Cricket 1913

J uly 2(i, 1913. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 489 A good many London clubs are now starting upon their cricket weeks or tours. I have had several invitations to look in during the w eeks or tours, and, if business per­ mits, hope to accept some of them , w ithout notice in advance. D on ’t think I am com ing to “ take n o tes” about dirty flannels and boots, or short runs, and I sh all care­ fu lly avoid offering any opinion of a captain’s ability. My object is tw ofold— to giv e clubs notice in this paper and to introduce the paper to them. In spite of its many sup­ porters, C r ic k e t still seems to be unknown to or dis­ regarded by clubs whose doings ought to be chronicled in it every week. It is a m istake to reserve bats for match play and use others in practice. N evertheless, it pays to get a bat into good drivin g order by hard hitting at the nets before you carry it out into the m iddle. A s to the care o f bats, I think the member of a good-class club who entrusts this to the groundsm an rather scores. T he groundsm an, if he is worth his salt, sees that such bats are kept in good condi­ tion. But the man who takes his bag home every Saturday is not alw ays as carefu l as he m ight be, and a few words as to the care of a bat m ay not be out of place. H avin g obtained a bat that suits you, oil it w ell— 1 don’t mean lavishly, but thoroughly— two different things. A w ell- soaked piece of flannel rubbed over the bat tw ice or so a week is sufficient during the season, and o ilin g once a fort­ night should do for the winter. C are should be given to repairs. P egg in g spoils a bat, I consider, and glu e and string should be used sparin gly, otherw ise the balance w ill be affected. A good bat is a treasure, and a keen cricketer regards such a weapon w ith something like affection. W h y do so many you n g cricketers resent the very idea of advice by the professional coach at the nets ? He is there to coach, and it is the height of fo lly to think that he cannot te ll you anything. Some youngsters seem to think they have on ly to go to a stretch of tu rf and batsmanship w ill come to them. It has been suggested that better cricketers can be turned out by leav in g them to their own devices. I don’t agree w ith th at a bit. O ver-coaching may be d etrim en tal; but th at’s another matter. A dm itting that m any great cricketers have won fam e w ithout ever having been coached, one fancies that, a fter a ll, even in some of th eir cases, they w ould not have made few er runs— and m ight have pleased the eye more— if the advantages of p la yin g w ith a straight bat had been driven into them. H. Gradidge &Sons, Manufacturers and Exporters of all requisites for Cricket. Lawn Tennis, Racquets, Squash Racquets, &c- It is argued that professionalism is necessary for the continuance of the gam e in anything lik e a h igh ly-deve­ loped form . But, as regards professionalism in club cricket, I cannot agree w ith this. I think it a regrettable fact that a number of London clubs should pay several of their p layers, and here enters the question of veiled pro­ fessionalism . T here are several clubs I know who could not m aintain their standard without these subsidised men, and I appreciate the fact that a good standard of cricket popularises the game. But sem i-amateurism is a ll wrong. B y a ll means, p lay your groundman or coach if you think doing so a necessity; they are acknow ledged as pros., and respected as such. It is the semi-pro. team in club cricket to which I object. And in the long run I don’t believe it pays. T h e real am ateur fights shy of such clubs— perhaps gives up the game altogether. Jealousy enters; sociability lapses; and the time m ay come when the club is obliged to disband— simply because of bringin g the money element in in the worst possible way. W a n t e d . — Volumes of C r i c k e t for 1888, 1890 and 1894 State condition, whether bound or unbound, and price asked, to Manager of C ricket , 25, White Street, Moor Lane, London, E.C. Patentees and Sole Makers of the “ IMPERIAL DRIVER” CRICKET BATS. Made in Men’s, Sm all Men’s, College, 6, 5, 4, & 3 sizes. Factory : ArtilleryPlace,Woolwich,S.E. Reblading Cricket Bats S Restringing Tennis Bats a Special Feature. Every other requisite for Cricket, including balls, leg guards, batting gloves, gaun tlets, stum ps, nets, &c. PRICE LISTS & SPECIAL QUOTATIONS FREE. All Goods C a rria ge Paid to any part of the United Kingdom. Sole Makers of the “ Imperial Driver” & “ Improved Gradidge” Lawn Tennis Racquets.