Cricket 1882

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.” — Byron. „ . No. 17. VOL. I. Kegisterea for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY. AUGUST 31, 1882. P R IC E 2d. G E O R G E JO H N B O N N O R . A eig hitter is dearly loved by the more impression­ able as well a« the less critical section of our ave­ rage cricket crowds. Though there are more skilful batsmen among the Australians, better all round players, there are few greater favourites than Bonnor with the public. ------- Certainly no form in the colonial team is now better known on English grounds than that of the great and big hitter whose portrait we give this week. George John Bonnor, the Anak of Murdoch’s company, is an Australian by birth, as are twelve of the team. He was born at Bathurst, in the colony of New South Wales, on the 25th February, 1855, so that he is now in his twenty-eighth year. He was educated at the grammar school of his native town, and his early cricket was spent with the Bathurst Club. It was some time before he came into very great prominence, though there were in­ dications from his local form of promise as a batsman. In 1879 he came to Syd­ ney, and from that year may be dated his first attainment of any great eminence as a cricketer. His first association in Syd­ ney was with the Albert Club, and his play during the season of 1879 must have had some speciality to recommend itself. His hitting powers, to judge from some of the records about that time, were quite sufficient to impress those to whom were entrusted the task of selecting the players to form tho second Australian team for England. Bonnor was, at least, chosen to accompany the party, and we can well remember the sensation he caused on his first appearance on an English ground. His Herculean propor­ tions, towering as he did above the rest of a team much above the average in height, made him the most conspicuous figure of the group. This was r ot all, • though, as the first pracliee of the Aus­ tralians on Mitcham Green proved his j Wonderful hitting powers, and one hit of his, carefully measured to the pitcb, reached 147 yards. The report of this one stroke Was quite enough to give interest to his appearances during the tour of 1880, and on a few occasions he made good innings. He took part in all the thirty- CTen engagements, but was more successful against odds than in eleven a side matches. His best^score of the tour was his 73 against Sixteen of tongsight, and though he had only an average of 9.10 for eleven a-side matches, for the whole tour he had a fair record of 782 runs for fifty in­ nings. As many will remember, he represented Australia in the great content against England in 1880, and no one who witnessed that game is likely to forget the tremendous hit from which he was caught by the late G. F. Grace in the first in­ nings. On his return from England, Bonnor took up his residence in Melbourne, and last season was chiefly identified with the Melbourne Club. On the whole he was rather unsuccessful, but Murdoch was evidently satisfied with his claim to a place in a representative team of Australia, and he was.a second time selected as one of the.team to visit England. His performance? during this tour j are well known. His vigorous hitting in the match against the Gentlemen at the Oval was one of (he most remarkable features of that game, aud his 7-1 contributed greatly towards the easy win of the Australians. Even more noteworthy, though, was his performance in the recent match against Cam­ bridge University Past and Present at Portsmouth. In the second innings of that match his hitting was quite equal to anything that has been seen this season. He scored GG out of 88 runs while he was in, and in proof of the sensational character of his play it need only be added that he was at the wickets a little over half an hour for his runs. When he likes he can hit with greater power than any batsman we have ever seen. His Mitcham stroke of 1880 we have already given, but in Aus­ tralia there are some still more extraor­ dinary records of his big heaves, and one of these,, on the Melbourne Ground, is said to luive been measured, and found to be no less than 164 yards from hit to pitch. His height and reach, of course, give him immense advantages. He is Gft. 6 in. in height, aud withal very finely proportioned. Indeed, considering bis extreme height, he is very well made, as can be gathered from his weight, 16 st. 12 lb. Of splendid physique, be is pos­ sessed of immense strength, as some of his feats in other branches of athletics will show. While on the voyage to England he accepted a wager of £100 from a fellow-passenger that he would throw a cricket ball 115 yards the first day of his arrival in England, and this he won easily. His one heave was 119 yards 7 feet, but it is said that he has considerably outstripped this per­ formance in Australia, where he is cre­ dited with a throw of 130 yards. Bonnor is a very fine field, particularly far away from the wicket, where his throwing is of great assistance. The absence of a short- slip in the present team, though, has caused him to occupy that position, and on the whole he has been very useful there. In addition to his abilities on the cricket field, Bonnor has other claims to athletic distinction. He is a good all-round ath­ lete, and is certainly one of the best amateur run­ ners in the colonies. Bonnor is a great favourite on English cricket grounds. An Australian eleven without its giant would be regarded here now as a play without a sensation. A hitter of his size and strength is not to be found every day, even in Australia. VW , JTir-ifo•