Cricket 1908

CR ICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. S e p t i o , 1908. The construction of the Demon Drivers is fully described in The Evolution of a Cricket Bat , which may be obtained free upon applica­ tion. CRICKET IMf ROVEDMAKE KEEPTHEIRSHAPE-LAST LONCERg BALLS CATALOGUE UPON APPLICATION. CATALOGUE UPON APPLICATION. 7 6 if DEMON DRIVERS , Q O ARE OUTAND OUT THEBEST. V o ther grades 7-6-5f- 4 rQ-4-r-3'6-3r-2r6~Zf- CATALOGUE UPON APPLICATION TO GEO . G. BUSSEY & Co., Ltd., 36 & 38, Queen Victoria St., LONDON. Manufactory— Timber■Mills — TECKHAM, S.E. ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK. A gents all over the w orld. AT THE SIGN OF THE WICKET. By F . S. A s h le y -C o o p e r . A few weeks ago it was announced in Cricket that, the Imperial Cricket Tourna ment scheme—I never could understand what connection the word Imperial had to do with the m atter-having collapsed, Mr. A. Bailey was busy formulating another proposal of which particulars were promised in the very near future. The last mail from South Africa has brought us the details in the shape of an interview with Mr. Bailey by the Johannesburg correspondent of The Sports­ man. Briefly put, the idea is that the Australians shall be invited to visit South Africa after their tour in England, and that the M.C.C. shall be asked to send out a repre­ sentative team at the same time, so that a series of matches between the three countries may be i laved in South Africa. Presumably neither the M.C.C. nor the Australian Board of Control would be called upon to risk any financial responsibility, for Mr. Bailey states:—“ We ” —there is something delight­ fully ambiguous about the “ w e ” —“ will take all the risks and provide all the guaran­ tees. We want to do away with any and every excuse for not making a beginning with the great contest.” During the past week I have received several letters from Melbourne and Sydney slating definitely that the Aus­ tralians v/ill not call at South Africa on their way home, and if they hold to the arrange­ m en t-as is probable, for the Australians invariably adhere to any attitude they assume —Mr. Dailey’s pr »posal would at once fall to the ground. The scheme, from the South African point of view, has everything to recommend it, but the prospect of England playing Australia on matting wi< kets is not alluring; it would, in fact, be farcical and would prevent the matches from being regarded with any real teriousness. There is nothing in The Sportsman interview calcu­ lated to arouse the slightest enthusiasm among cricketers generally, though I am glad to see that Mr. Bailey’s ]ro josal will be made to the English andAustralian authorities officially and in order through the South African Cricket Association; at least, the scheme will be su! mitted to that bo 1 y, which will have the discretion of forwarding it or not, as it may think fit, to the M.C.C. aud t^be Australian Board of Control. When the idea of the Tournament was first mooted much emphasis was laid upon the f icfc that one of the chief aims of the promoter was to iucrease the friendly feeling existing between tl.e three countries. This was, of course, a very laudable idta, but one, unfortunately, which has quite failed in its object. In fact, the discussion of the scheme has given rise to no little unpleasantness, and I cannot help feeling that, for the sake of harmony, it would have been better if nothing had ever been heard of the matter. If Mr. B.iiley has been correctly rep nted, some of his remarks to Tie Sportsman representative iu Johan­ nesburg were made with rather remarkable taste, and will certainly do nothing to promote a frieudlier feeling between Australians aud South Africans. Such statements as “ The Cornstilks have not shown the true sporting spirit in the negotia­ tions,” and “ If you ask the real cause, I think it is that the Australians are afraid of us. and afraid we may displace them in public favour in the Old Country ” are calcu­ lated to put the Australians’ backs up and to cause many people who might have viewed the proposed scheme—the latest one—with favour to change their \iews. The amiable suggestion that the Australians are afraid to meet the South Africans is altogether too absurd for serious consideration. The fact that the South Africans were invited to tour Australia during 1903-9, and decided not to do so, certainly does not support the sug­ gestion in the least. South Africa is the youngest of the first-class powers in the cricketing world, yet it apparently wishes to play the lea ling p art in the conduct of international affairs. ( I his is assuming that Mr. Bailey has any right to speak on behalf of South African cricket, or that hi* views coincide with those of cricketers geueially iu that country). The South African Cricket Associaiioa will probably take up Mr. Bailey’s latest scheme officially, but all the same there will be very little chance of the Australians falling in with the suggestion. I must admit that I am by no meaus enamoured of the match which has been arranged to commence at Hambledon to-day. It will be between teams styled Hamble­ don and England, but only ono or two players on each side will possess any real claim to take part in such a match, lt is most probable that the great majority of the Hambledon team will to-day see the village for the first time in their life, and that the England side must be of a very unrepresenta­ tive character is evident from the fact that the North will be playing the South at the Oval ou the same date, and that the team which visited Australia last winter will be opposing an England eleven at Uttoxeter. The match will do nothing to add t) tho glorious history of Hambledon. Tho*;e of us who love the old village for the prominent part it played in the development of the game, and who in our le sure moments endeavour to re people the sceue with the figures of Small, Beldhim , Harris, Saeter and others, will regard this twentieth-century venture almost in the light of a desecration of the soil upon which those old worthies performed many of their best feats. The great days of the village ceased upon the break-up of the old Club in 179 1, and nothing which is enacted there now or in future years can add any fresh lustre to that glorious chapter in its history. The ganid which is to be played will perhaps give pleasure to some, but it will be to those who do not truly appreciate their Nyien and who have little affection for the memory of the men he celebrated. One of the chief charms of the old-time matches was the simplicity of everything counected with them. How different it will be with this week’s gam e! Motor-cars on Broad-halfpenny will be as much out of place as a dolphin in a sentry- box, and even th^ thought of it should be enough to make Nyren turn in his grave. The scores of several of the great matches played at fclambledcn in the eighteenth century have been lost beyond recovery, and few people would i egret if details of this week’s affair were not preserved. By far the most pleasing feature of the programme which has been ar ranged is the unveiling by W.Gr.” of a monument which has been raise I by public subscription as a memorial to the former greatness of the club. It was with characteristic kindness that the “ Old Man ” consented to perform the ceremony, which could but have seemed inappropriate if undertaken by anyone else. It will be pleasant to see the greatest cricketer of all time assisting iu paying a tribute to the men who played their part, and played it well, upon the cricket stage of Hambledon two centuries before he was born.