CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 116, 17 May 1902, Page 4 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

A. C. MacLaren, notwithstanding the. severe things that Avere said about his deserting Lancashire for Hampshire, has finally decided to play for Lancashire. A recent English paper said that it was only a question of finance, and that Lancashire was the most powerful in that respect.

Commenting on the tour of MacLaren's team, London "Cricket" says: —A good deal, and rightly, has been made by the Australian press out of Mr MacLaren's refusal to play the match at Bathurst if Marsh, the aboriginal, was allowed to play for the local team, and also of the action of his deputy, Mr Robson, in closing the innings at Melbourne at the commencement of the.second,day of the match against the Country team. Without in any way entering into the facts of the former case, one can only express regret in the interests of cricket, and particularly of the reputation of English cricket, that several things were done during the tour which might well have been left undone. Certainly recent events justify a istrong expression of opinion that there ought to be some definite understanding and some uniform action in respect of umpiring in the interchange of visits between English and Australian cricketers.

At the last meeting- of the New South Wales Cricket Association a communication, iv.as read from the Victorian Association recommending that the Sheffield Shield should become the property of the State winning- the first ten series of matches from the beginning of the competition. It was pointed out that Victoria had won five times, New South Wales four times, and South Australia once, and that by adopting the resolution it would be practically excluding South Australia from any chance of winning the shield. After a short discussion it was decided to recommend that the State, first winning the shield three times should retain it-

Though nothing- of an official character has yet been announced (says the "Athletic NeW) it i.s the fact that a proposal has been put forward in authoritative quarters to enable cricket in some way or other to make a general contribution to the War Funds during the coming summer. If, has been suggested that a match, or a series of inatcb.es, might be played; or, if the summer programme is too crowded for such games to be arranged with any reasonable, prospect of financial success, that «ome scheme for general contribution to the Funds should be adopted. What is the exact form the proposal may ultimatelj' take cannot ■at present be stated, but the committee of the M.C.C. are to consider the matter, and when advisable doubtless some official pronouncement on the point may be heard.

It has surprised the Yorkshire cricketing public to hear (says the same journal), through the columns of the dadly Press, that Frank Mitchell is now on his way back to England from South Africa. It had been understood that he intended settling in that country, for a few years at least, having- secured a g-ood appointment there with a well-known and wealthy sportsman. His cricketing friends at home know nothing as to th§ causes of his return, and assume that it must be purely a business visit. Should Mitchell be able to spend the summer in England and play cricket agai^i, Yorkshire will be strong-er than ever, for F. S. Jackson —who is on the Riviera at present —intends to play-

W. J- Ford has several good umpiring- stories in the "Athletic News." He says: "Umpire stories are, of course, as numerous as fish stories, and are often just as credible, but 1 venture to recall one or two, though they have been in. print before, on the principle that everybody does not read everything. The worst 'decision I ever heard told against mj'self. It was a tightish run, and the wicket ~w>aa thrown down; before anyone had time to appeal the Umpire threw up his hat and shouted, "Out! hurrah!" yet point's verdict was "In, by six inches." A certain earl's footman was once, officiating as umpire, and an appeal for stumping- was made against his lordship, upon which the man, mindful of his real vocation, gave as his verdict, "Very sorry, my lord; not at home!" Nor is the story of the billiard player bad, for he, being anxious as to whether .his foot was inside the create or not, turned to the umpire with "Tell me marker, is my right foot ill baulk." One more, for the last: A country umpire, very anxious that a local magnate should, have absolutely correct "guard," after a series, "A little more to you, sir;" "Hold your bat straight, sir;" "A little more from you, sir;" "That's centre, sir;" had a final peep, with "You're in front of your wicket, sir," whereat the sorely-tried batsman burst in with, "Why, hangif/all, man, do you want me to stand behind it?"

The same writer gives some sound advice on the subject of frivolous appeals. He says:—The umpire's great; est enemy are the frivolous appeals and the acrimonious remarks > flung at him by those who are dissatisfied with his decisions. "Believe me, sir," said a very good umpire to me, "it is no fun umpiring in these big matches, when they are badgering you with, appeals every other ball, and snarling and swearing if you don't answer them in the way they want." Nothing is so. irritating a-s. an obviously haphazard appeal, except a series of them. I remember cover-point appealing for a catch at "silly" wicket-keep, where I was standing. The batsman 1 was not within a foot of the ball, and no

one else asked, yet to my disgust the umpire—l am afraid he was "our umpire"—gave the striker out. There was no help for it; he had to go, and my only consolation was to give cover-point what is. generally known as "beans," he luckily being a much smaller and younger man than myself. The wicket-keeper who ap^ peals every time he taJces a ball or knocks the bails off is really prejudicing his own case- The umpire gets the idea into his head that he is being- "rushed," and without intending to resent the process unintentionally does resent it. "Not out! Wouldn't have hit the wicket by a furlong-—and you don't rush me!" was the only answer that an excitable bowler got to a ridiculous and preposterous appeal for leg-before-wicket from one of the very best of umpires. At a special general meeting of the Marylebone Cricket Club, to have been held at Lord's on May 7, the members were to be asked to confirm the following alteration in the Laws of Cricket: —"That the bowling-crease shall be widened one foot each way." Speaking of the proposal, W. G. Grace says: fit this becomes law, the bowlers "will have a better chance of getting wickets than they have at present. lam of the opinion that six inches each way would have been better. I very much doubt if this will improve the game in any way, as many batsmen will get more in front of their wickets than ever."