had in connection with the All-England Eleven, for its engagements lasted from May to September. Nor was the remuneration a question of weather, or in any way affected by the result of the match. A sum was guaranteed by the club played, and each player had his share, and could rely on a steady engagement as long as he kept up his form. It was not likely a player would throw up an engagement of that kind to play a county match, even though he were offered the same remuneration, unless he obtained permission from the manager of his eleven. Unfortunately, as I have already said, the managers of the two elevens were not too complaisant, and so county cricket suffered.
The cricketing authorities were alive to the difficulty; but could not see their way out of it, as there were not sufficient counties at that period for committees to work together and promise players even half the number of engagements a travelling eleven fulfilled.
The counties which played between the years I have mentioned were few in number. The Gentlemen v. Players was an annual match, and the M.C.C. was doing excellent work all over the country. Then, as now, the premier club sent its eleven all over England, and even across the Channel, keeping in view the sacred trust of fostering the game which had been placed in its hands. Oxford v. Cambridge had their yearly contests, and were now considered the most likely nurseries fof recruits to strengthen the amateurs.
But, undoubtedly, the contests of the year were the All-England Eleven v. The United Eleven, and the North v. South, at Lord's, especially the former. When the two famous elevens met reputation was at stake, and both strove to put their best teams in the field. There was no half-hearted play then. Thought was put into every ball bowled, and neither batsman nor
