Cricket 1908

S e p t . 3, 1908. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 3S7 The con'truc'ion of ihe D mon Diivers is fully described in 7he Evolution of a Cricket Bat, which may be obtained free upon applica­ tion. i CRICKET BALLS [iMFROVEDMAKE-KEEPTHEIRSHAPE-LA5LOMCERl CATALOQUE UPON APPLICATION. BUSSEYS RACKETS CATALOGUE JPO.N APPLICATION. CATALOGUE UPON APPLICATION. B U S # E Y S DEMON DRIVERS I OUT THE BEST. 7fe CATALOGUE UPON APPLICATION TO GEO . G. BUSSEY & Co.. Ltd.. 36 & 38, Queen Victoria St., LONDON. Manufactory — Timber Mills — PECKHAM, S.E. ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK. A gents all over the w orld. AT THE SIGN OF THE WICKET. By F . S. A sh le y -C o o p e r. W h at may be described as the inter­ national situation has become much clearer during the past week owing to a cable received from Johannesburg and an official announcement made to the Press by Mr. F. E. Lacey on behalf of the M.C.C. It was stated in Cricket some weeks ago that the South African Ciicket Association had, through Capt. Wynyard, invited the M.C.C. to send out a team during the coming winter, and the inability of the Club to entertain the proposal was foreshadowed. No regret need l)e expressed concerning t lie decision. Had a team been got together— it would, of necessity, have been done hurriedly—it would not have been a repre­ sentative one aud, in whatever way the Test matches had resulted, it could not have been satisfactory to the South Africans. Had they won it would have been at the expense of a non-representative side, and their success would not have gained them the cricketing supremacy of the world, for the “ A shes” ave in the possession of Australia; on the othpr liand, it would have been rather humiliating for them to have been defeated on their own wickets by a side not justly entitled to be designated England. The South Africans, who appear by no means anxious to visit Australia, have declined the invitation to do so during 1908 9 which the Australian Board of Con­ trol extended to them. Sooner or later such a trip must be undertaken if a reciprocal programme of matches is to be arranged between all three countries : perhaps the South Africans may be induced 10 make the tour in 1909-10. One cannot help regretting that they have not seen their way to fall in with the Australian suggestion: victory in the Test series, considering that Aust alia possesses the Ashes, would have been a most pronounced triumph for them, whilst defeat, even in four matches out of five, would have ranked them level with England. It is reported that Mr. Bailey, who conceived the idea of the Tournament, is a 1 ready busy prepariug another scheme. If this is so, it is to be hoped that his proposal will be made, as it ought to be, through the South African Cricket Association. Mr. Bailey may be one of the best-known figures in South African cricket circles, but his name carries little weight either in this country or Australia. His scheme would undoubtedly stand a better chance of being accepted if submitted officially as suggested. The season which is now so rapidly drawing to a close has not brought many ntw players to the front. The one whose reputation has been most increased is, of course, Newstead, whose all-round work has contributed so much to the success of Yorkshire. A man who can obtain wickets regularly on hard and true pitches must be well above the ordinary run of bowlers, and this, coupled with his fine fielding and useful batting, stamps him as one of the best cricketers of the day. For the sake of English cricket one may express the hope that he will be found in as good form next season when the Australians will be with us. Marshal, of Surrey, has performed almost as well as many, on the strength of his doings in club cricket, predicted he would, and he has good claims to be regarded as the longest hitter before the public. Had he been born in England he would probably have been destined to play an important part in Test match history; but, like Tarrant, he will never be able to appear for us in inter­ national matches, nor for Australia so long as he is identified with county cricket. Ralph Whitehead, of Lancashire, gives promise of developing into a cricketer of more than average ability. He made a hundred on his first appearance for the county, and also had the doubtful distinction of being no-balled owing to his delivery. Whether there are serious grounds for questioning his action I am not in a position to say, having seen him bowl only once— against Middlesex at Lords — but those players whose opinion on the matter I have asked have been unanimous in his favour. Among amateurs, G. N. Foster has perhaps added as much as anyone to his reputation. After the University match he played several splendid innings for Worcestershire, and as he has a pleasing style and is a quick scorer should become as popular as any of his better known brothers. As yet he has not reached the level of R. E. and H. K. Foster, but, unless I am much mistaken, he will develop into a Test match player during the next two or three seasons. The editor of Wisden will not find it a very easy task to decide upon the portraits for his next issue, but probably two at least of the players mentioned above will be honoured. The present is an opportune moment ti raise one’s voice agaiust the practice, which has now become very general, of including Colonial-born cricketers in representative English sides. The selection of Tarrant to assist An England X I. against the M.C.C.’s team which visited Australia last winter tends, in my opinion, to rob the mitches of their interest. The games were arranged pre­ sumably that it might be seen what form the touring side would show agaiust the best of the other players who would have been qualified to make the trip but did not. If this is so, it is difficult to explain the selection of Tarrant, for not only would it have been impossible to choose him for the Australian tour but he actually played against the team out there on several occasions. In many quarters the opinion has been expressed that an eleven as good as that which made the journey could be got together, but, for the reason named, the inclusion of Tarrant will prevent the question being solved. The names of seven of the players who will appear for the “ England ” team at Oldfields have been announced, and these include two Australians in Tarrant and Marshal and a South African in Llewellyn. The procedure is very regrettable, especially as there are so many deserving English-born cricketers avail­ able. We may yet see the following side in the field and labelled an English eleven :— H.H. the Jam of Nawanagar, L . 0 S. Poidevin, C. A. Ollivierre, Dwyer, Llewellyn, Cuffe, Marshal, Trott, Tarrant, Kermode, and Smith, of Northants. AN SW ERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. R. H. A bbott . —You are correct in your surmise about the Arkley Club, but we are unable to furnish any particulars concerning its formation. The B.B. came into existence moie for social than cricket purposes at a Yeomanry meeting at Dover, but, it being a Kentish club, it was inevitable that before long cricket became one of its objects, and the club played matches as early as 1858. The club is repre­ sentative of all Kentish families who have at any time identified themselves with Kentish amateur cricket. See The His’.ory of Kent County Cricket , pp. 215-6. J. M eeser (Woodstock).—Many thanks for your letter. Pressure on space prevents publication of the list you forward. R. R. A r n o ld . — (a) Stone (Hants), 24‘73 ; Lilley (Warwickshire), 23-35 ; and Board (Gloucestershire), I 21*90. (b) Sirudwick.