A CRICKET STORY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 112, 4 February 1933, Page 19

A CRICKET STORY

* * * ENGLAND’S GREATEST PLAYER There is a fine story about the most celebrated of all cricketers in one of the new books, John Drinkwater s Discovery. In 1599 W. G. Grace insisted that a young man named C. B. Fry should play in the first Test against the Australians. The young man and the great captain opened the English innings, Fry making 50, and Grace 28. When the team for the second match was to be chosen. Dr. Grace insisted that the young man should be co-opted as a member of the committee. A dav was chosen for a meeting at the Sports Club, and Fry was asked to luncheon and to spend the rest of the day in discussing the selection of the team. Fry could not come till after lunch, and. of course, the cricketers had been talking shop all through the meal. When he arrived, the discussion was well under way, and directly he entered the room Grace called out: “Ah—here’s Charles. Charles, we've got a question for you. Ought Archie toplay?” The Deciding Vote

Fry thought for a few moments. It was true that A. C- MacLaren had played no first-class cricket that summer, but he had done well in Australia. Fry said: , v , “Yes. I thiuk he ought.”

“Very well, that’s settled,” said .W-"

And W. G Grace never played for England again, The great question had been whether MacLaren or Grace should play. Grace was 51. He was the most famous of all cricketers, but he felt that his greatest days were over, and that MacLaren would be more useful in the eleven. There was a division of opinion, ant] it was agreed that Fry's vote should be final; only he was not 'fo know that if MacLaren came in Grace must go out to make room for him. It is easy to ipiagine Fry’s dismay. His word had turned out the hero of all cricketers, and the man who had given him. his international place. But when lid’ tried to undo what he had done he was told with a smile that there was no more to be said.

W. G. was great enough to know the limits of his greatness.; :