Cricket 1905

464 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. Nov. 30, 1905 games, too, there -was in nearly every ease a wasted superfluity of runs on one side, piled up in the time that would generally have served to get the opponents out. The average position at the finish has been that one side lost, 4 wickets more than the other, and, with 3 more to go, led by 130 runs. ; The average finished game, indeed, requires only 250 overs, and in longer matches there Will nearly always be found a lot ol batting run to waste. The following table shows the 'somewhat paradoxical result that beyond a certain point, the longer the game extends the less likelihood there is of finishing it. Big scores are really a more fertile souice of drawn games than bad weather. And some method of cutting them down to the absolute requirements is necessary, without jeopar­ dising the club’s chance of winning, as closing the innings under the present terms would do. As it is, on a howler’s wicket, it is seldom necessary to “ declare” the third innings ; on a batsman’s wicket, it is seldom fafe, and consequently it is seldom possible to complete the fourth. Ch’mp’nshij Matches. Lasting Under 30( overs. ,300 to 360 .Over 360 Total. 19045 I d ™. 157 60 49 27 4 27 210 114 Total 217 76 31 324 As to the effect that the adoption of tho amended system, apart from that proceeding fiom a more enlivened and purposeful game, would have on tho not-to-be-forgotten gate, if it had been in operation during the past threo seasons, piobably not one' turnstile would have suffered, and verv many would have gained. Not one match would have been d<cidcd on tho first day (those completed in 120 overs or less having been interfeied with by the weather); iOo, at least would 1ave lasted into the third day, anil 171 would have been settled on tho second day of actual play. The game having been limited to 360 overs, those overs are next divided into portions. The necessity for apportionment arises from the unfairness to both parties of their being allowed indefinitely long spells of occupancy of the wickets, and of their occupying them when they afford very unequal opportunities to profit by the tenancy, and the consequent inducement that tho Laws offer to play only “ for keeps,” and so avoid being beaten. The side that fields through tho first innings of a match of long scores is patently handi­ capped. After a day and a half of leather- hunting, whilst, say, 600 runs are being accumulated, a team may do even compara­ tively better to put up 500 in two innings on a worn out pitch, but it loses all the same. The side that goes in first on a batsman’s paradise is no less handicapped another way. It has usually, in its second innings, the choice of either risking a premature declara­ tion in order to try ai.d win, or of going on hitting up a safe lead until a draw becomes inevitable. That declaring the innings is semetimes a perilous pioceeding may be instanced by the examples of Kent, who, in 1904, in order to try and beat Middlesex, sacrificed two wickets, and lost by one, and of Hants and Middlesex, who both lest matches from the same cause in 1905, alter disabling themselves to the extent of four and seven wickets out of twenty. This gratuitous risk should not be allowed to cheat the legitimate victors of their laurels, and the suspension, instead of closure of innings which, playing by portions, would entail, would have all the beneficial effects that "declaring” confers without inflicting the hardship qf inability to resume an unfinished innings if necessary. Barefaced robberies of the fruits of superior play through batting first very frequently occur. Thus Worcestershire and Lancashire, wi'h one wicket to fall and 161 runs to eet, and two wickets to go with 99 to get, in 1903, both saved their matohes with Kent and Middlesex, who had declared their innings simply through the Clock vetoing further play in the fourth stage. Conversely, many matches are only decided at all through the better playing side having by chance the fourth instead of the third innings of the match. For instances: In 1903, Sussex beat Hampshire by tenwiekets after 335 odd overs had been bowled, and Lancashire beat Kent by six wickets after 367 ; in 1905, Warwick­ shire beat Essex by eight wickets after 347, and Derbyshire by seven after 334. whilst Kent vanquished Nottinghamshire by four wickets after 393 odd overs had been dealt with. All of those were handsome wins, yet in every case, if the victors had taken third knock instead of fourth, it is evident that they could not have declared with safety in time to win. The absurd positions that are created by this inability to suspend instead of close an innings are illustrated bv four drawn games of 1905, in which at the finish Lancashire led by 520, Warwickshire by 341 and 261, and Leicestershire by 325 reins! All this futility and injustice would be remedied by the adoption of a system of Portions. Play being allotted into portions, the ordinary Portion is established at 60 oyers. This number is very near to the average first innings of a match, but that fact has little influence in selecting it. As to the possible use to be made of 60 overs, some sides will score 300 runs in that allowance whilst others get only a third of the number; it all depends upon the humour and capacity of the sielcB. (To be continued.) M. A . NOBLE AN D TH E NEW SOUTH W ALES ASSOCIATION . When the Selection Committee for New South Wales for 1905-6 was appointeel at a meeting of the association, the name of M. A. Noble did not appear in it. One of the members of the association accused Noble of being disloyal. The result was that at the next meeting of the associa­ tion the following letter was read from Mr. J. T. Pope, the honorary secretary of the Paddirgton C.C. :— “ You will no doubt remember that a state­ ment was mado at tho last meeting of the association by a member of the Executive Committee to the effect that Mr. M. A. Noble had been disloyal to the association, and should not be placed on any committee of the association, and no doubt that statement was responsible for his not being elected as selector of the inter-state team. “ As Hr. Noble represents the Paddington Club on your association my committee would he obliged if you could let me know early in what respect Mr. Noble has been disloyal, in order that his position as our representative may be made quite clear. At present, we are entirely in the dark in the matter, having all along understood that Mr. Noble preserved the confidence of the New South Wales Association. This was the only reasonable conclusion to arrive at, seeing that no com­ plaint had been previoasly made on the subject to us.” „___ Mr. Pope asked the association to express its opionion on the statement, but the chairman ruled thatjthe letter was outjof order, and that the association was not ie sponsible for individual expreisions of opinion. But one can hardly imagine M. A. Noble being disloyal. H A L IF A X CUP A V E R A G E S (PH IL A D E L P H IA ). BATTING. No. Times Most of not Total in an inns. out. runs. inns. Aver. J. A. Lester (Merion)... 13 ...3 ... 723 ... 146*... 72-30 J. B. King (Belmont) 10 ...0 ... 708 ... 315 ... 70*80 A.MAVood (Belmont) 13 ...5 ... 431 ... 114*... 53*87 W. Thayer (Merion)... 6 ...2 ... 210 ... 77 ... 52*50 P.FI.Olark(G’rm’t’wn) 8 ...0 ... 327 ... 173 ... 40*87 N.Z.Graves(G’rm’t’wn) 9 ...0 ... 357 ... 135 ... 39*67 J. H. Scattergood (M.) 8 ... 4 ... 149 ... 70 ... 37*25 O. M. Graham (B.) ... 12 ... 1 ... 358 ... 102 ... 32*55 F. S.White(G’m’twn) 7 ... 0 ... 224 ... 87 ... 32*00 W. Graham (Belmont) 11 ... 1 ... 314 ... Ill ... 31*10 E.M.Cregar(Belmont) 12 ... 2 ... 301 ... 70 ... 30*10 A.W. Jones (G’r’mt’n) 8 ... 0 ... 240 ... 82 ... 30*00 T.O.Jordan (G’r’mt’n) 11 ... 2 ... 2GI ... 59 ... 29'. 0 J. H.Mason(Philadel) 11 ...2 ... 213 ... 55*... 27*00 W.N. Morice (Merion) 12 ...3 ... 2-11 ... 103*... 26*78 S. W. Mifllin (Merion) 12 ...2 ... 262 ... 100 ... 26*20 W.E.Goodman,Jr.(P) 7 ... 1 ... 151 ... 60 ... 25*17 H. R. Cartright (P.)... 11 ... 0 ... 276 ... 102 ... 25*09 D. H. Adams (Merion) 9 ... 0 ... 215 ... 49 ... 23*39 W. P. O’Neill (G.) ... 10 ... 0 ... 230 ... 61 ... 23*00 II. P. Baily( Merion)... 8 ... 0 ... 182 ... 69 ... 22*75 F. O. Sharpless (M.) .. 6...1 ...113...66*... 22*60 C. C. Morris (Merion) 9 . 0 ... 198 ... 44 ... 22*00 IT. W. Middleton (G.) 10 ... 2 ... 176 ... 81*... 22*00 F. IT. Bohlen (G.) ... 11 ... 0 ... 237 ... 103 ... 21*54 I?. II. Patton (Merion) 10 ... 0 ... 215 ... 70 ... 21*50 J. L. Evans (Merion) 12 ... 0 ... 254 ... 97 ... 21*17 A. G. Hare (Merion)... 8 ... 1 ... 143 ... 65*... 20 43 A.G. Scattergood (P.) 11 ... 1 ... 200 ... 47*... 2000 BOWLING. J. B. King (B.)... . H P. Baily (M.) J. A. Lester (M.) W. N. Morice (M.) . R. H. Patton (.\1) W. P. O’Neill (G.) J. W. Potts (FO W.F.Keenan, Jr. (I E. M. Cregar (B.) J. R. Vetierlein (M , E. Norris (P.) ... ... W. Graham (B.) P. H. Clark (G.) II.W. Middleton (( A. G. Singer (F.) A. G. Priestman (< A. P. Morris (M.) S. G. Clirnenson ( W. W. Foulkrod, Jr. (F.) .............. W. P. Newhall (G.). NATIVE GUANO. T3EST and CHEAPEST MANURE for LAWNS, 13 CRICKET and TENNIS GROUNDS and all Vegetables, Fruits, and Flowers. 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