Cricket 1907

90 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A p r i l 25, 1907. approved by ihe Committee of the M.C.C., and on March 23rd by the Advisory Committee cf the Counties, yet on May” 3rd, at the Annual General Meeting of the M.C.C., it was signally defeated by a majority of about five to one. Baily's Magazine has introduced a new and acceptable feature into its pages in the shape of “ Sporting Personalities ; Quaint Stories of Men of Mark.” The followiug, concerning Dr. E. M. Grace, refers to the time when the closure rule first came into force :— Quite early in the season Thornbury were running up a big tcore against a local team, and as the day wore on it became evident that the Coroner would have the opportunity he wished for of being one of, if not the very first, to put the new powers into operation. As he was batting very well at the time he was in no hurry to curtail his own pleasure. Suddenly, however, he made a mistake, and the ball soared high into the air. This was a glorious opportunity for E. M. to do some­ thing original, something which few men would have the wit to think of at such a moment. While the hall was still in the air he made the announcement that the innings of his side was closed, and though the fielder made the catch safely enough, E. M. claimed to be not out. This is a thoroughly characteristic story, but there is a sequel to it. One day the Coroner was relating the yarn in the presence of a precocious youngster, who listened patiently to the end, and then remarked, “ I suppose it came down a snow­ ball.” A FEW weeks ago it was my pleasant duty to chronicle in “ Gossip ” a good bowling performance on the part of Hugh Trumble. The last mail from Australia shows that he is still practically irresistible on a wicket which gives him any assistance. On March 9th he captained Melbourne in their match with South Melbourne and, winning the toss, sent his opponents in, as he thought the ground would help him. How sound his judgment was is proved by the fact that his analysis was 13‘3 overs, 6 maidens, 18 runs, and 8 wickets, includ­ ing the hat-trick. The South Melbourue total was 71. As the season approaches its close (remarks “ Mid-On ” in The Leader) the veteran Hugh Trumble continues to execute performances with the ball which accentuate the realisation cf what a loss Victoria has incurred in his abstention from inter-State cricket. With Saunders not quite so uniformly successful as in former seasons, Victoria has been sadly in want of a first-class bowler, and it is unsatisfactory to reflect that while the State’s representatives were losing both matches to New South Wales and one each to South Australia and Tasmania, our still best bowler had retired from big cricket in the zenith of his power and when not yet 40 years old. I n a trophy match at Ararat on March 9th, J. Thurgood scored 254 (not out) out of a total of 363 for three wickets. He was at the wickets for tbre8 hours and ten minutes. His average to that date v as stated to be 99'5 runs an innings. O n the same day, in a match on the Kssendon ground between Carlton and Essendon, F. Delves scored 91 of the 127 made for the first Carlton wicket with T. Wurne. He hit a 6, twelve 4’s, and six 3’s. P l a t in g for North Sydney v. Redfern, on the R«dfern Oval, on March 9th, N. Y. Deane (100 not out) and I. G. Mackay (68 not out) obtained 51 runs off three uvers, the first being punished by D^ane for 22. The hits o f f the various overs were as follows : - 4 6 4 6 2, 1 4 4 6 1 1, 1 4 2 4 1. I t Eeerns quite p o s s ib le that March 11th, 1907, will p r o v e a r e d -le t t e r mark in the history o f Victorian cricket, for on that date the Victorian Cricket Associa­ tion decided to appoint a sub-Committee to inquire into, a n d report at the next annual meeting upon, the best means of improving the game in Victoria. In the discussion the speakers drew special attention to t h e weakness in the bowling department of Victorian teams. “ I t h in k most cricketers will agree with the views expressed by Mr. L. Miller at the Association Meeting,” writes Felix in the Australasian. “ There isnodoubt whatever that merenet practice evening after evening is not sufficient. What is wanted is at least one evening a week for field practice. I have counted as many as seventy players at the nine practice nets on the M.C.C. ground, yet the fielding done by three-fourths of the seventy might be set down as almost nil. I have seen a few players hitting to one another, and getting fielding and catch­ ing practice in this way. But I must say the number is very few indeed. The high degree of skill attained in catching by baseballers in America shows what can be accomplished by continuous prac­ tice on right lines, and if the action taken by Mr. Miller will result in improved fielding, especially catching, he can con­ sole himself with the reflection that the adoption of his suggestion has exercised a beneficial influence in one department of the game, at any rate.” “ M r . M ille r ’ s idea of having a cen­ tral ground, where leading players and promising players can practise together and show their form before a Selection Committee, commends itself to me. Of course, we know that a chosen fifteen or eighteen practise on the M.C.C. ground for a few evenings before a big match ; but Mr. Miller, 1 take it, means some­ thing more than this. His idea, I fancy, is to have this practice as a regular thing during the season, or, at all events, up to the close of the big cricket campaign. However, a committee has been appointed to work on the lines suggested by Mr. Miller, and if the gentlemen concerned can evolve a scheme that will tend to improve fielding, enable us to fossick out another ‘ Hughie ’ Trumble or two, to unearth embryonic Warwick Armstrongs from colleges or State schools or from the country, and finally to enable us to turn the tables on New South Wales, then indeed we shall smile with a sense of consummate gladness, and say to the Committee, ‘ Well done.’ ” D. R. A. G ehrs had an amusing experience at Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, on March 14th. He strolled on to the cricket-ground, where a match had b»en arranged to take place between the Married and the Single. As the former were a man shcrt, Gehrs was asked whether he would consent to com­ plete the side. He expressed his willing­ ness, gave his name as Robinson, and carried out his bat for 82. It was not until he had made about 60 that his identity was discovered. Furthermore, he did not possess the most important qualification for the side he assisted. O n March 16th Clem Hill was seen at his very best in an innings of 148 for Sturt v. Adelaide. The Observer remarks that “ As Hill warmed up, the force behind his strokes became terrific, and his timing was perfect, with the result that fears were entertained concerning the pickets around the ground. They sur­ vived the 18 contacts ; but the dozen and a-half bangs were harder than those given by the carpenter in driving home the nails. It was a magnificent display, which lasted two and a-quarter hours, and was an innings quite in keeping with Hill’s great reputation. From 100 to 148 occupied him only 28 minutes. Hack was at the other end, and the partner­ ship (for the second wicket) yielded 202 runs, so that Hill scored practically three times as fast as his companion. Iu four tries this season the champion has scored 432 runs—108, 117, 59, and 148, average 108.” A lthough the New South Wales team which visited West Australia last month was far from weak, the local players acquitted themselves very well in the first two fixtures. The opening match of the tour was at Perth, against Fre­ mantle, who won on the first innings by 119 runs. The total scores were—Fre­ mantle, 214 (E. Kelly not out 71, O. Kelly, 56); New South Wales, 95 (Selk seven wickets for 45) and 254 for one wicket (Hopkins not out 126, E. L. Waddy 111). The second match, played at Perth on March 16th, 18th, and 19th, was won by the visitors by two wickets —West Australia 307 (H. Rowe 81, T. Hoyne 67) and 238 (Parker 69); New South Wales, 310 (J. C. Barnes 82) and 236 for eight wickets (Bubb not out 53, Mackenzie retired hurt 51). Ernest Jones played for West Australia and scored 48 and 23 : in the first innings of New South Wales he took three wickets for 81, and in the second none for 31.