day until some of your “ Special Crown ” Balls were procured, as both teams preferred them to any others in the market. Your “ Special Crown’" Balls gave every satisfaction in all the Test Matches, and all our team always want them in all other matches in England and Australia. Yours faithfully, J . D a k l in o . London County Cricket Club, Crystal Palace. Dear Sirs,—Your Cricket Balls (“ Special Crown ”) AGAIN GAVE GREAT SATIS­ FACTION. Please send me half-a-gross for next season at your earliest convenience. I am, yours truly, To J o h n W isd b n & Co. W . G . G r a c e . Colne Bridge, Huddersfield, Sept. 14th, 1903. John Wisden & Co. Dear Sirs,—Wehaveused your“ Wisden’s Special Crown ” Balls in our matches for the last few years, and I fiiid it quite the best ball on the market, very seldom getting out of shape. Yours truly, W . R h o d e s . Kirkheaton, Huddersfield. Sept. 14th, 1903. John Wisden & Co. Dear Sirs,—I think the “ Wisden Special Crown ” Match Ball now used on nearly all County Grounds is quite the best ball on the market. They are not so hard to the hands when fielding as others. Yours truly, G. H. H ikst . A Wonderful Kecord made with a Wisden’s “ Special Crown ” Ball. 1,297 runs were scored in eight m atches by the St. George C.C. Bristol, with a “ Special Crow n ” Ball, presented to the club by Dr. £ . M . G back. H. GRAD1DGE & SONS, Manufacturers o f a ll Requisites for Cricket, Lawn Tennis, Racquets, Football, a n d a ll British Sports. PATENTEES AND SOLE MAKERS OF THE Price Lists Free on Application. Of all First=Class Outfitters and Dealers. Factory, ARTILLERY PLACE. WOOLWICH, C r i c k e t : A W E E K L Y R E C O R D O F T E E G AM E. 168, UPPERTHAMESSTREET, LONDON, E.C. THURSDAY, JULY 20 th , 1905. The Balls to be used in Test Matches are now settled- W IS D E N ’S are the only makes permissible. F r o m D e a le rs a ll o v e r th e w o rld , a n d 21, C ra n b o u rn S t.. L o n d o n , W .C . C ity A g e n t!: B B H B T F IB K • CO., GHBAPB1DB. $ a \r i i to n Gossip* The abstract and brief chronicle of the time.— Hamlet T he Australians have now played twenty-two matches of which they have won 9, lost 2, and drawn 11. They have won the toss 11 times and lost it 11, although they were put in first by Derby­ shire. Their record since the beginning of July is as follows : - July 3 5,v. England (Leeds), drawn greatly in favour of England. » *' 8, v. Hampshire, won by an innings and 112 runs. ’’ T' Derbyshire, won by 105 runs. »» T- Somersetshire, drawn in their favour, •> 19, v. Scotland, drawn in their favour, T h e victories of the Australians have been gained over Oxford University» Gentlemen of England (Lord’s), York­ shire (Sheffield), Lancashire (Manchester), Cambridge University,Dublin University, Warwickshire, Hampshire, Derbyshire. Thus the only strong teams which they have beaten are Yorkshire, Lancashire and the Gentlemen of England. For the rest, three Universities and three counties at the lower end of the championship table is not a very heavy haul. Since their victory over Lancashire on May 27th, their record must have given great disappointment in Australia. For their victories they can only point to Cam­ bridge University, Dublin University, Warwickshire, Hampshire and Derby­ shire. They have lost to England (Not­ tingham) and Essex, and the matches igainst Yorkshire (Bradford), England (Lord’ s) and England (Leeds) were drawn against them. But, after all, their ivowed and perfectly intelligible object is to gain a numerical superiority in the test matches, and it is quite likely that they may be able to do this, for although Laver has not quite kept up his reputa­ tion, Cotter seems to have come on wonderfully well. I t is hardly possible to take up a newspaper just now without finding some reference to a supposed decline in the interest taken by the public in first- class cricket, other than the Australian matches. This decline, which seems to me to have no existence, is attributed partly to slow play, partly to drawn »ames, and partly to the visit of the Australian team. It is no doubt true to v certain extent that people who pay a (hilling to see an Australian match are ipt to economise by saving two sixpences over other matches, for in these hard iimes there is not much money to spare. But one has seen some pretty large crowds this year in county championship matches. As regards visits of English teams to Australia, there can be no question that the takings in the ordinary Inter-state matches fall off very considerably during an English tour, and a circular which haB just been issued by the Victorian Cricket Association, throws a strong light on this. In the circular there is to be found the following table. The first column shows the takings from the Inter-state matches of recent years when an English team was present; the second column shows the receipts during the previous season:— R eceipts . Season. English Team Visiting. Previous Season. (No Engl’sh T’am) Deficiency. 1891-2 £ s. d. 1070 15 0 £ s. d. 1760 10 0 £ s. 689 15 d. 0 1894-5 1015 19 0 2286 2 0 1270 3 0 1897-8 807 0 6 18(H) 4 0 993 3 6 1901-2 1077 4 0 981 18 0 95 6 0* 1903-4 984 5 6 1404 7 0 420 1 6 mvifcaoc. ill J.iJUW-1 uio woic liuii and the scores were very low. R. J o y ce , who made 102 for Leicester­ shire against Notts on Thursday last week, only came into the team at the last moment on account of the inability of \another man to play. He has assisted