Cricket 1907

M a y 23, 1907. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 153 quently comes in for a good deal of exercise. ............... Fast bowling may be scientific or it may be merely brutal—to judge from some of the letters I saw in the papers last summer I should think a good many people took the latter view—but, whatever it is, it is not a restful occupation.” W hilst Garbutt, the professional to the Filey Club, was driving some stakes into the ground on the 13th inst., the head of the mallet flew off and hit Edwin Smith, aged 15. The latter walked home, but subsequently became uncon­ scious, and died on Friday morning. “ Is cricket declining ? ” asks Mr. Alfred D. Taylor, who adds, “ The Bir­ mingham Daily Gazette Cricket Guide (Midland Counties), the Yorkshire Post Cricket Annual, the Sheffield Telegraph Cricket Annual and the Somerset County Cricket Guide have ceased to exist. TO RANJITSINHJI. [Ranjitsinhji has sent £200 to the Sussex County Cricket Club.] Our hearts to you across the seas Go out with right good will; We’ve loved you since youwon the “ blue” With supple wrists and eye so true, And every Grace’s skill! So be your title what it please, What fate, or chance, or choice decrees, To us you’re “ Ranji” still! Two hundred pounds ! ’tis nobly done, But oh ! that it might be Instead a hundred runs or so From Ranjitsinhji on the go, With thousands there to see ! Here games are waiting to be won ; Come back, sir, leave your Indian sun, And fill our souls with glee ! —“ W.S.” in the Daily Chronicle. P l a t i n g for Shepherd’s Bush v. Walham Green at East Acton on Satur­ day, the brothers E. C. Hobbs (134 not out) and Dr. A, R. Hobbs (107) made 241 together for the first wicket. M o r e records ! Robert Abel, writing ia The People, makes the following amusing remarks :— Until recently we all thought that Albert Trott held the record for the biggest pair of hands amongst all the first-class cricketers. But “ there are just as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it.” I don’t know that this is a very good maxim to bring in ; still, it may read better than it looks to me as I write it down. Anyhow, another Colonial, in the South African, A. D. Nourse, is easily top-weight in the way of “ carpet-bags.” Another member of the South African team, Vogler, introduced Trott to Nourse, andthey “ shook.” Those who were there—and the news had gone that something “ big” was on—say the sight was a wonderful one. Trott was there first, but Nourse folded his phenomenal hand around that of the Austra­ lian’s, and completely hid it from view. These Colonials seem to have all the great natural gifts. When it comes to big feet— again among cricketers, of course—the Aus­ tralian F. H. Walters carries off the palm. He certainly covers a lot of ground. Still, I fancy I know one or two of oursthat wouldn’t need to tear up half a newspaper to block the toes up with if they wore a pair of Walters’ . I refrain from mentioning names, as so many people wish to hide their light under a bushel. A ccording to the latest reports from Australia, another cricket crisis is imminent, the leading players wishing to be represented on the Board of Control. It is stated that if their application is refused they will meet in order to decide what course to take. It would be deplorable if the visit of au English team were to be again delayed owing to dissentions in Australia. A meeting is shortly to be held at which the advi­ sability of rescinding the resolution which prohibited some of the leading players from holding office for five years will be considered. A. J. Hopkins, interviewed by the West Australian on the conclusion of the tour of the New South Wales team, said that, while desiring to congratulate the Western Australians upon their perform­ ance in the first Test match, and their victory in the one just concluded, he could not help feeling disappointed at the form shown by the batsmen of his team. It seemed to him ridiculous when he thought of the form shown by the men in the Eastern States, that they should all go out on a beautiful wicket for 181 runs. As to the Western Austra­ lian performance, he thought that in the batting Parker stood alone among his fellows, as, although many of the other men scored and played well, they had not the style and the strokes of the player he had mentioned. In connection with the attack, he was of opinion that Christian performed far the best of the home team, as he did a tremendous amount of work, and bowled most successfully. Ap­ proached on the question of the advis­ ableness of Western Australia sending over a team to the Eastern States next year, Mr. Hopkins said his advice would be that that course should not be adopted until one or two more teams from the other side of Australia had been brought round here. He pointed out that with every visit the local men would become more confident, and play better, and it would be preferable to wait awhile before launching out on a big tour. T he season in Adelaide concluded on April 13th with the clubs in the Senior District Competition occupying the following positions:— PVbl© Pts. Club. Pld. Won. Lost. Dr. Pts. Gnd. Sturt ........................12 ... 9 ... 2 ... 1 ... 36 ... 25 Adelaide .................12 ... 7 ... 4 ... 1 ... 36 ... 17 East Torrens ..........12 ... 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 36 ... 12 North Adelaide ... 12 ... 4 ... 6 ... 2 ... 36 ... 6 WestTorrens ..........12 ... 3 ... 8 ... 1 ... 36 ... 1 Port Adelaide..........12 ... 1 ... 5 ... 6 ... 36 ... —1 Three points are scored for a win ; one is deducted for each loss; and drawn games ignored except when the batting side with at least 5 wickets is with­ in 80 runs of the other score, if the fielding side has a lead of 90 runs and 3 wickets to dispose of, 6Uruns and two wickets, or 50 runs and 1 wicket; in each case one point allowed to the side with the advantage. During the previous nine years of the Competition’s existence, the Premiership had been gained three times by E*st Adelaide, twice by North Adelaida and Sturt, and once by Adelaide :— East Torrens and 1897-8 1898-9 1899-0 1900-1 1901-2 East Torrens East Adelaide East Adelaide East Adelaide North Adelaide 1902-3 1903-1 1901-5 1905-6 Sturt North Adelaide Sturt Adelaide The chief run-getters during the past season were:— No. Times Most of not in an Total inns. out. inns. runs. Aver. 0. Hill (St.) ... ... 4 ... - ... 148 ... 432 ...108’03 F. T. Hack (St.) ... 7 ... 2 ... 114 ... 455 ... al’00 J. H. Pellew (N.A.)... 14 ... 2 ... 108 ... 638 ... 53-16 J. Darling (St.) ... 10 ... — ... 109 ... 508 ... 50'80 D. R. A.Gehrs(P.A.) 10 ... 1 ... 124 ... 435 ... 48'33 whilst the most successful bowlers were as follows .— Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Aver. H. Hay (St.) .......... 243-4 ... 63 ... 605 ... 40 ... 1512 J. F. Travers (Ad.) 265'3 ... 52 ... 750 ... 48 ... 15'62 R. B. Rees (N.A.)... 281'4 ... 61 ... 839 ... 52 ... 16-13 L. Hanson (W.T.)... 178 ... 42 ... 389 ... 24 ... 16-20 W. A. Hewer (St.)... 123'1 ... 23 ... 342 ... 21 ... 16 28 A. H. Pretty (W.T.) 116'3 ... 13 ... 461 ... 28 ... 1646 A. McBeath (W.T.) 221-2 ... 52 ... 612 ... 37 ... 16 54 A d e l a id e cricket w ill be the poorer through the appointment of H . H a y to the charge of the Port Pirie branch of a Bank. H e will be chiefly remembered for taking nine wickets for 67 runs, including the hat-trick, in the second innings of Lord H awke’s team on the Unley Oval in March, 1903, but he has represented his State at football and lacrosse as well as at cricket. In eleven years of senior cricket in Adelaide he took 240 wickets for 19-40 runs each. T h e Richardson brothers, of Tasmania, showed excellent all-round form for Rokeby in Cameron Shield matches during the past season, it being mainly due to their efforts that the Club aver­ aged 50'19 runs for every wicket lost compared w ith 11*74 b y their opponents. The brothers occupy the first three places in the batting averages:— Not Inns. out. Most. Total. Aver. A. V. Richardson ... 10 ... 0... 328 ...1035 ...103-50 Wat. Richardson ... 9 ... 1... 210*... 789 ... 98-62 L. Richardson ....... 9 ... 1... 197*... 431 ... 53-87 and were similarlysuccessful so far as the bow ling was concerned : — Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Aver. A. Y.Richardson ... 420 ... 12 ... 242 ... 27 ... 8'96 L. Richardson ....... 294 ... 16 ... 81 ... 9 ... 9 00 Wat Richardson ... 647 ... 18 ... 255 ... 27 ... 9-81 Furthermore, all the hundreds hit for the side were credited to the trio :— W. Richardson, v. Claremont ... 210f A. V. Richardson, v. Channel........ 328 W. Richardson, v. Nuheena ........ 137 W. Richardson, v, Forcett ........ 149 A. V. Richardson, v. Craigow........ 213 W. Richardson, v. Channel ........ 104 L. Richardson, v. Sandfly ... ;.. 197* A. V. Richardson, v. Sandfly........ 202 tRetired. *Not out. The highest scores made by the side were 546 for two wickets, 515, and 511. The largest hit against them was 182. A m o n g the Rules of the Associated Cricket Clubs of Philadelphia are the following:— At the starting time, the umpires shall go to the wickets, and any umpire not on time shall be docked from his pay one dollar for every half-hour or fraction thereof he is late. If, at_ the expiration of fifteen minutes from the time fixed for the umpires to take the field, either team be not ready to start, that