Cricket 1911

426 C E IC K E T : A W EEK LY EECOED OF THE GAME. A u g u s t 1 2 , 1 9 1 1 . A sked if the Insurance Bill covers accidents at cricket and football, Mr. Lloyd George says that depends on the society with whom the patient is insured, some societies excluding “ accidents arising from unlawful games.” A t the close of play at Canterbury on Tuesday there was a “ regrettable incident.” The last over of the day was delivered by Blythe, who tossed the ball up into the sun—an old trick with bowlers, but one which caused Fry to protest strongly. The batsman walked half-way down the pitch, his action seeming to suggest an intention to leave the ground without the over being completed. When he made his complaint Street, the umpire, said to Dillon, “ Do you appeal to me, sir ? ” On the Kent captain replying that he would leave the matter with the umpire, Street ordered the over to be proceeded with. Nowadays batsmen have so many things in their favour that it seems selfish of them to protest when the bowler avails himself of circumstances provided by nature. A t a meeting of the Yorkshire County C.C. Committee on Tuesday permission was granted to Bhodes to visit Australia and Hirst and Haigh India. The Committee agreed to the following resolution :— “ That the Test matches shall be played for three days only, and that if after the second match between the two countries neither shall have secured an advantage the third match shall be played to a finish.” T h e captaincy of the Australian cricketers in the Test matches against England next season will once more be assumed by Clem Hill. A. A. L ille y , the famous wicket-keeper, has asked to be relieved from further service in the Warwickshire eleven, his decision to retire from the game being due to the fact that he feels he cannot longer do himself justice. Born in 1867, he first kept wicket for W arw ickshire in 1888, and he has been a regular member of the side ever since. One of the finest wicket-keepers of his day, in addition to being a very good batsman—he has made twenty centuries for Warwickshire— Lilley has played for England against Australia on no fewer than thirty-two occasions—twenty-two in England and ten in Australia. In those matches he caught 65 men and stumped 18, and made 702 runs. He first went to Australia with MacLaren’s team ten years ago, and again with Warner’s team in 1903-4. A correspondent asks for the complete figures in first- class cricket of six great Australian batsmen. Here they are, according to the records, which include matches played by Australian sides in New Zealand, about which some statisticians would have their doubts, as well as all the matches on even terms of English, South African and American tours undertaken by Australian teams. Not Highest Inna. Out. Runs. Aver. Score. W. Bardsley............ 118 8 5,546 50-41 264 W. W. Armstrong ... 298 42 11,509 44-05 885 V. S. Ransford ... 127 10 5,146 43-98 190 C. Hill...................... 880 20 15,814 43-92 865* V. T. Trumper ... 354 15 14,864 43’84 300* M. A. Noble............ 370 35 13,766 41-09 2S4 It is perhaps a little unfortunate that Armstrong’s highest score should be one of the most doubtful items included. The 335 was made for a Melbourne Club team against Southland at Invercargill (N.Z.). But the Melbourne Club team was about the same strength as the Victorian teams which have often played against Tasmania ; and Southland, although one of the weaker provinces of New Zealand, plays Otago regularly. The Melbourne Club team played the stronger provinces, by the way, and also met a picked eleven of New Zealand. We have held for a long time past that cricket in Maoriland is of much higher standard than many people imagine. W e hope that readers of Cricket will respond freely to the appeal made by the Field for funds for the T.S. “ Mercury.” Everybody will be glad to see Mr. Charles Fry a member of the M.C.C. team for Australia; but this is not the only, or even the chief, issue involved. Mr. and Mrs. Fry are doing splendid work at Hamble. They are making men ; what can anyone do higher and better than that? It is surely up to us, who love the great game of which Mr. Fry is so well-known an exponent, to give them our backing. One doubts whether, till Mr. Fry’s letter appeared, the general public had any idea of the difficulties to be faced in the work. Now it knows, and should act on the knowledge. W h en , a fortnight ago, we last gave the list o f men who had scored 1,000 runs or taken 100 wickets during the first-class season, there were 28 names in the former, and five in the latter list. Since then there have been considerable additions, the following having reached four figures:— 29.—Hardstaff (J.) July 27. 30.—Gunn (J.) July 27. 31.—Drake (A.) July 28. 32.—Killick (E. H.) July 29. 33__Hardinge (H. July 29. T.W.) 34.—Bowell (A.) Aug. 4. The only names new to the list thus far included are those of Makepeace, Hearne (J. W.), Mr. F. B. Foster, Drake, Brown, Mr. K. G MacLeod and Booth. 35.—Brown (G.) Aug. 7 36— P. A. Perrin Aug. 8 37.—Charlesworth (C.) Aug. 8 38— G. L. Jessop Aug. 9 39.—K. G. MacLeod Aug. 9 40— W. B. Burns Aug. 9 To the names of Dean, Hirst, Smith, Eelf (A. E.), and Buckenham, already accounted for, must now be added those of:— 6.—Rushby (T.) July 29. | 8__Fielder (A.) Aug. 4. 7.—F. R. Foster July 31.| 9.—Blythe (C.) Aug. 7. There is no new name among these so far; but among men who have never yet appeared in the list Hitch, Shipman, Iremonger and Cook all look likely to qualify before the season ends. I t was a great disappointment to the spectators at Canterbury when it became known that Philip Mead, owing to an injured arm, would be unable to play there for Hamp­ shire. Last week he scored 207 not out at Southampton and 194 at Portsmouth on successive days, thereby bringing his number of centuries for the season to seven:— 100. Hampshire v. Somerset, at Southampton. 127. M.C.C. and Ground v. Leicestershire, at Lord's. 109. Hampshire v. Leicestershire, at Leicester. 100.* Hampshire v. Leicestershire, at Leicester. 120.* Hampshire v. Yorkshire, at Huddersfield. 207,* Hampshire v. Warwickshire, at Southampton. 194. Hampshire v. Sussex, at Portsmouth. * Signifies not out. His presence in the M.C.C.’s team to Australia would strengthen the side greatly, for not only is he in the very first flight of batsmen but he is a useful change bowler and active in the field. O n the excellent wickets provided in these days it is no longer exceptional for a player to obtain two separate hundreds in a match, but more than usual interest centres in C. B. Fry’s performance owing to the fact that he has now credited himself with the feat on five occasions :— 108 and 125* Sussex v. Middlesex, at Brighton... 1898 125 and 229Sussex v. Surrey, at Brighton ... ... 1900 138 and 101* Sussex v. Kent, at Brighton .............. 1903 156 and 106 Sussex v. M.C.C. and Ground, at Lord’s 1905 123 and 112Hampshire v. Kent, at Canterbury ... 1911 * Signifies not out. On two occasions he has also reached three-figures in one innings and made 99 in the other. His latest performance is one to which he will not be able to look back with much personal satisfaction, for during neither innings was he seen at anything like his best, whilst in his second he made several lucky strokes and was missed three times.