The popularity and interest in cricket, not only here, but in every part of the world where Englishmen are gathered together, was never greater than at present. Cricket, indeed as Tom Brown has told us in the best of all school stories, is an institution and the habeas corpus of every boy of British birth, for it is a typically British game.
The Editor (P. F. Warner.) believes that there is room for such a paper as THE CRICKETER, which will endeavor to criticize justly and to comment fairly and accurately not only on first-class cricket, which, after all, is but a small part of our national game, but on club, service, and school cricket as well. The very essence of cricket is camaraderie and good sportsmanship, and the contributors to THE CRICKETER will strive to write in such a spirit, hoping thereby, to spread an even greater love of cricket than exists at present, and, at the same time, to educate the general public in the finer points of the game.
THE CRICKETER will not confine itself entirely to English cricket, it is catholic in its aims and objects, and will deal with the game in our Overseas dominions; in fact, in every country. where cricket is played. News from the outposts of the Empire will be especially welcomed, for it is hoped that the paper will become the recognized medium whereby all players and followers of the game may keep in touch with one another.
THE CRICKETER makes a special appeal to the boys who are now learning to play the game, in every sense of the phrase. Within its covers will be found instructive articles by famous cricketers whose names are household words, and who from their Chas Published Weekly. CRICKETER. He feels that the first number of the paper has scarcely realized his ideal, but he hopes to do better in the future, confident that he will receive the help and sympathy of all lovers of the greatest of English games.
The contributors require but a little introduction. Mr. MacLaren, who will make a special feature of School Cricket, is one of the greatest batsmen that ever lived. He captained England in 22 Test matches, and his record in these great contests has been surpassed by few. He was also a most able captain, with a genius for placing the field and getting the best out of his bowlers. In any history of international cricket, Mr. MacLaren will always have a foremost place.
A Youngster with a CRICKETER Future great: vast experience will impart knowledge that can be gained from no other source. Young batsmen, bowlers, and fieldsmen will all be considered, and it is hoped that the hints given in the pages will form a valuable adjunct to the general school coaching. The Editor invites correspondence on any subject connected with cricket, and will gladly do his best to answer questions or to give advice on the game.
He is naturally dependent for much information on the goodwill of club secretaries and other enthusiasts, and will always gladly receive suggestions for the benefit of either cricket or Mr. Jessop, who was, in some sense, the greatest genius that cricket has produced, and of him it may well be said that he reduced rustic cricket to a science. He was the idol of every cricket ground, and many of his innings are historic. As a fieldsman at cover point, he has had few, if any, equals. Mr. Knight is one of the younger generations, but his batting in 1919 stamped him as a player of rare distinction and class, and as his chapter on batsmanship in “Badminton Cricket proved, he has the power to express his ideas on batting with no mean ability.
Mr. Altham, who was in the Repton, Oxford, and Hampshire XI.’s, has long been recognized as one of the greatest authorities on School Cricket, and his style of writing should satisfy even the most critical expert.
Mr. G. N. Foster, a fine batsman and a brilliant fielder, is one of the famous cricketing families, and Mr. F. B. Wilson, a former captain of the Cambridge XI., has a sound knowledge of the game, and a keen sense of humor with which to express his opinions. The Editor considers himself fortunate in enlisting the cooperation of Mr. Charles Grave, the famous cartoonist, who makes such a specialty of sporting subjects: In each future.
Mr. Grave will produce a full-page cartoon of a famous cricketer, together with other sketches, and will also have the assistance of other well-known artists. No cricket paper would be complete without photographs, and each issue will be considerably indebted to the work of the camera. The scores of the Test matches in Australia during the past winter, with critical comments on each, are included from the point of view of statistical record.
Read More: Salim Durani
Source: An excerpt of The Cricketer Saturday April 30, 1921