CRICKET REFORM.

Evening Star, Issue 4279, 13 November 1876, Page 4

CRICKET REFORM.

A rather novel suggestion has been published in the London 'Spectator' on the subje:t of "Cricket Reform." Taking its own words, "There are few mattejs about which men are more conservative than thev are about national games, and accordingly few Englishmen are willing to make any change in the laws of cricket." After dealing with the origin of the game, and its rapid spread through England and Scotland, the article goes on: "It has been manifest that the interest of the game requires some changes, though it may not yet be clearly seen what those changes should be. The most manifest defect in the present arrangements results from the uncertain length of the innings. Quite a large proportion of the paßt matches of the year have terminated in a 'draw,' through lapse of time, and, of course, lost interest in consequence." The change proposed, without going into detail, is "let one side take the field aud two from the other side go to tne wickets Upon the fall of a wicket, the then in-side take the field, and the out-side send in two men, and upon one retiring, the first side send in another man, and so o» alter' nately, until each side has completed an innings. Then the second innings will I e commenced, and continued until the time is called, or, if all are out, a third innings might be commenced and continued until the time for drawing the stumps arrived. The state of the game at the end of the laßt completed even number of wickets on the two sides w< uld determine which side had won. The advantages claimed by adopting the abeve are—"That eaoh match would last, and be completed within thetimeallotted to it, no game ending in a «draw' except in actual equality of runs made on either ■ide. Ido not think I shall be deemed singular in stating that for all practicable purposes the suggestion is unworkable, at ! all events as far as regards going in, though on this subject " Point " in the « Melbourne Leader' says :—" Probably the plan woulu have the effect ot stopping to some extent the large scoiing that now obtains, and thus prevent so many drawa matches; but it would also have the effect of marring indi vidual performances, which are perhaps the greatest attraction in cricket, to such an extent as to deprive a game of its chief interest."