Cricket 1905

448 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. O c t . 26, 1905 IS TH E INTERE ST IN COUNTY C R ICK E T D EC L IN IN G ? The following correspondence seems to have been dropped into our letter box by mistake:— To t h e E d it o r . Dear Sir,—Is it any wonder that comity cricket is declining—at any rate in my own county ? Not once have I been asked to play for it, and yet my howling average for my club is 23 ^ runs per wicket, which is far better than that of any man in the so-called county team. Yours, in disgust, A. T e a r a w a y . To t b e E d it o r . Dear Sir,—What need to ask the question f Five years ago I went to the Oval on the first day of the Surrey and Worcestershire match, and I saw some wonderful cricket by Abel (who made over 200), Hayes and Lock­ wood. A most enjoyable day, with enthusi­ asm by the crowd. This year I thought I would again go to the Oval on the first day of the Worcestershire match against Surrey, on August 24th—I remember the date because my little Wilfred cut his first tooth on that day—and I found empty benches and quite commonplace cricket. 1 left in disgust after seeing a few overs, and wondered what first- class cricket is coming to. And yet people ask, “ Is county cricket losing its interest ?” Tfours, in sadness, “ A F o o l p o r w a s t in g h is v a l u a b l e t im e .” [Our correspondent seems to have made a slight mistake. On August 24th Surrey certainly played Worcestershire, but the match was at Worcester. The Young Amateurs were playing the Young Pro­ fessionals at the Oval.— E d .] To t h e E d it o r . Dear Sir,—I don’t think the interest in county cricket is declining at all. My little boy, who has just learned decimals, has spent the whole of his spare time this summer in finding what percentage Northamptonshire would get if they beat ! orkshire and Lanca­ shire out and home, and other similar problems. It has been useless for me to point out that Yorkshire and Lancashire did not play Northamptonshire; he will have his way. If the boys of the country show such an absorbing interest in county cricket, you may be certain that it is an assured future. Yours truly, N ORTH AM PTON SH IRE. To t h e E d it o r . Dear Sir,—Of course, the interest in county cricket is declining. What can you expect when you see a team batting the whole of the day without ever having any prospect of see­ ing the other side bat ? It is the ridiculous perfection of modem wickets that is ruining the game. Give me a day when about thirty wickets fall. I remain, Yours truly, A. G. H o w l e r , To t h e E d it o r . Dear Sir,—Who on earth goes to a match to see bowling ? Since the M.C.C. made the counties have bad wickets instead of good ones, you hardly ever see a decent innings. Make your wickets as good as you can, 1 say, and then you will see batting , which is what we all want to see. Yours, etc., A C o n s t a n t R e a d e r . To t h e E d it o r . Dear Sir,—You may take my word for it that county cricket will continue to lose its interest as long as crowds are so large that you cannot get a good view of the game if you happen to come in late. I assure you that several times this year I have been unable to obtain a seat at all, and have seen practically nothing of the game. Until county committees can see their way to find­ ing comfortable room for everybody, so surely will the receipts suffer. And what, may I ask, would the counties do without receipts ? Yours, etc., A. L it t l e m a n . To t h e E d it o r . Dear Sir,—Of course it is. For months past the Muckershire County Chronicle has proved this to the satisfaction of every sen­ sible and reasoning person. And William Lobs, the famous old cricketer who once played for the All England XI,, or against it, I forget which, informs me that county cricket in his day was county cricket, and not a mere gymnastic display between two bought elevens. Surely this is sufficient testimony. Faithfully yours, O n e W h o K n o w s . T o t h e E d it o r . Dear Sir,—As the Hodgeland Advertiser so truly points out, the decline of interest in county, cricket is entirely brought about by the present rotten system of a county cham­ pionship run on antique lines. What is wanted, Sir, is leagues, and plenty of them. As things are now, the Yorkshire Eleven, for example, is composed almost entirely of York­ shiremen, and the inhabitants of the oounty must be sick of seeing men whom they have known from boyhood acting as their repre­ sentatives. No, Sir; the only cure is to have leagues, with strangers in the team—not a home player among them. Then you will find that the interest in first-class cricket will revive with a rush. Look at what has been done for Association football! Believe me, Sir, yours truly, C o m m o n S e n s e . TH E PO P U L A R IT Y OF CR ICK ET IN THE U N IT E D STATES. A correspondent writes to the American Cricketer as follows :— “ It was with real distress that the writer of this article received the an­ nouncement—made by a prominent mem­ ber of one of the big cricket clubs early in the season — ‘ that no one went to cricket matches any more.’ I said little and thought long. Could it be possible that the royal old game was doomed ? Was all the time and labor of the Wisters, Newhalls and others to go for naught, and were the dear old days of rivalry and good fellowship to be lost for ever ? Were these, our youngsters, to miss all that feeling of kinship which makes cricketers friends for life? It almost seemed so. “ July 29th, 1905, found the writer one of a number in ‘ cricketers’ row ’ at the Merion Cricket Club. The weather, for the season, was all one could wish, and the attendance a surprise again to the writer, for really there were a few people there and oddly enough they, too, seemed rather keen about the game of cricket. I took heart, for on every side were cricketers, men, women and children, in holiday attire and humor, many with suspicious-looking boxes, baskets, etc. Lunch ‘ in the stand,’ where the game is discussed over a well-filled basket, is criticism in truth, and many times sound cricket. Looking over the crowd, nod­ ding first to this then to that one, I be­ thought me of the statement made earlier in the season and was comforted when there came within my hearing such re­ marks as these: ‘ I just ran up from the shore to see the game and meet the fellows; we played against Mann and some others on the other side.’ ‘ What did you think of the Colts’ game ? They did have a bunch to pick from this year.’ ‘ Can you play next season ? I am afraid I won’t be able t o ; my hours will be longer.’ ‘ Who will you get for wicket­ keeper P’ etc. I sat and listened. These boys were talking of their cricket a whole year beforehand. “ That game was lost to the English boys, but they had a good time and one of them a bit the eldest remarked : ‘ I know now why our men say that Phila­ delphia is the cricketer’s home, for even the ladies know the game and are so generous to their fallen rivals.’ “ So cricket is not lost, I find, and I hope still to see the Germantown, Merion, Belmont aud the hordes of new cricket clubs recently established flourish in the good new days to come.” A GOOD RECORD . Below will be found a record of the doings of Mr. W. F. Best, year by year, for the Preston C.C. It will be seen that he has scored over ten thousand runs for the club and taken over five hundred wickets. In 1890, 1891, and 1892 he played occasionally for Kent as a slow right-hand bowler. BATTING. No. of Times not Total Season. Inns. out. runs. Average. 1890 ... ... 10 1 209 ... 23-22 1891 ... ... 12 0 152 ... 12-66 1892 ... ... 25 1 444 ... 185 1893 ... ... 26 3 612 ... 2660 1891 ... ... 28 1 782 ... 28-96 1895 ... ... 20 3 330 ... 19-41 1896 ... ... 27 5 980 ... 44-54 1897 ... ... 29 1 779 ... 27-82 1898 ... ... 21 5 666 ... 41-62 1899 ... ... 22 1 523 ... 25-14 1900 ... ... 25 5 730 ... 36-5 1901 ... ... 28 1 1216 ... 45*1 1902 ... ... 22 1 615 ... 29-28 1903 ... ... 30 3 805 ... 2981 1904 ... ... 30 6 898 ... 37-41 1905 ... ... 26 1 809 ... 32-36 381 38 10550 30-75 BOWLING. Season. Overs. Maidens. Runs. Wickets. Average 1890 ... 9 ... 2 29 ... 1 . 29 1891 ... 66 ..., 22 153 ... 10 .... 15-3 1892 ... 360-1 ... 130 651 ... 56 .... 11-62 1893 ... 358-1 ... 108 755 ... 53 ..,. 14-24 1894 ... 247 3 ..., 82 477 ... 25 .... 19-08 1895 ... 158-3 ... 49 316 ... 22 , 14-36 1896 ... 493 ... 144 1076 ... 76 .... 1415 1897 ... 219 ... 75 414 ... 26 .. . 15-92 1898 ... 117 ..., 39 240 ... 8 .. . 30 1899 ... 478-4 ... 150 980 ... 66 .. . 14-84 1900 ... 332*5 .... 90 736 ... 57 .. . 12-91 1901 ... 120 ..., 24 334 ... 26 .. . 12-84 1902 ... 90 ..,, 25 190 ... 18 .. . 10-55 1603 ... 146 ..., 59 296 ... 36 .. . 8-22 1904 ... 308-2 . 78 782 ... 61 .. . 12-81 1905 ... 304 , 94 682 ... 56 .. . 12.18 35911 U71 8U1 ~597 1358 Printed and Published for the Proprietor by Mbebitt & Hitohbb Ltd., 167 168 and 169, Upper Thames Street, London, E.O, Oct. 26th, 1808.