Cricket 1909

S e p t . 2, 1909. CR ICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 37 1 The construction of the Demon Drivers is fully described in The E v o lu tio n of a Cricket B a t , which may be obtained free upon applica­ tion. CRICKET IlMFROVED MAKE- KEEP THEIR SHAPE-LAS f LONCERg CATALOGU E UPON APPLIC ATION . CATALO GU E UPON APPLIC ATIO N . CATALOGU E UPON APPLICATION . B U S S E Y S 8 r , D E M O N D R I V E R S R ar e out a * d o u t th e BEST. | Q g r ade . C A TA LO dU B UPON APPLICATION TO 5 GEO. G. BUSSEY & Co., L td . 36 & 38, Queen Victoria St., LONDON. Manufactory — Timber Mills — PECKHAM, S.E. ELMSWELL, SUFFOLK. Agents all over the world. AT THE SIGN OF THE WICKET. By F. S. A s h le y -C o o p e r. A lack of interest has been apparent con­ cerning the constitution of the England side which is to visit South Africa during the winter aud the announcement of the names has been received with marked apathy. Perhaps the presence of an Australian team in this country may be held largely responsi­ ble for this state of things, but, be that as it may, it has been very obvious that the matter has received much less attention from the general public than if it had been a tour through Australia under consideration. W ell as the South Africans performed on their own wickets during P. F. Warner's visit, and notwithstanding the good form they showed in this country two years ago, Englishmen have not yet come to regard them as being quite on a level with the Australians. A reputation such as that enjoyed by the latter is not established in four or five years, perhaps not even in a decade, and followers of the game over here therefore have reason .if they are not ready to place the South Africans in the same category as our opponents of longer standing. A few weeks ago I was endeavouiing to make a South African see matters in this light, but, after listening to what I had to say, he endeavoured to prove, by deluging me with figures, that my point of view was altogether wrong. I hope I do him no injustice, but it struck me that, in his attempt to show that the skill of the cricketers of the two countries was almost on an equality, he attached far too much importance to the fact that, whereas the South Africans ran up a score of 573 at Glasgow in 1907, the Australians succeeded in making only three more there this year. Figures can be used to prove a good many things, but I fear I came away unconvinced, preferring to coincide in opinion with a very sound judge of the game who said to me at Lord ’s two years ago:— “ The South Africans are excellent cricketers, but the Australians know a lot more concerning the finer points of the game.” But I have allowed myself to leave the point upon which I wished to touch when I commenced this paragraph. The names of the players chosen for the forthcoming trip w ill be found on another page, and there is therefore no necessity to repeat them here. If all those who have been invited undertake the tour, the side, without being likely to inspire one with much confidence, should prove equal to wiuning a fair proportion of its matches. The bowling seems to be the strong point of the team, with Simpson - Hayward, Woolley, Thompson, Blythe, Buckenham and Rhodes at command, though as the last-named w ill be looked to for runs as well it would not be wise to place too much reliance upon what he w ill do with the ball. Whether the batting of the side w ill prove equal to all required of it time alone can show. Fane and Denton were members of the team of 1905-6 and headed the averages in eleven a-side matches, the former with 39 06 runs an innings and the latter with 32-70. In the same series Wynyard’s figures were 21*66 and Leveson-Gower’s 18 83, and it must not be forgotten that the former, who owes his place to reputation and not to form— he has not taken part regularly in first-class cricket for some considerable time — is now in his forty-ninth year. Hobbs is likely to prove one of the star batsmen of the side and M. C. B ird is a rapidly- improving player, but, when all is said, much responsibility w ill rest upon Fane, Hobbs, Denton and Rhodes. It is to be regretted that a more representative team could not be got together. Yet again one has to lament that a game of great importance has been ruined by the weather, the match in question on this occasion being the return between the M.C.C. and the Australians. It had been recognised that the latter would make every effort to atone for their defeat in the previous game, and a well-contested match had been anticipated. Whilst the weather was fine some excellent cricket was seer, Ransford, in making his highest score in England and his sixth century of the tour, carrying off the chief honours. It was no mean feat to exceed the M.C.C.’s total off his own bat when opposed to such bowling as he had to face, and, although his innings was not flawless, it was a very fine display indeed and one upon which he deserves to be heartily congratulated. H is form of late has been excellent, seeing that in five consecutive innings he has made three hundreds. A great deal was said in his praise before he reached England, and he has shown that the reports of his skill, highly laudatory though they were, did not flatter him. As one watched him scoring runs so readily against some of the very best bowling one could pit against him it was impossible not to help feeling thankful that Sir A. Conan Doyle’s suggestion that left-handed batsmen should be prohibited from taking part in first -class cricket stood no chance whatever of becoming law. Trumper also gave a very delightful display, but a chance he offered before making a run detracted from the merit of his innings. It was no mean feat on the part of Buckenham to take six wickets at a cost of a fraction over sixteen runs each in an innings of 434, especially when it is remembered what poor support he was acco: ded in the field. He is a big-hearted player, and deserved a much better analysis. Apart from his bowling almost the only thing upon which the home side w ill be able to look back with any satis­ faction was the first-wicket stand by H . K. Foster and Tarrant in the second innings. Failure on their part late in the afternoon of Tuesday might have proved very serious, and in offering such an effectual resistance they were responsible for a very meritorious feat. Even had a fu ll day’s play been pos­ sible yesterday it is unlikely that a defiuite result would have been reached, but the rain nevertheless, must be deplored. The fact that Kent, after an interval of three years, have regained the Championship has caused much satisfaction in all parts of the country, and no greater testimony to the popularity of the side could be desired. Apart from a couple of disasters during the Tonbridge Week they have been, if not irresistible, at least invulnerable. That they well merit the distinction which thev have gained is everywhere acknowledged, for whatever the state of the wicket they have proved themselves a side to be feared. Their many successes have been brought about practically by the same side which did so well in 1906 under Mr. Marsham, and as the great majority of the players are still comparatively young there would seem to be no good reason why the eleven should not prove one of the strongest for some time to come. The County is certaiLly fortunate in its cricketers. Playing for United Services against Leamington at Mount Wise, Devonport, list Saturday, Aston, the Devon and United Services professional, took nine wickets, all clean bowled, for 10 runs.