1928

The Committee’s Report

Your Committee beg to present the Annual Report and Balance Sheet for 1928.

The Club sustained a great loss, before the season opened, by the death of the newly elected President, Lieut.-Col F. E. Seely, T. D., D. L., J. P., on 16^th of April, 1928. Col Seely, a great sportsman and keen supporter of Notts. Cricket, had been a Trustee of the Club since the 1^st June, 1923.
Lieut.-Col. R. Leslie Birkin, D. S. O., J. P., very kindly consented to become President for the year in his place.
Two new Trustees have been appointed, Lord Belper, D. L., J. P., and Ald. T. Warner Turner, J. P.

The Season must be accounted a very successful one, although Notts. finished third in the County Championship to Lancashire and Kent, against second in 1927. For the first time all the first class Counties were met – Somerset being seen at Trent Bridge for the first time since 1894 – and out of 32 matches played 13 were won, 3 lost and 14 drawn – 2 no result.
Kent were handsomely beaten twice, but we lost to Sussex at Trent Bridge in an innings, and to Surrey, while the Middlesex match at Lords ended in a defeat by 13 runs, after a gallant fight for victory against time.
A record was achieved against Warwickshire at Coventry – 656 runs being scored for 3 wickets – four of the team scoring centuries.

Notts. batting was very strong in 1928, eight of the side scoring one or more centuries. For the third year in succession, Whysall, Payton and George Gunn headed the County averages, Whysall scoring over 2,500 runs with 9 centuries; George Gunn 6 centuries; while Payton – although missing several matches – was high in the averages and scored over 1,000 runs.
Mr. Carr had a good season and everyone was gratified by his return to form. His Captaincy was again an inspiration to the team.

Lilley, with a sound pair of hands, kept wicket very well, and had a much better season than in 1927. The bowling was very strong, no county in England possessed an attack so varied – Larwood, S. Staples, and Barratt each taking over 100 wickets.

Larwood, now thoroughly fit after his operation in the winter, again headed the English averages, while Staples and Barratt had a large share in the season’s success. Richmond, in fewer matches, took 66 wickets. Voce justified his place in the side by taking 56 wickets at moderate cost.
A. Staples had a good season, taking 37 wickets and scoring 839 runs – just missing the century on one occasion.
But the feature of the season was the form of Fred Barratt who, in his benefit year, enjoyed a splendid personal triumph, scoring over 1,000 runs and taking over 100 wickets. He bowled with great spirit and was not blessed with the best of luck, and his batting roused the crowd to great enthusiasm. Some of his innings will never be forgotten, notably v. Surrey at Trent Bridge.
The fielding of the side was not up to its usual standard, especially in the outfield.

Mention may be made here of the honour done to two members of the team, Larwood and S. Staples, who were selected on their merits for inclusion in the M.C.C side to go to Australia.
Our great pride and satisfaction in the success of Harold Larwood is somewhat clouded by the ill-luck, in the form of illness, that prevented Sam Staples taking part in any of the matches in Australia.
Several of the younger players from the 2^nd Eleven showed promise in the senior team in the limited chances that came their way.
In the Minor Counties Championship, Notts. 2^nd had a bad year compared with 1927, when they narrowly missed out on the Championship.

In batting they were very strong, the fielding and wicket-keeping were good, but the bowling requires strengthening. Still it is a team of young and keen players, and your Committee have made several additions to the Ground Staff, which should greatly improve the team.
The match v. Cambridge University was won by 7 wickets.

The West Indies touring XI appeared at Trent Bridge in July, the match ending in a draw. The fixture was rendered historic by the visit of their Majesties King George V. and Queen Mary to Trent Bridge Ground on the concluding day of the match, when the players of both teams were presented. This is the first occasion on which the King and Queen have visited a cricket ground outside London.
In 1929, by agreement, each County will play the same number of matches, viz: 28, in the Championship programme, thus doing away with the percentage system of scoring. This arrangement necessitates the dropping reluctantly, for 1929, two counties, Essex and Hants, although we have managed to fix matches with Essex outside the Championship.
In addition to the Championship Matches, it is interesting to state that both Oxford and Cambridge will be met in 1929, and a match will also be played against the touring South African team.
To encourage schoolboy cricket, several matches were arranged by your Committee. The Club and Ground Eleven met at Trent Bridge, Worksop College, Queen Elizabeth School, Mansfield, and a team from the Secondary Schools of the County and City.

A Public School boys side was also raised during the summer holidays of boys living in Nottinghamshire, and interesting matches were played with the Public Schoolboys of Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

This year, in addition, the public Schoolboys of Derbyshire will be met.
The Financial statement shows an excess of Income over Expenditure for the season, of £316 16 3. This gratifying result is due to the receipt of £206 8 3 as the County’s apportioned share of the proceeds from Test and Trial Matches, and the fact that after paying £327 1 6 to the West Indies XI. As their share in this memorable match, a net profit of £300 was made.

The Match Reciepts were £6,360 0 5 as compared with £5,625 13 8 for 1927, an excess of £734 6 9. The Match Expenses amount to £6,119 3 7, as against £5,506 15 8 in 1927, an increase of £612 7 11.

Receipts from Subscriptions, Donations, etc., amount to £7,598, as compared with £7,375 17 0 in 1927, an increase of £222 3 0, part of which is due to the receipt of £113 8 0 for season tickets for the popular side at £1 1 0.

In 1928 subscriptions amounting to £7,067 10 0 were paid by 4158 members, the corresponding figures for 1927 being £7,063 7 0 and 4164 members respectively. Whilst members subscriptions for 1928, unpaid for on 31^st December is not inconsiderable, the position shows a great improvement on that obtaining for 1927.

It will be observed that £213 3 0 was paid by members for Motor Car Season Tickets, as against £175 7 0 in 1927.
Barratt’s Benefit, for which the Lancashire Match was set apart by your Committee, constitutes a pleasing record for Nottinghamshire, the figure of £1,370 16 6, including subscriptions amounting to £570 14 6, (of which £100 came from Mr. Julien Cahn as the proceeds of his team’s match with the West Indies), while collections on the ground brought in £216 12 0.

Besides the usual necessary repairs which are being carried out on the ground, including the strengthening of the buttresses to support the covered stands, improvements are being made to the players’ dressing rooms and bathrooms, and there will be an additional accommodation for ladies. The estimated cost of these repairs and improvements is £1,200.
During last season Mr. R. G. Hogarth, who as rendered valuable service for the club was appointed Honorary Consulting Surgeon, and on his advice S. Staples was sent to Bath, where he is now undergoing treatment, which your Committee hopes will cure his rheumatism and make him fit for the cricket season of 1929. All cricket lovers will wish him a speedy recovery.
The new Practice Hall at Trent Bridge is much appreciated and gives members and players a chance of getting into form, and keeping fit for the opening of the season.
Lieut.-Col. R. Leslie Birkin, D. S. O., J. P., the President of the Club, has made the generous donation of £100.

By order of the Committee.
        G. O. GAULD, Hon. Secretary.