CRICKET ANECDOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 172, 22 June 1926, Page 2

CRICKET ANECDOTES.

AMUSING REMINISCENCES, AUTHORS AND* THE GAME. SIR JAMES BARRIE’S FLAY. Interesting reminiscences of tlie cricket field, with amusing references to the performances of literary lights in tlio great game, were recalled at the last dinner of the Authois Club, London, at which the Rev. I<. H. Gillingham, the Essex county cricketer, was tlie guest of honour, and the topic of discussion was "Cricket-Playing Fields.” ' . 1 j Mr H. 51. Walbrook, who presided, said the members of the, club had for many years shown their' attachment to the game of cricket that Mr Gillingham played so w T ell, not in words only but in deeds. (Laughter.) Before the war, elevens of authors w'ere formed which, by the courtesy of the M.C.C., had the hoonur of playing their games on the most classic piece of turf in the world. Among those who played were the novelists, C. B. Fry and Sir A. Conan Doyle, so gallant a gentleman as tho late Major Hesketli-Pritchard, and, not least, Sir James Barrie. The cricket achievements of Mr Fry were part of the undying history of the game. But, perhaps, in the records of tho M.C.C. the cricket of Sir James Barrie was even more sure of immortality for the reason that it had in the main been recorded by himself. (Laughter.) INTEREST SHOWN BY AUTHORS.

As a member of one of those elevens of authors, Sir James sent down a ball which was so slow that the batsman had three attempts at it before it eventually crept up pawkily to dislodge the leg bail. On another occasion, after one of his batting feats, ho got back to the pavilion to find his pipe still alight. Authors generally had shown great interest in this splendid game. George Meredith Jiad, in his novel, "Diana of the Crossways,” described one of crlte fieldsmen as being in the position called "long hit off.” C. B. Fry’s novel, "A Mother's Son, ’ contained a most thrilling account of a match between England and Australia in which the hero of tlie novel had the honour in tho second innings of England of going in first with W. G. Grace, and the two of them made their hundreds. It was a glonous account of a cricket match. Mr Gilu.igham rcmaikcd that at least four gentlemen h.v! that night. asked him if ever lie played cricket with W. G. Grace. Unfortunately, no. There were only about six or seven outstanding c-rieiceters in his memory—six or seven who, when they went in to bat, made one inclined to say, "Shall wo ever get this fellow out?” (Laughter.) C. B. Fry was one of those men. Fry was sometimes absent-minded so much so on occasions that he seemed to lose interest in the game. There was a story that once during a Gentlemen-Players match at Lord’s. Napier was howling and "Ranji” said to Simms, "You go on next.” Simms replied, "But you are not captain. ‘Ranji.’’ ” "Ranji” said, "Charles will never know.” (Laughter.) Simms went on next and, as it happened, got a wicket in his first over. Fry went up to him and said, "Well played, who the devil put you on?” Simms said that "Ranji” had, whereupon Fry observed, "What a cheek! But never mind. Go on now.” FEWER GREAT CRICKETERS. After mentioning the names of Archie MacLaren. Tom Haywood and Stanley Jackson, Mr Gillingham did not think there were to-day so many great cricketers as were playing when he began county cricket 23 years ago. He had clear memories from the time of “Johnny” Douglas, captain of the team with which he played. "I would rather have him on my side in a tight corner than any other man. in England,” "But lie. was a very trying bat, and it was said that once in Australia, when Douglas went out to bat, one of the spectators said to another, "I’ll bet you that more trains pass over that bridge in an hour than ‘Johnny’ Douglas scores runs.” Tlie was taken and the man who made it won by 23. (Laughter.) In Mr GillinghanPs opinion tlie majority of the coming test matches against Australia would be drawn. If the wickets were hard he did not see how such magnificent batsmen as there were on both sides were going to he got rid of in three days. While lie did not think test matches should be played to a finish, when a team like Australia came so many miles to play, the programme should he arranged so that, at any rate, four clear days’ play would be. allowed for these matches. He hoped, too, that the contests would be free from the “silly fussy rows” that sometimes occurred in cricket, and that there would be no barracking.