Cricket 1911

A u g u s t 5, l a J l . C E IC K E T : A W EEK LY EECOED OF THE GAME. 401 Point in the Sporting Life when he says that the team as so far chosen is not a first-rate fielding side, and that great weight should be given to fielding qualifications in the choice of the remaining men. It would be unfair to write down any player chosen as a bad fie ld ; but it is a fact that most of them lack the something additional to average ability that is essential to a great field. I t is a good thing that Barnes has accepted; but the doubt as to his knee’s standing the strain should make the selectors pause and consider whether it would not be worth while to take an extra man, and increase the party to sixteen. Assuming that Mr. Fry goes, as we all hope, that will leave five places to fill. Albert Relf ought surely to be asked ; but his acceptance is by no means the certainty that some people suppose. There are also Mr. Jessop, Hitch, Philip Mead, Frank Woolley, George Brown, Hard­ staff, George Gunn, Pearson, James Seymour and Bucken­ ham with decided claims to consideration. J. Iremonger (N otts)................ S. P. Kirmeir (Warwickshire) W. Bhodes (Yorkshire' E. J. Smith (Warwickshire)... Mr. E. H. Spooner (Lancashire) tl. Strudwick (Surrey) Mr. P. P. Warner (Middlesex) Accepted. Accepted. Accepted. Accepted. Declined. Accepted. Accepted. In the early part of the present week it was rum oured that Mr. Brearley had been invited, but the report was unfounded and incorrect. It is difficult to see how , after his great score against W arw ickshire, Philip M ead can be passed over. W a l t e r L e e s , who has been performing very well indeed in club matches this season, will next year be found playing for Lowerhouse, one of the Lancashire League clubs. P l e a s a n t , indeed, was it to note how well the county captains performed in the matches at the end of last week ! TH E K EN T E LE V EN . Photoby] [Hawkins <£• Co., Brighton. F a ir s e r v ic e . H u m p h r e y s . W o o l l e y . H e a r n e (W .) (scorer). H a r d in g e . B l y t iie . F ie l d e r . S e y m o u r ( J as .). E. W. D il l o n . H u is h . K. L. H u t c h in g s . H u b b l e . J e n n in g s . I t is hardly likely that either John Tyldesley or Sharp would leave his business. An agitation has been set afoot for Tom Hayward’s inclusion. If asked, he would go. He certainly would not strengthen the fielding, though, like those chosen, he must not be written down a duffer in the field—merely a man past his best there. Thompson, one hears, has accepted the post previously held by Albert Relf, last winter by Fred Pearson, at Auckland, so that he is apparently out of the question. The whole matter is a very serious one ; but no one knows that better than the selectors, and we have faith in them. A t the time o f going to press the follow ing is the position concerning the constitution o f the M .C .C .’s team to Australia next w in ter:— S. F. Barnes (Staffordshire)........................................ Accepted. Mr. J. W . H. T. Douglas (Essex) Mr. F’. R. Foster (Warwickshire) Mr. C. B. Fry (Hampshire) ... J. B. Hobbs (Surrey)................ Accepted. Accepted. Undecided. Accepted. Mr. Bertie ChapIin’s chanceless and stylish 111 at Hove, Mr. Arthur Jones’s dashing 103 at Nottingham, Mr. Morice Bird’s gallant 90 at Blackheath, Mr. Frank Foster’s all­ round form at Harrogate, Mr. John Chapman’s 90 at Ches­ terfield, all these were emphatically good things to see or hear about. Moreover, Mr. Warner did his share at Lord’s and Mr. Dillon at Blackheath scored a 40 that has more than face value. Mb. F r a n k W . G il l e s p ie , of the Uppingham Eleven of 1899, who has played for Northumberland for the last seven or eight years, for four of which he has been the Captain, has been appointed a Registrar of the Leeds County Court from Tuesday last. M a jo r H a r r y S t e b b in g B u sh is assuredly not one of the ‘ ‘ too old at forty ” brigade. H e has passed his thirty-ninth birthday, but it is doubtful whether he lias ever been a better batsman than he is this year. Like most Army men, the Major has had to take his cricket