The Lost Match by Catherine Thonger, A Smashing game of cricket for boys, the rest of the tale can be found at diddilydeedotsdreamland.

HOPSCOTCH and DIDDILYDEEDOT
invite you to the Match.
THE LOST MATCH
By Catherine E Thonger

"Tom dear," said Mrs Reynolds entering the room where her two boys were sitting, and addressing the elder: "Tom dear, I am very sorry, but I'm afraid you must go to the doctor's for more medicine for May. I have only enough to last till evening, and I dare not risk being without any through the night."
"Oh, Mother, that is such a nuisance. This is the first fine day we've had for weeks, and we have arranged to play a cricket match. Carter will be so annoyed."
"I think Tom, that when Carter knows the reason, he will make no trouble about it, but will find a substitute."
"Why didn't you ask Father to bring it home with him?"
"Father isn't coming home tonight."
"Well send Mary, then! Tom carried on moaning.
"Mary has more to do than she can manage as it is. I think Tom, you must know I should not send you if it were not necessary.."
"It's too bad Mother!" he repeated "I will take three-quarters of an hour to get there, and three-quarters of an hour back, and I may be kept waiting ages at the surgery. The whole afternoon will be wasted!" and Tom's face looked like a thunder cloud.
Mrs Reynolds turned towards the door. Little May had kept her awake all night with a distressing cough, and want of sleep and anxiety were making her feel very depressed.
Silence followed her departure. Tom sat swinging his leg with a scowl on his brow. "She might have found out yesterday that she wanted more."
Silence again.
"If you like Tom I will go instead of you, if Carter doesn't mind." The offer was made hesitatingly, with the hope at the bottom of Arthur's heart that his brother would decline, but the hope was short lived.
Tom's face cleared like magic. "I say old fellow, that's awfully decent of you. You see old man, the lads rely on me for the batting and your not much good except for fielding, so perhaps it would be better if you went."
Arthur gulped once or twice before he suggested, "The captain says good fielding is as important as good batting, and I caught the best man out in the match we played."
"I know you did, Arthur , and a very nice catch it was too; but you can't expect to fluke like that every time, can you."
Arthur opened his mouth to reply, and then shut it again without a word.
"You had better run down to Carters house and tell him you can't play, hadn't you?" went on Tom. "He will have to get one of the reserves. Mother might of told us earlier , instead of waiting till the last minute. Oh there he is! Run after him!"
Arthur rushed out. "Carter! Carter!" he shouted. "Stop a minute! Can you let me off this afternoon, my little sister is ill and I have to go to the surgery for her medicine."
Carter, the captain of the team turned round, "Oh I am so sorry Arthur, is she very bad? Can't anyone else go?
"There is no one else but me .... or Tom."
"Oh bother! Well illness can't be helped, so I suppose one of you must be spared. It makes no different to the team which it is, Tom is certainly better at batting, but you are getting to be an A1 fielder, Arthur.
Arthur flushed with pleasure at the praise but felt surprised. Tom always considered himself so much superior that Arthur supposed every  one else did too.
"I could get Brown in your place," went on Carter, "and he will be only too pleased to get the chance, but I'm sorry to lose you. I'll run in at once and tell him. There's no time to spare." And with that he hurried away.
"What's going to be done?" asked Tom as Arthur returned to the room
"He says he can get Brown instead of me. He will be glad to have the chance to play." said Arthur slowly.
"That's alright then." said Tom looking at the clock. "I have to be at the field in twenty minutes and I just want to finish this chapter. It's awfully exciting! Do you think you could run upstairs and get my things together. It's no use you starting for the doctor's yet, he wont be in , so there's plenty of time.
Arthur left the room, but waited a moment outside the door to wipe the mist from his eyes. He too had been looking forward to the match, and the disappointment was keen. A step at the other end of the passage sent him flying up stairs, it would never do to be caught crying, and him just ten years old last week.
A quarter of an hour later Tom walked out of the house with a cheery 'Good-bye, Arthur, it's going to be a grand afternoon."
Arthur watched him down the lane, and turned round to his mothers call.
"Where is Tom going Arthur? Will he be back directly?"
It's alright Mother, I am going to the doctors."
"But that's not good, Tom had no right to let you go. You have done it the last three times."
"Never mind, Mother; perhaps he will go next time. How is May feeling? Is it all right if I come to see her?
I think she maybe a little better, but her cough is really incessant."
He followed her into May's bedroom and to the cot, where the little girl of five lay flushed and breathing heavily.
"Hallo May, how are you?" he asked kissing her and giving one of her tangled curls a gentle pull.
"I am feeling a little better, thankyou Arthur, but my cough does hurt so much."
"Don't you worry May, we will soon stop that! I am just on my way to the doctors to get you some medicine for it. You will have to hurry up and get well, you should see the daisies in long meadow, they are crying out for you to make some chains.  I'm only waiting till you can come with me."
"I will try hard Arthur." said the little one.
Mrs Reynolds beckoned him out of the room. "Arthur dear, if the doctor is not in I am afraid you will have to wait. Don't come back without it dear, and could you give the doctor this note."
"That's alright Mother, I will wait until twelve tonight."
Mrs Reynold smiled at her younger sons words. "I hope it wil not be so long as that! But if you are kept very long, get yourself some tea in town."
She kissed her son. "Good-bye dear, I am sorry that you had to miss your cricket match,"
She bent down and kissed him again, while the young boy put his arms around her neck and gave her a hug.
"Goodbye Mum, don't worry about it." and he ran downstairs trying to whistle, to prove how slight his disappointment really was.

          Once out in the country lane, Arthur started off at a good pace, resolutely keeping his eyes from straying towards the field where the match was being played, and looking straight along the road which stretched before him. Not a soul was in sight, and no sound could be hears but that of the birds and insects. Bravely he tramped along till he heard in the distance the throb of a motor, and, a few minutes later a cheerful voice called out.
"Hallo! isn't that young Arthur Reynolds? Where are you going to this glorious day?
Arthur turned and faced te doctor himself. He whipped off his cap saying, "I'm going to the surgery, sir. Mother has sent this note and she wants more medicine for May."
  The doctor read it, then glanced at his watch. "Well my boy, I wont be back in the surgery for some time, I'm afraid I have a long round this afternoon."
Arthur heart sank as he thought of sitting in the waiting room with nothing to do but look at magazines, but he had come to far to go back home.