Cricket 1912

J un e 8, 1912. CEICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OP THE GAME. 217 wickets at Seaham, a result due mainly to a splendid innings of 101* by Harry. But these were the less thrilling games, not to be com­ pared with those which remain for mention. Durham City met Hendon at Durham, and could only make 75, the visitors fielding grandly. Hendon (Weight 22) started well, but fell away. Six runs were wanted when the last man came in. One was scored ; then Adamson, the county captain (whose analysis was 7 for 36) had the ball sent back to him, and made no mistake about the catch. At Ashbrooke Morris (7 for 34) was the chief contributor to Chester-le-Street’s downfall for 83. But even that small score seemed at one time quite beyond Sunderland’s compass. Four wickets were down for 11, 6 for 27, 7 for 45, 8 for 61—and the three men left were all second team players ! But Bodin (31) and Hopper were undismayed, and pulled off a fine win for their side. The crowd fairly rent the air with their cheers. It was a glorious victory. Thackeray (5 for 47) and James Bewick (5 for 42) bowled finely for the losers. Morris’s record up to date, by the way, is 38 wickets in 6 matches at under 7 runs each. Bain spoiled cricket in the South Wales district on Saturday. During the week Abergavenny (who have the help of H. A. Gilbert, C. H. B. Marsham, and Dr. W . S. Tresawna, whose average so far this season is over 200) went down badly to Panteg, outside Newport probably the strongest club in Gwent. But Newport can do nothing right this season, their mainstay, Silverlock, being dead off form. Ebbw Vale have a strong batting side, but lack hitters. On Whit- Monday Webb, for Plymouth Merthyr scored a beautiful double century v. Brynmawr, the highest score ever recorded for the club. Last week Dr. Tresawna ran up two hundreds in succession, v. Penarth and v. Abertillery. Special Club Notes. C o n tr ib u t e d b y “ T h e C h ie l .” One cannot understand the lack of support given to some of our provincial clubs. Take, for instance, a club like Heading, which]possesses on e'of the best of grounds, an excellent pavilion, good wickets (both practice and match), fine tennis courts, and bowling and croquet greens. Yet the support given b y the town’s people is very dis­ couraging. It might open the eyes of the good people of Heading to know how readily cricketers and players of the other games mentioned, in London, would jump at the many advantages that a club like Heading offers. When all-day matches are played in such enjoyable surroundings before a “ crowd ” at the outside numbering 20, one is forced to conclude either that the Heading folk don’t care for the game of cricket, or that there is something wrong with the management of the club—and I do not think the latter is the case. Very different are the conditions of a club such as Paddington, who play on the recreation ground. Despite the unsettled weather last Saturday, there must have been from two to three thousand people around the rails watching Paddington v. Battersea, and very keen the regular spec­ tators are. No seating accommodation— or practically none— is provided, as is the case at Battersea. The Paddington spectators must stand throughout a match. Yet, while the club gets no financial benefit from their attendance, there is undoubtedly a gain in other ways to the players and the game. Many secretarial changes have taken place in London club cricket since last season; and there has been a great deal of bungling with the arrangement of fixtures. Another prominent club was without a fixture for either team on Saturday last. This sort of thing is simply heart-breaking. It is, of course, next to impossible to fix up matches at the last moment. Would it be out of place to suggest a meeting of club secretaries annually for the arrangement of fixtures? A hard and fast rule that fixture cards should be exchanged would obviate much of the sort of thing against which I am lifting my voice. My remark about starting matches to time on Satur­ day afternoons have, it is evident, interested many- A correspondent who signs himself “ Weary Willie ” has taken me to task seriously. I appreciate his letter, but what he says does not altogether apply to senior club cricket. Whether the secretaries concerned do or do n ot make it a rule to arrange the matches to start at 2.30 or 3, members ought to use every endeavour to be on the ground. A start could be made, and substitutes found, until the arrival of such late birds who were unavoidably detained. The Schools. For a school side, however good, to run up a total of over 500 against a powerful team like Liverpool is a remarkable feat. Clifton’s 531 for 8, declared, was very largely the work of G. W . E. Whitehead (259*), though Errington (120), Grant (52*) and Bebb (51), all did their share. The two century-makers added 253 while together. Whitehead got his colours last year— quite young, if one may judge from the fact that his captain says he will have three more summers at school—totalled 334 in ten com­ pleted innings, averaged 33-40, and made a highest score of 92 v. Malvern at Malvern. He should be a thorn in the side of opposing teams during this and the next two seasons, for he must have stamina as well as skill. Over 1,000 runs— 1,023 for 22 wickets, to be exact—were made in this two- day Clifton-Liverpool match. Liverpool (A. B. Leather, 184, including forty 4’s !) beat Marlborough in an innings. It looks as though the Wilt­ shire school’s bowling is weak ; but with K . H. C. Woodroffe C . C. A ST O N , C aptain , U n iv e rsity C o lle g e S ch o o l. in the side that can hardly be correct, though of course one bowler does not make an attack. E. C. Beard scored 67, W . F. L. Oliver 69, in Marlborough’s first, and C. Z. Case 56, in the follow-on. Bradfield (H. J. Bradshaw 57) drew with University College, Oxford (239 for 7— A. Gordon 108) and also with Old Bradfieldians (320—G, B. Howell 95). Gordon headed the batting averages and scored the only century for the side last year. Uppingham had all the best of a draw wiih Notts Amateurs, R. W. Burn scoring 104, and A. B. Hall 54*, while A. R. Trubshaw, who has played for Carmarthen­ shire, took 4 for 23. Winchester went under to the Old Wykehamists in a match in which scores were small, C. H. Miller’s 44 being the highest for the School, and were also beaten by Oxford U. Authenties (G; B- Forrester 121*), no one reaching 25 for the losers. The match, in which the Anthentics beat Radley after the School captain had declared was referred to last week.