Cricket 1907

356 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A ug . 22, 1907. Hirst could have seen their way to undertake the trip, followers of the game over here would have had few misgivings concerning the results of the Test Matches. It is very possible, in fact probable, that in future an attempt will be made to remunerate the players according to their ability and exper­ ience, for nobody can surely maintain that it is right or reasonable that a man like Hay­ ward or Lilley, who are used to the conditions in Australia, have had a long experience of Test cricket, and upon whom a great respon­ sibility rests, should be paid the same sum as a man who goes out as reserve wicket-keeper, for instance, and possibly is not called upon to play in any of the five great games. At the Oval this week, F. R. ^pofforth suggested to me that it would be interesting if the South Africans could play against the Anglo-Aus- tralian team at the Oval on the 12th prox., instead of the Champion County meeting England. A very keen game would certainly result, but interest in the forthcoming tour would be destroyed to a great extent if the South Africans won. In the last issue of Cricket Mr. Ironside, of Sydney, placed before English followers of the game the “ evidence so conclusive ” con­ cerning the genuineness of the match sup­ posed to have been played at Moore Park in 1874 between Ulster and Macquarie, wherein a total of 1,238 was chronicled. Since the publication of bis letter I have received an expression of opinion as to the genuineness of the record from Mr. J. N. Pentelow, the Rev. H. A. Tate, Mr. H. V. L. Stanton (“ Wan­ derer ” of the Sportsman), and the Rev. R. S. Holmes—all recognised authorities on the game. Mr. Pentelow says :— “ I have never believed in the genuineness of the match in question, and Mr. Ironside’s explanation would have killed the belief had it existed. *Two impromptu elevens, adopting for their particular purpose the name’ of Ulster and Macquarie sounds a little thin; and that two scratch elevens composed of ‘ 22 players engaged in the building trade ’ should include several men capable of hitting up enormous scores, however weak the bowling might be, is hard to credit. Mr. Ironside talks of being unable ‘ to resurrect the players’ ; but surely the whole twenty-two engaged in a match in 1874 are not dead ? Has any one of them ever come forward to vouch for the match’s having taken place ? ” Mr. Stanton writes :— “ In reply to your query, I have always regarded the score of Ulster against Macquarie, at Sydney in 1874, as open to grave suspicion with regard to its authenticity. Although the match took place over 30 years ago I should have thought it possible to have obtained some verification, either from the players themselves or onlookers, and until this is done 1 cannot see an injustice is committed, even in face of Mr. Ironside’s letter, in declining to give it a place among the world’s records.” The Rev. R. S. Holmes says :— “ 1 have long regarded the record innings of 1,238 runs as apocryphal, and Mr. Ironside’s letter in last week’s Cricket has strengthened that suspicion. Surely some authentic con­ temporaneous newspaper report of such an innings ought to be forthcoming, or the evidence of one or more of the players on both sides, many of whom must be still living. Why have they always preserved silence? I should only be too glad to learn that the genuineness of the score had been proved.” The Rev. H. A. Tate writes as follows :— “ That match was a fake, a make up by some one. Anyone could invent, like Dickens, an imaginaiy match giving Titanic scores to supposititious players. I played on Moore Park with other youths 20 years ago. Then it was (I don’t know what it is now) not a park in our acceptation of that word. It was simply a huge piece of bush and scrub cleared for cricket upon which a number of clubs (chiefly school teams) were allowed to play. Such clubs as Paddington, Waverley, and Glebe had their own grounds. Ju 1874 the Albert was the leading ground when W. G. played. It got built over. But when W. W. and A. G. Steel visited the colony the present ground, formed and enclosed out of Moore Park, was the ground used. On the pitches referred to above the wickets were rough and fast. To make 50 to 100 was the average of any team. But to suppose that in 1874, when the ground would have been rougher still, a mammoth score could have been compiled by third-rate players, every hit run out too, is to suppose an absurdity.” By their victory over Middlesex at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, Notts secured the Championship. They have one more match to play—against Lancashire at Liverpool to-day—but, whatever the result of the meeting, they cannot be deprived of their position. Throughout their entire history they have relied for their success upon home- born players, or men whose associations with the County have been very close. It is, few will be found to deny, far pleasanter to see such a side prosper than one which relies to a very great extent upon “ mercenaries ” to secure them their victories. This season Notts have certainly been fortunate in having to play the majority of their matches on soft wickets, the conditions thoroughly suiting Hallam and Wass, who have bowled wonder­ fully well throughout. Had we experienced a summer of hard wickets, a different tale would probably have to be told. In saying this, however, I have no wish whatever to belittle the well-merited honour which has been gained by the Nottinghamshire team, for under the conditions which the game has been played this year they were beyond all doubt the most formidable of the counties. Holland’s benefit, it is to be feared, will not yield so large a sum as was hoped, rain having a very prejudicial effect upon the attendance on the Thursday. Fortunately, the match lasted to the end of the third day, but it must be admitted that the play during the greater part of Yorkshire’s second inn­ ings was far from attractive. The idea of making the runs seems never to have occurred to the batsmen, and, with a draw assured for a long time before stump3 were drawn, the play lacked interest. Some sides—Kent for instance—would have endeavoured to obtain the runs; had Yorkshire done so, an inter­ esting finish might have been seen. Two months ago Hampshire scored 306 for five wickets in the fourth innings against Kent bowling, so it should surely have been worth while for Yorkshire to attempt to make 339 off the Surrey attack, with Knox away, although it would have been necessary to score at a brisk pace throughout. The third of the Test matches has passed into history, and has resulted in an even draw. It was extremely unfortunate that the game was not played on a perfect wicket, so that the South Africans could have shown of what they were really capable under con­ ditions most likely to find them at their best. During the tour luck has certainly been against them, and, although they have not beaten England in this country, they have proved themselves to be as worthy of the Australians of having five Test matches arranged for inclusion in their fixturelistwhen touring over here. Everything in this week’s game was dwarfed by the masterly batting of Fry on the first day. He may, perhaps, have played an even more meritorious innings during his wonderful career, but the matter is open to doubt. He certainly carriedthe side on his shoulders in the first innings, and the way in which he judged the ball was most skilful. Had he failed, the consequences might have baen very disastrous. At the end of the day he declared that he felt tired, not on account of tho running he had to do, but because of the closeness with which he was obliged to watch the ball. The South Africans deserve every credit for their fine display, for they had none the worse of the draw when stumps were drawn, although they were playing an up-hill game almost from the start. Like the Australians two years ago, they lost the toss on every occasion in the Test matches, and at both Leeds and the Oval were called upon to take the fourth innings. Eighteen months ago the South Africans, by their series of successes over the M.C.C.’s team, won the “ Ashes,” but as England have proved suc­ cessful in the only finished Test played over here they now remain in this country. Although our visitors did not win either of the three big games, their visit marks the commencement of an important epoch in the history of cricket. THE FIRST-CLASS AVERAGES. (C om p iled t o th e 19th in st.) BATTING. Times Most not in an Total Inns. out. Inns. runs. Aver. O. B. Fry ... ... 26 ... 3 ... 187 ...1123 ..,. 48*82 Hayward ... . P. F. Warner .. 46 .. .. 38 .. . 5 . .. 4 . .. 161 . .. 149 . ..1920 .. ..1420 .. ,. 46*82 .. 41*76 G. N. Foster... ... 29 ... 3 ... 163 ...1013 .. . 40*11 Hobbs .............. .. 52 .... 6 ... 166*...1772 .... 38*52 Tyldesley ... ... 49 ..,. 3 ... 209 ..1768 .... 38*43 A. J. L. Hill ... ... 20 .. . 1 ... 116 ... 711 ... 37*42 Tarrant.............. .. 44 ... 4 ... 147 ...1488 .... 37 20 Bowley ... ... ... 22 .... 1 ... 110 ... 780 .... 37*14 H. K. Foster... ... 29 ... 3 ... 152 ... 962 ... 37*00 R. E. Foster... ... 23 ..,. 1 . .. 174 ... 802 .... 36*45 Seymour (Jas.) ... 39 .... 1 ... 204 ...1368 ... 36 00 Pearson.............. .. 25 .,.. 1 ... 139 ... 840 .... 35 00 G. L. Jessop .. ... 37 ..,. 0 ... 240 ...1288 ,. 31*81 K. L. Hutchings .. 27 .... 2 ... 109*... 869 .... 34*76 R. A. Young .. ... 23 ., .. 0 . .. 132 ... 797 .... 34 65 E. M. Sprot ... ... 35 .,.. 2 ... 125 ..1131 ... 34*36 P. A. Perrin ... ... 26 ,.. 1 116 ... 855 .... 34 20 J. N. Orawford ... 35 ... 6 ... 86 ... 980 ... 33*79 Vine .............. .. 44 ... 3 ... 112 ....1372 ..,. 33 46 Gunn (J.) ... ... 29 ... 5 .... 109 ... 778 ... 32*41 Gunn (G.) ... ... 27 ... 3 ... 84 ... 772 .,.. 32*16 Hayes .............. .. 46 .... 0 ... 202 ..1476 ... 32 08 E. S. Litteljohn ... 19 .... 1 . .. 91 ... 573 .. 3183 Baker (O. S.) .. 31 ... 2 ... 105 ... 897 ... 30 95 C. P. McGahey ... 36 ... 3 ... 108 . ..1021 ... 30*93 F. L. Fane ... ... 37 .,.. 2 ... 93 .1075 ... 30-71 Quaife (W .G.) .. 28 ... 6 .... 61* 665 ... 30 22 Hardstaff ... ... 28 ... 3 ... 124*... 750 . .. 30*00 * Signifies not out BOWLING. Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Aver. R. O. Schwarz ... 517.5 ...123 ...1190 ...109 ... 1091 Haigh ................. 500.2 ...134 ...1035 ... 87 ... 1189 Hallam ................. 765.1 ...217 ...1743 ...143 ... 1218 Hirst ................. 881 ...219 ...2032 ...150 ... 1354 Huddleston ..........385.3 ... 95 ... 943 ... (58 ... 1386 G. A. Faulkner ... 267.5 ... 63 ... 681 ... 49 ... 13 29 Wass ................. 774 ...190 ...2010 ...144 ... 14 16 A. E. Yogler.......... 477 ...102 ...1482 .. 103 ... 1438 Blythe .................9*2 ...259 .. 2381 ...164 ... 1153 Dennett................. 841.5 ...251 ...2331 ...160 ... 14 56 Rhodes ................. 8924 ...197 ...2241 ...147 ... 15*24 H. A. Gilbert........ 285.4 ... 97 ... 683 ... 44 ... 1552 J. N. Crawford ... 715.1 ...192 ...1788 ...115 ... 15 54 Tarrant................ 935.3 ...214 ...2472 ...159 ... 15*54 Fielder ............... 814*3 ..166...2328....149 ... 15 62 Astill .................. 473 ...135 ...1159 ... 73 ... 15*87 Trott ................. 552.1 ...151 ...1116 ... 90 ... 1606 Smith (W. C .)........ 267.3... 71 ... 713 ... 44 ... 16*20 W. W. Odell........... 629.5 ...187 .1593 ... 96 ... 16*65 Santall .................. 665.5 ...149 ...1576 ... 93 ... 16 94 Harry .................. 609 1 ...195 ...1310 ... 77 ... 1701 East......................... 555.1 ...154 ...137 ) ... 80 ... 17*12 Fairservice ...........461*3 ...123 ...1212 ... 70 ... 17*31 Thompson ... . 774 ...183 ...2204 123 ... 17*91 Oox (Sussex)..1064.4 ...3C8 ...2509 ...139 ... 1805 Mead (Essex)......... 900 ...268 . 2231 ...120 ... 18*50 Lees........................ 731.5 ...211 ...1888 ...101 ... 1869 G.G. Napier......... 460.4 ...131 ...1207 ... 61 ... 18*85 Mills (Gloucester).. 350.5... 94 ... 923 ... 48 ... 19*22 Relf (A. E ) .......... 931.5 ...291 .. 2074 ...105 ... 19*75 C RIOKET Report Sheets, lOd. per dozen, post free Order of Going-in Cards, 7d. per dozen, post free; Cricket Score Books, 6d. and Is. each; postage 2d. extra.—To be obtained at the Offices of “ Cricket,’' 168, Upper Thames Street, London, E.O.