Cricket 1907

314 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A u g . 1, 1907. had his innings. But I am far from my books, and am writing entirely from memory. A. 0 . M ac L a r e n has on more than one occasion this season given evidence of being in form, but it would be an exaggeration to suggest that his play has been of so high a standard as it was ten or twelve years ago. His 107 against Warwickshire at Old Trafford last week was his twenty-eighth three- figure innings for Lancs shire. Should he quite regain his old form, and be drafted into the England team for the third Test match, at the Oval, cricket-rs everywhere would rejoice. It is said that Lord Harris recently wrote to him inviting him to go to Australia with the M .C .O . team in the autumn, but that, owing to his business necessitating his presence in India about that time, he was obliged to decline. “ A h it , a palpable h it !” W. Whitaker, of the Mimico Asylum eleven, in a match against Toronto Junction on July 10th, played an innings of 114 in the course of which he scored 29 runs—four successive 6 ’s, a 4, and a single— off an over. This is stated to be a record for Canadian cricket. W h y do so many cricketers take to golf, we sometimes hear asked. Perhaps the following extract from a private letter recently received will throw a little light on the matter: —“ I had a sad experience yesterday : carried my bag a long way in a hurry, fielded for two hours of very fast scoring, didn’t bowl— out of consideration for my side —saw that side tumble out, went in last and received two balls, and had to carry my bag two miles after.” I t has been officially announced '> that Mr. A. O. Jones has been offered, and has accepted, the captaincy of the English team which will visit Australia during the winter under the auspices of the M.C.C. His selection appears to have given much satisfaction to cricketers generally, for he is one of the keenest of players, probably the finest slip in the world, aud a vary capable leader. It says much for his generalship that, although in 1900 he succeeded so fine a captain as Mr. Dixon, he suffered in no way in a comparison with his great pre­ decessor. During the present season he has not scored largely on the wet wickets which have been so prevalent, but doubt­ less he will be seen to advantage on the hard Australian wickets. It may be pointed out in some quarters that when he went out with A. C. MacLaren’s team in 1901-2 he averaged only 12-72 in the eleven a-side matches, and that his highest score was but 44, in the first game with New South Wales. This was certainly a poor record for so fine a player, but luck never favoured him during the whole tour, and he more than once lost his wicket owing to an umpire’s mistake. M r . A r t h u r O w e n J ones was bom at Shelton, Notts., on August 16th, 1873, and was educated at Bedford Modern School. He was evidently a hard-hitting batsman from his very early days, for he was only sixteen years of age when, in June, 1890, he scored 81 out of 84 for West House against School House: his hits were two 6 ’s, twelve 4’s, three 3’s, two 2’s and eight singles. He afterwards proceeded to Cambridge, and was a member of the side which beat Oxford by 266 runs in 1893. In the meantime—in 1892—he had played his first match for Nottinghamshire, and in 1900 succeeded to the Captaincy of the Eleven. During the last few seasons his many long part- Vi , ■\ L : „ MR. A. O. JONES. (Photo by Messrs. Hawkins <fc Co., Brighton.) nerships for the first wicket with Iremon­ ger have been quite a feature of County Cricket. He is a most delightful batsman to watch when thoroughly set, and cricketers everywhere will unite in wish­ ing him a pleasant tour and many large scores on Cornstalk wickets. I h a v e reason to believe that the old Kent cricketer, Mr. G. J. Y. Weigall, who, by the way, was almost successful in obtaining the post of Secretary to the Surrey County C.C. earlier in the year, will accompany the M.C.C. team to Australia as Manager. R um o u r , as was only to be expected, has been very busy respecting the prob­ able composition of the side to visit Australia during the winter. It is, how­ ever, known definitely that Mr. Jones will captain the team, and that the Hon. F. S. Jackson, Lord Hawke, and A. C. WacLaren have been unable to accept the invitation extended to them. It is also officially announced that Arnold, Blythe, Braund, Hayward, Hirst, Hum­ phries, Lilley, and Tyldesley have been asked to make the journey. I n a match at Chail last month, K. M. Mistri, the well-known Parsee player, scored 123 and 158 for Chail against Simla. F ie l d e r ’ s success against Derbyshire, at Mailstone this week, was very welj cime, for at the present time fast bowlers of the first-class are vary rare. Had he not been injured in Jane, he would pro­ bably have been chosen for the Test matches, for with tbere always being a possibility of Knox breaking down, the Selection Committee would doubtless have given the prefer­ ence to the Kent player. The latter’s record of fourteen wickets for 95 runs, although not made against a strong batting side, was nevertheless very noteworthy, especially as he obtained his wickets upon a pitch which was not in his favour. May he continue to prosper ! Two instances of a bowler taking all the ten wickets iu an innings have receotly come to my notice. G. Bird, jun., performed the feat for Holywell Park against Kings- down on Saturday, and Cox, of Sussex, for M.C.C. and Ground against the Royal Navy, at Lord’s on Monday. Bird’s wickets cost only 15 runs (in an innings of 47) and Cox’s 117 (in a total of 2 2 2 ). D r . E. M. G racb , it will interest all Cricket readers to learn, is still taking wickets for Thornbury. During the present season he has taken 126 for 1,335 runs—and has had 139 catches missed off his b jwling. He seldom bits now, however, and always has a runner : his average for the season so far is over eleven and a-half. Of the 31 matches played by Thornbury this year, 19 have been won, 3 lost, and 9 drawn : in addition, 2 have been scratched by the other side and 5 abandoned through rain. F. P earso n , who performed so success­ fully for Worcestershire in the match which finished at the Oval yesterday, was born at Brixton, in Surrey, on September 23rd, 1880,and from 1895-98 was engaged on the ground-staff at the Oval. At the end of the last-mentioned season he left Surrey in order to qualify for Worcester­ shire, and in 1901 took his place in the eleven of his adopted county and did excellent service for the side. He batted so well and met with such success with his leg-breaks that it seemed probable