Cricket 1883

a p r i l 10,1883. CR iCKET ; A "WEEKLY RE COED OF THE GAME. m Cooper courteously accepting the protest although he was much averse to doing anything which might he construed as a reflection on such a veteran and thoroughly popular cricketer as Bannerman. Mr. A. Hope was appointed um­ pire by Victoria. As to the vacancy caused through the inability of Rosser to play, con­ siderable difficulty was experienced in choosing between McShane and Bruce, but Cooper, after calling in the assistance of other experienced cricketers and carefully considering the matter, gave the vacancy to McShane. The attendance, though not large when play commenced, im­ proved during the afternoon, when about 7,000 were present. W. H. Cooper was unanimously chosen captain of the Victorian team, and having won the toss sent his men to bat. The wieket was all that even the most nervous batsman could wish for, but the Victorians made a dismal start. McDonnell and Blackham were the first two batsman, but before 10 runs were scored Blackham started for a run, and after getting close up to the opposite wicket was compelled to turn back, as his comrade refused to stir from his crease. Only one result could follow such a blunder, and it came in the shape of a very simple run out. As soon as Bonnor came in a second misfortune befel the colonials. McDon­ nell, who was playing with more caution than usual, tried to snick a dangerous off ball from Barnes, and just potted it into the ready hands of Bates, stationed in the slips. The catch was grandly taken, aad McDonnell followed his companion in misfortune back to the Pavilion. The board showed 2 wickets down for 7 runs, and had the total been 70 instead it would not have been considered a run too many for such a fine pair of batsmen. After Scott had joined Bonnor a few good hits were made, and at last the bats­ men gave promise of scoring. Before Bonnor had played half a dozen balls, however, he followed McDonnell’s bad example, and tried to snick an off ball breaking away from the line of wickets. He played it straight and true to Barnes, and the Victorians felt wonderfully relieved as the Nottingham professional dropped the ball. The catch was such an easy one that there can be no excuse for the miss. A few overs served to show that Bates was not in true bowl­ ing form, and Steel took the place of the new comer, constantly testing the patience of the batsmen with those tempting off balls. Bonnor failed to get hold of the ball with his customary vigour, and one or two of his best hits were finally stopped by that prince of fieldsmen, G-. B. Studd. Scott’s graceful cutting was the theme of admiration, and the believers in this once- popular stroke were much pleased with the method of the Jolimont batsman. Fifty came in due time, and the announcement was a welcome one, both batsmen still continuing to score. Leslie could get the ball nowhere but on the leg side, and his pace didnot save him from punish­ ment, so he, too, was taken off, and Bates once more tried. A single brought Bonnor’s score to '■O and the score to 60 ; but the last ball sent down before the adjournment pioved disastrous to Scott, who was caught at the wickets by Tyle­ cote off Barlow. Owing to the hesitation of the umpire in responding to the Englishman’s appeal jj good many of the spectators seemed to think kcott was notout, but the batsman set all doubts at rest by admitting that he had snicked the ball. Horan came in after lunch, and soon com­ menced to score in his own peculiar style, mg glances being his favourite stroke, although one ball pitched further to leg than usual and was hit vigorously to the Grand Stand pickets for 4. A. brief period of lively and very perfect Play served to bring the next 20 runs on the board, Horan shaping in a manner that augured for a long score. Bonnor was also batting ^ in c r e a s e d freedom, and a nice square-leg hit o the chains, carried his scoro past 30. Then the giant tried his hitting powers. The first effort was a low and very powerful drive, the ball striking the turf near the Pavilion gate and rebounding into the reserve. The next ball was driven exactly in the same fashion for a like result round towards the Grand Stand pickets, and the third, to the delight of the spectators, went fairly into the stand enclosure—a 5-hit— bringing a roar of applause from the spectators ; 13 runs from three balls 'was the result, and it was decidedly in keeping with the inclinations of onlookers. As 100 came in sight a few minutes later they recovered their equanimity, which had been rather disturbed by early events. With 13 runs added to the 100the fourth wieket was lost, Bonnor being caught by Tylecote off a ball from Barnes that rose higher than usual. Save for the mistake at starting Bonnor played very fine cricket, and although the three hits made in cne over from Bates were the only instances in which he fairly opened his shoulders, his innings of 54 was a valuable gift to his side, and was for once marked by moderate care rather than sensationalism. Midwinter, whose practice-form during the week gave promise of something like his English ability of last season, took the vacant position. A. G. Steel was infusing more variety than usual into his bowling, the flight of the slow balls being deceptive, while the pace was varied with mnch judgment. Midwinter, although batting vigorously, was unfortunate enough in placing the ball, which invariably went straight to a man, and one of his hard hits enabled Steel to prove Ms worth as a fieldsman. When Read went on to bowl underhand slows at Midwinter something in the way of tall hitting was looked for, but the batsman resolutely refused to lift them, and nearly all his powerful drives along the grass were well stopped by one or other of the ring of fieldsmen disposed around with some judgment. There was some merit in the bowl­ ing, however, for the length was excellent and very few balls were off the wicket. Barlow, at the opposite end, was also bowling well, so that for a period the play was slow and uninteresting. The total was laboriously carried to 160, when the monotony of the game was broken through Horan being clean bowled by Bames. The out­ going batsman had scored 37, and at the first made his runs by free cricket, but towards the closeplayedwith extreme caution. As Palmer came in Midwinter scored his thirtieth run, he having also settled gradually to cautions tactics. The association between the two batsmen was not of long duration, Palmer being caught by Steel close in at square-leg when he had scored 2 runs. The batsman seemed inclined to doubt the justice of the decision, as he appealed to the umpire before leaving the wickets. When Turner came in Mid­ winter altered his play to the usual form of his companion, and made two fine hits for 4 each. The English captain worked his bowling on the system adopted in the previous matches, all the talent of the team being in turn tried, while changes were made with great rapidity; but neither Leslie’s fast overs nor Read’s slow tempters, with the intermediate varieties, could make any sustained impression on the batsmen. Bates took a try from the Richmond end, and Midwinter, with a fine drive to the chains at long-field on, brought 200 in sight, the batsmen’s individual score being 53. Steel here tried another plan to effect a separation by placing three fieldsmen close up to the Grand Stand fence and favouring Turner with some slows. The batsman was eager to oblige the out-fieldsmen, but while trying a big hit he snicked the ball, and it was quickly held by Barlow in the slips. The board showed 7 wickets down for 207, Turner having scored 18 by very fair cricket. Boyle joined Midwinter, and was loudly cheered on making his appearance, the spectators being evidently pleased to see this old Victorian player once more on a Victorian cricket-field. Both batsmen set themselves resolutely to play out time, although a few minutes prior to the time fixed for drawing stumps Midwinter made nice hit to the chains, which carried his score past that of Bonnor. Towards the close of the day the light was very dull, but the batsmen by adopting defensive tactics played out time with safety, the score standing at 213 for 1 wickets. V ictoria . P. S. M'Donnell, c Bates, b Barnes ..................... 6 •T. M. Blackham, run out 1 Scott, c Tylecote, 1>Bar- low .............................29 G. J. Bonnor, c Tyle­ cote, b Barnes .. ‘ . 54 T. Horan, b Barnes .. 37 Mid-winter, not out .. 57 G. Palmer, c Steel, b Barnes .................... 2 Turner, c Barlow, b S te e l.............................18 H. F. Boyle, not out .. 2 Sundries....................7 Total (for 7 wkts.)213 ENGL ISH AND AUSTRALIAN CRICKET. T h e averages of th e E n g lish and A u stra lia n p layers in the four m atcnes p layed betw een E n g la n d and A ustralia in th e C olonies w ill be re ad w ith interest. E N G L A N D . BATTING AVERAGES. Times Most in Inns, not out Runs an inn. Aver. A. G. Steel .. .. 7 .. 1 .. 276 .. 135 .. 46 W . W . Read .. .. 7 .. 0 .. 238 .. 75 .. 34 Bates .. .. 7 .. 1 .. 17(5 .. 55 .. 29.2 C. T. Studd .. .. 7 . . 0 .. 160 .. 48 . . 22.6 E. F. S. Tylecote .. 7 .. 0 .. 140 .. 66 .. 20 B arlow ........................ 7 .. 0 .. 136 .. 28 .. 18.4 C. H. F. Leslie .. 7 .. 0 .. 106 .. 54 .. 15.1 B a r n e s........................ 7 .. 1 .. 87 .. 32 .. 14.3 G. F. Vernon.. .. 2 .. 1 .. 14 .. 11 .. 14 Hon. Ivo Bligh .. 7 .. 1 .. 62 .. 19 .. 10.2 G. B. Studd .. 7 . . 0 .. 32 9 .. 4.4 M o r le y .....................5 .. 2 . . 4 .. 2 .. 1.1 BOWLING AVERAGES. Balls Maidens Runs Wickets Aver. Leslie .................... 96 .. 19 .. 44 .. 4 11 B ates............................. 775 .. 91 .. 286 .. 19 15.1 Morley .................... 588 .. 85 .. 140 .. 8 17.4 S te e l............................. 516 . . 53 .. 195 .. 11 17.8 Barlow .................... 1021 . . 1 2 3 .. 338 .. 15 22.8 Barnes .................... 452 . . 36 .. 170 .. 6 28.2 Studd............................. 368 .. 59 .. 89 .. 3 29.2 R e a d ............................. 32 .. 2 .. 2 .. — — Leslie bowled 4 wides, Barlow 1 wide, Read 3 no-balls and Morley 1 no-ball. A U S T R A L I A . BATTING AVERAGES Times Most in Inns,not out. Runs, an inn. Aver. A. C. Bannerman .. 8 .. 1 .. 255 .. 94 .. 36.3 J. M. Blackham .. 7 . . 1 .. 204 .. 58 .. 84 G. J. Bonnor . . .. 7 .. 0 .. 217 .. 87 .. 31 H .F . Boyle .. .. 1 .. 0 .. 29 . 29 .. 29 G.jGiffe n .................. 7 .. 0 .. 162 .. 41 .. 23.1 E. Evans....................2 .. 1 .. 22 . . 32 ... 22 W. L. Murdoch .. 8 .. 1 .. 153 .. 48 .. 21.6 W. Midwinter.. . . 2 .. 1 .. 18 . . 10 .. 10 P. S. M ‘Donnell .. 5 .. 0 .. 59 .. 43 .. 11.4 H. H. Massie.. ..6.. A ..69 ..43 ..113 F. R. Spofforth . . 6 .. 2 .. 31 .. 14 .. 7.3 T. Horan....................7 .. 0 .. 49 .. 10 .. 7 G. E. Palmer .. .. 6 .. 2 .. 20 .* 7 .. 5 T. W . Garrett.. . . 5 .. 0 .. 16 .. 10 .. 3.1 BOWLING AVERAGES. Balls. Maidens. Runs, Wickets Aver Horan......................154 .. 16 .. 63 .. 5 .. 13.2 Bannerman.. e. 44 .. 2 .. 17 .. 1 .. 17. Boyle........................ 252 .. 25 .. 87 .. 5 .. 17.2 Midwinter .. .. 278 .. 37 . . 71 . . .. 17.3 G iffen .................... 324 .. 23 .. 164 .. .. 20.4 Palmer.................... 981 . . 1 1 3 . . 3 9 7 .. 19 .. 20.17 Spofforth . . . . 977 .. 93 . . 3 9 7 . . 18 .. 22. Garrett.................... 412 .. 34 .. 156 .. 3 52 E v a n s.................... 44 .. 3 .. 15 .. 0 .. — M’Donnell . . . . 24 .. 0 .. 16 .. 0 — The Englishmen scored 1,470 for seventy wickets (average 21), Australians 1,378 for sixty-seven wickets (average, 20.56), so that the Englishmen had an advantage of 944 in batting. O n Saturday last in a match between Shire- hampton and the employes of Todd & Co., Bristol, the latter Eleven only got five, all of which were scored by B. H. Kirk. Shirehamp- ton made 1G9. In a recent match against Castlemaine United, Melbourne scored 448, of which Kelly contributed 122 .