CRISIS IN ENGLISH CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1732, 24 April 1913, Page 3

CRISIS IN ENGLISH CRICKET.

VIEWS OF THE GREAT PLAYERS (From the London "Daily Mail.") County cricket is in jeopardy. During the last few years public interest in the County Champidusiifp oompctil.iun hasl perceptibly waned, wlulo owing tj the increased size yf the programmes the ex-, peases have increased enormously. The majority of 'the counties are in airo financial straits, from which there appears to brt litlle liopo of recovery under the preseijt v system. Raising the seriousness of ihe position, the members ot the Advisory ('-aunty Crickrc Sub-Cumiuittce met at Lord's at the end of February, but, after a. stormy meeting - tho (subjects under discussion were referred to a. later meeting which will not take place until July. The'one point on which alt (he aulhorilics ateiu agreed is the reduction ut' the county cricket programme. This entails llm "relegation'' of pertain counties at present in 'tho first class. At the meeting of the Advisory County Sub-Committee there appeared ou tho agenda a list of eleven counties'who should still remain 111 tho first class. This meant 'the reduction of fivo •counties—namely, Somerset, Derbyshire, Essex, Northamptonshire, and Worcestershire. Theso. fivo counties had not been consulted, and it appeared during 'the, discus-siou-that a private meeting of the eleven selected counties had been held previously. Naturally, the counties on the "relegation" list -were indignant, ami demanded Unit every county's right to remain in the first class -should be carefully scrutinised by all the representatives "of tho Advisory Committee.

Sineo that meeting many famous cricketers have expressed their opinions in "The Daily Mail" us to the best methods of rescuing county cricket clubs from their financial difficulties, and restoring fir,-t-class cricket to popularity. B:--low wo give other views, including those of Mr. A. G. Steel, K.C., ono of the greatest all-round cricketers who ever played for England; Mr. J.'. F. Warner, who captained two Euglislrteams' to Australia, ami 011 each ./occasion brought back the "ashes"; and. Mr.' G.L. Jcssop, the most popular crickcter of late years, owing to iho tremendous rale at which lie scored;

There is a general unanimity on the .question of shortening tho county programme. Messrs. Foster, Steel, and Warner are agreed on "relegation," but Mr. Jess.op suggests raising the number of first-class counties from sixteen to twentvoiip, each coun'ty only playing the oilier oncc in a treason, aud so getting leu' "lionio" and ten "out" matches'. Ho is of opinion that oountics' could afford tin's, and thinks that the introduction of "new blood" into tho competition would arouse fresh interest.

Other suggestions arc: Amend the l.b.w. rule so that wherever the ball pitches if iho legs obstruct it ou its course to-the wicket tho obstructing batsman, shall bo out.—Mr. A. G. Steel. Always at least four amateurs in. a counly eleven.—Mr. P. F. Warner. Two-day matches—Air. H. K. Foster. Mr. A. G, Steel's Criticisms. Mr. A. G. Steel, after stating believes there are too many first-class counties,.. Continues: "If sufficient counties do not agree to withdraw from their position in tho firstclass, I would suggest that the proper course would be to adopt a schemo which laid down: "Ist. Tlio ideal number of first-class counties to ensure a thoroughly straight fight between the whole of them. The counties to be relegated to the lower division being those lowestMn the county contest. / ' '"2nd. The date when such scheme should come into operation. <T should suggest this being this would give the doubtful comities time to consider Iheir cricket- and linanc.ial position.)" What tho public finds dull and. unattractive about modern first-class crickct is, asserts Mr. Steel, the baiting. "There is one cause only for this terribly unattractive play, and t hat is tho use of tlio legs in protecting the wicket. Often tho batsman faces the bowler full face, and simply hangs out liis bat in front of him. No _ stroko can bo made when in this position. Tho halt'-volley; is left 1111scored off—occasionally a snick io is made of an off ball—and altogether tho position is' uncricketlike.

"Tho worst of it is that ft is so unnecessary. How can (lie authorities stop this evil, this growing cancer in the game? In my opinion, there is only one way, and that to alter the l.b.w. rule. It' this were suggested now, I believe it would get the requisite majority at the M.C.C.' meeting.- • s • ."What old cricketer Jias ever watched some of tho lines!, batsmen of to-day playing (he so-called 'gcoglie' howler without a feeling of sorrow? A ball tossed at times really high in (ho air wants bitting badly. A quick jump bv. tho batsman and tho ball is a full pitch or a half volley. We have all teen li. Fry and P. F. Warner play this bowling. I mention tlieso because they are admittedly two of our very Lest, if not tho.very best, amateur players of to-day. What have we seen? Leg-play and nothing else. No wonder the lesser'lights'follow the example of tlieir leaders. "Let us enact' that, wherever the ball pitches, if the l?g obstructs it on its course to the wickct, the obstructing batsman shall be out." Mr. P. F. Warner and his Critic. Mr. P. I'." Warner, captain of Middlesex and twice captain ol English teams, /which brought back the "ashes" from 'Australia, wrote t:> the "Daily Mail" iu reply to .\Jr. Steel's views as follows:— "Mr. Steel has thought: lit to pillory Mr. C. B. Fry and myself, and has described our batting as "wretched' iu stylo —'leg play and nothing clsp,' and implies that our-methods 'keep aw-av the spectators' and are 'spoiling (ho game." It would obviously be most unbecoming iu mo-to attempt to defend iny own stylo of play, but 1 venture to suggest that lny legs are. neither big. enough nor strong enough ta resist the repeated assaults whichl according to Air: Steel, they have resisted so heroically. I am fully awaro of; the many dtiioiencies iu my battingafter alt, o(ie only does one\s best, according to tho amount of natural abilities Heaven lias given one—but for Mr. Steel to write as he does about 'Air. Fry's halting is .ab-u.-d. Mr. Fry's: magnificent straight.driving .is the best feature of his splendid gam!', and I. venture to say that if lie'plays an innings of a 'hundred lie does not get hit on the legs three times during the .making of, it. "Now is modern, balling dull!" . Air. Steel says it is. bul I could uniiie quite as 'tine a" judge,of erieket ns Ml'. Sleel who tells mo that the batting he' has seen during I ho last three years is 'quite good enough for him.' Is tlie batting ol! Hobbs dull, of AVooilcy, of Mr. R. 11. Spouer, of Mr. F. 1!. Foster, of Mr. A- C. Johnston, oV Hendren, of Denton, and scores of others? Or is it only the wretched Frys and Warners who are dull. AVe have quito recently defeated the Australians, both here and in Australia, and llio South Africans, in most convincing fashion, and yet. there nre to be found, people only to ready and willing to find fault. There is too much carping criticism tuday.

"Thera is, nothing wrong in the came. There is no need whatever to niter tho l.b.w. law, to cover tho. wicket, or to roduco county matches lo two days. What is wanted is: "t. 't'oii .veal's' 'j u if I and sober governincut., i.i|' cricket, for tho?e constant 'scni'c' imil do the jjmito liliich harm anil lend l:i knop iv:iy (ho Micctnlors oven more llian do C. 1!, I'vv-and I". . I'. Warner. "2. Fewer lirsl-clnss i:i«u lit ic-— i-.sr., twelve, ouch playing each. "11. More a mill mi i>. ■ I should like I" soo ;il icasl four in every county Joani. "I. X(it mi much money given lor winter pay to prolossionals. Few counties can all'ord I he Minis now so voled, and the principle is nnl a one and tends to cnciiura,';o luafniß. "a. Tlio engagement of bauds to play, occasionally, at: cuunt.v matches. and a general improvement in the attractiveness and comi'tirt for tho spectators at county grounds. One has but lo piny, in Kent lo see how cricket should he nut. "(j. if there is no play nil ilio lirst day of a match, the fnlloiv-on and declaration of innings rulo to apply as it' il; was a two-day inalch. "7. Npeoluliirs lulniillod free for tho last threc-i|iiai'toi's of an hour's play." Mr. G. L. Jcssop's Views. ili\ (Jilbei't jj, J.essuJSj tko -jvcll-kiiuiviL

Gloucestershire and I'lnglamt crickeler wrote:—

M U swins to mo that {he suggpsliou of .Mr. A. 0. Slcc-1 a* to voluntary rcsiinuition (of counties from thu liivfc class) is worthy of serious consideration. Any ; other method is bound to produce fric- i lion. , ! "The suggested amendment of the I.h.'vr. i rule is aitogelhev 100 drastic. .Personally, j 1 should consider 1 had some cause for urirviineo if in running out to a widish IjuJl from a log-break bowler 1 >honl<l be given out if the hall struck my Jejr instead of the bat. j "Possibly .Mr. Stool has seen Charles j Fry and JVlluim Warner jum lonnint,' I against 'googlm* bnwWs morn freqiHMitlv than .1 haw. I3ut on the occasions when 1 have- seen them opposing sueh freak bowling excessive 'pad' play was certainly not in evidence.- Tim greatest Test match innings v.liieh I havo scon was Charles Fry's 5(1 odd at .Leeds in 1907 against the South Africans and 1 believo then' were one or two 'googlie' bowlers in. that team. "Holh ihf-e great batsmen, v. - ho havo br.-en singled out as being the leading ex- V jrjiienls of f |) ; 'd' jda.v, T adniii do get in franl of '(heir wickets more than do the majority of batsmen, but it. is for the purpose of playing Die ball with the bah a::»d not the leg. Against a breaking ball backing up with the legs is es.sen'ial."