Cricket 1907

O c t. 31, 1 07. CRICKET : A WEEKLY 11EC011L) OK 111E GAME. 437 BUSSEYS CRICKET IMFROVED MAKE KEEPTHEIR SHAPE L A S LO N CER E FOOTBALLS IMPROVEDMAKE-KEEPTHEIR SHAPE-LASTLONGER B U S # E Y ’S DEMON DRIVERS |/V_ _ J ARE OUTAND OUT THE BEST. | \ / 0 JTHEB GRADES7-6^S 5-4'S -4^3 'S -3 ,-2 ,6 -2 ,- _ O^CO-«"I’L.:a—,CN."ia GEO. G. BUSSEY & CO., LTD., 36 & 38, Queen Victoria St., LONDON. Monufactory: TimberMills: PEOKHAM, S.E. ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK. LEICESTERSHIRE CRICKET. In the last week of September tbe Committee of tbe Leicestershire County C.C., in announcing a special general mee4ing of the members of the Club to be held in the Assembly R)oms on October 2nd, issued the following state­ ment :— “ The past season has been disastrous financially to the Club in common with most other County Cricket Clubs, though, from a ciicket point of view, it has brought a fair measure of success to this County. The result has been to increase an adverse balanc« of nearly £1000 at the end of last year into one estimated to reach £1,500 at the end of the current year. The gradually accumulated adverse balance shows that the income of the Club is not sufficient to provide for the expenditure, and the Committee feel that not only are they unable, under present con­ ditions, to pay off the existing debt, but that there is every probability of the deficit increasing. They are, therefore compelled to draw the earnest and immediate attention of the members to the matter, as it is felt that the business of the Club can no longer be carried on under existing circumstances. Every effort has been made in the past t > remedy matters, and the utmost economy has been practiced : in fact, the expenses have been cut down on this account to an almost undesirable extent. The meeting is, there­ fore, summoned in order that the Committee may have the opportunity of consulting the members as to the possibility of clearing off the debt and of materially and permanently increasing the income of the Club. Unless prompt steps are taken to effect this, the Committee no longer feel justified in making arrangements for the continuation of the Club.—Signed, on behalf of the Committee, J. W. L o g a n , President.” At the moetiDg on the 2ad inst. Mr. Logan stated that the Committee, who had made themselves responsible for the binker’s overdraft, could not undertake to continue to carry on tbe business of the club unless the debt was cleared. It was eventually decided to appoint a special Committee empowered to issue an appeal, collect funds, and report to another meeting at an early date. Over £200 was at one9 subscribed, and the amount now considerably exceeds £1,000. In addition, £500 a year additional income is needed, but the Committee will go forward if half this sum is guaranteed : as yet, however, only £100 additional income is assured. Toe ground improve­ ment scheme is a separate enterprise, and for this £2,500 has been asked. So far, £700 has been promised, and the scheme is now in abeyance. CRICKET AND THE LAW. Judge Woodfall heard an unusual case at Westminster on the 21st inst., the London Devonians Athletic Club suing the London County Council Athletic Association for £40, the rent of a cricket pitch at Merton, near Wimbledon, Surrey. Defendants alleged that the pitch was unfit for a good team to play on, and counterclaimed for damages, all the first-eleven matches having had to be scratched. Mr. William Eyre Hinton, vice-captain of the defendants’ cricket team, said that on May 11th they had arranged their first match at home. The ground was in very bad condition, being full of weeds, while the out-field was so thick with the grass that the ball stopped dead at short slip or cover-point. The visiting team only played under protest. On a dry day it would have been positively dangerous to use the ground, as a ball striking a weed would “ get up ” nastily, and injure the batsman. Mr. Thompson, captain of the Council cricket team, declared that the ground was very bad. Weeds were everywhere in the pitch, and short slip was fielding in long grass. There were no practice pitches marked out, and practice was impossible. He knew of several men who withdrew from the club after seeing the pitch. Mr. Barton, a groundsman at Shepherd’s Bush, said that the first duty in preparing a cricket pitch was to get rid of the weeds. The best way was to pull them up by the roots. For the plaintiffs, a Surrey professional cricketer, named Harrison, stated that it was a good pitch for a “ Saturday afternoon club,” and one did not expect to find complete freedom from weeds. Jacobs, the groundman, admitted that the grass was not close cut in the out-field, but stated that the very wet weather was respon­ sible. The grass was never high enough to hide the ball, and there were very few weeds. Judge Woodfall found that defendants were entitled to a properly prepared pitch, which they certainly had not got. They had, however, used the pitch, not for their first eleven, as was intended, certainly, and in respect of this they had paid into court £20, which he considered a fair and proper sum. He therefore gave the plaintiffs j udgment for this amount, the defendants to have the costs subsequent to payment in. The counterclaim was struck out. —The Baily Telegraph. THE M.C.C. TEAM IN AMERICA. The weather experienced by the M.C.C. team during their American tour was similar to that which caused somany disappointments during the past season in England. Owing to rain it was found possible to play only one game—that with the Colts of Philadelphia— to a finish. The programme consisted of five matches, one of which was won and four drawn. Mr. Hesketh Prichard proved him­ self an able and popular captain and almost succeeded in winning the return match with the Gentlemen of Philadelphia against time: he performed the hat-trick and took seven wickets for 20 runs at a time when wickets were badly needed in order to ensure success. 1 st MATCH.—v. NEW YORK. Played at Staten Island on September 17 & 18. Drawn. R. O. Schwarz and S. J. Snooke not having arrived in the Oceanic, the M.C.O. team was completed by the inclusion of F. H. Bohlen and R. E. Bonner, who were the only Americans taking part in the match: the New York side was composed of five Englishmen, three West Indians, two Australians,