Cricket 1908

A p r il 23, 1908. CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 9 i Hambledon “ crack,” played his first county match in 1755 and as late as 1798, when sixty-one years of age, ap­ peared at Lord’s for Hampshire (with John Wells) against M.C.C. Living, however, in far more leisurely times than the present, his career, extraordinary as it undoubtedly was, cannot for a moment be compared with that of “ W .G .,” who, in addition to frequently travelling by night, has often played practically through an entire season without any rest save on Sundays. T he Crawford brothers, I am glad to note, have opened the season in capital style. W’hen set, they hit, like “ W .G .” in his younger days, “ bloomin’ ’ard, ’igh, and /zoften.” It is such cricket as their’s which makes for the popularity of the game. Last year “ V .F .S .” made 3,143 runs and took 78 wickets, “ J.N.” scored 1,687 funs and took 165 wickets, whilst “ R .T .’s” aggregates were 1,309 and 133 respectively. More power to them ! E veryone will sympathise with Mr. Leveson-Gower upon the unfortunate accident which occurred to him on Tues­ day afternoon. In endeavouring to stop a powerful drive by V. F. S. Crawford he broke the top joint in his left thumb, and, in consequence, will probably be an en­ forced absentee from the game for some weeks. It was only quite recently that he consented to captain Surrey regularly, and the fact that he met with the accident upon the first occasion of leading the side in that capacity, two days before his wed­ ding, serves but to intensify the regret caused by the misadventure. Until he is able to appear again the side will prob­ ably be led by Mr. J. N. Crawford who, in his last year at Repton, was beyond doubt the best of the Public School captains. L et us talk of thumb-bones. The late Mr. Charles Gustavus Whittaker, who played for Kent several times between 1838 and 1847, met with a serious accident whilst taking part in the match at Can­ terbury in 1848 between the Gentlemen of Kent and Cambridge University. In fielding a return from Mr. C. G. Dickins from leg he sustained a compound frac­ ture of the right thumb, and it was found necessary to remove the bone between the first joint and the second, leaving the nail- end dangling. The bone was mounted in silver and made into a tobacco-stopper. Forty-two years later Walter Wright, whilst trying to take a return catch from Lohmann in the Kent v. Surrey match at the Oval, sustained a compound disloca­ tion of his left thumb. He was led off the field in great agony and for over five weeks was in St. Thomas’s Hospital. By careful treatment the thumb was saved, but amputation was at one time feared to be necessary. “ He elected to have the top part of his thumb bent in the form of a crook.” The late William Oscroft, of Nottinghamshire, whilst batting in the second innings of England against Kent and Gloucestershire at Canterbury in 1874, received a terrific blow in the face which brought him down senseless, and, falling, he put his right thumb out of joint. But instances in which a cricketer has had a thumb put out of joint are comparatively numerous, and are far from being so serious as either of the accidents previously mentioned. ENGL ISH CR I CKETER S IN AUSTRAL IA . K ± ly Mr. A. L. Ford, of Devon, has kindly forwarded a copy of the agreement drawn up inconnection with the visit of the English team to Australia in 1881-2. The document, which is of historical interest, is as follows :— Memorandum of Agreement STAMP, n^de this 29th day of August 1881 between James Lillywhite of Westerton in the County of Sussex Professional Cricketer Alfred Shaw of Carrington Street Bridge in the Town of Nottingham and Arthur Shrews­ bury of the same place Profes­ sional Cricketer (hereinafter called the said employers) of the one part George Ulyett Pitsmoor Sheffield John Selby Nottingham William Bates Lascelles Hall Yorkshire Edmund Peate and Thomas Emmett of Yorkshire R. G. Bar- low and Richard Pilling of Lancashire W. Midwinter of Gloucestershire Professional Cricketers of England of the other part Whereby for the consideration herein­ after mentioned it is mutually agreed between the said employers and the said players as follows viz— 1 The said employers agree to engage and the said players agree to serve as pro­ fessional cricketers and to form the in­ tended team of English cricketers about to make a tour and play Cricket in America Australia New Zealand or elsewhere on the said tour— 2 The said employers will pay the said players for their services the sum of £200 each at the times and in manner as fol­ lowing viz ^,'50 immediately before the de­ parture of the team from England in the month of September next ^50 after the said team have played their first match at Melbourne in Australia and the balance of ^100 after the last match to be played on the said tour and immediately before the return voyage to England— 3 In addition to the said sum of £200 the said employers will also pay to each of the said players the sum of £ 2 0 to cover all his personal expenses such as refresh­ ments during and after matches and such as are not to be paid by the said employers as herein after provided by this Agree­ ment— 4 The said employers will provide a first class saloon passage from England to America and thence to Australia and else­ where when travelling by water and on the return journey to England and they will also pay all travelling expenses by road or rail from place to place on the said tour as well as Hotel bills for sleeping and the necessary maintenance of the said players during such tour— 5 The said players shall play in all matches during the said tour as the said employers may desire his services and if not playing in any match shall stand um­ pire or assist in any manner the said em­ ployers may direct and without any extra remuneration therefor— 6 Should any of the said players act with impropriety or misconduct themselves so as to prevent them from playing or stand­ ing umpire he shall be fined £2 0 the said fine or fines shall be equally divided between the said team at the close of the tour— 7 The said players shall and will leave England with the said employers at such time in the month of September next as the said employers may by writing here­ after name to them— Witness to the signature of George Ulyett. Charles Payne. Witness to the signature of John Selby. Chas. Payne. Witness to the signature of W illie Bates. John Bradly. Witness to the signature of R. G. Barlow. Chas. Payne. Witness to the signature of E. Peate. Richard Lord. Witness to the signature of E. Lockwood. Thomas Emmett. Witness to the signature of Richard Pilling. Alexander Watson. Witness to the signature of W illiam Midwinter. J. S. Broad, Solicitor, Bristol. Witness to the signature of Thomas Emmett W. T. Doughty. George Ulyett John Selby W illie Bates R. C. Barlow E. Peate E. Lockwood Richard Pilling William Midwinter Thomas Emmett OBITUARY. M r . W. H. COEN. Mr. W. H. Coen, whose death occurred at Chicago, Illinois, on February 15th, was born at Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, on July 7th, 1850. On going to the United States he became prominently identified with the now defunct St. George C.C., of Chicago, and was for several years President of the Chicago Cricket Association. He was a good all-round athlete and secured a number of prizes in various branches of sport. F.F.K. SOME CHAPTERS OF AUSTRA­ LIAN CR ICK ET HISTORY. By J. N. P e n t e lo w . (i Continuedfrom Page 69.) At Melbourne South Australia, for once in a way, had all the luck, batting first and scoring over 400 before rain fell and spoiled the wicket for the home side. After about an hour’s play Harry Stuckey met with a very serious acci­ dent, falling and breaking his knee-cap right across. Darling allowed Fry, the Melbourne C.C. pro., to take his place.