Cricket 1883

s e p t . 20 ,1883. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 40? “ A ustralian .” —We believe H. H. Massie, T. Horan, T. Garrett and P. Spofforth are doubt­ ful, hut G. Bonnor, J. Blackbam, G. Palmer, P. McDonnell, A. Bannerman, H. Boyle, W. Mur­ doch, G. Giffen, H. Scott, W. Bruce, W. Jarvis, W. H, Cooper and W. Midwinter, with G. Alex­ ander, would be a formidable team. A c c o r d in g to tlie Australasian, fourteen scores of over the century were made in New Zealand during the past cricket season. The highest, 147 (not out), was made by Gatehouse in Dunedin, and Stronacli, of the same place, made 125. Seven of the fourteen centuries were made in Canterbury, E . Bow, with 181 (not out), being the highest, whilst the others were W . J. Cotterill, 126 (not out), T. Buchanan, 117, E. V. Hamilton, 111, A. M. Olivier, 109, E. Lougliman, 103, and B. Whiting, 101 (not out). Heenan, 120, was the only player who reached the century in 'Wellington, and C. S. Cross, 117, in Wanganui; W . E. Barton, who is the best bat in this colony, on two occasions reached the century in A u d i land, and O’Brien once. J. M. w r it e s thusly:— In “ Pavilion Gossip ” of laft week you have a paragraph anent “ The general prevalence of long scoring,” in which yon suggest certain measures for reducing the totals. It seems to me that this scare about high scoring “ is some­ what groundless.” At all events, I scarcely can see how you can justify the phrase , 11 general prevalence of long scoring,” for on analysis of the scores reported in the same No. of C iu ck et in which your paragraph appears, it would seem that there was a great preponderance of exceed­ ingly small scores. You report, in all, 80 matches, tho individual scores in which come out thus: — Scores of 15 runs and under .. 1,905 “ over 15 runs .. .. 490 Or scores of 10 runs and under.. 1,G82 “ over 10 runs .. .. 719 Or again, Scores of 5 runs and under (in­ cluding 537 of 0) .................. 1,327 “ over 5 runs.................. 1,074 The analysis of totals of completed innings reads as follows:— Innings of 90 runs and under .. 1C7 11 over 90 runs .. .. 80 The above 6 gures speak for themselves, and will hardly, I think bear out your remarks in llie paragraph referred to. Upon how many occasions, during the past season, has there been a full day’s cricket upon the third day of a match, either at Lord’s or the Oval? aud again, how many matches have been left drawn, which have been played out full time ? Your answer to these questions will not, I think, bear out the notion of excessive long- scoring. takes exception, “ the general prevalence of long scoring.” Varia .— The Surbiton Cricket Clab is to open a new ground next season. An eleven of Derbyshire beat one selected from Chesterfield, at Chesterfield on Tuesday. The final tie for Mr. A.Cooke’s CliallengeCup, open to the clubs of Leeds, ended on Tuesday in favour of the Leeds Police. They beat Oldfield Lane by three runs. J u s t a year ago in these columns I had occasion to allude with some pride to the hearty sympathy extended to C r ic k e t during the first few months of its existence by every class of cricketers. The conductors of the paper consider the close of its second season a fitting oppor­ tunity for another expression of hearty thanks to the thousands whohave during the summer shown their hearty apprecia­ tion of its aims. It is in no way an exaggeration to affirm that C r ic k e t can now fairly claim to.be considered the organ of the game all over the world. Its subscribers andcontributors are tobe found wherever Englishmen congregate, and in proof of the universality of the paper it is only necessary to call atten­ tion to the records which have been sup­ plied during the last few months by correspondents in Australia, China, America and Canada. T he large summer circulation C ricket can now boast, justifies the belief that its monthly publication during the winter will be a boon to the game, and an arrangement has consequently been made for six issues during the recess. These numbers will commence with No. 47 on October 25, and will be continued monthly on following dates:— No. 48, Nov.29, 1883 No. 51, Feb. 28,1881 No. 49, Dec. 27,1883 No 52,Mrch.28,1884 No. 50, Jan. 31, 1881 Each number will contain a portrait and biographyof a clebrated cricketer,Pavilion Gossip, special articles by the author of “ Cricket Field,’' and the best writers on thegame. Everything at all worthy of note in connection with Australian cricket and cricketers will bo duly chronicled, and several special features of interest will bo introduced to make these winter numbers readable as well as useful for reference. place him at the head of the poll any­ where in that county. That this is his last cricket season, though, will never be believed by those who appreciate his exceeding keenness for the King of Games. I n a letter to the Sportsman, Lord Harris suggests a more systematic ad­ herence to the provisions of Number Two in the laws of the game, stipulating the outside limits of the bat. I would point out that only last week I suggested that a reduction in the size of the bats every­ where in use, so as to come within the regular dimensions, might in some measure check the growing tendency to sensational scoring. The cry about the general usage of over-sized bats, though, is not a new one. I remember well the late James Southerton, several years ago, armed with a guage, which he had ready and was always threatening to bring into operation, to prove his assertion that a large majority of the bats in use were really illegal. I s e e , too, that more than one corres­ pondent in the Daily News has suggested the advisability of an arrangement in home and home fixtures, whereby the side losing the toss in the first meeting should have the choice of going in or not on the second occasion. I may remark that this propositionwasmade in ‘ ‘Pavilion Gossip ” as long ago as August 2. W it h a’.l due humility, I have to make the sad admission of two errors in my notes ot last week. In the haste of writing I alluded to Fuller Pilcli as the Lion of Eent, a title which strictly belonged to Alfred Myun. I also gave the birthplace of Mr. A. G. Steel as Scotland instead of Liverpool, for the moment misled by that gentleman’s asso­ ciation with Dumfriesshire. 1 knew, though I stupidly overlooked the fact for a moment, that Mr. Steel was a Liver­ pudlian, and I have to thank several correspondents for calling mo to account. My mistake, though, iu naming Mr. fjiteel’s birthplace, does not at all effect tho absurdity of the rumour that he could play for Middlesex last year. I a m able to state positively, that no further official intelligence has reached this side with regard to tho visit of another Australian team to England next summer. It seems though to be half understood among Australians nowin this country, that a team will come, aud in proof a correspondent has sent me a copy of the Australasian newspaper of July 21, which contains an answer to a corres­ pondent to the following effect:—- M y remarks only referred to the more important matches, where the grounds are all in favour of the bat. The run- getting in most of the principal contests in August was, J. M. to the contrary not­ withstanding, I opine, quite high enough to justify the expression to which lie A t Beaufort House, for Walham Green v Ful­ ham Palace on September 15, F. W. Wright took six wickets for four runs. Is a match at Sunderland on September 12, between Sunderland and Sunderland Articled Clerks, G. Bell clean bowled four of the SA .0 . wickets in four successive balls. Next Number of CRICKET, Thursday, October 25.