Cricket 1912

M a y 4, 1912. CEICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF TIIE GAME. 107 Cricket in the Prairie Provinces. “ The encouragement of cricket is a matter which has a very wide bearing. It not only adds to the opportunities for healthful recreation, but it serves a national and impor­ tant purpose. Does not the fact that this year Australia and South Africa will be competing with the Motherland in a great triangular series, while Canada is unrepresented, mean that a strong bond is created between the people at home and those of the first two parts of the Empire, and that it is a great misfortune not to have the premier Colony share in the advantages springing from such a bond ? ” These words are from a contribution by Mr. Balmer- Watt, proprietor of the Edmonton Saturday News (Alberta), to the Illustrated Souvenir Programme of the Edmonton Cricket League’s Smoking Concert. Cricket in the Prairie Provinces is undoubtedly moving fast. Much of the credit for this is due to Mr. Arthur R. Morrison, the hardest worker in the cause of the game in all Canada, though one must not forget Dr. W. E. Dean, of Toronto, who has also done much. But in Toronto, and in Ontario generally, cricket has been played for so many years that actual pioneer work is unnecessary. Farther west the game has had to be organised from the very begin­ nings. Where a few years ago were a sprinkling of clubs which played it keenly enough, no doubt, but under all sorts of difficulties, and apparently with no hope of much better things, there now exists a cricket community, still scattered, but knit together by membership of a strong association, with an annual tournament at a chosen centre, and prospects of bigger events in the future. In 1913 the Canada v. United States match will be played west of Toronto— doubtless at Winnipeg— for the first time, and a big effort will be made to render the occasion noteworthy. It is hoped to have not only the annual Western Association of Canada tournament, but also visits from teams representing Chicago, Minneapolis, Toronto, and Montreal, with the international match as a final event. Canada is not a country in which three-day matches are ever likely to be the rule, even in the best class of cricket. She is too busy, and she does not propose to pay professionals to play her games for her. But the three-day standard is not, after all, essential to really good cricket. The first Western Association Tournament was held at Winnipeg in August, 1910, and the Association was actually only formed on the first day of its course, so that it is quite a juvenile body. But it is a lusty infant. The clubs support their provincial associations, and these associations in turn are in membership and close touch with the W .A. of Canada. Winnipeg headed the movement; but there seems to be no jealousy of the great Grain City among its smaller brethren, some of them fast growing into giants themselves. British Columbia has not yet joined, but it is hoped that she will come into line before long. Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Winnipeg (this allowing the city in which the tournament is played, to enter a team of its own, apart from the provincial team, seems an anomaly at first sight, but presents great advan­ tages when viewed more closely, giving the other teams of the province a much better show) took part in the 1910 tournament. All the matches were one day games, but a lot of play was crowded into each day. Eventually Manitoba won, with Saskatchewan second, Alberta third, and Winnipeg last. There were some very narrow victories. The champions beat Saskatchewan by 20 runs in the first, 7 in the second match ; they beat Alberta in one match by only 24 runs, and Winnipeg by 22. Saskatchewan beat Alberta by 6 runs, and Alberta beat Winnipeg by 6 and again by 10 runs. Among the best individual performances with the bat were Whitehead’s 113 not out (in 55 minutes, two 6’s, nineteen 4’s included) for Winnipeg v. Saskatchewan, F. Hogdson’s 65 and J. Macintosh’s 02 for the same side in the same match, C. E. Reynolds’s 61 for Manitoba v. Alberta, J. F. Wright’s 60 and 66 not out for Winnipeg v. Alberta, and N. C. Vidal’s 51 for Saskatchewan v. Winnipeg. Wickets were somewhat cheap, for the Western grounds are not yet para­ dises for batsmen ; but such figures as E. C. Laver’s 13 for 39 (Manitoba v. Alberta), W. Rothwell’s 9 for 48 (Manitoba v. Saskatchewan), N. C. Vidal’s 8 for 39 (Saskatchewan v. Manitoba), R. L. Worthington’s 7 for 29 in one innings (Manitoba v. Saskatchewan), the Iiev. G. Horrobin’s 12 for 41 (Winnipeg v. Alberta), J. S. Spick’s 10 for 37 (Alberta v. Winnipeg), and E. J. Smith’s 7 for 21 (Manitoba v. Alberta) call for mention. Last season the tournament was held at Indian Head, Saskatchewan, the same teams competing. The order at the finish was : Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba and Winnipeg equal. There were several performances of real merit, centuries by Trotter for Manitoba and Downing for Alberta, a stand of 135 for the first wicket for Manitoba v. Alberta by Trotter and Felstead, an instance of playing right through an innings by Hodson for Sas­ katchewan v. Winnipeg— but enough ! The tournament was reported in C r ic k e t at the time, though space did not allow of full scores being given. Mr. FRANK H. OASSON, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer, Edmonton Cricket League, Alberta, Canada. In 1912 Calgary will have the tournament, and the good folk of that fast-growing city in far Alberta are already making extensive preparations. It is expected that Calgary will put a team in the field independently of Alberta. This suits the northern parts of the jjrovince, as it will give Edmonton, Red Deer, and other clubs there a good chance of representation, while in the south there are Lethbridge, Macleod, and Banff, with others, to be drawn upon. Edmonton has now organised. The Edmonton C.C. was founded, one learns, some fifteen years ago. It has had its ups and downs, and has suffered for want of neighbours ; but in 1911 it played 17 matches, won 13 of them, and only lost two. In 1911, too, there came along Mr. Frank H. Gasson, one of the men to whom, as to Mr. Morrison, no work is too hard in the cause of the game. His portrait appears herewith ; to such as Mr. Gasson C r ic k e t delights to do honour. He became Secretary of the Edmonton C.C. ;