Cricket 1910

O c t . 2 7 , 1 9 1 0 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 437 could have spared a better man.” Wbat business bad consumption and hectic fevers to come into tbe cricket-field to take him away? Poor fellow ! we saw him in his last match. His cheek was hollow and his lips pale, but his execution was as fine as ever. His cut to the ‘point, was unrivalled, and his leg hit very poweiful and sure. His brother-in-law, Searle , a few years since sto )d as the champion of England. He has played but little 1»tely, having engagements in business which he will not (why will he not?) neglect at Godalmiog. We saw him, however, once this year at Marylebourn, and were much pleased. His cuts too were masterly. Beagley is growing old, and his batting is not suited to the present style of bowling; he can no longer insure his 20 and 100 runs, as he used to do in fine style; but he has been a first-rate pla.'er ; he has a style of batting peculiarly his own, and as a fieldsman he is invincible. Marsden bears a great name in Yorkshire. As a fieldsman he is the finest at point we can conceive; as a bat er he gets his runs very quick, is very vigorous and decisive, but he runs in too much off his ground, and is want­ ing in temper and judgment and discrttion; however, he is a good player, and had he been brought .up at Marylebourn, among fine players, would have been eminent. Wenman is a great favourite at present; he keeps wicket excellently, bats very finely, with great judgment, and is a very steady and accomplished player. The greatest name we have reserved to the last. Come foith from the public-house at the bottom of Surry Hill, Norwich, which thou keepest, with thy sister as thy bar-maid, Fuller Pilch ! fresh from thy late victory over the pride of Sheffield ! Pilch is undoubtedly a very fiue player, and would have been hugged with delight by old Tom Walker if he could have seen his style of bating. As a single-wicket player he is indisputably the first man of his day; he may be backed against any man safely for runs; he plays more forward than any other plaj’er, which he can do from his length of arm; therefore he does not cut , which indeed he never did, nor did his masters, Fennex and Robinson, whose style he adopted. Among the gentlemen we think Mr. 1Vard is declining this year in his play, though last year we thought him excellent; but he is getting too lusty for an exercise which requires so much activity. Mr. Jenwr plays but litt’e, but his style is very supeiior. He is not only the finest wicket-keeper in England of the present day, but the finest that ever was; no one else approaches him. Mr. Harenc bats elegantly; we have alieady spoken of his bowling. A gentleman at Black­ heath, who plays under the name of Felix, we think has no superior ; his play is in the most finished manner, and gives universal delight. There is not much to be said in favour of Messrs. Rynaston , Wodehouse or Romilly when the bowling is first-rate ; and Col. Loiother and Lords Strathovon and (7 lonbrock ought to play in private , especially the Colonel, who was designed rather to stand for the stumps than to hold &bat. We therefore close with the name of a gentleman whom we think to be at present the first batter in the Marylebourn Club—we mean the Reverend Mr. Knatchbull. He has won his way by indefatigable practice and attention, and love of the game, into the eminence he well deserves. He is now a very safe wicket, and a very strong and scientific hitter ; his leg-hits are very fine, and quite in a style of his own ; as a fields­ man he is in the very first rank. We hope and trust that his professional engagements in Norfolk will never detain the reverend gentleman from the classical ground of Marylebourn. A curate can easily supply his place in the church, but who is to supply it in the field? We shall mis3 his black unhooded head, his red shining face, and his all but shirtless body. He ought to have the living of St. John’s Wood, when he could play and preach alternately. Could it not be obtained ? There are some exceed­ ingly good players who occasionally appear on the field, such as Mr. Partridge , of Norfolk, Lord Grimston , Mr. Sivnvriglit among the gentlemen; Lanaway and Wells and Box among the players; and some very bad ones, who too often are seen, as Sir V. Cotton, Mr. Caldwell, (fee. But we have already exceeded our limits.—We must turn to graver subjects and wiser deliberations. October is coming, and we must hang up our willow bats; and with them all the delightful recollections they command ; till the swallow comes again, and the Messrs. Dark have ordered the ground to be rolled, and our old friend Goule appears riding from Kensington with the first rose in his button-hole, sleek and smiling, and as good as the bats he brings into the field. H.H. THE JAM SAHEB ON CRICKET. His Highness the Jam Saheb presented prizes to the Poona Young Cricketers’ Club one evening this week, and in a speech on that occasion made some interesting refer­ ences to Indian cricketers. After eulogising cricket as a game he said: “ I feel 1 must point out to the members some defects in Indian cricket, which I have seen in Bombay and Poona, where I have watched several important matches. Never let party spirit override your sense of fair play, or good form or manners, and don’t be elated by your victory and mock your adversaries. Try to learn something from your opponents, and appreciate their work, and profit by it. Cricket is one of the great boons the Govern­ ment and English people have presented to us, and let us make the best of it. Learn, therefore, to control your temper in times of difficulty, have patience, and, whan things are not going right, respect your adversaries and don’t abuse them, and never dispute an umpire’s decision or show the audience by any sign that you are dissatisfied. That is not playing the game. It is because this game brings forth the best virtues of man that it is worth playing. These out-door games, apart from giving you health, making you strong and virile men, keep you out of mis­ chief. I mean they keep young men from gambling dens, drinking dens, and such like evils, which are very apt to lead tbe young astray if they have nothing pure and whole­ some to occupy their minds. When I started playing in Cambridge my stumps were scat­ tered heaps of times, and I was laughed at. Again the same thing occurred the next season, and again I was laughed at. But at last I proved successful. The laugh has sometimes been on my side in the years that followed, but in no country in the world have I experienced the same seuse of fair play, good comradeship, and good sportmmship as I have had in Old England. Let us imitate her noble example.”— The Madras Times (6110/1910). THE YORKSHIRE COUNTY C.C. RETIREMENT OF LORD HAWKE. A NEW CHAMPIONSHIP PROPOSAL. At a meeting of the Yorkshire County C.C. Committee held in Leeds on September 26th, Lord Hawke formally announced his retirement from the captaincy of the York­ shire team. The decision was received with much regret, and the Rev. E. S. Carter and Messrs. J. R. Bower and S. Shaw ex­ pressed the thanks of the Committee for the great services which he had rendered the Club during his twenty eight years’ con­ nection with it. It was decided to entertain his lordship later at a complimentary dinner. Arrangements were made to play a match at Hull with the Indian team which will be in England next season, and it was decided to guarantee £100 towards the expenses of the visitors. It was reported that the past season had been a disastrous one for Yorkshire, a loss of almost £1,100 being sustained. The Committee clecided to give notice that at the next meeting of the Advisory Board they would move an alteration in the method of counting points in the County Champion­ ship Competition, but what lines the proposed change would take had not then been definitely arranged. The recommendation subsequently sub­ mitted to the counties through Mr. F. C. Toone, the Yorkshire County Secretary, was as follows :—“ My committee are desirous of giving notice to the Advisory Board for the consideration of the following proposal for the counting of points in the first-class County Championship—That points in the first-class County Championship shall be reckoned as follows : One point for a side leading on the first innings, and two additional points for a win outright. In the event of a tie, the two points awarded for a win outright to be divided, and matches in which no result has been attained shall not be counted in the results. The percentage will be arrived at by the points ‘ obtained’ out of the ‘ possible,’ as per the following: “ Yorkshire-Matches played, 20; wron outright, 10; times leading on the first in­ nings, 16; drawn (no result), 1; tied, 1; points possible, 57; obtained, 37; percent­ age, 64-91. “ Without going into the merits or demerits of the proposal, my committee feel very strongly that a scheme such as this will do much to stimulate interest in a match from the very commencement. The side leading on the first innings will in any event retain the one point. There may be many argu­ ments for and against my committee’s pro­ posal. At the same time my committee are of opinion that the scheme now submitted will arrive at a very satisfactory conclusion of the County Championship, and will in addition—and this is very important—create a keener fight from the commencement of play, and thus stimulate public interest. I am desired to ask your committee’s con­ sideration of the proposal, and shall be pleased to learn at your early convenience if you are prepared to attach your name in order to obtain a meeting for the considera­ tion of the matter by the Advisory Board.— Yours, etc.,—F. C. TOONE, Secretary .” Speaking at Barnsley on the 12th inst., Lord Hawke said that he believed Lancashire would support the proposal, which would be likely to stimulate greater interest in the contest from the start. Several counties have already expressed themselves in favour of the scheme.