Cricket 1911

224 CEICKET : A WEEKLY' BECORD OF THE GAME. J une 10,1911. in which he had three lives before his score was twenty ; the Colonials are not likely to deal so generously with him. Two famous cricketers must be mentioned—Fry and Hayward. A pity the former had to decline the invitation : as for the Surrey man— just glance at last Monday’s aver­ ages : he saved his county from defeat at the hands of Essex and he won the match against Sussex. Where would Surrey have been without him ? It is an exciting race between him and Fry in the matter of County centuries, Hayward having compiled 67, Fry 65. Their cricketing careers almost synchronise. Hayward’s first century came in 1893, Fry’s first a year later ; and last week each added one more to their respective piles. I am convinced that both are the type of batsman always in demand for a repre­ sentative match. There are to be two more trial matches. Let me make a suggestion. Would not North v. South prove a happy choice for one match ? Only select half the players for each side from those who are strangers to Test cricket. For the third match let us have ‘ ‘ Test cricketers v. Non- Test cricketers.” That is, men who have, and men who have not, played for England. For the latter you must choose an experienced captain ; let him be either Warner or Jessop. I am most anxious that these trials should not prove abortive, and so they must not be muddled. Both in batting and bowling Litteljohn made his mark at Sheffield and should certainly be heard of again. Will Campbell step into an England eleven as Jackson did whilst at Cam­ bridge in 1893, and at once made light of Australian bowling by scoring 91 at Lord’s and 103 at the Oval ? One can but regret his premature retirement from the cricket field. England wants him back. Whit-Monday at la st! The day ever memorable to me on account of my first visit to Lord’s in 1858. That was the great match of every season from 1857 to 1866 -A ll-England v. United All-England. The latter was a split from the former, and during the lifetime of old Clarke, the famous lob-bowler and the founder of the A.E.E., this match did not take place. At first the proceeds were given to the Cricketers’ Fund, but occasionally it was a benefit match. Probably no match has ever witnessed so many great bowlers ; consequently the scoring ruled low. Not one century was notched at Lord’s, although Bob Carpenter got within three of it in 1859. No amateur was once chosen for this match. Elsewhere—viz., at Manchester, Richard Daft scored 111 not out in 1867. Oh ! it was a famous match. Of all the men who played in 1858 only Caffyn survives, aged 83. Beigate, his birth­ place, must be a delightful health resort ; the same town gave us one of the longest-lived of all cricketers, ‘ ‘ Shock ” White, born 1740, died 1831. I hope to pay Caffyn another visit before the summer closes. Nowadays Whitsuntide is wholly devoted to county cricket ; there is no room for any other match. Yorkshire at Old Trafford, and Surrey at Trent Bridge—fixtures both of them for several seasons on this national holiday. Tyldesley’s prolonged absence from the cricket-field we all deplore, for he’s one of the men we cannot spare. Spooner had a great time last week, scoring 261 in four innings. When once, he gets off the mark he is perhaps the most delightful batsman we now have. And what of Brearley ? He is a picturesque figure, a law to himself. It was refreshing to see him at Lord’s the other day twice calling for a drink. It was not water that was brought to him ; let’s hope it was nothing stronger than ginger ale. With him bowling his best Lancashire may at any time defeat any county. Will Kent go under this week-end ? This week the strong counties entered on the serious part of the campaign. How is it that Yorkshire have succumbed to the Cantabs for three successive seasons ? One of the best-contested matches was that of Derbyshire at South­ ampton last week-end, when, in a gross total of 1,208, they lost by only 20 runs, Morton and Oliver getting a century apiece in the closing stage. As Derbyshire pre­ viously beat Lancashire by two runs, they can no longer be bracketed with Somerset, who are hopelessly on the rocks. I wonder why the M.C.C. have informed umpires that one of them must supervise the sweeping and rolling of the wicket when an innings is completed. Has this very necessary work been neglected ? It always seems to be done intelligently and thoroughly under the eye of the ground-keeper. Have any complaints reached head­ quarters ? It is hard on the umpires, who should have a perfect respite during the interval, and a brush up and refreshments. So far I have noticed that the umpire in charge lies down on the grass and does not shift his position until the game is resumed: he certainly cannot be said to keep an eye on the broom and roller when he is not near them. In thus acting he shows his good sense. It’s a pity that there should be any necessity for adding to his already arduous duty, for he is unquestionably the hardest-worked person in every match provided he does his duty. If you deny or even doubt this, then I recommend you to put on the white coat for four hours some scorching Saturday afternoon and give your closest attention to every detail of a game. You will have had enough, and more than enough, by the time the match is over. Should County matches start on Saturday ? North­ ants and Warwickshire say Yes, and have acted accordingly already this year. If all the counties are of the same opinion then the alteration of days will follow. But would not Friday be better, or, at any rate, as good, an opening day ? Under the present arrangement few Saturday afternoons can be spent in watching a County match, and yet this is the leisure time for nearly all classes, shopkeepers in the poorer districts excepted. The whole question is one of finance. No county club can be indifferent to “ gates.” The M.C.C. may be above any such consideration. The public must decide, not County Committees who are simply public servants. The man who pays the piper can call the tune. I can foresee an objection on the part of the players : any alteration would necessitate a week-end in a hotel, which would add to their expenses. But if gates increase, their fee could be increased too. Of course married men would prefer being at home at the end of the week, although at present Sunday travelling makes a long stay impossible. In home matches, no difficulty of this sort would arise. SURREY 2nd XI. v. K E N T 2nd X I.— Played at the Oval on June 5 and 6, and won by Kent 2nd XI. by 117runs on the stroke of time. First innings. K e n t 2nd XI. Second innings. W. Dutnall, b Platt ................ .................109 c Blacklidge, b Abel... .,.. 15 Collins, c and b Harrison.......... ................. 11 lbw, b Davis .................. 22 Jennings, c Edwards, b Spring ................. 22 b P la tt...............................,. 42 L. H. W. Troughton, c Harrison, b Black- lidgc....................................... .................106 st Vigar, b Blacklidge .. 36 W. Phillips, c Vigar, b Platt ... ................. 13 c Davis, b Spring ... .. 10 Morfee, b Platt ......................... ................. 15 not out................................. 51 Roberts, c Platt, b Abel .......... ................. 27 not out................................. 9 E. Cleveland-Stevens, not out... ................. 47 Hickmott, c and b Harrison ... ................. 7 Preston, lbw, b Harrison.......... ................. 1 Smith, run out ......................... ................. 0 Byes, 29, lb 4 ................. 34 B 14, lb 3, nb 2 ... 19 Total .......... ................. 391 Total (5 wkts) ...*204 * Innings declared closed. First innings. S u r r e y 2nd XI. Second innings. Harrison, b Morfee Vigar, st Collins, b Preston ................. Abel (W. J.), b Cleveland-Stevens.......... Davis, b Morfee ....................................... F. C. S. Wilkins, b Morfee ................. Spring, st Collins, b Preston ................. Blacklidge, c Troughton, b Hickmott ... Platt, c Dutnall, b Morfee......................... G. W. Palmer, c Troughton, b Jennings A. W. F. Rutty, b Morfee......................... Edwards, not out....................................... Byes 24, lb 7, nb 3 .......... lbw, b Preston ................. 4 c Morfee, b Jennings ... 15 c Jennings, b Preston ... 63 b Cleveland-Stevens.......... 6 c Jennings, b Hickmott ... 14 c Collins, b Hickmott .. 20 c Preston, b Hickmott ... 10 b Jennings........................... 13 c and b Preston................. 0 b Preston ................ ... 1 not o u t................................ 0 B 9, lb 1, nb 2 .......... 12 Total... . ... 320 Total 158 First innings K e n t 2nd XI. Second innings. O. M. R. W. O. M. R. W. Edwards .......... 10 1 43 0 .................. 7 0 27 0 Harrison .. .......... 14 1 51 3 ................. 7 3 7 0 Abel (W. J.) .......... 23 6 85 1 .................. 6 2 18 1 Platt.......... ... ... 27 4 113 3 ................. 10 0 46 1 Spring ... .......... 10 1 32 1 ................. 5 0 27 1 Blacklidge .......... 7 0 34 1 ................. 8 1 47 1 Davis ................. 6 3 19 1 Davis bowled two no-balls. First innings. S u r r e y 2nd XI. Second innings. O. M. R. W. O. M. R. w. Morfee ... .......... 24 1 1 135 5 ................. .. 6 0 64 0 Cleveland-Stevens 13 4 38 1 .................. 5 0 21 1 Preston ... .......... 21 4 66 2 ................. ... 12 4 43 4 Hickmott .......... 10 2 39 1 ................. 7 3 15 3 Jennings .......... 2 0 8 1 ................. ... 1-5 0 3 2 Morfee bowled five no-ba