Cricket 1910

8 2 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD. OF THE GAME. A p r il 2 8 , 1910. it infra dig to serve under an experienced professional; it was customary then to make the best man captain ; a man’s social rank scarcely counted. E. M. did cot ful61 expectations in Australia; his health was none too good, the food on board ship not agreeing with him. Then again he may have been nervous through anx'ety to do himself justice. Only on one occasion did he play up to his reputation ; that was when he challenged an eleven of Maryborough to a single-wicket contest. He went in first, and remained at the wicket the day through, carrying his bat out for 10G. As it was a one-day match his opponents did not get an iunings. But if his batting was disappointing, his fielding was pronounced wonderful. Nothing like it had ever been seen in the colony. I have now been watching cricket for more than half a century and have seen every first-class cricketer, and, though I am no laudator temporis acti, I can truly say that I have never seen a “ point” to compare with E. M. In his early days there were several famous pnints—Bob Carpenter, Cris Tinley, Roger Iddison and V. E. Walker. All of them stood close in, that is, at the “ point of the bat.” But E. M. was easily best. I have seen him make a catch not a yard distant from the batsmin ; indeed, when a back-plajer like Jupp was batting he would at times take the ball off the bat. The wonder is that he was never injured by standing so close in. Pointing like his is a lost art; nobody stands at point to-day. But then E. M. was perhaps the liveliest cricketer ever seen; he was ubiquitous. Once when bowling I saw him catch a man at short-leg; indeed, the only thiDg he could not do was to keep wicket to his own bowling. Of the twelve who went to Australia in 1863, Caffyn is the only other survivor ; he is the Grand Old Man of cricket, having just passed the eighty-second stone. E. M. kept a diary of that tour, which he sent home in instalments. It was freely circulate 1 among friends, one of whom, quite unknown to E. M., had it printed. A copy was given me a few years ago; it is entitled “ Our Trip to Australia, by one of the Twelve.” I sent it to E. M. at his request, as he had not the faintest idea that it had ever got into print. Another memory. Also at the Oval at the back end of 1865—the ground-bowlers’ benefit match—an Eleven of England v. 18 of Surrey. E. M. got a bat in both innings—his seventy-fifth up to date! But his batting I have forgotten; it was his bowling that produced a sensation which might have had an ugly issue. Jupp was batting, and, as was his wont, took root. How to uproot him? E. M. hit on a novel scheme. East round arm bowling was use­ less, but lobs might succeed, especially as the sun was lowering and would make it difficult for the batsman to follow the flight of ball if it was tossed yards high. Such a ball was bowled, Jupp let it alone; ball fell on top of wicket. The Surrey crowd was furious, shouted to their favourite not to go out, broke through the ropes, ready to handle E. M. roughly. E. M seized a stump ; the Surrey secretary, William B irrup, came to the rescue and spoke a few quiet wise words. Crowd pacified, resumed its seat, match proceeded, the fateful delivery not repeated. But I must cry halt. I saw E. M. last at Leeds in 1894. Another memorable match, Yorkshire losing 9 wickets for 19 runs in the second innings; Hirst and Hunter, who were tenth—and eleventh on the list,, added 42 runs for, the last wicket, and Yorkshire won by 26. E. M. was as sprightly as ever, spite'of his. 53 years, though I m ticcd that bis knees bent a trifle. As he left the pavilion a small lad patted him on the back, exclaiming “ Good Old Doctor,” much to his amusement. The b itting had lost its wizardry, but there was tbe old daring at point. I had a very delightful chat with him about oil days. That was his last season in the Gloucester­ shire team, his thirty-fourth in fir.-t-clasR crickit. He and W. G. completed nearly 80 seasons between them. But at Thornbury he played years longer, and at the close of last season he resigned the County secretary­ ship. Ever since 1875, when he was elected Coroner for West Gloucestershire, his first- class cricket was practically limited to county matches. A great cricketer in every sense of tbe word ; one of the most picturesque figures in cricket history ; an e;och-making cricketer; a cricketer sui t/ener.'s; daringly original; who appearel in the nick of time, when batting was drearily laboured and maiden overs were regarded as the t 1 st pf a bowler’s abil ty. We don’t think so now, thanks largely to E M. Grace, who, as a match winner never had a peer, unless it was W. G. One devoutly wishes that both brothers had been endowed with undying youth. CRICKET REFORM . IMPORTANT CHANGES ADOPTED. At Lord’s on Monday, the M.C.C. Commi tee finally considered the resolutions passed by tbe Alvisory CommitUe of the Counties on March 21st and afterwards ref< rred to the M.C.C *s cricket sub-committee. Among the various motions the one of most interest was the sug estion by Lancashire to alter the method of scoring points in the county championship. Their proposal rea l : — “ That draws and losses be ignored, and only matches won to count in the percentage of matches played.” It was decided that this system of scoring should be given a trial, to take effect this year. That the M.C.C. had determined to take this course was announced by Mr. C. E. Green at the Essex meeting last week. The proposal by Hampshire, that any person on the active list of the Army or Navy, who has played for a county for two or more seasons, shall retain his qualifica­ tion on his return from abroad, was passed. The rule reads : — QUALIFICATION OF SERVICE PLAYERS. “ That any person on the Active List of the Army or Navy who has played for a county under the residential qualification for two or more seasons, and is abioad on service, shall retain his qualifica­ tion on his return from abroad as if he had never been abroad.” Surrey’s resolution with regard to tbe protection o f wickets was adopted with cer­ tain verbal alterations. It now leads:— “ The M.C.C. suggest to the executive of each county ground to adopt a covering to protect the ground against rain at any time after seven a.m. on the morning of the first day of a match. After the actual commencement of play the ground may again be protected when necessary, and shall be protected every night during the continuation of a match, but the covering shall be removed each morning, if fine, at seven o’clock. The covering must not protect a larger area than 18ft. by 12ft. at each end, and must not protect a space of more than 3ft. 6in. in front of the popping crease.” It is hoped that the counties will make it a prac ice to carry out ihe resolution, and will I rovide the necessary covering. The resolutions as to the attendance of umpires half an ho ir before the commence­ ment of each day's play an \ the time for the luncheon interval were passed, as was also Kent's pr<posal that six runs should be allowed lor all hits that crop over and clear of the boundary line or fence. The wording of the resolutions is as follows: — DURATION OF LUNCHEON INTERVAL. “ That the interval for luncheon shall be forty minutes. In the event of the last wicket falling within two minutes of the time arranged for luncheon that the game shall be resumed at the usual h .ur, no allowance being m :de for the ton minutes between the innings.” BOUNDARY HITS. “ That umpires be instructed to allow 0 runs for all hits that drop over and clear of the boundary line or fence.” UMPIRE. “ That all umpires report themselves to the manager of the ground half an hour before the com­ mencement of each day’s play, and that they make a point of seeing that the wickets, bats, and balls- are in accordance with the laws of the game, and that they be reminded that the conduct of the game and the state of the ground is within their jurisdic­ tion.” The propos il by the Minor Counties’ Asso- ciat on as to lolin g the wicket for five minutes after the close of play each evening and five minutes each morning, instead of ten minutes each morning as at present, was deferred for further and careful considera- ti n. Involving an alteration in the laws of cricket it cou’d not have come iuto operation this season. PRIVATE BANKS v. TOWNLEY PARK .— Played at Catford Bridge on April 23 and left drawn. Score :— P r iv a t e b a n k s . E. C. Kirk, not out 100 C.E.Melville,not out .. .. 32 C. Morris, c Parker, b B e st................... 29 Byes, &c. .. 20 Total (1 wkt)* 181 *Innings declared closed. T. J. Wheeler, C. R. Ingersoll, R. M. Wor- lock, C. Penman, J. L. M. Davidson, A. B. Thomas, King, and A. Gordon did not bat. T o w n l e y P a r k . A. Wallers, c and b S. Best, not out 0 Wheeler . . . . 12 W. H. Piper, c Pen­ man, b Kirk ». 21 C. J. Witherly, b Kirk . . . . 2 Byes, &c............... 5 G.H. Parker, not — o u t ................... 9 Total (3 whts) 49 W. J. Baker, C. A. Broadhurst, T. D. Woodfall, E. A. Sims, and S. V. N. Wear did not bat. GEORGE LEW IN & Co., (Established 1869.) Club Colour Specialists and A lhle lc Clothing Manufacturers. OUTFITTERS BY APPOINTMENT To the M.C.C. South African XI., 1909-10 ; the Aus­ tralians, 1S90, 1899 and 1902 ; Mr. Stoddart’s XI., 1S94-1S95, 1897-1898 ; Mr. MacLaren’s XI., 1901-1902; West Indian XI., 1900 and 1906; South Africans XI., 1901 and 1907 ; and M.C.C., Lancashire, Kent, Surrey and Sussex Counties, Wanderers, Stoics, Bromley, Suttor., and all Public Schools’ Old Roys’ Clubs, and Queen’s Club.—Write for E stimates F ree . Telegraphic Address : “ Leot&de , London." Telephone ; P.O. City 601, 8, Crooked Lane, Monument, London Bridge, E.C.