Cricket 1914

348 THE WORLD OF CRICKET. J u l y 18, 1914. though he made one century— n o for Gentlemen of England v. Oxford University in 1879. He went in last in the first innings, scored 4 not out, and seems to have batted fisrt in the second ; but Wisden is void of detail as to this match. M r . P roth ero was in the Marlborough elevens of 1870 and 1871 (he was born in 1852). In the earlier year he scored 2 and 2 and took 7 w ickets for 58 v. Ru gby ; in the later he made 18 and 24, and took 2 for 71. Among his contemporaries at Marlborough were R. C. Leach, who later played for Lancashire, W . W . Pulman, an Oxford blue, and W . H. Milton, now Sir William Henry Milton, K.C.M.G., Adm inistrator of Southern Rhodesia, a quarter of a century ago one of South A frica’s foremost cricketers. F iv e years Editor of the Quarterly Review, a Fellow of A ll Souls’ College and a barrister, Mr. Prothero is also the author of a number of books, the best-known of which is perhaps “ The Psalms in Human L ife,” published in 1903. “ C W h it e , b K i r k ” and " c Christy, b Johnstone” are extracts from recent score-sheets that m ight have a curiously familiar sound to people who know the world of books better than the world of cricket— or T h e W orld of C r ic k e t either. T h e Leicestershire amateur, W . N . Riley, had rough luck in not being played for Cambridge at Lord’s this year. When a similar fate befell the late Herbert Pigg back in the seventies his captain is said to have comforted him b y the reminder that it had chanced to plenty of better men ! B u t it is doubtful whether a better man than Riley, having once got his blue, has had to stand down two years in succession. H a r r y W h it e h e a d , who is taking a well-deserved benefit this week, made 100 v. Worcestershire at Coalville last year, and he and John K ing made a long stand— over 100 in each case— in each innings. On Saturday last, again at Coalville and again v. Worcestershire, Whitehead scored 103, and he and K ing added 150 in partnership. K e n n e d y has the distinction of being the first bowler to reach the 100 wickets mark this year. A t the time of writing he stands alone. Last year the first three (in the order given) were Booth, Thompson, and B lythe ; in 1912 S. J. Pegler, Dean, and Blythe ; in 1911 Dean, Hirst, and Smith (W. C .) ; in 1910 Smith (W. C.), Llewellyn, and Relf (A. E.) ; in 1909 Bfythe, Thompson, and Relf (A. E.) ; in 1908 Walter Brearley, Hirst, and Blythe ; in 1907 Tarrant, Cox, and Rhodes ; in 1906 Hirst, Haigh, and N. A. Knox ; in 1905 Lees, Walter Brearley, and Cox ; in 1904 Hearrie (J. T.), Wass, and Lees ; in 1903 Barnes, Hargeave, and Rhodes ; in 1902 T ate, Llewellyn, and Rhodes ; in 1901 Rhodes, T rott, and Hirst. A cr isis in the affairs of the Northamptonshire C.C. has been tided over by the generous aid of Lord Lilford. The club had a heavy deficit at the start of the season, and have been unfortunate in the weather at home matches this year, with the result that a cessation seemed likely. B ut a cheque for ^500 from the most generous sup­ porter Northamptonshire— or perhaps any county— has ever had averted this disaster. It is to be hoped that better luck will attend the youngest of the first-class counties in the future. T h e Westminster Gazette is responsible for the state­ ment that a good ball from Davies knocked back Wood’s leg stump, and at the same lime Woodruffe tam ely turned a ball from Melle into Knight’s hands at short-leg.” The italics[are ours. One wonders what the umpires were about to allow two bowlers on at once. Is this the new cricket ? D e r b y s h ir e ’ s total of 524 v. Lancashire was rather a curiosity, inasmuch as it contained no century, and th at the hat trick was done in the course of the innings. G eo rge Cox will be coaching in Durban this winter, for the third time. Though the climate does not suit him, he yielded to the solicitations of the Natal authorities, on condition that he was given a benefit match— a con­ dition readily agreed to. John Gunn occupied the post in 1913-4 ; but though Gunn did good work and was popular the Durban folk wanted the Sussex man— a great favourite with them— again. Cox will thus get two benefits in the course of eight months or so— an unusual happening. D id the County Championship table ever look before as it looks just now, with the southern counties in the ascendant, and the northern ones very low indeed ? On Monday four southern shires led the way, and two southern and two midland shires made up the n ext four. Lancashire, in spite of all their failures, were above Yorkshire. The last three places were filled b y the western sides, for W or­ cestershire may be counted among these. F rom a mathematical point of view the great defect in the present system of reckoning points is the loss of a point altogether when only the first innings’ result comes into the table. Thus when, say, Yorkshire leads Derbyshire (but this season Yorkshire has contracted a habit of not doing that sort of thing) by 50 runs on the first innings and the game is drawn, Yorkshire takes 3 points, Derbyshire one point. Four from five (possible) leaves one ; but what becomes of that one ? T h ree and two would scarcely work ; but if the possible points per match were ten, the side leading on the first innings in an uncompleted game taking 7 and the other side 3, the balance would scarcely be unfairly disturbed, and the mathematical-minded would feel easier. B oth the Tasmanian Mail and the Adelaide Observer reproduce John Douglas’s comments on the South African tour w ithout any acknowledgment of this paper. Well, we didn’t pay John Douglas anything ; he did not want paying. Bu t he gave us the article ; he did not give it to the Adelaide Observer or the Tasmanian Mail. Verb. sap. F rom an article in F ry’s Magazine on A. H. Hornby, in which the writer runs over the characteristics of Lancashire’s captains : “ Afterwards there came th at brilliant, w itty, grumbling, ever-so-tactical Archie MacLaren, beyond doubt one of the finest of captains that ever fought the Australians under the Southern Cross, but never quite the same man at home in England : nevertheless, without humbug, a grand pusher and shover of the power of his eleven in the field, especially if things went right and not wrong ; a paradoxical fellow, moreover, who often tarried most cheerful when misfortune was heaviest.” D iffe r e n c e of opinion concerning this in the office at Temple Chambers. A. C. M. wanting to know when he ever grumbled ; others desiring to be informed when he ever didn’t ! J oe D a r lin g , interviewed by “ Point ” (C. P. Moody) of the Sporting Mail (Adelaide) said Archie MacLaren was the best English captain he played against. He said nothing about grumbling ; but that does not prove any­ thing. Anybodv who knows— well, one takes some things for granted ! T he old Australian skipper is still strongly of opinion that the players themselves, and not the Board of Control, should appoint the captain of an Australian team.