Lives in Cricket No 29 - AN Hornby

89 At the time of the newspaper interview A.H. was just completing his fifth season as captain and might have been expected to keep any issues he might have had ‘in house’. But Albert Henry was certainly a chip off the old block and many detected the hand of his father in the way his son made his feelings so public. Hornby the Younger’s complaints were, in the main, down to money. Towards the end of a poor season when the side won only seven of their Championship games, drawing eight and losing eleven, Hornby put the blame firmly on the Lancashire committee, of which he was a co-opted member. He told the Manchester Guardian ’s representative that any team had to be in a contented and united frame of mind in order to perform to the best of its ability. Among his bones of contention were the fact that the committee intended to cut down on expenses by discontinuing a travelling saloon and a lunch for players for long journeys for the following season; stopping salaries when players were unable to play through illness, overwork or injury; and limiting talent money. The captain was also concerned that the committee was proposing to reduce next year’s programme when they were, in fact, canvassing for more members; depriving young players on the staff of match practice and not encouraging coming men of the The hand of Hornby? ‘A chip off the old block.’ A.N.’s son, Albert Henry, was one of his successors as captain, and a capable cricketer in his own right.