Cricket 1912

H. GRADIDGE & SONS, Manufacturers and Exporters of all requisites for Cricket, Lawn Tennis, Racquets, Squash Racquets, &c. 192 •CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J une 1, 1912. Reblading Cricket bats and Restringing Tennis bats a Special feature. F a c t o r y : — ARTILLERY PLAGE, WOOLWICH, S.E. Patentees and Sole makers o f the 66 I M P E R I A L D R I V E R ” Cricket Bats made in Men’s, Small Men’s, College, 6, 5, 4, & 3, sizes. Every other requisite for Cricket, including balls, leg guards, batting gloves, gauntlets, stumps, nets, &c. Price Lists and Special Quotations free. ALL GOODS CARRIAGE PAID TO ANY PART OF THE UNITED __________________________________ KINGDOM. Sole Makers o f the “ Imper ial Dr iver ” and “ Improved G r ad i dg e ” Lawn Tennis Racquets. Special Club Notes. C o n t r ib u t e d b y “ T h e C h ie l . My recent notes re clannishness appear, from what I have heard, to have stirred up some feeling. I don’t mind this at all if good results, for clannishness certainly does exist and ought to be suppressed. I hear that a prominent official of one club has taken the matter in hand, and is himself visiting the nets to seo that practice means equal opportunities for all. Are club cricketers growing slovenly ? Some of [them, I fear. They will not bother to wear their club’s colours, in spite of rules. Here and there, no doubt, this is duo to a sentimental attachment to some special cap or blazer, but this does not account for dirty boots and pads put on anyhow, without regard to right or left, and with straps hanging out in unsightly fashion. Buck up, you who feel that this is one in the eye for yourselves ! The purchase of club material is often left to pro. or groundman. I am inclined to think this is a mistake. I have not a word to say against a particularly civil and obliging class of men ; but it would pay any club to do what some clubs I know do—get an old hand to make the necessary purchases, and so ensure getting good value for the money. I am always delighted to hear of the rise of a young club. The Aquarians (Met. Water Board) is a case in point. Last Saturday they played Battersea A, ran up 334 for 8, and skittled their opponents for 55. This club has in its ranks some really fine cricketers, but experiences a difficulty in getting them to play regularly. Men like G. Norman, H. S. Ashberry, J. B. Porter, F. V. Harris, and W . Mallett are not to be found every day. The club’s ground is at Gunnersbury Avenue, Mill H ill Park, and an excellent one it is. Now Mr. Secretary Harris, get early to work with your 1913 fixture list, for your men need stronger opponents ! Obtain these, and it will be easier to keep your players together. Will Honor Oak eventually be your headquarters? The man in the street nowadays takes a much keener interest in club cricket than he did. This is, of course, largely due to the greater publicity given the club game by the press generally. But what about the man on the ground ? There are many grounds where members and their friends, a little group in front of the pavilion, form the whole body of spectators. Not good for the game, this ! The presence of a goodly number of spectators always has a tonic effect on players. You aren’t wanted on private grounds, do you say, Mr. Spectator ? I don’t think this is correct, dust try a polite request for admittance ; it is very unlikely you will be refused. An excellent fixture list is that of the Beading C.C., whose Hon. Sec. is Mr. H. T. Barten, 64, Bedlands Koad, Beading. They play, among others, Wokingham, Henley, High Wycombe, Newbury, Basingstoke, Oxford City, and M.C.C. A manager is appointed for each match, and there is a conspicuous note on the card : “ Members desirous of playing in any match are particularly requested to apply to the Manager of that match, and not wait to be asked.” This is business ! The Bichmond Town C.C. run three teams, with good fixtures for all. Mr. D. C. Hamilton, 74, Selwyn Avenue, Bichmond, is the Hon. Sec. Among their opponents are Mortlake, Upper Sydenham, Kingston, Shepherd’s Bush, West Sheen, Bichmond, Battersea, and Polytechnic. My notes re late starts of matches also seem to have caused a flutter. Several secretaries have expressed grati­ tude, and have promised to do all they can. One prominent club has broken all its records by actually starting at 2.40, only 10 minutes late, and taking only a quarter of an hour for tea ! Good. But we shall do better yet. The England team to meet the South Africans on June 10 at Lord’s has been selected thus: C. B. Fry (captain), P. F. Warner, Gr. L. Jessop, W. Brearley, F. E. Foster, R. H. Spooner, Hobbs, Rhodes, Woolley, Bames, and Smith (E. J.)—reserve, Humphreys (E.)