James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1879

preface. In inlroducing our last volume, recording the doings of the Season 1877, we look occasion to state with justifiable pride that the Annualhad,in theshort space of seven years, gained for itself a foremost position among the now plentiful yearly publications treating of Cricket matters. This distinguished mark of public confidence it will he our earnest endeavour to retain and worthily uphold. The rapidly-increasing demand for the Annu.ai.from every part of the globe cannot but be sutisfactoiy to us as proring the general appreciation ofour endeavours to provide for cricketers everywhere a read- .able volume,something more than adull wearisome massofstatisticsrepeated in the same stereotyped form. For the voluntaiy and reliable aid rendered to us by hundreds of well-wishers, we can only express our earnest thanksto one ani all. We hope still further to increase the utility of the Annital by the insertion of details of Clubs for which we have previously not been able to find room. A form will be found at the end of the Annual to be filled up and returned by Secretaries, and the more we are helped in this particular matter, the more valuable willthe Annualbe as a work ofreference. Officers of Clubs should rcfiect that by furnishing the details of their own Societie.s, they arc at the same time furthering the common cause of Cricket. Any statistics that may be sent to us will be carefully weighed and duly honoured, but wc would respectfully suggest th.at all information should be as brief as possible.