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62 by their Committee, and so it comes to pass that there are sundry young bowlers of less skill on the look-out for a job; this then is the opportunity of other counties, especially those in the South of England and Lancashire. The young professional may be seen by agents or offer his services to a particular Committee; he is probably brought up at the county's expense to be tried, and if found sufficiently good a sort of bogus qualification is given him, which qualification I may say is not bought for him at the player's own expense, but at the county's.

This is the system which is now in vogue among cricketing counties. I don't pretend to say that I think it is the best system, or one without very serious drawbacks. It is very far from possessing the interests or the esprit de corps which the old Hambledon farmers must have felt when Hambledon village played All England; but it is a growth of the nineteenth century, and I suppose, like many other things, express trains, &c., have something to do with its having sprung into existence. Whatever the reason may be, I believe at present only Nottingham and Yorkshire are the two real genuine county