Cricket 1914

70 THE WORLD OF CRICKET. A p r il , 1914. G ive Johnny his bit of glue, however, and there was very little in it between him and Peel. I never remember seeing an y other bowler look quite so unplayable as he did on one occasion at the Oval, when (if memory serves) 6 wickets were down for under 20. E very ball was the blind length between batsman’s legs and wicket, and they always broke aw ay very quickly, rearing up at the same time. A sight for the gods was the injured look on Johnny’s face if you checked his hurtling at the w icket from his place a t cover. While he was still at the asylum , he was allowed to visit Old Trafford during a match, under convoy of Charlie Smith, our old wicket-keeper. All went well till an innings was over. Then Johnny made repeated attempts to get over the rail­ ings ; he wanted to go and have a look at the pitch. Charlie would not allow this, and pulled him back at each attempt. This was too much for Johnny’s patience, and at length his conductor got one of the prettiest clips on the jaw he can ever have received. “ Thou can go th ’ own road neow,” said Charlie, “ ah ’ve finished w ith thee ! ” Johnny and I completed a peculiar equestrian double at Ballarat. He was kicked off his horse and broke the pave­ ment w ith his chin on one tour, and on the following one m y horse created a sensation b y keeping me on its back whilst it galloped, like blue bungo, through the town. Dear old Johnny ! As I write of him I recall a bit of fun at the A ltcar coursing meeting years ago. Johnny had a level five on a dog th a t was beaten, and the bookie, offered a crown, demanded a fiver. Johnny spied a bookie well known to him some distance away, and over the heads of the crowd he called out : “ Here, D ick, don’t I always bet in white ’uns ? ” The dispute was am icably settled on the strength of “ D ick ’s ” reply. Wha t the Press says about “ The World of Cricket.” “ Should make many friends . . . Good luck to it ! ”— The Pelican. “ A bright production and promises well.”— Scarborough Daily Post. “ Should appeal to all lovers of the national game.”— Thame Gazette. ** A very readable number.”— Uttoxeter Advertiser. “ A capital first number.”— Royal Cornwall Gazette. “ One of its most valuable features is that the Editor is prepared to place his knowledge at the service of his readers, young or old.”— Upton-on-Severn News. “ A splendid number, every page containing informative and interesting matter . . . We hope the journal will have the widespread popularity and success which it so thoroughly deserves.”— Ireland's Saturday Night. “ We wish the new issue every success. It is a bright, interesting, and informing paper, and there should be sufficient enthusiasts to ensure for it the success it deserves.” — Eastern Daily Press. “ A very interesting magazine.”— Rossendale Echo. “ Should interest all sportsmen.”— Sports Gazette. “ Full of news and hints . . . cheap at the price.”— The People. “ Mr. MacLaren, as an editor no less than as a batsman, believes in getting into form in good time. If he can only let a fair number of public school boys into the secret of batting in his own glorious style, we ought to see an early revival in the game.”— Manchester Guardian. “ An excellent first issue . . . Deals in a light, crisp, and in­ teresting manner with cricket events of the day.”— Bedfordshire Times. “ If it maintains its early promise it should become a permanent feature of the cricket season.” — Sports Argus (Birmingham). “ A most readable cricket paper.”— Barrow News and Mail. “ Should become popular.”— Yorkshire Weekly Post. “ The first number is most promising . . . The world of cricket is well covered in this bright and welcome publication.” — Cork Constitution. “ A new journal for cricket lovers . . . Bright and interesting.”— T .P .'s Weekly. “ A new publication, devoted to the interests of votaries of the summer game, and the fact that it is edited by Mr. A. C. MacLaren suggests that it will fulfil its mission adequately.”— Irish Field. “ Has made a good start . . . well worth reading.”— Pudsey A dvertiser. “ An excellent number.”— Portsmouth Times. “ Well got up and printed.”— British and Colonial Printer and Stationer. “ An excellent twopennyworjh.”— Staffordshire Advertiser. “ Of good promise.”— Kentish Mercury. IM P O R T A N T N O T I C E . From the next number the price of this paper will be 3d. per issue. The size will be enlarged, and specially attractive features added. Those who are already subscribers, and those whose subscriptions reach us before May 1st— whether renewals or new subscriptions— will be supplied for a year from the beginning of their subscription at the former rates— 6s. 6d. inland, 7s. 6d. overseas. T h e n e x t i s s u e w i l l b e d a t e d M a y 2 n d . The Thakore Sahib of Rajkot. B y A. C. M a c L a r e n . W h y do not more Indians emulate the great deeds of him who is now the Jamsaheb of Nawanagar ? I think I can tell you. They have many natural advantages— quickness of eye, suppleness of wrist, looseness of shoulder ; but they generally lack one essential— perseverance. They are too apt to treat the game merely as a means of filling up spare time. I remember a case in point. About six years ago I was deputed to travel w ith a young Indian Prince to Oxford, to play for G. J. V. Weigall’s team against the ’Varsity. The Maharaja Ranjitsinhji also played, and captained the side. The young Prince (Ranjitsinhji’s nephew) rejoiced in the name of H .H . the Thakore Sahib of R ajko t (he appeared in the records, b y the way, as “ Prince Chakorsab ” ). We should have started about three, but the Thakore Sahib wanted to p lay polo then— time is nothing to an Indian Prince. I was only kep t waiting a trifle over three hours. We started at last. Our “ shover ” had frequently to ask the way, and appeared to get misleading information every time. We arrived at Oxford about midnight, without a bite on the w ay ; and at the Randolph all we could get at that hour was biscuits and whiskey. I w a s pleased. However, I had my laugh next day. A fter we had come and gone for 245, the first two Oxford batsmen— Bowring and Teesdale— went in, and the skipper put little nephew on to bowl. He proceeded to serve up the most glorious succession of juicy long-hops outside the off stump that I ever did see. E very ball was worth a crisp five-pound note— to the batsman. Point was the bravest man seen since Nelson's day ! The hundred went up— the 200— and still nephew bowled. To make a long story short, I may say that the first pair stayed until over 300 had been scored. Nephew had to chase a few— a few too m any for his liking— off the other fellows’ bowling. He said to me several times : “ Oh, Mr. Macallaren, I ’ll never p lay again ! ” And he never did. Friend Weigall came to me when the 200 had gone up, and nephew was still pounding ’em down short, and said : “ Can’t you get R anji to take him off ? ” “ W h y should I ? ” I replied. “ Wouldn’t have him taken off for the world. I ’m enjoying this.” Uncle had made nephew take off his diamond earrings. This was an error of judgement. They certainly would have troubled the batsmen when the sun hit them— a good deal more than the long hops did, anyway. As George Yates, the old Lancashire pro., used to say : “ There are many kittle pints in this ’ere game what wants watching of ! ” “ Armstrong was allowed eight balls in one over. It looked like becoming a ‘ Kathleen Mavourneen,’ or indeterminate over, when the umpire awoke.”— The Dominion (Wellington, N.Z.).