Cricket 1912

S e p t . 7, 1912. CEICKET : A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. 489 Special Club Notes. C o n tr ib u t e d b y “ T h e C h ie l .” Last Saturday I was among the large and sporting crowd in Battersea Park, watching the fixture between Battersea and Heathfield, old rivals and friends. It is doubtful whether the ground in the Park ever looked in better condition than this season, and it is very evident that a large amount of attention has been given it. The Battersea spectators are truly a wonderful crowd, and at times test the nerves of the best of cricketers. But crowds like this are for the good of the game, creating a keenness that is frequently lacking on private grounds. The Battersea C.C. have been and are making improvements for the comfort of their members and visitors, and the enclosure is now filled with comfortable deck chairs, the gift of the club’s Vice-Presidents. There was a rare gathering of cricketers old and young on Saturday. Among many who greeted The Chiel were R. Hunt, Major Moor, W. H. Beckett, H. A. White, P. Dowling, G. F. M. Camroux, Geo. Dawdry, L. Hiscock, the popular captain, F. Arnold, J. Christie, F. Ward and E. C. Huish. Among the Heath­ field men 1 recognised E. G. Read, G. W. Aitchison, the popular Sec., M. A. Jackson, C. Mills, F. M. Swancott and others. Heathfield batted first, and ran up 144, a good total considering the sporting state of the wicket. H. W. Weaver, M. A. Jackson, C. Mills and G. B. Swift all made useful scores. Both Huish and Camroux bowled well for Battersea, and when Dawdry went on he took three wickets quickly without a run, finishing up with three for 22. The wicket-keeping of Livesey was very good, and he stood up to the fast bowling of Huish in first-class style. The fielding was generally good, though it appeared to me one or two sharp chances in the slips should have been taken. Battersea found Swancott and Mills too much for them, and were all out for 88. Hiscock and Livesey alone made any stand. Hiscock played a safe game, while Livesey treated the crowd to some good hitting, it struck mo that Livesey should have been put in. earlier. He seems likely to turn out a rare good all-round cricketer. After the match The Chiel spent one of the most enjoyable of evenings at the headquarters of the Battersea club, the Royal Albert. The best of good fellowship reigned alike through­ out the game and the evening. Many rare old cricket stories were told, and it is very evident the close neigh­ bourhood of these two clubs tends to link them in true sportsmanship. It is good news that the Heathfield have not to seek fresh fields and pastures new. I understand some anxiety was felt respecting the tenancy of their well-known ground at Wandsworth Common. I was pleased to hear from Secretary Aitchison that the club had come to a satisfactory arrangement with the owners of the ground, and aro safe in their present home for at least another seven years. Many clubs have had similar anxieties respecting their grounds this season, and tho difficulty is to find another suitable ground in a convenient position, so encroaching have the builders become. It behoves London clubs to look to the future. Many owners have no respect for an old-established club, if the chance comes to them to obtain a large rental. The anxieties of club management are nowadays great. Tact and shrewdness are needed for clubs to make both ends meet. For the sake of the good old game it is a great pity that all those difficulties should arise, especially as club cricket generally was never so good as it is at present. To me it seems that the formation of an Association which could bring the full weight of many clubs to help the cause of one would be of considerable benefit. The second match of the Hastings Festival has been changed from South of England v. South Africans to Gentlemen of England v. South Africans. Among those who will play for the Gentlemen are H. P. Chaplin, H. L. Simms, J. W. H. T. Douglas, and E. L. Kidd. Whether the Afrikanders will play at East Grinstead later seems to be doubtful. Overseas Cricket. From Toronto Mr. E. S. Jackson writes :— “ Canada is having lots of cricket these days ; and looked at through the spectacles which we wear on this side of the water, pretty good cricket, too. No year in my 20 years’ experience of the country has seen so many newly arrived 1flannelled fools.’ The East and the Wost alike have benefitted by the advent of good cricketers from the Old Land, and it goes without saying that tho standard of cricket has improvod in consequence. A few years ago one never saw more than a corporal’s guard looking on at a cricket match ; but now that tho grand old game is beginning to take its proper place among the numerous field sports of the country, it is no uncommon thing to see a crowd witnessing a game the dimensions of which would do credit to an English cricket field. This change of attitude is more evident in the East than in the West. Away out beyond the Rockies they have always made more of cricket than they have done in the eastern part of the country. Their press has boomed the game for years ; in the East the newspapers are only just begin­ ning to realise the importance of doing so. At the moment of writing the New York Veterans are playing in the Montreal district, and showing everybody that they are quite as good cricketers as they are good follows. The Germantown (Philadelphia) Club had a real good timo in Toronto ; the Dominion Championship preliminaries and the various league matches are in full swing, and have been productive of some excellent games ; and now cricketers all over Ontario are looking forward to tho visit of the Winripeg Wanderers, who are to cross swords with tho Toronto Club (tho latter having recently beaten Roso- dale in a two-day match by 124 runs), to decide the cricket championship of Canada. All things considered we are doing very well, thank you.” Since I wrote my last article I have received several other century items. No doubt there are others which have escaped me ; but I should be glad if my readers would note that I am trusting to a great extent to their co-operation in this matter. Here is my list :— F. F. Kelly, 119, New York Veterans v. Philadelphia Veterans. A. L. Baily, 131, Merion C. v. Germantown C. E. Guest, 123*, Germantown British-Americans v Wissahickon E. L. Phillips, 109*, Falls of Schuylkill v. Belmont. J. B. King, 103*, Belmont v. Falls of Schuylkill. V. G. Williams, 103, Mr. J. A. Flint’s X I. v. Mr. G. Skinner’s X I. (Winnipeg). Lieut.-Col. R. M. Poore, 100*, 7th Hussars v. Bangalore Y.M.C.A. C. K. Krishnasami, 100*, Madras United v. Victoria Memorial. T. Smith, 120, Chicago Wanderers v. South ParK. T. Smith, 209*, Chicago Wanderers v. Pullman. T. Smith, 126*, Chicago Wanderers v. South Park. The last three items wore made on June 28, June 23, and July 13 respectively. The Belmont club has won tho Halifax Cup, with nine victories and only one defeat—the bost record any club has had in the competition since it started in 1880. In their last match they defeated Frankford by 183 to 60. After the game J. B. King was presented with a silver cup by the members of his team, in recognition of his unswerving loyalty to the club and his wonderful cricket for it. It saddens one to think that when tho next season in Philadelphia begins the Belmont club may bo no more. No effort should be too great to keep the flag flying, and a season like that of 1912 may help to persuade the Belmont supporters of this. The only game lost was to Germantowr, when P. H. Clark and W. P. O’Neill bowled finely for the winners. By a slip of the pen I wrote “ Morion ” for “ German­ town ” in the article printed last week. Apologies therefor. (To be continued.)