Cricket 1913

F eb . 15, 1913. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 45 The following table shows how the counties would have J fared if the system had been in operation from 1894 :—■ I n U p p e r D i v i s i o n I n L o w e r D i v i s i o n . Times Times Net Times Competing. CChampion. Toints. Competing Yorkshire ... 19 8 98 0 Lancashire; ... 19 2 49 0 (1902, ’05.) Surrey ... 17 2 2Q 2 Middlesex ... 19 1 18 0 Kent 16 4 6 3 (1896, 7, 8.) Notts ... ... 19 1 — 25 Sussex ... 14 1 — 40 5 (1897, 8, 9, 1908, 12.) Warwick ... 16 0 — 24 3 (1894, 1900, 10.) Northants ... 3 0 — 2 5 (l 9 ° 5 - 9 -) Kssex 0 — 24 12 (1894-6, 1901-3, 06-ri.) Hants 8 0 — 33 10 (1895, 98-01, 04-6, 11-12.) Gloucester ... 6 0 — 21 13 (1895-7, 1903-12.) Somerset 5 0 — is ... 14 (1899-1912.) Leicester ... 3 0 — 16 16 (1894-04, 07, 09-12.) Worcester ... — — — 14 (1899-1912.) Derby ... ... — — — 19 (1894-1912.) Worcestershire would narrowly have missed promotion, being second in the Lower Division on six occasions. Every other county except Derbyshire would have gained a trial at some time in the upper circles. No M .C .C . champion would ever have been found in the Lower D ivision • and fourteen times the top county would have been the same under both systems (this and the M .C.C.). Yorkshire would never have had minus points, and Lan­ cashire only once (— 1 in 1911). No county with any pretension to Championship form would ever drop out o f a Second Division o f nine. The experience would do any other good, and the means would be provided for it 'to prove its metal and speedily get back. There would be two rattling good competitions, instead of one long dreary one (for the supporters o f most o f the clubs). And the second division contest would not be too exacting for the purse o f an ambitious minor county anxious to approve itself. (Editorial Note .— Since this was written, the matter of reform has come into the range o f practical politics, and in the paragraphs which follow H .P .-T . has something more to say concerning it, with special reference to the number o f counties in each division.) If the County Advisory Committee decides to recom­ mend the scheme o f competition outlined by the Minor Counties, one feels sure that it will prove so popular in working as to provide the basis of the Ioiig-desiired establishment of conditions. But between outlines and details there is a gulf o f difference, and one may be for­ given for finding room for improvement in three particulars j on the proposals as they got into print. Firstly : It need not be a hard and fast rule that every county should play every other in its own division of the two top competitions. While allowing for the suspension of a fixture uncter very special circumstances, such as will arise in the most harmonious households, it might safely be left to the sportsmanship of every committee to permit all the others equal opportunities of advancement. Especially since, if a method of scoring by absolute points (entirely discarding proportions) is observed, the omission of a match will in practice be found to hinder one’s own chance o f success without being sufficient to prevent rele­ gation. Such was distinctly shown in the copious Reconstruction ” given in these pages in the winter of 1909-10. Secondly : One transfer up and down (instead o f two') from each division ought to be enough to meet justice ; and the experience o f other sporting competitions, in which two and three have generally been quickly abandoned for ! one, seems to show that the latter figure would give more satisfaction. Thirdly : Nine counties in each o f the two first-class divisions seems to be a better number than ten or eight. Nine (with sixteen games) gives a much more convincing return than eight (with fourteen). Nine, too, may always be expanded to ten if experience should warrant it— and it | may indeed be advisable to leave room for expansion in a not unimaginable contingency, whilst contraction from ten to nine would prove another matter. In apportioning the two divisions their limits want to be drawn to a nicety, and the writer considers that nine each exactly hits the mark. It would allow o f two minor counties obtaining their spurs (which should be a great relief to, some of the clubs at present ornamenting the foot o f the Championship table) ; and, whilst necessitating only sixteen matches for the poorer counties, it would enable the richer ones to play as many more as they pleased to arrange outside the com­ petition— the more o f these, the less extensive their com­ petition arrangements. For a number o f seasons past the writer has posted up the results of each season’s games, during its progress, as though the Championship had been conducted 011 divisional lines, and the result has invariably served 'to confirm his opinion that nine clubs in each division, affording a splendidly interesting struggle, are ample for all purposes and too many for none. Anyway, amended or unamended, the scheme should be a grand improvement on the machinery that has clogged the cricket mill in recent years. -------------------------- ----------------------------- -— ■ ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. C.B. ( C o r k ) . —You picked C. B. Fry, R. H. Spooner, Hobbs, Rhodes, and Philip Mead as the best five batsmen of 1912, you say; Barnes, F. R. Foster, Hitch, Woolley, and Dean as the best five bowlers; F. R. Foster, J. W. H. T. Douglas, Woolley, J. W. Hearne, and Rhodes, as the best five all-round men ; and R. H. Spooner, G. L. Jessop, Hobbs, Hendren, and Hitch, as the best five fields—not taking the Colonial players into account. I should say you were not far wrong in any case, though personally I should have included Blythe among the bowlers and David Denton among the batsmen. BLANCO For Cleaning and Whitening White Buckskin and Canvas Shoes, Cricket Pads, and all other articles of a similar nature. It is prepared in a v e ry careful manner, and extra precautions are taken to en su re an even n ess of colou r. It con tain s nothin;; that will in any way injure the article !o wh ich it is applied, and if used as directed , a Splendid W h ite o f a glossy, satin -lik e appearance and so ft silky surface is en su red, which will not readily rub off. “ BLANCO” CLOTH & LEATHER BALL For cleaning Suede, Ooze Calf, and Cloth Boots and Shoes, Cord Breeches, Suede Gloves, Cloth Spats, Leather and Cloth Leggings. Made in various shades of Colour. Sold by Athletic Dealers, Ironmongers, Oilmen, Stores, Boot and Shoe Dealers ,&c,