Cricket 1909

J u l y 29, 1909. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. “ In the ’Eighties and well into the ’Nineties,” says the Observer, “ when cricket was for the cricketers and the Press had not wholly taken the game under its wing, there was an array of genius that made it impossible to choose the wrong sides. 1Our decadence in sport ’ was not heralded because the M.C.C. was beaten in a single day at Lord’s; we were only proud to think that our kinsmen had learned the game well enough to achieve the feat. Except in 1882, our men were not susceptible to ‘ nerves.’ The cricketers played their own natural game. Championship and competition have stifled all this. Too often to-day the players set out with the idea that they must do something foreign to their own natural game; they suppress their genius, barrenness overtakes them ; they fall easy, victims to the co-operative 1keeps ’ cricket of Australia.” R e s u l t of matches between Derbyshire and the Australians:— 1880. Australians won by eight wickets. 1882. ,, ,, inns, and 109. 1884. ,, ,, inns, and 140. 1886. ,, ,, six wickets. 1888. ,, ,, inns, and 79. 1890. Drawn. 1893. Australians won by inns, and 71. 1896. Drawn. 1899. Australians won by inns, and 249. 1902. ,, ,, eight wickets. 1905. ,, ,, 105 runs. 1909. ,, ,, ten wickets. Of the 12 matches played the Australians have won 10. The other two were drawn. I n the course of an interview with a representative of Lloyd's News E. A. Halliwell, the South African wicket­ keeper, remarked:— “ During the past three weeks I have watched all the best English players, as well as the Australians. The latter are a great side. Ransford and Bardsley are two of the finest left-handers I have seen, and Carter, the wicket-keeper, has improved out of all knowledge. “ I certainly think that the All-England team might have been improved upon. As for Carr, the googlie bowler, I watched him very closely in the Gentlemen v. Players match at Lord’s, and could tell from his action when he delivered the leg-break and when the off. I will keep the secret and let the Australians find out for themselves. “ I am sorry that the googlie style of bowling has ever been discovered. Given a googlie bowler, with Schwarz’s puzzling style of delivery and Blythe’s accuracy of length, the finest batsmen living would be practically helpless before him. And the expert googlie merchant j>uzzles the wicket-keeper as much as the batsman. “ You might consider me an extremist when 1 say that during my career I have not watched a better innings than young Greswell’s century for Somerset against Middlesex on Friday. It was magnificent in every way—fearless, free and correct. I under­ stand that Mr. Greswell is only nineteen years old, and even so I think he is quite good enough for Test match standing. His fielding, too, is superb.” Mr. Halliwell is in capital cricketing form, and will play with the M.O.C. before returning to Africa. S om e of the best cricket of the present season was that seen at Trent Bridge on Saturday, when Notts pulled off their match with Gloucestershire in capital style. Early in the day they forced the run-getting so well that they were able to declare with six wickets in hand and leave the visitors four hours in which to make 334 to win. The wicket was still in good condition, and the general opinion was that Gloucestershire, after their dis­ play in the Essex match at Leyton, would be found equal to giving a very good account of themselves. Jones, having tried four bowlers by the time the total was 27, then put himself on. Board was bowled by his first ball, and, although now and again he come in for punishment, he kept a very good length and managed to impart sufficient spin to the ball to beat the bat. In the course of twenty-one overs he took eight wickets for 71 runs, and Notts won by 18'2 runs with a couple of hours to spare. E a r l ie r in the day James Iremonger had hit with delightful freedom, and it was his fast scoring which rendered possible the victory which Jones’ bowling brought about. If the Notts Eleven could be relied on always to play such attractive cricket, the game would very soon be as popular again as ever in the county. MB, F. LAVER. HE TOOK EIGHT ENGLISH WICKETS FOR 31 AT MANCHESTER ON MONDAY. Photo by] [Humphreys JkCo ., Melbourne. A l b e r t I r e m o n g e r , who showed such useful all-round form in the match, is a younger brother of James Iremonger and was born at Wilford, in Notts, on June 15th, 1884. His bowling is right-arm medium-paced with a deceptive flight, whilst his fielding at short-slip is well above the average. His great height— 6 ft. 5 in.—gives him a good reach, of which he takes full advantage. He has been a member of the ground-staff at Trent Bridge since 1906. A. J. W e b b e still keeps up the game successfully. On Thursday last he played an innings of 139 for R. W. Awdry’s XI. against Leighton, at Westbury, Wilts. A t a meeting of the Yorks County Committee, on Friday, a suggestion sub­ mitted by the M.C.C. for the alteration of Law 54, so as to enable a side to declare at any time on the second day, was con­ sidered, and it was decided to support the alteration for the following reasons: First, because it would have a tendency to in­ crease the rate of scoring: secondly, to bring matches to a definite conclusion; and, thirdly, to obviate the throwing away of wickets on the second day. G. L. H e b d e n (135 not out) and J. Bow- stead (04 not out) put on 203 without being separated for the fifth wicket of Pallingswick v. Battersea at East Acton on July 21. T h a t Kent would gain an easy victory over Surrey at Blackheath was generally expected, not merely because the latter have a reputation for doing badly on Kent ground, but because, with Hayward, Hobbs, Leveson-Gower, Marshal and Crawford away, they were obliged to go into the field with a very weak side. Apart from the delightful hitting by Spring in the first innings, and, in a less degree, of Smith in the second, the batting of the Surrey men was weak, whilst their bowlers obtained their wickets at very heavy cost. Woolley again showed his partiality for the Surrey’s attack in the shape of an innings of 117—a capital dis­ play which brought him an invitation to be present at Manchester for the Test match. T h e following notice was prominently displayed last week at Blackheath :— *‘ Thereby give notice that in the event of the land clauses of the Finance Bill being passed I shall be compelled, much against my wishes, to sell the Rectory Field, the Fairfield, and the frontages of the Charlton Road, for building, so I invite all those who are anxious that these spaces should be kept vacant, both for the health as well as the recreation of the neighbourhood, to assist me in trying to prevent this Bill passing in its present form. S. Maryon-Wilson, Bart., (of Eastbourne).” At a Committee Meeting of the York­ shire County C.C., at Leeds, on Friday, it was unanimously resolved, in view of the circular from the M.C.C.—published in last week’s Cricket —to support a petition which is being prepared to be sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, asking him to exempt cricket and other grounds from the operation of the Finance Act. Mr. F. C. Toone, the County Secretary, will approach the whole of tho clubs in the County, so as to demonstrate the fact that to tax these grounds will have a prejudicial effect upon cricket and other sports. Immediate steps will be taken to bring this into effect, so that the petition will be complete and carry the desired effect. T h e Yorkshire team experienced more • than one anxious moment on Saturday afternoon after Warwickshire had sent them in with 76 to get to win. Rhodes played a sound game for 20, but half the side were out for 41. Fortunately for them, however, Rothery and Bates proved equal to the occasion, and made all the remaining runs necessary without further loss. But, had either failed early, Warwickshire might well have succeeded in pulling off the game. I cannot help feeling that it would be a good thing for Warwickshire if Glover would go in earlier. His ability entitles him to do