Cricket 1911

94 CR ICK ET : A W EEK LY RECORD OF THE GAME. A p r i l 29, 19 1 1. Now don’t conclude that I ’m trumpeting my fore­ thought at the present tim e; far from it, although I rejoice that the M.C.C. are about to fall into line with it. When I wrote these ‘ 1 Notches ” in the long ago certain readers pronounced them dogmatic, and the writer self- opinionated. I certainly do hold very decided views on the game I have carefully studied for more than half a century, and yet I have never been a faddist nor a crank. There is always room for difference of opinion ; we all look at cricket from slightly different angles, and so we cannot be in full agreement. May I here insert an incident ? I was watch­ ing a county match in the North ; a famous batsman was my next-door neighbour in the pavilion. Just before going to the wicket he told me he must have a “ nip.” My answer was, ‘ 1 Don’t be a fool ; if I were a betting man I would lay long odds against your making 20 runs.” Well, he had his glass and then scored only three. On his return he came to me and said ‘ ‘ You were right.” I simply replied, with a smile, “ I always am.” This cricketer was one of the finest built men ever seen : he ought to have completed four-score years at least, but he heeded not my advice, and soon after one was reading his obituary. So, in view of the Triangular contest of 1912, we are to have trial matches during the coming season. It is a move in the right direction, and yet too much reliance must not be placed on the form shown by the men chosen to take part in these experimental matches. Before the Colonials arrive reputations may be won or lost. Thus, suppose this three-cornered struggle had taken place last year, and similar trial matches had been arranged in 1909 ; it is almost certain that ‘ Surrey ’ Smith would not have been deemed ‘ ‘ class ” enough to figure in the earlier Test matches of 1910, and yet he was out-and-away our best bowler last year. Again, in 1909 it looked as if Tyldesley had played his last Test match ; did it when the curtain fell at the close of 1910 ? When Warner took his team to Australia in 1903, he tells us that “ several sapient critics maintained that he (Hayward) was a ‘ back number, with how much justice the story of the tour has proved.” And three years later Hayward set up a fresh record in first- class cricket, and, although he was not to the front last year, I should be very loth to say that he will not be worthy of a place in an England eleven next year. But let that pass. We are to have certain trial games this year— “ Possibles v. Probables.” The titles are almost meaningless ; such sides will lack esprit de corps: the players chosen will attach more importance to their own individual performances than to the success of their side. Could not a happier choice be made ? Personally I should prefer a North v. South match, or, better still, Under 30 v. Over 30. Just now we are exceptionally strong in young cricketers, and, as we all know, the young are the trustees of posterity. It is quite on the ca,rds that at our public schools there may be another A. (J. Steel and F. S. Jackson, men who, whilst in their teens, were able to hold their own in representative matches. It would not be a rash prophecy to anticipate an English batsman in the Tonbridge “ star ” F. H. Knott, who, when tried for Kent in August last, challenged comparison with their finest batsmen. I have always maintained that a school or club cricketer of marked ability simply requires to play in first-class cricket to become first-class. The old Hampstead batsman, Stoddart, is a case in point. When he had scored 900 runs for 3 complete innings in the course of a week’s cricket for his club, I wrote Mr. Walker, the late Middlesex captain, calling attention to his amazing success and urging him to play him regularly for the county. My old friend, Robert Thoms the veteran umpire, also recom­ mended him. And the result was just what might have been expected : Stoddart quickly left his mark on the first-class score-sheet as one of the greatest modern batsmen. To become a great batsman you must play in great matches, but you must previously have shown form in second-class cricket. Well, now let us pick an “ Under Thirty” eleven: we have a wide field to choose from. I insert their respect­ ive ages. From Kent alone we have Hutchings, 28, Woolley 23, Humphreys 29, Hardinge 25, and Knott 19 ; that is a promising nucleus of batsmen to start with, who can be re-inforced by Bird 23, Hobbs 28, Hitch 24, and Ducat 25, from Surrey; batsmen of mark all of them. Are more batsmen wanted ? Then there are Hardstaff 28, C. P. Mead 24, and R. R. Relf, 27. But where are the bowlers, for we must have at least four reliable bowlers ? We have chosen Woolley already; he is an all-rounder. So is J. W. Hearne 20, and F. R. Foster 22 ; whilst Shipman, 25, Morton, 20, Newman, 23, and Dean, 25, can all bowl a bit, as batsmen know to their cost. We still want a stumper, and Smith of Warwickshire, 24, is the man. For captain choose Bird or Foster, who will this season be the skippers of their respective counties. The list is capable of enlarge­ ment. Booth, 24, the Yorksliireman, might also be in­ cluded, and the Repton boy, Campbell, 20, as well. And let this be the third trial match on August 28 at Manchester when the young amateurs, down from Oxford, would have been playing for a few weeks in county cricket. I venture to think that such a match would not only jjrove most popular, but it would also stimulate both sides to strain every nerve with a view to victory. Let me finish to-day on a personal note. It gave me keen pleasure to read last week’s ‘ ‘ Chat ” with Mr. F. F. Kelly. I have never met him, but for many years he has been good enough to send me without fee or reward sundry pamphlets and books treating of cricket in America and the West Indies. I avail myself of this opportunity of a public recognition of his generosity. That reminds me of other obligations which I have to acknowledge. When previously writing for this journal the American Cricketer was sent me, and during the intervening years it has come regularly to hand, and has thus enabled me to have a com­ plete set of that useful paper from the year of its inaugura­ tion, 1877. Wisden’s Almanack has also been an annual and highly prized gift. And the secretaries of the Surrey and Kent clubs have enriched my cricket library with the books issued to their members. I do not mention these favours in the hope of eliciting others ; for, as an enthusi­ astic collector of cricketana, I am always ready to buy any­ thing I want. Those wants happen to be very few, as I never purchase duplicates, being a collector not a dealer. All cricketers must be regretting that the cricket season did not begin a fortnight earlier than usual, for the weather has been ideal both for players and spectators. No need for canvas on the practice pitches when the ground is as hard as nails. A friend of mine tells me that ‘ ‘ we are sure to suffer for this fine spell but some of us are simple enough to enjoy the present sunshine without bothering our heads about future clouds and storms. Let’s hope we are in for a brilliant summer, a batsman’s, if not a bowler’s, paradise. THE ROSSALLIAN CRICKET CLUB TOUR. S ixteenth Y ear . JULY 10 th — JULY 29 th , 1911. F irst W eek —■ Date. Ground. R ipon. Opponents. TtoSHS?: S ('■ •• ="'»«»<*• £S&»:::JSUS ...... “ ■ S econd W e e k — Grantham. S K S ::: IS S ) - h u m m k u o . * a . . m a M w . S £ 3 S 7: £ i ; 8 £ I y- Oraotham C. & G. T hird W eek — Tuesday July 25th } v' Scarborough C. & G.... Scarborough. Tb“ y: Juiy 2 “ h } - Beverley C. * G......... Beverley. Friday ... July 28th j T HuU c & Q Hull. Saturday ... July 29th Application for places should be made as early as possible, and all communications sent to T. A. Higson, Lawrence Buildings, 2, Mount Street, Manchester.