Gentlemen of England v Australian Imperial Forces
Lord’s Cricket Ground, St John’s Wood
23rd, 24th, 25th June 1919 (Three-day match)

Northamptonshire v Australian Imperial Forces
County Ground, Northampton
26th, 27th, 28th June 1919 (Three-day match)

The A.I.F. got their first real towelling at Lord’s this week from the Gentlemen of EnglandNot Out, Cricket Gossip, Arrow (NSW), Fri 27 Jun 1919, p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103520533 , who administered to them a medicine they have so freely been distributing to othersOutpost, Leaves From My Notebook, Star Green ‘Un (Yorkshire), Sat 28 Jun 1919, p. 1. . After having escaped defeat in their first eleven matches of their tour, the Australian Imperial Forces team had to bow to the inevitable at Lord’s yesterdayOutpost, Leaves From My Notebook, Star Green ‘Un (Yorkshire), Sat 28 Jun 1919, p. 1. , going down by an innings andSundry Sports, The Worker (NSW), Thu 2 Jan 1913, p. 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article145759358 133 runs. To break down, as they did with the bat after a leather-hunting suggests that the team was not at full strengthNot Out, Cricket Gossip, Arrow (NSW), Fri 27 Jun 1919, p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103520533 . When someone mentioned how well a full strength English XI would have fared compared to a team representing the amateur talent of the countryAustralians v. Gentlemen of England, The Scotsman (Midlothian), Tue 24 Jun 1919, p. 8. , the Gentlemen in the long-room in the pavilion atLord’s and the M.C.C., Sheffield Daily Telegraph (Yorkshire), Thu 25 Jun 1914, p. 3. Lord’sDieSwartzPunkt, The Long Room in the Lord’s Pavilion, 2010, photograph, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Lords_Long_Room.jpg , not all of whom were aware all of the Australians had fought in the warFlashes and Glances, Star Green ‘Un (Yorkshire), Sat 21 Jun 1919, p. 1. , were reminded that the Australians were playing purely on an amateur basisCricket, Zeehan and Dundas Herald (Tas), Thu 13 Mar 1919, p. 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article84292467 and that the men were only receiving their military payAustralian Cricketers May Tour South Africa, The Herald (Vic), Sat 30 Aug 1919, p. 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242582107 , and that 50 per cent of gross takings would go to the county, with any further balance voted to war charitiesHat Trick, Cricket Chatter, The Journal (SA), Fri 21 Nov 1919, p. 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article213269362. They were also reminded of some of the talent sitting at home in Australia, such as returned military menNot Out, The A.I.F. Cricket Team, Referee (NSW), Wed 26 Feb 1919, p. 1. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120307346 E.P. BarbourEric Barbour, The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW), Wed 11 Oct 1911, p. 26. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164331468 , Claude TozerDr. Tozer’s Death, The Register (SA), Thu 23 Dec 1920, p. 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63032012 , and Johnny MoyesEssendon’s Captain, The Herald (Vic), Fri 6 Feb 1920, p. 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242170416 , not to mentionCricket, Morning Bulletin (QLD), Wed 21 Dec 1910, p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53201219 Charlie MacartneyUnknown, Macartney in an Australian blazer and the Baggy Green, c. 1920s, photograph, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c5/CGMacartney.jpg andInternational Cricket, Observer (SA), Sat 26 Jul 1919, p. 20. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165894439 Warwick ArmstrongGeorge Beldam, Armstrong’s Stance at the Wicket, c. 1905, photograph, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Warwick_Armstrong_c1905.jpg . Many here in England, the Anzacs included, hope this won’t have a deterrent effect on the proposed substitute Test matches for which the Australians are keenly desirousOutpost, Leaves From My Notebook, Star Green ‘Un (Yorkshire), Sat 28 Jun 1919, p. 1. . Many would like to provide them with the opportunity of showing their mettle in a match of this natureOutpost, Leaves From My Notebook, Star Green ‘Un (Yorkshire), Sat 28 Jun 1919, p. 1. . Our boys do not claim to be of the Test match calibre, but they think they could give the English cracks a hard fightOutpost, Leaves From My Notebook, Star Green ‘Un (Yorkshire), Sat 28 Jun 1919, p. 1. . Although it seems a Test match will likely not be forthcoming, Collins has stated he hopes that when they meet Mr. C. I. Thornton’s eleven at Scarborough, the authorities who have the choosing of the team will make it as representative as possible, so that the match may be something in the nature of a TestFree Lance, Men and Matters, Star Green ‘Un (Yorkshire), Sat 28 June, 1919, p.1. . This will be all the more interestingAustralian Cricket, The Coburg Leader (Vic), Fri 21 Jan 1910, p. 1. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66825697 for cricket fans now it has been announced the M.C.C. will not be sending a team to Australia at the end of the yearNot Out, No English Team Next Season, Arrow (NSW), Fri 20 Jun 1919, p. 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103528750 .

Nip Pellew pinchedOne Way of Welcoming the War-Worn, Sunday Times (NSW), Sun 6 Feb 1916, p. 10. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121343452 a stump from the ground following the end of the match. It has been suggested that he burn it for the creation of an army AshesI have no evidence that the idea of burning the stump occurred to Pellew at the time, and it is likely that it is a later idea. Returned Soldiers to Compete for Ashes, Sporting Globe (Vic), Sat 5 Dec 1936, p. 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189616081 .

There’s a lovely story in the debut of Albert Thomas. The Welshman was billeted at Northampton with the Welsh Division early in the war, and is now spending a leave from Russia in the townNorthants v. Australians, Northampton Chronicle and Echo (Northamptonshire), Thu 26 Jun 1919, p. 5. . Under the new rules men who are serving in 1919, and will be serving in 1920, in a county regiment shall be qualified to play for that county, provided they have not played for any other countyThree-Day County Cricket, Coventry Evening Telegraph (Warwickshire), Wed 20 Aug 1919, p. 4. . This is a great initiative, as it recognises that a man’s duty may see him posted in all manner of places, and allows him to play cricket. These are the kind of rule changes the Council should be considering to help revive cricket.

Of course, the biggest story of the week is that peace has been signed in VersaillesPeace Treaty Signed, The Advertiser (SA), Mon 30 Jun 1919, p. 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5657384 . One reporter in the Press-box, on reading the headline stated ‘Peace! Now we can get on with cricket!’Flashes and Glances, Star Green ‘Un (Yorkshire), Sat 28 Jun 1919, p. 1. Hear, hear!Cricket, Referee (NSW), Wed 25 Jan 1911, p. 15. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129933677