Cricket 1910

2-|.S CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J u l y 7 , 1910. H . G R A D I D G E And SONS, Manufacturers o f *11 Requisites for Cricket, Lawn Tennis, Racquets, Hockey, Football, and all British Sports. PATENTEES AND SOLE MAKERS Used by all the Leading Players. Made In Men's, Small Men’s, er Celle*«, 6, 8, 4, A 3 sixes. P r i c e i.lH ts F r e e o n ▲ p p llc a t io a . O f a l l F i r s t - C l a s s O u t f i t t e r s a n d D e a l e r s . OF THE Rebl&dlng a Speciality. Factory ; A rtillery P lace , WOOLWICH. N O W R E A D Y . “ Chats on the Cricket Field.” By W. A. B E T T E SW O R T H . (Author o f “ T h e W a l k e b 3 of S o o t h g a t e . ” ) With Explanatory Notes by F. S. A s h l e y -C o o p e r . The Volume (500 pages) contains Chats with over fifty Cricketers and is one which should appeal to Players and Supporters of the Game in all parts of the World. Price, 5s. net. Post Free, 5s. 5d. L o n d o n : MERRITT & IIATCIIER, L t d ., Cricket Office, 168, Upper Thames Street, E.C. Cricket: A W EEK LY RECORD OF THE GAME. 168, UPPER THAMES STREET, LONDON, E.C. TH U R SD A Y , JU LY 7 t h , 1910. ^ a i n U t f n © n s s t p . The abstract and brief chronicle of the time. — Hamlet. T h e old Etonian, Cambridge and Sussex cricketer, Mr. F. Freeman Thomas, whose elevation to the Peerage was announced in last week’s Cricket, will take the title of Lord Willingdon of Batton. His country seat, which is known as Ratton, is situated in the parish of Willingdon, about two miles from Eastbourne. A s t o r y of the King and his children is told in the July “ Novel Magazine.” One afternoon his Majesty was batting to the bowling of his two sons and knocking up quite a respectable score, although it is said that he can never stand up long against Prince Albert’s attack. Prince Edward, however, was bowling, and the King was hitting all over the place. At length the younger Prince went up to his brother and said : “ This won’t do, you know. You must get him out this over, or I must go on again myself—as usual! ” accomplished a cricketer should not be seen more frequently in the County’s ranks, and with pleasure that one o f their players had done so well; Lawton’s innings o f 168 is the highest he has yet made in a match of note, exceeding his 149 for Derbyshire against London County at Derby in 1902. I f he would play regularly in county cricket, not only would he prove a tower of strength to his side but his presence would ensure better attendances at the matches, for the prospect of seeing a long innings by so fine a hitter would prove irresistible to a great many people. L o r d B y r o n , the poet, who played in the Eton v, Harrow match at Lord’s in 1805, did not restrict his outdoor exercises to cricket. “ This morning,” he wrote to a friend on May 3rd, 1810, “ I swam from Sestos to Abydos. The immediate distance is not above a mile, but the current renders it hazardous; so much so that I doubt whether Leander’s conjugal affection must not have been a little chilled in his passage to Paradise. I attempted it a week ago, and failed — owing to the north wind and the wonderful rapidity o f the tide—though I have been from m y childhood a strong swimmer. But this morning being calmer I succeeded, and crossed the ‘ broad Hellespont ’ in an hour and ten minutes.” I t is not often that cricketers look to the D etroit News for inspiration, but the following lines from that journal will appeal to those whose plans were frustrated by the recent un-cricket-like weather:— The optimist grew thoughtful, And his words were sadly terse— “ The world is growing Ijetter, But the climate’s getting worse.” Nothing could have been more dreary than the conditions experienced in some parts of the country on Saturday. On at least one ground there was a fire in the pavilion—not because coals could be bought at summer prices, but for the reason that it was considered necessary for the comfort of the players. “ F o r several years,” says L e Matin, “ the summers have invariably been vile. Mount Pelee, Etna, Vesuvius, the North Pole, and the comet have been most unfairly blamed. It is not their fault; it is ours. It rains all the time because we have invented wireless telegraphy. I f you send an electric current through a tube the vapour in the air is condensed on the sides o f the vessel. Similarly the Hertzian waves sent through the at­ mosphere cause the clouds to condense. Observe that the present series of wet summers dates from the first application of wireless telegraphy. The more wire­ less messages are sent the more it will rain.” T h e success of A. E . Lawton against Oxford University last week must have been received by Derbyshire men with mixed feelings—with regret that so T h e latest suggestion for cricket reform comes from an unusual quarter — the sporting editor o f the St. Helen’s Church Magazine. H e recommends that “ there should be a penalty for blocking more than one ball in an over during a one-day match.” C o n s id e r a b l e satisfaction has been experienced in Surrey cricketing circles at the news that Bushby has definitely arranged to return to the county at the close of the present season. This year his performances on behalf of the Accring­ ton Club, in the Lancashire League, have shown that he retains all his skill as a bowler, and therefore the announcement that, unless something very unexpected should occur, he will be seen in the Surrey ranks again next year proved particularly welcome. Like Tremlin, he severed his connection with his county in order to accept an engagement with a Lancashire club only to return later. Bushby’s absence, however, will have been far shorter than that of the Essex player. B d s h b y told a representative of the A thletic News that he was more en­ amoured of County than club cricket. He added that he would never have left Surrey save for the unfortunate difference which arose between the Surrey Club and himself, and which, he thought, would have been settled had both sides been more considerate at the time. For one thing he preferred County to club cricket, because there were far more matches in the former. He was fond enough of the game to play it every day. He had also been influenced in his decision by the