Cricket 1910

J une 9, 1910. CR ICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. Smith and Dennett and Huggins and Wass have shown us that there is still a little efficacy in the orthodox.” W . T y l d e s l e y , who played six innings for Lancashire last season with­ out doing anything remarkable, has been showing capital form this year, and it is only the strength of the county’s cricket at the present time which prevents him from having a regular place in the side. For the second team this season he has scored 21 and 50 not out v. Yorkshire 2nd X I., 121 v. Cheshire, 115 v. Kent 2nd X I., and 10 and 107 not out v. Surrey 2nd X I. He is a left- handed batsman and is occasionally o f use as a fast bowler. W h e n the Advisory County Committeemet at Lord’s last March it was resolved to recom ­ mend the appointment of a Special Committee to consider the various matters connected with the financial side of county cricket, includ­ ing the question of sta rtin g first-cla ss matches on Saturdays and Wednesdays. This received the approval of the M.C.C., and a meeting was called for Friday last at Lord's with Lord Cobham (Worcestershire), who was responsible for the proposal, in the chair. The others present at the meeting, which was of rather long du­ ration and not produc­ tive o f any tangible result, were C. E. Green (Essex), Lord Hawke (Yorkshire), Col. E. A. Bruce (Sus­ sex), H . T. Hewett (Somerset), and F. E. Lacey, secretary to the M.C.C. C o m m e n t in g on this matter, the A thletic News remarks, very truly, that the business aspect of cricket is indeed an urgent sub­ ject for consideration. Cricketers them­ selves seem convinced that “ something will have to be done” to kindle or re­ kindle the lambent flame of enthusiasm. We cannot in these days adopt the attitude of “ Laissez faire ” and declare that county cricket is all humbug. Vested interests are too great. What the sub-committee who are inquiring into the financial con­ dition of the counties will recommend cannot be predicted, but the pooling of receipts, or even their division on any systematic plan, seems a cliimeri-cal idea. The wealthier counties can quite appre­ ciate the needs of their poor relations, but even those who are fairly well sup­ ported like Lancashire, Surrey and Kent have the maintenance of large estates and a considerable staff to think about. The problem to solve is not the allocation of the money which is made, but how to make the county competition magnetic so that those who have a love of cricket, which lies dormant, will be aroused to swarm to the grounds. I n explanation of the sketch “ At Fenner’s ” it may be stated that the gentlemen depicted in it are not Esquimaux or Chinese or anything of AT TENNEli S. casionally for Yorkshire, is now engaged with the Dudley C.C. On Saturday he scored 104 for them against Smethwick, his chief hits being two 0’s and four­ teen 4’s. that sort, but Cambridge Undergraduates who are taking an airing, and incidentally looking on at a cricket-match. Unfor­ tunately without the aid o f C olou r it is impossible adequately to represent the charms offered to the spectator by their socks— or should it be stockings ?— but a humble attempt has been made to shew the stripes and clocks (or whatever the technical term may be) with which the socks (or stockings) are adorned. The headgear is in the very latest University style. C. H . G r im s h a w , who has played oc­ A n amusing little story is told concern­ ing the end of A. C. MacLaren’s innings o f 100 last week against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. When he had got to 94 he made a big drive for six off Field, and then A. H . Hornby appeared on the balcony of the pavilion to call the batsmen in, as he had resolved to declare. MacLaren, thinking that he was being asked if he required any liquid refreshment, politely said: “ No, thank you ! ” Hornby replied that he had closed the innings. So MacLaren was denied the chance of more hitting. M a c L a r e n followed his big score against Warwickshire with an innings of 127 at tlie expense of Worcester­ shire, thereby making his thirtieth century for Lancashire. Balph Whitehead made 129 at the same time, and together the pair put on 200 for the sixth wicket, which is the largest stand ever made for that wicket in the annals o f Lancashire cricket, exceeding the 211 by C. K. Hartley (139) and Albert Ward (111 not out) against G lo u ce ste rs h ir e at Bristol ten years ago. It was certainly some­ what remarkable that two batsmen, each of whom made a hundred on his first appearance for the county—Mac­ Laren in 1890 and Whitehead eighteen years later — should meet in 1900, should each bat for two hours and a-half without a mistake, and that Mac­ Laren should score 127 and Whitehead 129. I t must be most gratifying to Lanca­ shire folk to find that Whitehead’s powers have not been affected by his long and serious illness of last year. It was in June, 19)8, that he made his first appear­ ance fortlie County—against Nottingham­ shire at Manchester—when, in addition to scoring 131 and 5, in each case not out, he took three wickets and was no­ balled for throwing. Later in the season he made 104 against Leicestershire, also at Old Trafford, and in first-class matches that year scored 023 runs with an average of 34'01. Last year, owing to