CRICKET FASHIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 273, 16 October 1936, Page 8

CRICKET FASHIONS.

DIODES OF LONG AGO. EXCURSIONS INTO RED. A correspondent of the London Times writes :—Red is associated with hunting kit and to a lesser degree with golf, but few think of it in connection with cricket. Yet old pictures show that it was" not uncommon in the eighteenth century and during the early years of the nineteenth. When George 111 was King umpires officiated in long pigeon-breasted coats ot that colour. On the wall of the Long Room at Lord’s hangs a naintmg with players in red knee-Dreecbes, and in a canvas of Regency days one umpire wears a red frock coat, the other a blue swallow-tail. And did not an old poet write: —

But come. thou, genial song of spring Whitsuntide! and with thee bring Cricket, nimble boy and light, In slippers red and drawers white.

It is on record that Mr Alfred Walker, one of the seven famous brothers of Southgate, donned bright red flannel trousers for a season or two. A story, possibly apocryphal, was told that one day when waiting at Colney railway station to say good-bye to a cricketer who had been playing at Southgate, Walker raised a leg as mi express train drew near. The driver, taking this to be a signal for the purpose, pulled up. TOP HATS AND COLLARS. As the eighteenth century waned breeches gave way to pantaloons and Hatnbledon men appeared in waistcoats and pantaloons, fastened at the ankle with strings. By 1830 top hats, trousers, braces, collar, and stock formed part of the equipment. Short flannel jackets were worn in cool weather. Another decode saw tall white toppers with deep black bands. Gradually cricket costume grew more varied and included billycock hats, caps, black and white striped, spotted, cheeked and coloured shirts. Richard Daft, writing of the All-England XI of 1860, says: “WiUsher is clad in a grey shirt, wearing a large tie tied in a bow (which ho always affected). Hayward and Caesar wear while shirts with a red spot.’ These were the All-England colours. Of an earlier group he remarks: “I can just recognise myself in a check shirt of loud pattern a.nd a straw hat.” Each age possesses its dress reformers, with a strain of freakishness in their make-up. For example, Mr Henry Wyche Andrews, who kept wicket for Kent some 60 vears ago, was such an innovator. He adopted a quaint flannel outfit which, he argued, was ideal for the game. It consisted of a sleeved waistcoat with buttons to which trousers fastened. Thus lie could dispense with belt as well as braces. The device did not catch on. and lie was so chaffed at the Canterbury Festival that he never wore it again in public. SM A RTEII PL A YE RS. [•'or the past 40 years cricketers have changed little in outward appearance, although such features as turned, up trousers, “gadgets” at the waist, and pronounced peaks to caps must not be forgotten. If there has been little alteration in structure, cricket dress is much tidier. Folds a.t the hem anti creases lore and alt nave smartened up trousers. Before the days of drycleaning white flannels were cut long and temporarily turner. up when new. Alter being washed several times they shrank and became untidy about the foot. Sweaters are more decorative with cable-stitching and rings of colour. White hoots made their debut in the 1890’s and turned out a vast improvement on brown and black.

Red is still occasionally seen to-day. A short time a.go the sight of a team of schoolboys fielding in scarlet caps was somewhat puzzling until one reflected that red is a non-conductor, throwing off the sun’s rays. In all probability the choice has this scientific and sensible backing.