Cricket 1912

M ay 4, 1912. CEICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OP THE GAME. 101 In the match between Ootacamund v. Madras at “ Ooty ” on April 8 and 9 there was some pretty good scoring, and a remarkable finish ensued. Only the full score of one day’s play is available, but the result has come to hand in synoptical form. To begin with Madras scored 135. The home team replied with 402 for 8. Captains Plumer (111) and Clarke put up 134 for the first wicket, and Assistant-Surgeon Beer helped the former to add 107 for the second. The Madras second innings realised 360 Ooty needed 95 to win, in 25 minutes—and got all but 10 of them, for the loss of seven wickets. West Hobart has a young batsman of promise in E. Tudor, who on March 9 played an excellent innings of 111. One never knows one’s luck ; up to that date Tudor, though shaping well, had got no higher than 21 since the season began. The veteran Windsor made another good score (82) on March 16. Colin Newton, thought by some good judges the coming Tasmanian all-rounder, took 8 wickets for 34 in a school match on the same date. In Buenos Aires during March Harold Torre, a valued correspondent of C b ic k e t , had the sensational analysis of 6 overs, 3 wickets, 6 runs in a Third Division match, and P. F. Wliidborne, also one of our supporters, bowling at the other end, had 3 for 27. In a railway departmental match a few days later Whidborne — spoken of as “ the bowler with the mesmeric delivery,” whatever that may be— took 5 for 29. The Buenos Aires Cricket League has three divisions, and there are some good players even in the third. Harold Doming and C. H. Whaley are the cracks of the Belgrano C.C. in the premier competition. On March 10 Doming scored 40 and took 8 wickets for 27 v. B.A.G.S. (Buenos Aires Great Southern, I believe, but am open to correction), and a week ago he ran up 63 v. Lomas, Whaley then taking 6 wickets for 17. Mr. A. C. MacLaren has spoken in high terms of Dorning’s all-round play. There is a distinct danger that the Western Australian C.A. may lose its ground at Perth. On Saturday, March 23, a meeting was held to consider ways and means to avert this catastrophe. It was pointed out at the meeting that the club cricketers were not nearly as keen as they should he, seeing what the loss of the ground would mean to them. Mr. H. A. Evers, the old N.S.W. and present W .A. state representative, said that though there were 276 grade cricketers in Perth only 45 were ground members. But then the subscription appears to be five guineas per annum, the return for it practically nil, and one may compliment the 45 on their keenness without disparaging the rest. A subscription was being raised, and about £450 had already been collected or promised. The West African natives seem to be making pretty rapid strides in the art and science of cricket, and there was some good play in the recent “ intercolonial ” between the Gold Coast and Southern Nigeria—though it was mainly on one side. For the home team Sagoe and E. W. Fleischer added 62 for the fourth wicket, and J. E. Fleischer and Sackey 45 for the eighth. Sackey had 6 wickets for 20 in Southern Nigeria’s first, and Otoo 6 for 10 in their second. It was thought that most of the losing team went >n too much for back play. The score will be found on another page. P rin cip al M a tch e s of N e xt W eek . May 6, 7—Derby, Derbyshire v. South Africans (continued). >, 6, 7, 8— Lord’s, M.C.C. v. Yorkshire, j! 6, 7, 8— Oval, England v. The Rest (Te3t Trial), j, 6, 7, 8—Nottingham, Nottinghamshire v. Australians. 6, 7, 8—Hove, Sussex v. Somerset. » 6, 7, 8— Cambridge, University Trial Match. » 6, 7, 8— Oxford, the University Seniors’ Match. » 9,10, 11— Lord’s, M.C.C. v. Kent. » 9,10, 11—Northampton, Northamptonshire v. Australians. » 9, 10, 11— Oval, Surrey v. South Africans. m 9, 10, 11— Leicester, Leicesterhsire v. Yorkshire. » 9, 10, 11—Southampton, Hampshire v. Somerset. » 9,10, 11—Cambridge, the University v. Middlesex. » 9,10, 11— Oxford, the University Freshmen’s Match. !> 11—Alloa, Clackmannan v. Fife. Honouring Mr. J . W. H. T. Douglas. The reception given John Douglas when he rose to speak Iast Thursday eveni ng was the sort df tiling calcul ated to take a man’s breath away. It seemed to take his away. He stood there with his keen fighting face flushed, and only with difficulty could he make a start. But when he did start he spoke very well indeed. He is not a silver- tongued orator ; but he is something a good deal better— a strong man who can say what he has to say in a manner both modest and virile. But this is not beginning in the right place. Fifst there was the gathering at the Liverpool Street Hotel’s Abercorn Rooms— three hundred or more, including several M .P.’s, Colonel Mark Lockwood, Messrs. L. Worth­ ington Evans, H. K. Newton, A. Cecil Beck, and the Hon. Rupert Guinness, famous players past and present like Messrs. A. G. Steel, K.C., .). Shuter, A. P. Lucas, the Rev. F. H. Gillingham, P. A. Perrin, G. N. Foster, O. R. Borra- daile, W. Findlay, H. D. G. Leveson-Gower, F. L. Fane—but “ Why should I tell of members more, Sir Cay, Sir Banier, and Sir Bore, Sir Carodac the keen ? ” Most of my readers will have seen the list in the daily papers, and my purpose here is rather to give an impresson of the scene than a formal report. Some good genius had so arranged that the members of the fourth estate should be in the best possible position for hearing, the table at which they sat being quite close to the chairman. There I found myself in good company, flanked by Mr. Ernest Ward, of the Morning Post and Mr. Harry Willans, one of Cricket’s keenest supporters, who introduced himself to me as already a friend through the medium of correspondence, and whom I was delighted to meet. There was the strong face of Mr. Sydney Pardon, there the tall form of “ Wanderer,” there my own colleague, Mr. F. S. Ashley-Cooper, there the Editor of the Essex Weekly News, working under difficulties because his paper had to come out next morning, and the telephone was behaving as that abominable invention usually does. Dinner— a first-rate dinner, everyone agreeing that he had been exceptionally well done—and then the speeches! The loyal toast first, with the chorus to follow. After that an amusing speech by Col. Lockwood, proposing the toast of the guest of the evening. Col. Lockwood disclaimed any special knowledge of the game, but of course to an old Parliamentary hand that sort of thing really does not 'matter. He said that ho bad gone to Mr. C. E. Green, Mr. Borradaile, and his old schoolmaster, Canon Lake, asking each what he should say ; and that each had written out a long speech for him—and that he wasn’t going to deliver any of th em ! “ Here’s Douglas ; great cricketer; Essex man ; smashed the Australians ; drink his health.” That, he said, was the model speech that might be made, but he bad been instructed that more was expected of him, and he gave us more. He sat down. John Douglas arose. The cheering arose too— a perfect storm of it. It was good to see the smiles on the faces of Pelham Warner and Frank Foster, both looking well, but Warner unwontedly pale, and Foster perhaps a trifle finer drawn than at the end of last season. A man’s speech! A fighting man’s speech, yet without an atom of brag or bombast. But after ail the fighting man who is a boaster is the exception. Douglas spoke in the warmest and most generous way of all his comrades, amateur and professional alike. They had a 1 deserved equally well, he said, for all had done their best, and none had grumbled at having to stand down. He had had not only Warner’s help and advice, but the cordial support of Frank Foster, and the aid, whenever needed, of Hobbs, Gunn, Rhodes, Barnes, and Strudwick, who had all been in Australia before. He told two or three very amusing stories, and one really pathetic one—of how he had gone to see Mr. Warner just before the first test, and had said : “ Well, Plum, how are you ? ” To which the reply came : “ I’m not very well ; but do beat them.” One recalled /Libutius Elva, in Macaulay’s brave “ Battle of the Lake Regillus,” smitten senseless by Mamilius of the shining crest.