HARRIS, 4th Lord (1851-1932) -- A 2pp. t.l.s., dated 8 Old Jewry, London E.C.2, 26th April 1923, from Lord Harris to MacLaren, congratulating him on the outcome of the New Zealand and Australian tour of 1922-23: "A line to welcome you back. I congratulate you on the play of your side, also on your individual score, though I fear that it was that which caused you to stand out of all subsequent matches ... I fear you were very much disturbed by Press criticism in New Zealand. As I understand it arose out of your tactics in, I think, the second Test Match. It seems to me that your decision to play for keeps was absolutely justified and to criticise it shows an ignorance of the principles of the game. Barring that, I gather that your trip has been a pleasant one and I can assure you that I, at any rate, and I believe most cricketers are much pleased with your performances. Of course there was the debacle on your return journey at Melbourne but as you and I know too well, sides do sometimes collapse in a quite unexcusable way. I may be quite wrong but it seems to me that the Australian sides are not composed of such "Admirable Crichtons" as many were induced to think on the occasion of their last visit here. I held the opinion then that their success was largely due to climate and two very fast bowlers, and that in a normal year here they would not have met with anything like the same success. Your trip seems rather to bear that out. I am so glad to see from a letter of yours, I think to Lacey, that you were well pleased with my nominee, Brand. I recommended him solely because I thought he could bowl Spoff's judgement ball which is more useful in Australia that it is here ...."
HARRIS, 4th Lord (1851-1932) -- A 2pp. t.l.s., dated 8 Old Jewry, London E.C.2, 26th April 1923, from Lord Harris to MacLaren, congratulating him on the outcome of the New Zealand and Australian tour of 1922-23: "A line to welcome you back. I congratulate you on the play of your side, also on your individual score, though I fear that it was that which caused you to stand out of all subsequent matches ... I fear you were very much disturbed by Press criticism in New Zealand. As I understand it arose out of your tactics in, I think, the second Test Match. It seems to me that your decision to play for keeps was absolutely justified and to criticise it shows an ignorance of the principles of the game. Barring that, I gather that your trip has been a pleasant one and I can assure you that I, at any rate, and I believe most cricketers are much pleased with your performances. Of course there was the debacle on your return journey at Melbourne but as you and I know too well, sides do sometimes collapse in a quite unexcusable way. I may be quite wrong but it seems to me that the Australian sides are not composed of such "Admirable Crichtons" as many were induced to think on the occasion of their last visit here. I held the opinion then that their success was largely due to climate and two very fast bowlers, and that in a normal year here they would not have met with anything like the same success. Your trip seems rather to bear that out. I am so glad to see from a letter of yours, I think to Lacey, that you were well pleased with my nominee, Brand. I recommended him solely because I thought he could bowl Spoff's judgement ball which is more useful in Australia that it is here ...."
/67844/Internet%20Image%201.jpg "Source: Dix Noonan Webb")
/42052/Internet%20Image%201.jpg "Source: Dix Noonan Webb")
/110982/Internet%20Image%201.jpg "Source: Dix Noonan Webb")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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