Cricket 1905

440 CRICKET: A WEEKLY^ RECORD OF THE GAME. O ct . 26, 1905. J i l l MSDEI 1 Cl. CRICKET BALL MAKERS, Supply all the Principal Counties and Clubs through­ out the world with their well-known M a r v e llo 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 bn & Co. Dear Sirs,—I have much pleasure in stating that your “ Special Crown ” Cricket Balls were used in the five Test Matches played between AH England and Australia this season. 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. I) a b l i n s . 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 en & Co. W . G . G r a c e . NOTICE TO OUR READERS. Six numbers are published during the Winter, from October to March inclusive, as follows:— No. 707.—THURSDAY, OCT. 26. No. 708.—THURSDAY, NOV. 30. No. 709.—THURSDAY, DEC. 28. No. 710.—THURSDAY, JAN. 25. No. 711.—THURSDAY, FEB. 22. No. 712.—THURSDAY, MARCH 29. The above series sent pOBt free to any part of the world for Is. 3d. Cricket Office, 168,Upper Thames St., London. 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 find it quite tbe 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 ir s t . A Wonderful Record made with a Wisden’s “ Special C ro w n " Ball. 1,297 rang were scored in eljh t matches by the St. George C.C. Bristol, with a “ Special Crow n ” Ball, presented to the clnb by Dr. E. M . G& aob . The Balls to be used in Test Hatches are now settled. W IbD KN ’ 8 are the only makes permissible. From Dealers all over the world, and 21, Cranbonrn St., London, W.C. Olty M e n u : BBBBTHBK ft 00., GHBAKB1DB. C r ic k e t : A WEEKLY RECORD OF TEE GAMF. 168, UPPER THAMES STREET, LONDON, E.G. THURSDAY, OCT. 26 th , 1905. $ a \n i to i t The abstract and brief chronicle of the time.— t Uamle T h e M.O.C. team for South Africa, as finally announced, proves to be unrepre­ sentative of the strength of England, but there was, perhaps, no desire to make it as strong as possible. South African cricketers are disappointed, for they would naturally prefer to meet England rather than an England eleven. But the three “ test” matches which are to be played (two at Johannesburg, and the other at Cape Town) will go down to history under the title of England v. South Africa, and not as the M.C.C. v. South Africa. In all probability the South Africans will find their visitors quite capable of holding their own, although not one of them represented England against Australia regularly duiing the past season. A cco rd in g to present arrangements, the team will sail on the Kinfauns Castle from Southampton on November 11th, and will consist of the following players : P. F. Warner (captain), Middlesex. Capt, E. G. Wynyard, Hampshire. F. L. Fane, Essex. J. N. Crawford, Surrey. L. J. Moon, Middlesex. H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, Surrey. J. C. Hartley, Sussex. Denton, Yorkshire. Haigh, Yorkshire. Hayes, Surrey. Lees, Surrey. Blythe, Kent. Board, Gloucestershire. Relf, Sussex. On Monday the following cablegram appeared in the Daily Mail from its Sydney correspondent:— As the M.C.O. have declined the invitation of the Australian Board of Control to send a cricket team out to Australia next year, the board ^will probably invite the Hon. F. S. Jackson, wbo captained the English team in all the Test matches last season, to get a side together. It is authoritatively stated here that the Australians netted £900 apiece as the result of the tour, the profits of the five Test matches working out at an average of £75 for each member of the team. W ith regard to the first part of the above cablegram, Mr. F. E. Lacey, the secretary of the M.C.C., stated to a representative of the Pall Mall Gazette that the M.C.C. was willing to negotiate with any Board of Control in Australia, provided only that it clearly represented all the cricket interests in Australia. Mr. Lacey added :— “ If we thought it representative we should have accepted its invitation,” he said. “ It may become representative; but, a? at present constituted, we have had to decline the invitation from it. If it should come to be accepted as a representative body, we shall be very pleased to negotiate. Indeed, we should much like to see some authority thoroughly representative of Australian cricket, whether the Melbourne Cricket Club, the Sydney Cricket Club, or the Board of Control. The present dissension and division among themselves are greatly to be deplored.” R e a d e r s of Cricket will remember that the South Australian Cricket Asso­ ciation declined to have anything to do with the Australian Board of Control except under certain conditions which did not meet with the approval of the Victorian and New South Wales Associa­ tions. The two latter associations and Queensland then decided that the refusal of South Australia to join the board did not prevent it from b e iD g formed, and the announcement was made that the Australian Board of Control was actually in existence. The Australian cricketers who were then in England strongly objected to this, and prophesied trouble. No one in England expected for a moment that the M.C.C. would recognise this new board until it was actually representative. There at present the matter stands. B u t there seems to be a strong feeling among cricketers in Australia that a con­ trolling body which is fully representa­ tive must be formed. It is more than likely that a way will be found out of the present difficulty, and that all the associations will join together for the common good. At the same time, it may be pointed out to Australian cricketers that if they think a representa­ tive Board of Control will select teams which will give universal satisfaction, they are likely to be wofully disap- appointed. M r . V. E. W a lk e r , the famous old cricketer, was recently presented at the Enfield police court with a gold-mounted walking-stick on behalf of the police. Mr. Walker, who is vice-chairman of the Bench at Wood Green, was driving in his carriage on July 1st when he saw a con­ stable struggling with a desperate indi­ vidual. The constable was rapidly becoming exhausted when Mr. Walker descended and held the prisoner until assistance arrived—an exceedingly plucky thing for a man to do in his sixty-ninth year. But Mr. Walker, like all his brothers, has always had plenty of pluck