Cricket 1907

A ug . 8, 1907. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 323 Full details of the construction of the Demon-Drivers and other information of interest to GricKeters, will 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 somebats are sold aslow as 5o., while others cannot be bought for less than 27 s. 6 d., 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 neci ssarily 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 60 100 150 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. e. BUSEY& CO., LTD, 36 & 38, Queen Victoria St., LONDON. Manufactory: PEOKHAM, S.E. AT THE SIGN OF THE W ICK E T . By F. S. A shlsy -C oopbk . Cricketers have had much to contend with this season, but the weather on the August Bank-holiday was everything that could be desired. At the Oval and-Leeds the attend­ ances were large even for such an occasion, and the cricket seen on either ground was thoroughly appreciated by all those who witnessed it. It is very satisfactory to know that Denton’s benefit, although it will not yield so large a sum as Hirst’s, has been a success. Had Yorkshire and Lancashire been ■predicted that both had probably best days, and that Hirst most confidently ] seen their 1 certainly had done >o. But such statements, so far as Rhodes’ bowling is concerned, have been made almost every season since he first came out. “ Rhodes is not so fine a bowler as he used to be ” is a remark which has been made time after time, until at length one has become weary of replying “ He never was.” The leading men of the Yorkshire team, with but one or two exceptions, certainly seem to be approaching the end-of theircricketcareersimultaneously, j ustasBeld­ ham, Tom Walker and those other old Surrey worthies did a hundred years ago, but it must not be forgotten that Rhodes is still capablo Timber Mills : ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK. KENT CLUB, 1842 . GRAND C r i c k e t C D a t e h KENT against ENGLAND, Beverley Ground, Adjoining the Cavalry Barracks, Canterbury, ON MONDAY, August 1,1842, A n d f o llo w in g D a y s . KENT. P L A Y E R S . W. de O. BAKER, Esq. F. FAGGE, Esq. N. FELIX, Esq. A. MYNN, Esq. W. MYNN, Esq. O. G. WHITAKER, Esq. ADAMS DORR1NTON HILL1ER MARTINGALE. PILCH WENMAN ENGLAND. Hon. F. PONSONRY G. LANGDON, Esq. O. G. TAYLOR, Esq. BARKER BOX FENNER GOOD GUY HAWKINS LILLYWHITE REDGATE SEWELL UMPIRES—MILLS and BAYLEY. The MILITARY BAND will be in attendance . the two leading sides in the County Champion­ ship Competition, the attendances would undoubtedly have been even greater, but, as it is, Denton is practically assured of re­ ceiving a sum in excess of anything ever realised by a benefit in the South. The play, as is usually the case when those old opponents meet, was most keenly contested. The result—a win for Yorkshire by nine wickets—cannot be regarded as a surprise, for during the past few weeks the home team had been showing very good all-round form. The displays given by Rhodes and Hirst were particularly welcome, for during the early part of the season they both failed to play up to their reputation, and many wise-acres of taking over a hundred wickets in a season, to say nothing of scoring more thana thousand runs, and that as recently as last year Hirst showed better all-round form than at any previous time in his career. Rhodes created such a furore during his first season or two, that he has ever since been expected to per­ form almost miracles with the ball. The form the two men showed this week against Lancashire should do much to restore confi­ dence in those who were unler the impression that their powers were waning. The first part of the Canterbury Week must be written down a great success. The cricket was excellent throughout, and from a social point of view everything was as