Cricket 1907

J ui . y 11, 1907. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 259 AT THE SIGN OF THE W ICKET . By F. S. A shlby -C oopbr . This year’s University Match, owing to the inclement weather, was deprived of prac­ tically all the pleasure one generally associates with it. There was a sombreness attaching to the play in keeping with the meterological conditions, and it was very seldom that one had cause for enthusiasm. Bright sunshine is always the chief factor in the success of the ’ Varsity Match, especially from the social point of view, and, denied this, it is not to be wondered at that last week the function likely that, but for fielding mistakes, they would have won. As it was, the critics in unanimously anticipating a victory for Cam­ bridge had their forecast verified. Perhaps the best thing seen in the game was the bowling of Napier, but the match, taking it altogether, was a very quiet affair. The curious dismissal of Nourse in the Sussex match at Brighton last week—he was given out for handling the ball—is referred to in Gossip , so need not be dealt with again here. But the incident reminds one of several other unusual ways in which a batsman has been disposed of. One can for instance be “ cheated out,” as all cricketers of much C R I C K E T A G R A N D M A T C H WILL BE PLAYED IN L O R D ’S C R I C K E T G R O U N D , MARY LE BONE, On TH U R SD A Y , AUGUST 3 rd , 1837, and following day. T h e G e n t l e m e n o f E t o n a g a i n s t t h e G e n t l e m e n o f H a r r o w , PLAYERS. ETON. Hon. A. Savill. Anson, Esq. Apthorpe. Esq. Boudier, Esq. St. Croix, Esq. Garth, Esq. Hume, Esq. Pickering, Esq. Smith, Esq. Wills, Esq. Wynne, Esq. HARROW. Broughton, Esq. DeffeL Esq. Duff, Esq. Mills, Esq. Netliercoie, Esq. Pariss. Esq. Russell, Esq. Smith, Esq. Surtess, Esq. Torre, Esq. Tuffnell, Esq. Cricket Balls and the Laws of Cricket as revised by the Marylebone Club in 1835, to be had of Mr. J. H. Dark, at the Pavilion. Cricket Bats and Stumps may be had of M. Dark, on the Ground. An Ordinary at three o’clock. Admittance 6d. Good Stabling on the Ground. No Dogs admitted. Full details of the construction of the Demon=Drivers and other information of interest to GricKeters, w ill be found in the booklet entitled The Evolution of a Cricket Bat, which may be obtained upon application, and from which the following extracts are taKen : — D OUBTLESS buyers frequently wonder why it is that some hats are sold as low as 5o., while others cannot be bought for less than 27s. 6d., both being made of similar material. The reason is very simple. The higher-priced bats, which must relatively be few in number, have to provide for the loss incurred in manufacturing the lower- priced bats, which are necessarily numerous. The figures here given approximately show the proportions of the various grades for 1,000 bats. They are based upon the average results produced in the ordinary course of manufacture. First or Best Division. 1st grade 2nd grade 3rd grade 4th grade 20 50 100 150 Second or Common Division. 5th grade Lower grades 250 430 1,000. It will thus be seen that the manufacturer who intends to meet the ever-increasing demand for really good cricket bats must carry an enormous stock of timber. The stock held by Geo. G. Bussey & Co., Ltd., represents 100,000 bats. The question is sometimes asked why the “ Demon Drivers” are not more associated with the names of leading cricketers. It may be said, without presumption, that the answer involves a question of ethics which it is not intended to enter into beyond mentioning the fact that Geo. G. Bussey & Co., Ltd. (or their predecessors, Geo. G. Bussey & Co.) have never published a testi­ monial relating to a cricket bat not purchased and paid for in the ordinary way of business. Cricketers all over the world are informed that orders for Bussey’s goods should be placed with Dealers on the spot. Their manufactures are graded according to a properly devised system, which provides for cricketers purchasing from the dealers in the provinces or colonies receiving the same selection as if sent direct from the Factory, which is the largest and most up-to-date for the manufacture of Requisites for Sports and Games. GEO. G, BUSSEY & CO., L TD . , 36 & 38, Queen Victoria St., LONDON. Manufactory: TimberMills .* PECKHAM, S.E. ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK. should have yielded far less pleasure than is ordinarily the case. The state of the ground certainly handicapped the Cambridge side, who are admittedly stronger on hard wickets than on soft. After the heavy rains experi­ enced, the two sides were far more on an equality than would have been the case other­ wise. Had the weather been fine throughout Cambridge would probably have proved successful by a substantial margin, but as it was they managed to win by five wickets only, after being headed 33 on the first innings. Oxford played so well during the first half of the game that their success | appeared not improbable, and it is more than j j experience have probably discovered. On several occasions a batsman has been obliged to forfeit his innings for a delay of over two minutes in going in, and even in Gentlemen v. Players matches the spectacle has been witnessed of a man’s tall hat being bowled off his head on to the wicket, dis­ lodging the bails. “ Hit ball twice” and “ handling the ball ” are cases which seldom occur, and the same may be said of “ obstruct­ ing the field.” H. H. Stephenson, of Surrey, was once adjudged out for “ kicking the ball,” and a case has been recorded in which the riband of a player’ s hat, fluttering in the breeze, has removed