Cricket 1909

ig+ CR ICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J une 17, 1909. and Hampshire, can boast a very respectable antiquity as a cricketing county. Matches, in fact, are known to have been played in various towns and villages for almost two hundred years, and among the earliest strongholds of the game may be mentioned Hastings, Battle, Pevensey, Bye, Lewes, Eastbourne, Chailey and Brighton. Bichard Newland, of Slindon, appears to have been the first player to obtain more than a local reputation. He was a left-handed batsman, one of three cricketing brothers, and uncle of Bichard Nyren, the “ General ” of the celebrated Hambledon team. When Kent played England in the Artillery Ground, London, in June, 1744, the latter side was led by N.ewland, a fact from which it may be inferred that he generally captained the Sussex team, for, had it been otherwise, the promoters of the match would hardly have gone so far afield to obtain a leader. Newland was undoubtedly great in his own generation, and his name deserves to be better known than it is. He died in 1791 at the age of 73, and a tablet to his memory can be seen iu Slindon Church. Sussex played county matches before the middle of the eighteenth century, but there was probably no properly constituted County Club. There was, however, a Sussex Club in existence some years before the formation of the Marylebone Club, in 1787, but whether it possessed any right to such a high- sounding title may well be doubted. Certain it is, however, that before the century closed Brighton had become recognised as the head­ quarters of the game in Sussex. The Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV., spent much of his time tbere, and affected an inierest in the game. One of his boon companions was Bichard, 7th Earl of Barrymore, who occasionally played and often promoted matches for his own as well as for His Boyal Highness’ amusement. The Earl ran through a fortune of over a-quarter of a million in five years, squandered a large estate, and was only twenty-three years of age when he managed to get what he was pleased to term his brains blown out. One of the best matches arranged by him was that between Marylebone and Brighton, played at Lord’s in May, 1792. It was said to be “ for one thousand guineas between the Earl of Barrymore on account of the Prince of Wales’ Club, Brighton, and Harvey Aston, Esqre., on behalf of the M.C.C.” Brighton were set 131 to win, and P. Vallance (68) and Borrer (60) made the runs without being separated after Marchant had been bowled for a single. It is said that the spectators were so excited as to whether the pair would carry out their bats, that, after betting all their money, they bet the watches out of their pockets and the very rings off their fingers. This, be it re­ membered, was at Lord’s, where, in those degenerate days, bookmakers attended regularly and shouted the latest odds in front of the pavilion. Such times, for­ tunately for the game, have gone, never to return. Modem Sussex cricket may be said to date from 1825, the year in which the first and greatest of the Lillywhites—old William— made his debut for the County. Five members of the family appeared for Sussex, and their connection extended from 1825 to 188 }, when James Lillywbite, jun., played for the last time. Lill.ywhite and Broadbridge very successfully revived the round-armed bowl­ ing introduced in earlier times by Tom Walker, of Surrey, and Mr. John Willes, of Kent. There was strong opposition, but the pair persisted in their style, and eventually, on the proposal of Mr. G. T. Knight, the M.C.C. passed a law to the effect that “ The ball shall be bowled. If it be thrown or jerked, or if any part of the hand or arm be above the shoulder at time of delivery, the umpire shall call ‘ No-ball.’ ” Lillywhite was a very fine bowler—and he knew it. “ I bowls the best ball in England,” he once modestly exclaimed; “ and Mr. Harenc the next.” His definition of cricket, too, deserves quotation :—“ Me bowling, Pilch batting, and Box a-keepin’ wicket.” It says much for his accuracy that, during the last year of his life, he was engaged to bowl to the boys at Eton: he was then very stout, and, being unable to stoop for the ball himself, a boy was always told off to pick it up for him. The incident recalls how David Harris, when his gout was more troublesome than usual, would recline in an arm-chair, brought on to the field specially for the purpose, whilst the person who shared the bowling with him, bowled from the other end. The history of Sussex Cricket is still to write. Surrey, Kent and Yorkshire have been especially fortunate in their chroniclers, and, although several very useful little hand­ books on the subject of the game in the county have been issued, the magnum opus on Sussex Cricket, the book which will deal with its subject as exhaustively as Lord Harris’s did with Kent Cricket, has yet to see the light. When the historian appears he will find plenty of material at hand, for scores have been carefully preserved for almost a hundred years and, except for one season— that of 1831—Sussex matches have been played every year without a break since 1823. This is a record of which the county may well be proud, for it is not only unique, but one which has been established in face of many difficulties, such as poor support from the public, unsatisfactory seasons from a purely cricket point of view, and—more than once—the loss of their ground and the consequent necessity of securing a new home for the County Club. OBITUARY. Mb. W. P. B on bright . Mr.William Parker Bonbright, whose death occurred by drowning at Atlantic City, New Jersey, on June 4th, was educated at Haver- ford College and was a member of the College team which visited England in 1904. His principal scores during the tour were 50 v. Cheltenham, 64 v. Harrow, and 54 and 69 v. Charterhouse, and he finished second in the averages with 24-90. The highest score of his career was 101 not out for Haverford College v. Harvard University. After leaving the College he spent a year at Harvard University, receiving the degree of M.A., and was a member of the University team. F. F. K. GEORGE L EW IN & Co., (Established 1869.) Club Colour Specialists and Athletic Clothing Manufacturers. OUTFITTERS BY APPOINTMENT To the Australians, 1896,1899 and 1902 ; Mr. Stoddart’s XI., 1894-1895, 1897- 1898; Mr. MacLaren’s XI., 1901-1902 ; West Indian XI., 1900 and 1906 ; South Africans XI., 1901 and 1907; and M.C.C., Lancashire, Kent, Surrey and London Counties, Wanderers, Stoics. Bromley, Sutton, and all Public Schools’ Old Boys’ Clubs.—Write for E stim ates F r e e . TelegraphicAddress: “ Leotdde, London.*’ Telephone-: P.O. City 607. 8, Crooked Lane, M onument, London Bridge, E.C. THE CBICKET CONFERENCE. Representatives of England, Australia, and South Africa held a meeting at Lord’s on Tuesday morning for the purpose of con­ sidering the rules governing Test matches and the interchange of visits. The Earl of Chesterfield, president of the M.C.C., occu­ pied the chair, Lord Harris and the Earl of Lichfield represented the M.C.C. Committee, Dr. Poidevin alone rep resented Australia, as P. A. McAlister was batting in the match, and H. D. G. Leveson-Gower and G. W. Hill- yard represented South Africa. F. E. Lacey, secretary of the M.C.C., was also present. The rules of the Test matches were first discussed. Rule 1, which defines the Test matches as being between England and Aus­ tralia or England and South Africa, with matches between Australia and South Africa, was approved, as also was Rule 3, which deals with qualification by birth, and says that, subject to Rule 2, a cricketer is always at liberty to represent the country of his birth. The discussion of Rule 2, which limits the appearance of a cricketer for one country only in the course of his career, was deferred, and this also affects Rule 4 as to qualification by residence. The principle to be followed as to the appointment of umpires for future Test marches was discussed, and a rule will be agreed upon later with regulations as to the hours of play. On the proposal of G. W. Hillyard (South Africa), seconded by Dr. Poidevin (Australia), it was unanimously agreed “ That the principle of triangular contests is approved With the following rider, which was also unanimously carried: “ That, having regard to the following arrangements having been made, i.e., for England to visit South Africa in 1909-10, and South Afiica to visit Australia in 1910-11, an effort should be made to have the first tri­ angular cricket contest in England in 1912, subject to South Africa waiving its claim to come alone in that year, and to further this object England pledges itself to visit Aus­ tralia in 1911-12.” A further meeting will be held at Lord’s on Tuesday, July 20. CRICKET IN JAPAN. YOKOHAMA v. THE FLEET. Played at Yokohama on May 13, and won by Yokohama by 68 runs. Score :— Y o k o h a m a . H. Hardman, b MulleB. C. Foster, c Trewby, neux .......................... 4 b Lewis ................... 17 L. M. Whyte, lbw, b B. E. L a m b e rt, c Wilson ................... 12 Tweedie, b Mulle­ Capt. G. A. Wyatt, c neux .......................... 16 S u m m e r v ille , b L. S. Hudson, c and b Mulleneux ........... 81 Wilson .................. 3 W. D. S. Edwards, run N. Buckle, not out ... 17 out .......................... 76 W . Hayward, c Had­ 0 A. G. Scott, Ibw, b don, b Wilson.......... K in g.......................... 8 Byes, &c.............. 6 P. A. Cox, c Tovey, b — Wilson ................... 4 Total .......... 244 Lieut. Tovey, b Foster Sub.-Lieut. Pelly, c Cox, b Edwards ... 6 Commander Lewis, c Buckle, b Scott ... 84 Capt. M ay h ew , b Edw ards.................. 47 Commander Trewby, b Scott ................... 0 Lieut. H a d d o n , b E dw ards.................. 0 Lieut. Summerville, b Edw ards...................22 T h e F l e e t . 4 Lieut. Mulleneux, b E dw ards................... Lieut. T w e e d ie , b E dw ards.................. Fleet Paymaster Wil­ son, not out .......... Lieut. King, b Ed­ wards .................. Byes, &c.............. Total 0 0 6 0 7 ..176