them to do clerk's work for railways in the winter; but all work for men only willing to stick to it for a few months is extremely uncertain, and there can be no doubt that many cricket professionals have a bad time in the winter.
There are, of course, prizes in his profession as there are in every other, but these are only open to a man of conspicuous cricket ability. Even if a young man obtain a regular place in his county team, he can only reckon on earning about 80l. in the summer months, out of which he has to pay his own expenses; as a county will play about fourteen or fifteen matches in the season, giving 5l. a head to the professionals, and 1l. extra if the team wins. There is also a possibility for a man to earn what is called his 'talent-money,' viz. 1l. extra by making fifty runs or over. After a professional cricketer has rendered conspicuous services to his county for a number of years, and generally just before his retirement, he receives what is called a 'benefit,' i.e. the proceeds from the gate, collected at some important contest on his own county ground; and if the man is a favourite with the crowd, it means a good round sum in his pocket, sufficient to keep him to the end of his days, or else set him up in a small way of business. Men have got as much as 1,200l. from their 'benefit,' but, as a rule, a well-known man in a good county will only secure from 500l. to 600l. Should a professional show great merit in his county matches, either as bowler or batsman, he is chosen to play in the great matches, such as Gentlemen and Players; and then, should he establish his reputation as a really first-class player, he will earn almost 10l, a week for the months June, July, and August, there being very few weeks during that time that he does not play two matches, at 5l. and the usual extras. The very best players, however, cannot ensure anything like a certainty, as they know there will come a time, and that not far distant, when their limbs will grow stiff and their eyes less keen. Cricket is a game which requires quickness of eye and of limb, and, as a rule, after thirty-four or thirty-five, either one of the two—the former or the latter, and perhaps both—must begin to fail. Then the
