Cricket 1911

582 RUGBY FOOTBALL AND CRICKET. Novem ber 25, 1911. The M.C.C’s Team in Australia. 2 nd M atch .— v . V IC T O R IA . Played at Melbourne on November 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st and 22nd, and won by England by 49 runs*. In the absence of Warner (indisposed), Douglas led the visitors, who batted so cautiously on the first day that when stumps were drawn they had scored only 247 for six wickets. Foster, missed when 1 and 50, made 101 out of 133 in just under two hours and a-tjuarter, but Douglas was tedious, taking three hours to obtain 33. The pair put on 107 for the sixth wicket. Kortlang played a fine defensive game for 74, and with Smith added 11H, but the last seven wickets went down fGr 55, leaving England with a lead of 44. Thanks to a second wicket stand of 123 by Hobbs and Ehodes, England at the end of the third day were 217 runs on with seven wickets in hand. Those seven, however, fell for 61, and Victoria were left with 279 to win—a much smaller number than had appeared likely. Ransford again played a useful innings, but Smith- carried off the honours with an attractive 84, made in 95 minutes. On Tuesday night the home side, with a couple of wickets in hand, were within 69 runs. But on Wednesday the visitors pulled off the came. Score :— First innings. E n g la n d . Second innnigs. Hobbs, c Laver, b M atth ew s........................... 21 c Matthews, b Armstrong S8 Kinneir, c Kyle, b Macrow ...........................32 lbw, b Laver ................ 12 Rhodes, lbw, b Laver ...................................... 28 lbw, b A im strong................ 22 Mead (C. P.), c Carkeek, b Kyle ............... 34 b Laver ............................ 66 Hearne (J. W ), b Matthews ........................... 6 c and b Laver ................ 0 F. R. Foster, c Armstrong, b Laver.............. 101 b Armstrong ................ 0 J. W. H. T. Douglas, not o u t ........................... 33 not out ............................ 5 Smith (E.J.), c Smith, b Laver ................ 22 b Kyle ............................ 1 Woolley, c and b Matthews ............... ... 5 b Macrow .. ............... 15 Iremonger.run out .......................................14 b Mocrow ............................ 0 Hitch, run out .................................................. 15 b Armstrong ................ 13 Byes, &c ......................................... 7 Byes, &c.....................12 Total ...........................318 Total ...............234 In the first innings Matthews took three wickets for 65 runs and Laver three for 88. In the second Armstrong obtained four for 56, Laver three for 23 and Macrow two for 30. First innings. V ic to r ia . Second innings. J. A. Seitz, b Foster ...................................14 b Donglas ............................ 3 B. J. Kortlang, b H itch..................................74 run out ............................ 7 V. S. Ransford, b Hearne ......................... 34 c. Foster, b Iremonger ... 34 D. Smith, b Douglas ...................................68 run out ............................ 84 J. H. Kyle, not out .................................... 7 run out ............................ 6 F. Laver, c Hitch, b D ou gla s...................... 14 b Douglas ............................ 11 W. W. Aimstrong, c Smith, b Douglas ... 0 b Iremonger ................ 9 T. J. Matthews, b Hitch ............... ... 9 b Douglas ... ............. 24 N. Brown, c Smith, b Douglas ... ... 21 b Foster ... ............... 26 W. Carkeek, b Hitch ...................................... 0 lbw, b Donglas ............... 10 W. F. B. Macrow, c Rhodes, b Hitch ... 2 not out ........................... 4 Byes, &c. ... ............... 31 Byes, &c..................... 11 Total ........................... 274 Total ...............229 In the first innings Douglas took four wickets for 41 runs and Hitch four for 54. In the second Douglas had four for 37 and Iremonger two for 42. THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY C.C. In presenting the Annual Report of the above elub the Com­ mittee recorded an improvement on the successful season of 1910, and offered their hearty congratulations to Mr. Warner and all those who under his captaincy represented Middlesex during 1911, on their position in the County Competition, which might possibly have been still higher with a little luck. There was a deficit on the year’s working of £115 14s. 2d. THE SUFFOLK COUNTY C.C. At the annual meeting of the Suffolk County Cricket Club at Ipswich on Tuesday it was resolved that the County continue in the Minor Counties’ Championship. The meeting, over which Col. Dunnage presided, expressed regret at the decision of Mr. H. A. Groom to resign the secretaryship, but Mr. Groom was eventually prevailed upon to continue as joint secretary with Mr. P. P. Cornell. The secretary reported an adverse balance of £47 on the year’s working. Several replies, he said, had been received to Lord Stradbroke’s appeal. Most of these promised support on condition that the present subscription was raised. Mr. A. K. Watson intimated that Mr. S. Hill Wood had promised twenty guineas, but to carry on the club successfully they required a guaranteed annual subscription of £250. Lord Stradbroke was unanimously re-elected president, Mr. H. L. Wilson captain, and Mr. S. -Hill Wood hon. treasurer, and a strong committee was appointed. Corr^spond^nc^. [The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions of his correspondents. (To the E d itor o f C r ic k e t.) CRICKETERS AND THE INSURANCE BILL. In view of the fact that persons engaged in “ any game or recreation ” are specifically included in the provisions of the National Insurance Bill, it would be interesting to those who may be called upon to administer the Act if certain points were made clear. Under the Workmen’s Compensation Act professional cricketers became “ workmen,” and many county cricket clubs have continued to pay them full wages in case of accident in addition to paying the annual insurance premium. The rate for such insurance by the way has recently increased. Under the National Insurance Bill there is to be a further tax on the clubs for the sickness of their employes. It is well known that cricket counties are passing through anxious moments at present, and it is a moot question whether some of them who have to maintain large staffs can continue to pay their way. Rates and taxes have crept up awfully and wonderfully during recent years; subscriptions and “ gates ” have not kept pace with the expenditure, and it is no secret that several county clubs are in extremis. Every additional impost is “ another n a il”—we will not say in the coffin, that is unthinkable—rather shall we say, another step towards bankruptcy. At the moment, one is concerned not so much with the new tax as with the intentions, the well-meant intentions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Roughly, twenty weeks are allotted to the cricket season, but the expenditure incidental thereto is carried over a period of fifty-two weeks by means of “ winter pay.” The great majority of those in receipt of “ winter pay” find other employment during the winter months. It would be helpful to know for how many weeks the “ club” and “ workman” will be responsible for the payment of sick insurance. Again, the total pay or actual wage in the great majority of cases falls below £160 per year (really twenty weeks) and is supplemented by fees, the amount of which entirely depends on the “ form ” of the wage earned. He may play in one match or he may play in twenty. In one case he would be under the limit, in the other he would be considerably over it, and neither he nor his employer—the “ club ” would be liable for sick insurance. The application of the Income Tax custom of “ averaging ” would be inapplicable for the excellent reason that the collection of sickness insurance must in the very nature of things be a ready money transaction. If it is not, then there is going to be trouble in the collection and refund hereafter, and, if a man is sick in the meantime, the question arises whether he be attended by a State Doctor or by his private medical man. There are other questions relating to the ball-boys, gatemen, attendants, &c., who may, or may not be classed as “ casuals,” which make it extremely difficult to understand at present, how the Bill, if passed, is to be efficiently and loyally carried out. Mr. Lees-Smith, M.P., has, one gathers, taken the agricultural community under his wing on the ground that theirs is a “ healthy trade.” Is it too much to hope for the exemption of a game which, since it is by implication designated a trade, is really a “ healthy trade,” whose misfortunes are amply covered by the Workmen’s Compensation Act? Perhaps Mr. Forster, M.P., as an old cricketer, would take up the mantle of Mr. Smith. Yours, &c., Heaton Chapel, T. J. MATTHEWS. Near Manchester. P .S .—Since writing the above I see the Lancashire County Cricket Club Committee have made an urgent request to Lord’s to take steps to have cricket clubs exempted from the Bill. THE CORNWALL COUNTY C.C. The balance-sheet of the Cornwall County C.C., presented at the annual meeting on Wednesday last, showed that the season opened with an adverse balance of £13 13s. 9d. and ended with one of £40 8 s. lid . Match expenses amounted to i>187 7s. 3d., subsidies £50, and the total expenditure to £304 2s. 9d. Subscriptions produced £154 2s. 6 d. and match receipts totalled £63 14s. 6 d. I C H A R D D A F T ’S N O T T I N G H A M S H I R E M A R L .—Particulars apply Radcliffe-on-Trent, Notts.— (A d vt.)