Cricket 1908

CR ICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. MARCH 26, 1908. “ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. n o . 7 7 2 . v o i . . x x v i i . THURSDAY, MAECH 26, 1908. p k i c e 2 a. A CHAT ABOUT MU. ABE BAILEY AND HIS SCHEME. Mr. Abe Bailey, by whom the Imperial Cricket Tournament scheme was initiated, is the son of a Yorkshireman, and was born at Cradock, in Cape Colony, in 1856. Whilst still a young man he migrated to Barberton, but in 1886, when gold was discovered at Johannesburg, he hastened thither, and it speaks eloquently for his pluck and determination that he made the journey on foot. Things fared well with him, he prospered exceedingly, making a very large fortune, and now, in addition to being the foremost figure in South African sporting circles, is Progressive member for Kru- gersdorp in the first Transvaal Parliament and senior Whip of the party. Cricket has long been his hobby, and how greatly the game in South Africa is indebted to him for its advancement only those who have been intimately associated with him and his doings during the past decade could possibly say. It was mainly through his instrumentality that the Wanderers arranged the visit of the Australians to South Africa in 1902, whilst the keen interest he has always evinced in international cricket gener­ ously led him to finance the team which visited us four years ago. The tour of 1904 cost him over two thousand pounds, but, in the light of the recent development of South African cricket, he probably regards the sum as money well spent. During the past three seasons he has engaged a professional coach for the Johannesburg colleges and schools, and it is due to a suggestion on his part that a Committee is now being formed under the aegis of the South African Cricket Association whereby all the Colonies, including Rhodesia, will be represented for the purpose of reporting upon promising young players. As was only to be expected of so energetic and able an organizer, Mr. Bailey rendered no mean service to Great Britain during the Boer War. Although associated chiefly with Col. Gorringe’s Column, he assisted in raising the S.A. Light Horse, Roberts’ Horse, Lord Roberts’ Bodyguard, and Kitchener’s Horse. He was, too, at one time Chief Intelligence Officer of General Pole-Carew’s Brigade, and at the cessation of hostilities was in command of a column, with the rank of JVIajor. He was a useful all-round cricketer in his younger days, although never a member of a team visiting England. In 1890 he played for "Witwatersrand in an inter-Town Tournament in which Johannesburg, Pretoria, Photo by] [Middlebrook, Kimberley, and Barberton were represented. Two years later he scored 16 not out and 13 not out for XV III. of Johannesburg against Mr. W. W. Read’s team, and for XV III. of the Transvaal clean bowled the English captain for 14. In the Currie Cup matches of 1894 he took eleven wickets for the Transvaal at a cost of 173 runs, his record against Natal being seven for 81. From i894 until 1899 he was Captain of the Wanderers. Mr. Bailey’s proposal, of which so much has been heard lately, is that a series of matches be played in this country next year between representative teams of England, Australia, and South Africa. The time he considered opportune owing to the form shown over here last season by the South Africans, ’and because an Australian team would in all probability be visiting us in 1909. Further­ more, South Africans are naturally desirous that such a Tournament, if found to be within the sphere of practical politics, should be held before Schwarz, Vogler, Faulkner, White and others have passed their prime. The scheme is certainly an attractive one, but there are many points which need careful considera­ tion before anything definite can be arranged. The South African Cricket Association is said to be strongly in favour of the Tournament taking place next year—in England for choice, but, failing that, in South Africa. Taking into consideration the relative strength of Australian and South African cricket, and the fact that Australia have already toured South Africa without receiving a return visit, it appears extremely improbable that, in the event of the pro­ posed triangular contest not being decided in this country, an ariangement would be come to for it to take place on South African soil. Mr. Bailey has said that the object of South Africa, at present, is not so much a question of making the Tournament a financial success as of developing sport and establishing a further tie between Great Britain and the Colonies. Cricket, whatever may be the state of things in South Africa, has long ceased to be merely a game so far as England and Australia are concerned, and for this reason it would be imperative to very carefully consider the financial aspect of the scheme. The suggested Tournament, marking as it would the commencement of a new epoch in the annals of English cricket, has naturally given rise to much criticism, but many of the objections raised have been based on false hypotheses. It was, for instance, stated that the presence of two Colonial teams here simultaneously would most seriously dis