Cricket 1907

52 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A pr il 11, 1907. flake. When I settled in Yorkshire in 1890 a local newspaper prevailed on me to write a weekly article on cricket. I had not previously done any work of this sort. Thinking that a friend in the States would like to read what I had to say on the game I had followed since early childhood, I forwarded him the paper week by week. Through him it got into the hands of the Editor of the American Cricketer, who wrote requesting it to be sent regularly in exchange for his own journal, at the same time asking permission to make use of it. So week by week portions of my article got into that paper. One day I received a letter from Alcock to this effect: — “ Why should you write for America, not for Cricket ? I wish you would consent to give me a weekly article.” Thus it happened that for four years, 1892 to 1895, I had a hand in the journal of my dear old friend, and this connection tended to raise him still higher in my confidence and affection. May I here voice the earnest hope of all cricketers that Cricket will long continue to keep his memory green. Its disappearance would be nothing short of a calamity to the game. 1882-1907. Twenty-five years only, yet fraught with many changes. In 1882 W. G. had already bean playing for 17 years in first-class cricket and, spite of the burden of age, he has not yet beaten a retreat. In that season Lord Hawke, then an undergraduate, was helping his county for the second year. But these are the only names that occur in the cricket annals of then and now. In 1882 there were only nine first-class counties, now there are fifteen. Nearly all Yorkshire home matches were then played at Sheffield; to-day they are distributed over seven towns. In 1882 Kent was the only Couaty Club to issue an annual record to members. Surrey followed suit in 1885, Yorkshire in 1893. Oddly enough, in the earlier year there were three cricket annuals, viz., “ John Lillywhite’s Companion,’’ “ James Lilly- white'&Annual ” and “ Wisden’s Alman­ ack.” The “ Green L illy ” ceased in 1885 the “ Bed Lilly ” in 1900. “ Wis- deu ” is still with us after a period of 43 years. I regretted the disappearance of the “ Lillywhites,” each of which had a character of its own which was attractive to students of the game. How happens it that an increase in the popularity of cricket has been marked by a dimin­ ished printed record ? One had said that more annuals would have been wanted in 1907 than in 1882. In almost every other particular there has been marked progress. Let “ winter pay ” to our professionals be a conclusive proof. Twenty-five years ago a benefit might yield £400; to-day, in our three richest counties the mark is £3,000, more or less. Here is another sign of advance. When the third Australian team was over here, on one of our county grounds there was an absence of any provision at the luncheon tables for the Australian players; but after ail they were Lot worse treated than our English amateurs generally on county grounds; as a rule amateurs had to scramble for their luncheon on the majority of English grounds and almost to fight for a place at the tables with the general public. No wonder poor Alcock described this “ as a disgrace to many of our clubs whose guests they are.” Well, we have changed all that. I know of no county ground to - day where professional cricketers are not entertained at lunch and afternoon tea, usually apart from the public. 1882 provided only one Test match with Australia. Oh, that match, when England lost by seven runs after victory seemed certain. O. T. Studd was recently a guest of my brother, and at the table that match was the topic of interest. Studd, who was playing in the match, holds that we lost it through the order- of-going-in being changed in England’s second innings. And I think his opinion is sound. He insists that it was not a cise of funk. As he had twice scored a century against the same team that year, it looks as if someone blundered in send­ ing him in eighth wicket. Anyhow, he did not have a ball bowled to him ! In one particular 1882 showed an advance on 1907, viz., in bowling. Spofforth, Boyle, Palmer, Garrett and Giffen were all in the Australian team of that year; whilst Notts had Shaw, Morley, Flowers, Walter Wright and Barnes, Yorkshire showing Hill, Peate, Emmett, Bates and Ulyett. No County to-day can produce such an array of bowlers. And we are still waiting for a rival to our old champion, W.G., and to the finest stumper of all time, Blackham. But h old! Cricket and my dear old friend Alcock bring back memories of the Oval, my favourite cricket ground. My son, an aristocrat, plumps for Lord’s, of course, and hints that his sire has vulgar tastes. Be it so. I tell him that if when j ust in his teens he had walked four miles each way to see Surrey play England in the historic match of 1862, when John Lillywhite no-balled Ned Willsher six consecutive limes, he would have memo­ ries of the Oval that would never fade away. Two young lads sat on the grass during that scene of excitement; and exactly forty years later they watched from the Pavilion the fifth Test match won by one wicket by England; and I for my part trust I shall never again undergo so exciting an ordeal. Almost my last visit to the Oval furnished my last talk with the “ Old Buffer,” as Fred Gale used to subscribe himself. All at once he exclaimed, “ Why, there’s Teddy Djwson, we must have him by us. He’s nearly as inveterate an old fogey as either of us, though I ’m a bit doubtful about him since that youngster of his got into the Surrey Eleven.” Mr. Dowson and Caffyn are the only survivors of the famous Surrey team of my boyhood. Caffyn played in the first match I saw at Lord's, viz., All-England v. United All- England on Whit-Monday, 1858. R ICJHARD D A FI’S “ Nottinghamshire Marl.”— Particulars apply, Radclilfe-on-Trent, Notts. [A d v t . TW E N T Y -F IV E . When Cricket, heavenly maid, was young, As yet by all save L o v e unsung, Say, twenty-five years since, we who Grow old were five-and-twenty, too. What balls we bowled ! What runs we made ! What glorious catches we essayed ! And missed? or held? ’ Tis as you please, Y ou’ll search in vain the histories ; Our doings ne’er were put in print, And, scoffing juveniles will hint, Loom larger through the mist of years. W e fogies, so they say with jeers, Have known a score of nine comprise Five chances and two boundaries,— These due to chance. W ell, young and old May well rejoice that score-books hold No space for an unkindly list Of chances given and chances missed. But “ there were giants ” not a few— ’Nought-seven could scarce match ’ eighty- tw o— G r a c e , L y t t e l t o n , and W a l t e r B e a d , H a r r is and L u c a s , good at need. (G r a c e was beginning then as now To age a little). On the brow Of S tu d d the laurels still were green ; Still in our playing-fields were seen “ B o y ” B r ig g s and B a r l o w , B a r n e s and B ate s ; Australia’ s sons were at our gates, M u r d o c h and B a n n n e r m a n were here, P a l m e r and S p o f f o k t h , name of fea r; H o r n b y , the darling of his men, And S te e l —he’ s taken silk bat then W ore flannels— S h r e w s b u r y , U l y e t t , P eate (Last batsman in our first defeat); And E m m e tt would life’ s joys enhance, Tom of the cheerful countenance. S t o d d a r t was yet unknown, and F r y Was playing in the nursery. L oh m a n n since then has come and gone, And the great name of R ic h a r d so n Meant then—believe the tale who list,— No bowler but a novelist. A b e l and P e e l have had their day Of glory, and ceased to play, Cum multis .— Have we now a pair S u ch men as S h a w and M o r l e y were ? But what avails it now to praise These heroes of Victorian days ? Times change, and men. And some, alas ! Are sleeping neath the waving grass Or the high veldt— S h a w , L o h m a n n , R ead ; Nor shall apology we need For naming A l c o c k . Poets here W ould “ shed a tributary tear,” And plainer folk may give a sigh At Time’s untimely victory. Newcomers win the deafening cheers Those heroes gained in bygone years. Times change. But still the grass is green, Blue skies still smile upon the scene, To-morrow will, like yesterday, Thrill with the rapture of the play. The change is but a change of name, Unchanging is the glorious game, The heavenly maid is ever young As when the gods, by N y r e n sung, Were mortal men. And they who strive To play the game keep youth alive; At heart they’re always twenty-five. E. B. Y . C h r is t ia n . T E N T S ! T E N T S !-Sultable for gardens, cricket, or camping out purposes; 40 feet in circumference; pegs, poles, mallet, and lines com­ plete (with bag included). I will send one complete for 35s. carriage paid. Price List of Marquees, any size, post free.—From H. J. G asson , Government ,Contractor, Rye.