Cricket 1909

2 4 8 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J uly 8, 1909. H. GRADIDGE A n d S O N S , Manufacturers o f a ll R e q u i s i t e s fo r C r i c k e t , L a w n T e n n i s , R a c q u e t s , H o c k e y , F o o t b a l l , a n d a ll British Sports. PATENTEES AND SOLE MAKERS ) F THE Used by all the Leading Players. Made In Men'*, Small Men’i, *r College, 6, 5, 4, 4 8 sizes. P r i c e L i s t * F r e e o n A p p l i c a t i o n . Of all First-Class Outfitters and Dealers. Reblading a S p ecia lity. Factory; A r tille ry Place. WOOLV/ICH. The AMERICAN CRICKETER. F ounded 1877. P u blish ed b y H . K . C orn ish on b e h a lf o f The A sso cia te d C ricket C lubs o f P h ila d e lp h ia . An 111ubtratcd Journal of Cricket, Association Football, Tennis, Golf, and Kindred Pastimes. No. 632, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa , U.S.A. PRICE— 10/- p e r a n n u m , p o st p a id a n yw h ere. Specimen copies mailed on request. ( ( O V A L B A . ” R E I D ’ S O V A L . W H I T E . The celebrated preparation for cleaning Cricket and all Buff Leather Goods, Warranted not to rub off or cake. As used at Ken- nington Oval, and highly recommended by K. 8 Ranjitsinhji, Dr. W. Q. Grace, O. B. Fry, Ix>rd Dalmeny, Australian XL, 1905, G. L. Jeesop/Ac., &c. P a c k c d in z in c b o x e s , 6 d . p e r b o x . J. J. REID, 378, Keunington Rd., L o n d o n . C r i c k e t : A WEEKL V RECORD OF THE GAME. 168, UPPER THAMES STREET, LONDON, E.C. THURSDAY, JULY 8m, 1909. | ) a i r i l u m © 0 5 s i p . The abstract and brief chronicle of the time. — Hamlet. T h e record of the Australians is now as follows Matches played, 18 ; won, 7 ; lost, 3; drawn, 8. They have won the toss ten times and lost it eight times. T h e Rev. R. S. Holmes, writing to me on the subjoct of last week’s Test match at Leeds, says:—“ Don’t let us lose our heads or our tempers because of the result. For the first two days it was a great match; the run-getting was slow but never monotonous, the bowling being on the spot, whilst the fielding was as nearly perfect as it could be. Believe me, there’s nothing seriously amiss with English cricket. Saturday was just one of those off-days which come now and again in the history of individuals and communities. Even the great Homer may be caught nodding. The explanation may lie here; Test cricket has been so boomed that it has got on the nerves of 'the authorities, the players, the general public and the press. Consequently it is more a trial of nerves than of skill, and so many of our batsman did not play their natural game.” “ B e w a r e of experimental teams for tho remaining two matches. AVith the exception perhaps of Denton I would choose no player fresh to this class of match, and for the very reason that he would be almost certain to fail through over-anxiety. It could be urged that he could not do worse than our eleven did on Saturday. Granted: but next time they would not fail so ignominiously. They are too old, say some ; we want young blood. But what is ‘ too old at cricket ? ’ A century ago—the year was 1810—when a match, ‘ Young v. Old,’ was played, the limit of th e ‘ Young’ was 38 years. A t the same time certain of the England side have seen their best days, or else play so seldom in first-class cricket as not to be worth a place in a representative team.” “ No member of the Selection Com­ mittee should be a possible England player.” “ I t is absurd to elect as captain a man who on his present form would not be picked among the first twenty best cricketers. Choose the side first and then from that promote one man to be captain. If you have not an amateur good enough either as batsman or bowler, then make a professional captain. Surely a man of Lilley’s experience and ability could be trusted with that responsibility. When Jackson was captain he was our greatest batsman in the biggest matches. Seeing him on the players’ balcony last week, one could not help regretting the refusal he sent back, although it is probable that he may not be as great a cricketer as he was in the season of 1905.” “ T h e luck was dead against England, in that Hayward was not physically fit to play, and so stood down. The loss of such a master-hand to open the innings was irreparable. And then the accident to poor Jessop, who, single- handed might—I do not say he would —have completely pulled the match round, was enough to take the heart out of his chums. Surely as his accident occurred within an hour of the start of the match, it should have been possible for Jones to take his place both in the field and at the wicket. Laws Nos. 37 and 38 need alteration.” “ T h e finest bowler on both sides was Barnes without doubt; the wicket on Thursday was not quite fast enough for him. But he was indifferently supported at tho other end. Cannot Blythe venture to play at Manchester ? Ho is our only class left-hand slow bowler.” “ T h e ‘ Hobbs incident ’ in the first innings lent distinction to the match. As I watched him through a powerful glass from the Press-Box lie appeared to me to let himself be bowled ; he evidently thought he ought to have been given out the previous ball. I wondered whether for the moment he had lost his nerve, or was his action dictated by a magnanimous refusal to take advantage of what was in his judgment a wrong decision? But is that cricket ? He and Sharp were the only batsmen that it.spired confidence in the spectators.” “ O n e cannot too much admire the ability of the Colonials. Early on I stated again and again that they were a much greater team than certain matches showed. Evidently they want a big occasion to reveal their many-sided powers. Still, I do not think they are the masters of England.” D u r in g the Australians’ first innings S. E. Gregory gained the distinction of making his 2,000th run in Test-match cricket. The record is of so unusual a nature as to warrant a detailed account being given:— Not Season. Inns. out. Most. Total. Aver. 1S90 4 1 9 15 5-00 1891-2 2 0 7 10 500 1893 5 0 57 75 lf>-00 1894-5 9 0 201 362 40 22 1896 6 0 103 182 3033 1897-8 8 2 71 264 44-00 1899 8 0 117 188 23-50 1901-2 10 1 55 269 29-88 1902 8 1 29 100 14-28 1903-4 8 0 112 189 23 62 1905 5 1 51 94 23-50 1907-8 4 0 56 139 3475 1909 6 1 46 121 24 20 In England,.42 4 117 775 20-39 In Australia .. 41 3 201 1,233 32-44 Total......... . 83 7 201 2,003 26-42