Cricket 1905

470 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. D ec . 21, 1905 JOHNWISDEN&CO. CRICKET BALL MAKERS, Supply a ll 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 is d e n & Co. Dear Sirs,—I have much pleasure in stating that your “ Special Crown ” Cricket Balls were used in the five Test Matches played between All 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 . D a r lin g . 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 is d e n & Co. W . G . G r a c e . Colne Bridge, Huddersfield, Sept. 14th, 1903. John Wisden & Co. Dear Sirs,— W e have used your “ Wisden’s Special Crown ” Balls in our matches for the last few years, and I find 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 hall 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 Crown ” Ball. 1,297 runs were scored in eight matches by the St. George C.C. Bristol, with a “ Special Crown ” Ball, presented to the club by S r. E. M. G r a c h . The Balls to be used in Test Hatches are now settled. W ISD EN ’ S are the only makes permissible. From Dealers all over the world, and 21, Cranbourn St., London, W.C. 01t; U n U ; BBIBTF1IK * CO., CHE&PSIDE. 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, NOY. 30. No. 709.—THURSDAY, DEC. 21. No. 710.—THURSDAY, JAN. 25. No. 711.—THURSDAY, FEB. 22. No. 712.—THURSDAY, MARCH 29. The above series sent post free to any part of the world for Is. 3d. Cricket Office, 168,Upper Thames St., London. C r ic k e t : A WEEKL T RECORD OF THE OAMF. 168, UPPER THAMES STREET, LONDON, E.G. THURSDAY, DEC. 21sr, 1905. $ a \ ) t l to t i G o s s ip . The abstract and brief chronicle of the time.— Hamitt. T h e London Playing Fields Society would be very glad to receive gifts of old lawn tennis balls, rackets, and cricket bats for distribution among London school children, by whom they are very much appreciated. Such gifts may be sent to the secretary, 45, Gloucester Street, S.W. T h e following umpires have been chosen for the first-clasa matches of 1908: - V. A. Titchmarsh (Hert­ fordshire) J. E. West (Middlesex) W. A. J. WTest (North­ amptonshire) A. A. White (Sussex) A. E. Clapp (Somerset) O. E. Dench (Notts) F. G. Roberts (Glouces­ tershire) F.G.Willoughby (Hamp­ shire) A. Woodcock (Leicester­ shire) S outh . A. J. Atfield (Gloucester­ shire) W. Attewell (Notts) R. G. Barlow (Lancashire) T. Brown (Cheshire) J. Carlin (Notts) F. W. Marlow (Sussex) A. Millward (Worcester­ shire) J. Moss (Notts) A. Pike (Notts) W. Richards (Warwick­ shire) C. E. Richardson (Leices­ tershire) It will be noticed that Alfred Shaw, Phillips, Pougher, Mycroft and Wade are not on the list this year. Shaw is un­ fortunately not well enough to undertake the duties, and Phillips has resigned. The last five men on the list are new to the position. B e lo w will be found the list of umpires for the Minor Counties Cham­ pionship. Attewell, Rudd, HutchingB, and Stevens are makiDg a first appear­ ance. C. E. Bartram W. Copeland Owen Frith J. Gregory T. Attewell H. Ooulson C. Marshall R. Rogers N orth . G. P. Harrison W. Hearne M. Myers M idlands . F. Rudd G. Rye J. Stevens A. Stockwin R. Barber O. E. Brown W. Griffiths J. Holton O. Hughes R. Humphrey G. Hutchings W. Jennings A. W. Mason C. Mills J. Perkins Sergt. Willis A t the meeting of the firjt-class county ciptains at Lord’s, on Decembsr 4th, the following were present:— Lord Hawke (Yorkshire), Lord Dalmeny (Surrey), Messrs. A. E. Lawton (Derbyshire), O. R. Borradaile (Essex) (for F. L. Fane), G. L. Jessop (Gloucestershire), H. Bacon (Hampshire) (for E. M. Sprot), C. H. B Marsham (Kent), G. B. Bardswell (Lanca­ shire), C. E. de Trafford (Leicestershire), Gregor Macgregor (Middlesex), T. Horton (Northamptonshire), A. O. Jones (Notts), S. M. J. Woods (Somerset), C. B. Fry (Sussex), J. F. Byrne (Warwickshire), and H. K. Foster (Worcestershire), with Mr. P. E. Lacey (secretary M.C.C.). F r o m the Adelaide Observer: — A practice which is to be deprecated is the grumbling at umpire’s decisions. It is only a truism to say that the men who stand in the position of arbiters are human and are liable to make mistakes. They would not be on this fallible earth if they were without fault. When an umpire gives a verdict he does so believing it to be correct. He is there for that purpose, and his whole attention is devoted to watching any possible develop­ ment which may call for his intervention. At the best of times the umpire has a thank­ less office, and the more the batsmen cavil at the fiat which goes forth, the less likely are they to retain the services of those who are really good judges. Every effort should he made to support the men who devote their Saturday afternoons to the duty of umpiring. Cricketers owe them a debt of gratituble, which, I fear, very few acknowledge. In the last issue of Cricket mention was made of amatch in which North Adelaide, after a splendid fight, lost by one run. On the following Saturday the same club lost after a desperate tight against time. The last two North Adelaide men were in when the last over of the day was commenced. Three balls were played but the fourth was fatal, a brilliant piece of stumping by Jeanes giving East Torrens the victory. It may be added that in his last two matches Jeanes dis­ missed eleven men at the wicket and only allowed 4 byes in 275 runs. W. B r e a r l e y , the Lancashire bowler, made a speech at the annual dinner of the North Durham O.C. on November 30 th in which he said that he hoped he might have the opportunity of playing under the captaincy of the Hon. F. S. Jackson and A. C. Maclaren in Australia next year. I t has been decided by the South Australian Cricket Association that in future a hit over the fence round the asphalt on the Adelaide ground shall count as six instead of five. M a jo r P o o re , the well-known Hamp­ shire crioketer, arrived at Southampton on December 6th from the Cape on the