Page:Cricket (Lyttelton, 1898).djvu/59

fixture. If this is the spirit of county cricket, it will at once be seen that an amateur, who may be keen to play as an amateur, is placed in a difficult position. He may be well off and not in the least desirous of having his expenses paid, but in the same county is often found another amateur whose services are equally indispensable, but who cannot afford to travel a hundred miles and incur hotel expenses; and what in such cases can a county committee do? It can either dispense altogether with the poor amateur's services, in which case the county loses a good man and very likely the match, or his expenses must be paid. The committee, in these days of fierce rivalry, will take the latter course, and it follows that the rich amateur must get his expenses paid also. The one amateur may be poor, but he is a gentleman with proper pride, and he will not for an instant tolerate a position which makes such an invidious distinction between him and his richer colleague; and thus is brought about the state of things, that in county