Cricket 1911

J u l y 8, 1911. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. 311 B U S S E Y ’S W O R L D - FAMED . & * * a * a 27/6 5 1 * 2 2 / 6 < < ^ 0 . 6 0 ^ <£r 18/6 QV 0 ^ 16/6 § 4 S 14/6 < J o n T o ^ D E M O N ■ v g f t lV E j^ 14/6 " The Evolution o f a Cricket Bat," OBTAINABLE FREE UPON REQUEST FROM GEO. G. BUSSEY & CO., LTD ., 36 & 38, QUEEN VICTORIA ST., LONDON. rPeckham, London. I Elmswell, Suffolk. Factories: | ( A g e n t s a l l o v e r t h e W o r l d . Cricket Notches. B y the R ev . R . S. H olmes . ERE is a disputed point referred to me:— “ Kindly state the position a substitute ought to occupy when the batsman he is running for is receiving the ball, and what rule covers this point.” The laws are silent about it. But the substitute generally stands a little behind the batsman’s wicket on the leg side. Of course, if he chooses, he may stand by the short leg umpire, or anywhere else provided he is behind the batting crease, which, remember, is of indefinite length. It is simply a matter of convenience. Which is the position whence he can most readily start to run for the injured batsman’s strokes, and at the same time not be in the way of the fielders ? Usage has decided that he should stand just to the rear of the batsman, although in that position he must for his own safety keep out of the way of fine leg-glance strokes. That, too, is the only place in which there can be no doubt at all as to whether he is “ in his ground.” There would be endless disputes on this point if he stood at short leg, or anywhere else away from the wicket. May I urge my correspondent— and indeed all cricketers—carefully to read the Laws right through ? In the course of years nothing has given me more surprise than to find that the average cricketer has not done this. Many disputes would be avoided if every umpire carried a copy of the Laws as interpreted by the M.O.C. They are issued in a form which can easily be kept in the waistcoat pocket. I have elsewhere given my opinion of the second Trial Match, more especially in its bearing on the Test matches of next year. That match did. as I said last week, ‘ ‘ cost Notts dearly ” by depriving them of the services of George Gunn and Iremonger when they met Yorkshire. Rhodes did repre­ sent Yorkshire after all, but he was simply a stop-gap. I am delighted that he took his revenge out of the Selection Committee; it was his first century in a representative match, and, in spite of a none too easy chance just after he came in, it was a very fine performance. But nothing like as fine as Hardinge’s. Rhodes simply followed in the footsteps of Fry : England’s lead was assured before he got a ball. On the other hand Hardinge carried the ‘ ‘ Rest ” on his shoulders ; more than half the runs came from his bat, and his all-through innings was ehancoless. There has been no better displav all the season. A pity the Players’ team was chosen before the close of this match ; as it is, I hope that Hardinge will be invited to put in an appearance at the Oval this week-end. Hitherto, both the Gentlemen and the Players have been chosen on current form! this season, however, an exception has been made; very unwisely, as many of us think. Certain persons have got Trial matches on the brain. They have assumed that neither Hayward nor Hirst will be ‘ ‘ England class ” next year ; consequently neither of them appears on the Players’ side. Yet, if present performances are of any value, it is absolutely certain that no representative match can dispense with these men. Why pick Tyldesley before them ? It is not the first time, and it may not be the last, that the prophets are all at sea. Last week’s match was evidently not taken seriously either by players or spectators. Of the players several who were selected cried off. What miserable gates there were at Lord’s ; less than 7,000 paid in the three days. There won’t be much of a balance to divide amongst the Counties. One thing gladdened me, and that was the absence of Fane as skipper of the ‘ ‘ Rest.” That post should origin­ ally have been given to Warner who, I hope, will prove to be the captain of the next England team for Australia ; it would be calamitous if he were unable to undertake this responsibility. Warner, and he only, is our man. After Hardinge’s batting, Foster’s bowling on the opening day was the out­ standing feature of the second Trial match. One has to travel back many years before we light upon an amateur left-hander of his stamp : he recalled to me the days of Arthur Appleby, of Lancashire, and of W. N. Powys, the Cambridge bowler of the early seventies. As amateurs so soon lose their bowling skill, probably because batting is more attractive, it is to be hoped that every opportunity will be afforded Foster of showing his cunning with the ball. Strudwick is, I imagine, certain to take Lilley’s place. What a delightful stumper he is to watch, as lively as a kitten, now and again sprinting to the boundary after the ball. Have you noticed that he always returns the ball to the bowler’s hand so that he has not to stoop for it ? This may seem a trivial matter, but a fast bowler does not think so. For some reason or other another county stumper always rolls the ball along the ground to his bowlers. More Saturday starts in County matches. Gloucestershire opened their week on that day, and more recently Derbyshire followed suit at Chesterfield,. And with the happiest results in both cases—a large gate. Will all the counties in the near future do the same ? It is more than likely. If the cricketing public decide in favour of this re-arrangement of days, then Committees must consent. Certain purists are scandalised when told that cricket must be run on business lines. But it is a costly game, as all counties and clubs