Cricket 1905

50 CRICKET: A WEEKLY EECORD OF THE GAME. A p r il 13, 1905. “ It is natural that it should be, for of course it is not always possible to get an umpire who knows what is to be known about the laws of the game—there are so many flue points in it. I remember that once at Wormwood Scrubbs we had an umpire, one of our best club members, but he had not studied the game very •deeply. I noticed; that he was standing by the side of point, and I suggested that as there was a right hand man batting he ought to stand at square leg. ‘ Ah, yes, that’s right enough,’ he said, ‘ but you see the bowler is left hand.’ An old Marlburian told me once that when he was in Ceylon he took part in a match in which the last two men were at the wickets in the fourth innings. The game was a tie, and there was immense ex­ citement when a short run was tried, and the wicket was put down. All that the umpire would say was that it was a dead heat, but whether he referred to the state of the game, or to the impossibility of giving a decision, history doesn’t say.” There was a particularly strong master’s team at Elstree at about the time that Mr. Meyrick-Jones was there. “ It included Ernest Smith, Vernon Royle, C. P. Wilson, W. N. Roe, and W. H. Bather,” he said. “ It is difficult to say whether I enjoyed Marl­ borough, Cambridge, or Elstree cricket the most. At Elstree I used to stand backstop with gloves to Ernest Smith. Wilson was a much better wicket keeper than I, but he was wanted for his bowling. Dowson was there then, and an excellent little player he was. I remember that he went to Trowbridge in Wiltshire to play for Mr. Walter Long’s team, and got W. G. out. It was theobject at Elstree to develop a boy’s skill on his own lines, and not to make him a pattern player. Individuality in a cricketer counts for much, and there is much greater latitude allowed to boys nowa­ days than there used to be.” “ How did you fare as regards coaching when you were a youngster ? ” “ I used to drag my father out on the lawn to bowl to me, with a crpper beech tree for the wicket. Then the Rev. G. Townsend Oldham, who afterwards took over the school, and removed it to St. Christopher’s, Eastbourne, taught me very cart fully all the form I could ever boast of.” “ You were afterwards at school at Marlborough ? ” “ I went there in 1880, but did not get into the eleven until 1884 and 5. Herbert Leaf and W. J. Ford were masters there, and they both coached ua keenly. I have always thought that I was helped as much as anything by playing rackets and ‘ snob cricket,’ which is a variety of cricket played on an open pitch of asphalte with a broomstick and a string ball, with dozens of fellows, if not bowling, all trying to catch you out in order to get an innings, while the batsman lashes out for all he’s worth. ‘ Brownie Hill,’ the Hampshire cricketer, was a great hand at this game, which afforded splendid training for the eye. 3?he authorises rather frowned at it, and especially during school hours, but did not frown with sufficient severity to put it down. I used to bowl a little when I was at Marlborough, but I always had an idea that I should have liked to bat against my own bowling.” “ When did you get into the Cam­ bridge eleven f ” “ Not until my third year. In the Freshmen’s match I made a few runs and was asked to play twice for Trinity. In my second year I played for the ’Varsity right through the season until the match against Oxford, but in my third year I just managed to scrape in at the er.d. I remember that when we played the Australians at ‘ Fenner’s,’ Bonnor was put on to bowl just before lunch—it was fast stuff with noth­ ing much but pace in it. At lunch time he was just coming into the pavilion when someone told him he had been bowling ‘ tosh.’ He replied, ‘ Well, some people say I can’t bat as well as W. G. can bowl. I think I can, don’t you P’ One of the Anstralians laughed and shouted back, ‘ I don’ t know about that, Bonnor, but do you think you can bowl as well as W. G. can bat ? ’ ” W. A. B e t t e sw o r t h . TH E NEW AU S T R A L IAN SCHEME. Below will be found the rules for the proposed International Board of Cricket for Australia :— The objects of the hoard are:— (a) To control, regulate, and, if necessary, finance the visits of the English teams to Australia. (b) To control, regulate, and, if necessary, finance the visits of the Australian teams to England or elsewhere, either solely or in conjunction with the governing cricket bodies of the places visited. (c) The approval and registration of umpires. (d) The alteration or amendment of, or addition to, the laws of cricket in Australia. ROLES. The hoard shall consist of :— 1. (a) Two representatives each of the States of New teouth Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, to be elected annually by such associations. (b) One representative of the Australian Eleven players to he elected annually by the last Australian Eleven. («) One representative of the interstate players, playing in Sheffield matches, to he elected annually hy players taking part in not less than two of such matches in the previous season. 2. The association of any State not on the board for the time being may, with the con­ sent of the associations, become represented on the board. 3. The board at its first meeting shall appoint a Chairman and an hon. secretary. The Chairman to have a vote and a casting vote. Any vacancy occurring in the posi­ tion of Chairman or hon. secretary shall be filled forthwith by the hoard. 4. In the event of any vacancies occurring among the representatives on the board the association affected shall thereupon proceed to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the year. 5. The board shall meet if necessary once a year, at such time and place as may be decided upon by the board. The hon. secre­ tary shall convene a special meeting of the hoard on receiving a requisition signed by not fewer than six representatives of the board, stating clearly the business to he brought forward. Such specialmeeting shall be called within seven days of the receipt of the requisition, and shall be held within 23 days thereafter. 6. At all meetings of the hoard five shall form a quorum. 7. Representatives from any State unable to attend any meeting may be represented by separate proxies, to be previously approved by its association or committee thereof. 8. The expenses of the board shall be defrayed by the associations. 9. The appointment of manager of any Australian team visiting England or else­ where shall be made by the players interested and submitted to the board for confirmation. 10. The board shall be empowered to declare whether the time fixed for the visit of an Australian, English, or other team is opportune or otherwise, and shall communi­ cate such decision to the governing cricket bodies concerned. 1 1 . The selection of teams to represent Australia shall be made by a committee appointed by the board. 12. Each association shall, after payment of all expenses, take the whole of the profits earned in test matches played in each State. Any loss on such test matches shall be made up as follows: Two-fifths each by New South Wales Cricket Association and Victorian Cricket Association, and one-fifth by South Australian Cricket Association. Any asso­ ciation possessing a ground of its own shall be allowed 20 per cent, of the gross takings for the use of such ground for test matches. 13. The board shall have power to decide as to the manner in which umpires shall he appointed for international matches. 14. The hoard may depute all or any of its powers to any sub-committee or sub­ committees, the members thereof need not necessarily be members of the board, and no State shall have more than one representative on any sub-committee. 15. No alteration of the constitution of the board or of these rules shall be made unless passed by a majority of those present at a meeting of the board, and confirmed hy the associations of each State represented. One month’s notice of any proposedalteration shall be given to each body on the board. 16. The board may, from time to time, make, repeal, or amend byelaws, not incon­ sistent with the rules, for the conduct of its business. 17. Any player or other person who may receive wages or monetary consideration for playing or umpiring the game of cricket (except payment for loss of time) shall not be permitted to he a representative or office­ bearer of the hoard. 18. The decision of the board shall he final and binding on each of the associations represented thereon in all matters covered by the constitution and rules as herein laid down. 19. The board shall be empowered to invite the co-operation of the governing cricket bodies of England or elsewhere with a view to gi.ing effect to these rules. These rules were adopted at a conference of representatives from Victoria, New South AVales, and South Australia, held at Sydney, on January 6 and 9, 1905, for submission to the associations. S yd n e y , January 23,