Lives in Cricket No 27 - CB Llewellyn

65 Chapter Twelve Events Minute By Minute When the Hampshire Committee met on 16 December 1909, Dr Bencraft, the Chairman, read out a letter from Llewellyn asking to be put on the same terms as his original agreement. This had provided for him to be paid £208 a year, together with match expenses. It is not clear when this sum had been reduced. The letter was discussed ‘fully and carefully’ according to the Secretary’s note and the Committee resolved that Llewellyn ‘be offered an engagement on the same terms as last year and his request for increased salary be not acceded to.’ This was carried by ten votes to three. The Secretary, Frank Bacon, was instructed to write to Llewellyn and to see him personally to explain the case. It was significant that Major Hedley and Captain Johnston respectively had proposed and seconded the motion; both had played alongside him in the county side, as had another Committee man, Rev W.V.Jephson. The county’s management had overseen five seasons of inconsistent, indeed erratic, performances on the part of Buck – and in the season of 1908 he had received the largest benefit of any Hampshire professional – not that that was saying very much! On 18 January 1910, the Committee met again. Dr Bencraft reported having seen Llewellyn, who, apparently accepting their decision, adopted another tack. He now wanted to have his salary paid at the rate of £10 a month during the winter months and the balance in the summer. Assuming the winter months were January to April, Llewellyn would receive £40 of his annual salary by the beginning of May, leaving the balance to be paid for the remaining eight months of the year. The Committee, feeling that they had been harsh enough, agreed to this request. Buck may have felt that he was assured of winter work with his compatriots in Australia at the end of the season of 1910. It may have been his objective to get the most he could from Hampshire before moving on. Meanwhile, the delegates to the South African Cricket Association