Cricket 1907

68 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A p r il 18 , 1907. changed^his opinion as to the ability of “ cats in mittens to catch mice.” The late Lord Charles vJ. F. Russell could remember Lord Frederick Beau- clerck in his neat nankeen breeches and white silk stockings, with another pair drawn tight over the instep, a scarlet sash round his waist, and a white beaver hat, which he would dash on the ground if things did not go to his liking. Mr. William Ward’ s attire was as follows : — “ A tall white beaver hat turned up with green, a jacket of white jean, fitting and buttoned rather close, tight knee-breeches of nankeen, pink silk stockings, and black leather pumps. It would be interesting * The Times, 1st February, 1901. to see “ W. G.” appear at Lord’s this year similarly costumed. The tall hat, most hideous of mon­ strosities, was in vogue for three or four decades. Gentlemen players generally wore white hats, but, being called post­ boys, discontinued the fashion. The hats, unlike those of modern days, were in­ tended to fit the head securely, so that when a player stoopad to field the ball his head-gear would retain its position. Occasionally, however, a batsman would be dismissed through having his hat bowled on to the w iik et: Fuller Pilch and Mr. Charles Taylor both experienced such misfortune in Gentlemen v. Players matches. How the fashion ever came to last so long as it did must for ever remain a mystery to cricketers, but there is some satisfaction in the knowledge that in the early Victorian era men not only cricketed, but boated, Bhot, and ran in tall hats, and, possibly, even went to bed whilst wearing them. The portraits of some of the old players will serve to preserve for the edification of future generations the amusing spectacle some of their forerunners presented thus ac­ coutred. It is surprising that the published portraits of Bickley and Tom A dam s did not effect an immediate change in the style. Following tbe tall-hat period came the years duriog which the billy-c >ck, or bully-ccck, was fashionable. Striped and spotted Bhirts came into general use about the same time, and it was a bight for the gods, though smoaed glaBtes were occasionally necessary, to see a local twenty-two in the field, for the conglom­ eration of colour they combined in terming would often have put even an American rainbow to shame. Such exhi­ bitions excited the wrath of “ F. G.” “ Do not be a z ;bra or a spotted leopard,” he wrote; “ it is lo w !” Mr. Andrew Lang, most entertaining of cricket writers, has recalled Carpenter and Hay­ ward, Caffyn and H. H. Stephenson in “ oddly-coloured shirts, and blue belts with snake clasps, and collars and neck­ ties,” all of whicti, however, he regarded as “ unessential details.” So far as can be stated with certainty, it was in 1861 that the umpire first donned a white robe. The acc junt of the incident is to be found in the Annals o f the Free Foresters , 1856-1894, where, lu a report of a match between the F.F. and the United Bugland Eteven, it is told (page 45) how “ On the second day. . . . . Atkinson, a Yorkshire bowler, was par- ticularlydeadly...........Itis worth mention that [W. G ] Armitstead complained that he could not see Atkinson’s hand against the body of the umpire ; and that functionary was in consequence invested with a white garment—a thing which I, at least, for one, had never seen be­ fore.” It was not until November, 1887, when Mr. G. F. Vernon’s team played Victoria, on the Melbourne ground, that the white robe was donned by Aus­ tralian umpires. The Melbourne Punch published a very amusing caricature of the two officials (back view) with the following letterpress : “ Oh ! dear no. These are not the famous Christy Minstrel brothers, by any means. They are Cricket Umpires in their new English uniforms. This is the sort of thing to revive cricket. (So near the 5th of November, too.)” The caricature was reproduced in Cricket of the following January. Nowadays, Australian um­ pires, unlike their Eiglish brethren, wear short, white jackets, extending only a short distance below the waist. It is difficult to imagine that a more comfortable dress than the present for cricketers can ever be devised. Every­ thing combines to give the player perfect freedom of limb, for even the white linen shirt, which occasionally could be seen in great matches within the last ten years, has given place to one of cotton or silk. ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN c r i c k e t . Everyone with cricket at heart is glad that the M.C.C. is stealthily tightening the noose round the neck of the ogre that would be reducing cricket to the gladia­ torial 5 per cent, shows of the Football League syndicates. Before any thought of divi ion of profits by the inviting authorities the M.C.C. insists that the bond-fide expenses of the English team must be met by guarantee. And so the best cricket news is the attitude of the M.C.C. in regard to the proposed English tour in Australia next autumn. In asking for this indemnification in connection with the proposed autumn tour the M.C.C. has the warm support of cricket in general. When the next Australian side is sent over here by responsible authority, the M.C.C. or the Board of Control will be prepared to meet the Colonials on the same terms as are now imperatively laid down to be observed in the tour in the autumn. The days of the cricket tour promoter are no more. And everyone, outside those who have battened on sport, is glad. Theee tours are primarily for the development of cricket. As such, the profits should go for the upkeep of the game, and not be swallowed in the aggrandisement of assumed amateurism. On the cricket horizon there are signs of the dawn of common honesty of purpose in this amateur question in cricket; they spell the dethronement of the spurious amateur, who will either have to declare for professionalism or make a clean effotr to play the game for sport’s sake. —The Observer . Y O R K SH IR E COUNTY C.C * The handbook issued by the Yorkshire County C.C. to its members is a model of what such a publication should be. The neatly-bound and well-printed volume, now in its fifteenth year, contains the full scores of all the matches played last season by the First and Second Elevens, the names and addresses of all the members, and much statistical matter of the greatest interest. The County, one finds, has played 968 matches to date, winning 469, losing 240, and drawing 259. The following have scored as many as 10,000 runs for Yorkshire:— Runs. Completed Inns. Aver. J. T. Brown .......... 16,380 ... 559 ... 29.30 D. Denton................. 17,681 ... 559 ... 3162 L. Ha'l ................. 12,079 ... 501 ... 24.10 Lord Hawke .......... 12,756 ... 627 ... 20.31 G. H. Hirst................ 18,866 ... 556 ... 33.83 Hon. F. S. Jackson... 10,361 ... 306 ... 33.86 R. Peel........................ 11,131 ... 523 ... 21.28 J. Tunnicliffe ......... . 18,914 ... 705 ... 26.82 G. Ulyett ................. 16.063 ... 659 ... 21.37 E. Wainwright 12,768 ... 582 ... 21.93 and the under-mentioned have taken not less than 500 wickets :— Wkts. Runs. Aver. W. B ates................ . 660 .. . 11,024 ., 16.70 T. Emmett ... . 1,269| .. . 16,100 .... 1268 S. H a ig h ............... . 1,263 ... 20,059 .,.. 15.88 A. Hill ................ . 563 ... 7,151 .,.. 12.70 G. H. Hirst ......... . 1,588 ... 28,846 .,. 18.16 Hon. F. S. Jackson.. . 506 ... 9,684 .. 19.13 E Peate .................. 819f .... 10,286 ... 12.55 R Peel ................ . 1.550| ... 23,398 .. . 15.09 W. Rhodes .......... 1,510 ... 23,208 ... 15.36 E. Wainwright . 1,173 ... 20,230 .... 17.24 t Emmett, Peate, and Peel took respectively 2, 1 and 4 more wickets than they are credited with in the above list, but they are not included as no analysis was kept. The volume, which is admirably edited by Mr. F . C. Toone, contains a very good portrait of Lord Hawke as its frontispiece. * The Yorkshire County O.O. 15th Annual Issue. Edited by F. C. Toone, and Published for the Members o£ the County O.O. by the Yorkshire C.O.C. Committee. TH E CR ICKETER S . A CATCH , The words by Mr. Burnby. And set to Musick by Mr. Porter. Published 1782. See the Cricketers of Kent, All in white, W ith delight, Play before the shady Tent. Mind the Bowler in the vale ; Pitch'd withstrength, There’s a length, Mark the shivring’ s of the Bale. Now the Batsman stands compleat, Sends the Ball Over all, Scores six Notches for the feat. Eager now to gain the prize, Mounted high, Just a tie, Heaves the Captive to the skies. There the Wicket-Keeper stands, See his Eye, See him fly, The leathern Ulobe’s between his hands. Look ! the Bowler’s taking aim ; Now he’ s out, Hark, they shout! Closed is th’ athletic Game. CHORUS. Then of C ricket , of C ricket , we'll cheerfully sing; For a game o f such Innocence,pleasuremust bring•