Cricket 1913

J u ly 12, 1913. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 391 the latter part of September ; and the gate receipts will be devoted mainly to the giving the colts a good time. Mr. Coates means to put a good team in the field, and is already at work selecting it, in order that the chosen may practise together before the match. The offer is a very generous one, and goes to prove that those who said the almighty dollar was the one thing the Australians were after had formed a mistaken opinion. H e a r t y congratulations to Essex on their first win, ! though I had rather any other side they play had been the victims. The unanimity with which the papers referred to the fact that it was the first victory achieved by the eastern county since 1912 was remarkable— or would have been if kicking any one who is down were not unfortunately so marked a trait of human nature in general. The successful can do no wrong, the unsuccess­ ful nothing right. Essex have struggled gallantly against heavy odds, and deserve no end of credit. And, after all, they have won one match at least in each season. Somerset, Hampshire, and Derbyshire have all in recent years gone through a campaign with­ out a solitary win ! H. Gradidge & Sons, Manufacturers and Exporters of all requisites for Cricket, L aw n Tennis, Racquets, Squash Racquets, &c< W h y does not Drake field better ? He could if he would. It looks like sheer laziness. He can never be reckoned a real all-rounder till he bucks up in this depart­ ment, and his slackness will tell against his chance of honours higher than the County can give him. But perhaps he is not ambitious of such honours. “ Imperial Gradidge ” Driver” & “ Lawn Tennis Improved Racquets. M r. A. C. D e n h am points out that Mr. O. Spencer j Smith was not an original member of the Hampshire County X I., as he did not play in either match in 1863. Factory: ArtilleryPlace,Woolwich, S.E. I t is good to know that Worcestershire’s prospects are somewhat brighter. The fact has just leaked out that for some years past Lord Cobham— with whose sad bereavement all the cricket world sympathises— has been doing far more than any one but the officials even suspected ; without him the club must have gone to the wall before this. Perhaps a knowledge of what he has done may help to loosen the pursestrings of others. His Honour, Judge Amphlett, has addressed to the Worcester Daily Times a moving appeal for better support. Two noblemen residing in the county, he says, have generously offered to bear £400 of the anti-ipated deficit of £1,200 at the end of the season. The burden of the other £800 must not be allowed to fall upon Lord Cobham, who has already done so much. The sum of £1,000 ought to be raised at once. Mr. Farrow, of Farrow’ s Bank, has promised £50 if the rest is forth­ coming. Judge Amphlett undertakes to give a like sum under the same conditions. P e r c y H o lm e s is the sixth Huddersfield cricketer who has appeared for Yorkshire this season. Hirst, Haigh, Rhodes, Drake and Bates are, of course, the others. This does not equal the old Lascelles Hall record, however. Drake, it is true, was bom at Park- gate ; but he learned all his cricket at Honley (Hudders­ field), and may fairly be reckoned in. Holmes, by the way, is 26— not quite as young as some have thought him. But he has been knocking at the door some time and is a really fine bat. Reblading Cricket Bats 8 Restringing Tennis Bats a Special Feature. E very o th er requ isite for Cricket, including balls, leg guards, batting gloves, gaun tlets, stump s, nets, &c. PRICE LISTS & SPECIAL QUOTATIONS FREE. All Goods Carriage Paid to any part of the United Kingdom. S o le Makers of the Patentees and Sole Makers of the “ IMPERIAL DRIVER” CRICKET BATS. Made in Men’s, Small Men’s, College, 6, 5, 4, & 3 sizes.