THE CRICKET INCIDENT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11507, 13 February 1903, Page 5

THE CRICKET INCIDENT.

A LETTER FROM MR BOSANQUET.

Mr A. E. G. Rnodes, President of the Cricket Council, has received the following letter from. Mr B. J. T. Basanqiwt' in connection with the regrettable cricket episode, which has received so much publicity during the last few days;— "As there lias been so much notice taken of. the incident in the match on Monday last, it might be as well if the facts of the ca«e were ijenerallv known. 1 hope tho following will be admitted to be a fair statement of what; oecumd. I bowled a ball to Pearee which pitched on the leg-side of the wicket. The batsman tried to hit it to leg, and missed it. 1 heard a sound as if the ball hud hit the wicket, and Whatman said: 'Woll bowled!' Warner at midon, end Hargreave at point, both of whpfo could nee what happened, eaid the same, and walked towards tho wicket. Pearce started to walk away thinking he was bowled, when Sim «;ii'd: 'You had better appeal.' Venice then returned to his ground, and we appealed to the umpire (Bannerman), who was- quite unable to see, owinsr to Pearce b Aiu* between him and the wicket. Tho <itci.«ion vrtw therefore referred to Spencer, who raid that he also had not eecn what -occ-u ;e.i. \V<5 were th«n left at a standstill, r.s ntuiher umpire would say 'Out' or '.Not out.' I'oarwo tnen said: 'Well, I was out; I had better jjo," and started to walk away, but we pointed out to him that the matter had been referred to the umpires, and therefore he could not go till one of them gave him 'Out. , "After some time, as we could not get a decision, Warner requested me to go on with tho over, which I did. I then addressed the remark to Sims, for which 1 have einco apologised. Whatman then made remarks to the umpire, for which he has also apologised, and we hoped the matter was at an end. As far as I am concerned it eeems to me to be a purely personal matter between Sims and myself, and the same applies to Whatman's remarks, and it ie much to be regretted that the matter has been publicly taken up. j "Wβ are eorry that a tour we have all enjoyed so much should ba marred by any unfortunate incident, and hope that the pleasant relations which have hitherto existed with the teams we have met may be continued.—l remain, yours sincerely, B. J. T. Bosanquefc."