Cricket 1905

A p r il 27, 1905. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 91 A rem a r k a b le performarce with the ball was done in the Cunie Cup match at Johannesburg betwefn the Transvaal and Rhodesia, by R. Norden, a young left- hand bowler who has been showing great promise. Norden, whose pace may be described as “ slow medium,” took four wickets for 21 in the first innings of Rhodesia and eight for 12 in the second innings. The other successful Transvaal bowler was R. O. Schwarz, with four wickets for 29 in the first innings and two for 9 in the second. Transvaal won by an innings and 170 runs. A M e lb o u rn e newspaper, commenting on thepennant match between Hawksburn and Fitzroy, says:— “ There was only one feature of import­ ance in the match, but that was sufficient to make the game interesting. The one topic of conversation on the ground was the howling of the Grammar School hoy Eonald. He only missed getting the whole ten wickets through Osborne coming in for one at the last moment. In taking nine wickets for 62 runs on a good pitch, Ronald bowled beautifully. He is the fastest bowler we have in Victoria by a good deal, and as he is also a powerfully built hoy, well set, and active, I see no one more likely to develop into what the State needs rather badly, a first-class bowler. In the second innings he again bowled well, talking all five wickets that fell at a cost of 46 runs. He,thus took thirteen wickets for the afternoon, and bowled all through the day—a very severe test for a hoy, and one that shows he has the physique which a fast bowler requires. He kept his pace and length remarkably well, and the batsmen was never quite sure what the ball would do. The Hawkshurn club were so pleased with his performance that they intend to have the ball with which he bowled suitably inscribed and presented to him as a memento of the match. A c o rre s p o n d e n t of the SydneyReferee has asked the following quesu n :— “ In a game played on a suburban wicket, with two fences adjac<nt, the mutual agree­ ment between the two captains as toboundaries was that if the ball pasted under the nearer two-rail fence it was to count one run; over the same lence, 2 runs; and over the secondfence, 3 runs. The batsman struck the ball, and it struck the first fence. Katurally, heattempted the run, and the ball rebounded towards his wicket, was fielded, and he, being off his crease, was judged to be out. Was it not a dead ball after having struck the first boundary-line, as agreed ? Hence was not the decision given wrong? ” Our contemporary of course replied that it was not a dead ball. The decision was in accord with the letter of the agreement; which cnly provided for the ball passing either under or over it. U p to March 4th, Kenny Burn, the Tasmanian cricketer, had an average of 95’75 for the season. C. J. Eady was second to him with 81 ‘40. In the last six pennant matches at Melbourne, played by St. Kilda (up to March 4th) accidents, etc. have made it necessary to use the services of eight wicket-keepers. To a number of ladies the visit of the 1905 Australian cricket team to Welling­ ton, N.Z., will be of bitter memory, says a New Zealand paper. When the seats in front of the grand stand became filled, the asphalt steps that had been softening in the hot sun were occupied by a number of ladies. It was not until they attempted to rise that they discovered themselves unable to do so without effort, which lifted up slabs of the molten asphalt, as well as the unwilling skirt. More than one skirt was spoiled in this manner. T he M.O.C. annual report which will be submitted to the meeting next Wed­ nesday shows that the members now number 4,594. The profit on last season A H erald of Summer: A Snapshot at Lord’s. Mr. H. V. L. Stanton, “ Wanderer,” of the Sportsman. Photo by F. S. Ashley Cooper . was £3,230, as against £294 in the previous year. The refreshment depart­ ment, which is now managed by Mr. F. E. Lacey, the secretary of the club, shows a profit of £1,230, although in 1903 there was a loss of over five hundred pounds. Mr. Lacey has been granted an increase of £200 per annum to his salary. The gate receipts, for 1904 were as follows :— £ s. d. M.C.C. Australian XI. v. England .......... 291 10 6 Oxford v. Cambridge ..> ......................... 1133 8 0 Eton V. 'Harrow ........................................ 1486 17 6 Gentlemen v. Players ................................ 830 0 0 An English XI. v. South Africans .......... 327 5 6 Other matches................ ......................... 757 16 0 Total ................................ £4826 17 6 O n March 4th at Glebe Point (Sydney) P. Evans, playing for Burwood Cam­ bridge against Christchurch St.Lawrence, took the first six wickets in one over. TO A SPRING CRICKETER. [The editor has to state that he does not hold himself responsible for the opinions of his spring poet.] Behold ! The April showers are done, And May-day draweth nigh ; You’ ve wolfed the Friday hot-cross bun Without quite knowing why. Bring forth the bats of yesteryear, And soak them well with oil— With oil of linseed. Never fear Your dainty hands to soil. Bring forth the pads, and ask your aunt To mend them if they’re tom, But, should the lady say she can’t, They must with holes be worn. Bring forth the india-rubbered glove, And, if you find it stiff, Don’t place it straight upon the stove, Unless you want a whiff. Bring forth the bag of flowered green, And polish up the brass Until it shines with glorious sheen— This shows that you are “ class.” P.S. Bring forth the winter overcoat, And have it lined with wool, And wrap a muffler round your throat, For springtime seemeth cool. W. A. B. TH E FOSTERS. Under the heading of “ Brothers Banded as Sportsmen, a Run of Remark­ able Records,” Baily's Magazine contains references to the Fosters, the Keigwins, and the Homsbys. The following extracts refer to the Fosters:— The Fosters, of Malvern, or of “ Foster­ shire,” as Worcestershire is flippantly called, have the best all-round record of any present- day brotherhoods. As international foot­ ballers, cricketers, and racquet players, they stand unsurpassed. Upon the playing fields of cricket they have perhaps in the greater degree excelled, for, ever since 1894, one (or more) of them have figured high up in the season’s averages. They have deeply en­ graved their names upon the record books of cricket. R. E. Foster was the hero of the first Test cricket match played in Australia hyWarner’s side. In the scores of that game we read: “ R. E. Foster, c Noble, b Saunders, 287.” When he made these figures Foster left in arrear any previous best individual innings in such great g am e s ....................The faster the wicket, and the faster the bowler, the more at home is Reginald Foster, and the accuracy of his eye, the strength and suppleness of his wrists, and his powerful scoring strokes on the off, is only attributable to his constant practice and proficiency at racquets. “ R. E.,” until J. H. King came along, was the only player to ha?e compiled a century of runs in each innings of his first Gentlemen v. Players match. With C. B. Fry, R. E. Foster Bhares the distinction of having th rice scored a century in each inn-