Cricket 1882

THURSDAY. JULY 20, 1882. G EO RG E G IF F EN . O f the thirteen cricketers forming the Australian team now in England Oeorge Giffen, is one of the least known on his home form. With the exception of H. H. Massie, S. P. Jones, and Giffen, the rest of the party under Murdoch’s command had already established their reputations on English grounds. Massie’s name was also known by reason of his Colonial performances before the present visit, and in fact the only two whose appear­ ance was awaited with curiosity were Giffen and Jones. The high opinion ex­ pressed by Alfred Shaw of the former’s batting powers during last winter’s tour in Australia led the public to expect great things, and there was general satisfaction when it was learned that the requested leave had been granted to him to enable him to accept the invitation given by Murdoch to form one of the third Austra­ lian team for England. Giffen was born at Adelaide, South Australia, on the 27th of March, 1852, and he is the only repre­ sentative of his Colony in the team. The first club witli which he was identified was the Norwood Club of Adelaide, and his name still remains on its books as a playing member. His first appearance in a match of any note was for South Australia against Lord Harris’s Eleven in their opening match in the Colonies. He was singularly unfortunate with the bat on that occasion, failing to score in both innings; but he was fairly success­ ful with' the ball. The match which first made him famous was that of last winter at Adelaide,when he made 95 for Fifteen of South Australia against Alfred Shaw’s Eleven. His hard driving and general excellenje of play against Peate, Bates, Barlow, and Ulyett greatly impressed the English players, and Alfred Shaw in par­ ticular expressed himself in the highest terms of his batting. This first impres­ sion he fully justified a few days later at Melbourne, on his first appearance for the Combined Eleven of Australia against Shaw’s team. In that match he scored thirty, and this, in conjunction with his smart fielding, quite warranted his selection to join Murdoch in tho journey to England. His scoring in club matches in Adelaide has been most con­ sistent. His average last season was over sixty runs, and, just before his departure from the Colonies, he made 158 at Adelaide against the Kent Club of that city. His performances here are well known, and in proof of the estimation in which he is held by the managers of the team, it may be stated that he has not been left out of a match since the tour wns begun. It was not long before he established his reputation here, as in the first match, at Oxford, in the second inniugs of the ! University, his bowling analyses showed 26 overs, i a bowler was that, at the end of the same week, at the Oval. His bowling against the Gentlemen of England on the Surrey ground will not soon be forgotten. Tn the first innings his analysis showed 31 overs and 2 balls for 49 runs and eight wickets, and though the ground helped him a little, he fairly puzzled tlie strongest batting side on paper that the Gentlemen could have placed in the field All round Giffen is one of the very best cricketers in the Australian team—no small praise, be it said. On a fast wicket he is a very dangerous bat, as he has great driving powers, and his hitting on both sides is very clean. Ho is a medium pice bowler gets a great amount of break on on any kind of wicket and, from his high delivery, is at times difficult to see. As a field he is also very good, and in this department ho has few superiors in the Colonies. When the second Australian Eleven was formed, early in 1880, Oilieu’s name was mentioned,butonthat occasion preference was given to A. H. Jarvis as the repre­ sentative of South Austra'ia. Giffen. it may be added, is 5ft. lUin in height, and weighs 12 stone 61b. He occupies a position in the General I’ost Office at Adelaide, and is a great favourite iu that city. In addition to his abilities as a cricketer, Giffen, it i3 worthy of note, is admitted to be the best footballer iu South Australia. 14 maidens, for 79 runs and seven wickets. His first batting performance of any account in Eng­ land was his 74 against Sussex, at Brighton,, and since then his best scores have been his 59 against Cambridge University and 47 against Derbyshire. Against the Yorkshire Eleven, at Sheffield, in the first innings he bowled 65 balls for 16 runs and 5 wickets; but by far his most successful feat as M.C.C. and G round v . B irmingham : a n d D istr ic t . —This match, which was commenced on July 10, at the Lower Grounds, Aston, Birmingham, was con­ cluded on the 11th. Bain came down so heavily that the match was abandoned in the following con d itionB irm in g­ ham and District, 119 ; M.C.C and Ground, 127. C ambridge U n iv e r sity L. V . CJ j v. H untingdonshire — Played at Cam­ bridge on Thursday and Friday. The Universitywon by an innings and 81 runs. University, 164 (Hon. J. W. Mansfield 62); Huntingdonshire, 21 and 62. W orksop v . W entw orth . —Played at Wentworth on Monday, July 10. Each side scored 55 ; W. Oates for Wentworth went in first and carried out his bat for 31. R ev . H. R . W akefield ’ s E leven v . U nited T heatrical C lu b . —Played at Greenhithe on July 13. Mr. Wakefield’s Eleven, 161 (L. A. Shuter, 32) ; United Theatrical Club, 58 and 27 for no wickets.