Cricket 1908

C R I C K E T : a w e e k l y r e c o r d o f t h e g a m e . O C T O B E R 2 9 , 1 9 0 8 . £ _____ ___________________________________________________ )( @ 9 % j \j f 7 i S O g m __ I K i M r, 1 1 I H 1 j n j Q j J i r — t .— f t ? £ C O ? t 1 /s 1 a=c=* “ T og e th e r jo in ed in C r ick e t’s m a n ly to il.” — Byron. N o. 7 9 7 . v o l . x x v i i . THURSDAY , OCTOBER 2g, 1908. o n e p e n n y . CHATS ON THE CR ICK ET F IE LD . Mr. W. P. McELHONE. Mr. William Percy McElhone, Hon. Secre­ tary of the Board of Control for International Cricket in Australia, was born at Sydney, New South Wales, in 1870. His father for many years represented one of the Metropolitan Constituencies in the New South Wales Parliament, besides being a member in the Sydney Municipal Council, of which at present Mr. McElhone himself and one of his brothers are Aldermen. Educated at St. Aloysius College, Sydney, he had as school contemporaries the late Mr. J. J. Ferris and Mr. W. J. Camphin, the well-known New South Wales cricketer, as well as Capt. J. McMahon, Manager of the Australian Bugby team now in England. The senior partner in a legal firm, Mr. McElhone s training in the law has no doubt been of immense service to him in conducting the many cam­ paigns the New South Wales Cricket Association and tbe Board of Control have successfully under­ taken within the past ten years or so. Brainy, fearless, and a man of principlerather than expedient, be inspires his cricket associates with great confidence. He has given so much time to the managing side of cricket, that he has not had as much practical cricket as he could have wished. H is n ephew , M r. F. E ric McElhone, is one of the leading batsmen in the Sydney University Eleven, and, by-the-way, Mr. H. V. Hordern, of this year’s Phila­ delphian team, is likewise an nnele, and incidentally a chum, of that young cricketer. It will probably surprise many English cricketers to learn that Mr. Hor­ dern representedNevvSouthWales at cricket before leaving Sydney for Philadelphia. Mr. W. P. McElhone has been a member of the New South Wales Cricket Association for about fourteen years, a member of the executive Committee ever since it has been in existence, and is its Chairman. One of the founders of the Board of Control, it may truly be said that he is its guiding genius, and every hour he has given to cricket has been as a labour of love. Asked if he is satisfied with the work the Board of Control has already accomplished, Mr. McElhone said—“ Yes, quite. But there is more work to be done. After a keen struggle, and almost by force of arms, the Board, having obtained the control of Inter­ national cricket in Australia, must now M r. W . P. M cE lh on e. proceed to place all matters pertaining to the game in an international sense on a sound and lasting foundation.” “ Then that is not already accomplished ?” “ Well, so far as it has gone, the Board of Control has done splendid work. However, there’s work ahead. To those unaware of affairs prior to the Board’s coming into existence, this would appear to be simple. But you have to consider that from early days in our cricket the visits of English teams to Australia—excepting, of course, the pioneer team and a few others—were, on account of the disjointed control of the governing Associations, practically managed by the Melbourne Club and the Trustees of the Association Cricket Ground, Sydney, both private bodies. This has now been changed, and the struggle in making the alter­ ation was the greatest in the history of our cricket.” “ It was a long and bitter struggle?” “ Long ? yes; and bitter ?— well, I can’t say that. Cricket is too good a game to arouse bitterness that does not die. But I can tell you that some of the men who have helped to make Australia’s name renowned on the cricket fields of England have rejoiced over the success of the Board of Control.” “ And what of the work ahead?’’ “ The visits made by the Aus­ tralians to England in the past were, to all intents and purposes, private speculations on the part of the members of the teams, who took all the risks, if any, and pocketed all the profits, without being answerable to any person or body for their actions. This must inevitably be altered. And I think it will be admitted that the Board ha3 before it a task difficult, and rather unpleasant, to break down the custom which has been in existence so long without causing ill-feeling among those directly interested. To adequately control the game the Board must control the players, and unless it takes charge of the finances it cannot succeed in that direction. The claims nowadays made by the players for expenses, &e., are such that international cricket is, to all intents and purposes, practically run, not for the benefit of the game, but for the financial benefit of the players. Let us look back at the visit of the last M.C.C. English team. The Australian players received in fees and expenses more than the combined profits of their Associations; and as they receive the whole of the profits when playing Photo by] [Freeman, Sydney.