Cricket 1883

8 4 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. MAY 10, 1883. A CRICKET MATCH AT THERAP IA . A correspondent of the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News gives the following account of a cricket match at Therapia. Therapia is the summer quarters from May to October of the English Embassy, who have a charming house on the water side, facing the long reach, down which the cool breezes blow from the Black Sea. There is a capital little hotel here—the Hotel d’Angleterre—kept by an Englishwoman, and well patronised by the members of the English and other Embassies. The table d’hote is often full of diplomatists. One day while X was staying there we had a cricket match “ over in Asia.” The match was to have been the English Embassy against the World. The World, however, seemed to be somewhat of a diplomatic geographical ex­ pression, as its population had been reduced to three persons; so we got together whom we could and made a scratch match of it. We were rowed across the Strait in one of the boats of the man-of-war which is always stationed here. Landing at Beikos, we walked to the cricket ground. It was one of those beautiful Turkish lawns which often open out on the shores of the Bosphorus, surrounded on three sides by hills. We pitched our tent beneath the trees, strewed the ground with cushions, and then the match began. Time and words would fail me to tell of the hits made by two prominent members of the Embassy, or the wonderful catch achieved by a subordinate official, who turned his back upon a lofty hit, and caught the hall as it came down over his head. Unfortunately, some of the most distinguished cricketers of the district — viz., the English sailors—were detained on board that day, so I only heard of their prowess by report. It appears that their habit is to proceed barefooted to the wickets, and then to give an exhibition of their skill, which in originality of conception and in masterly disre­ gard of the rules and regulations of the M.C.C., is hard to beat. Suffice it, however to remark that it was “ a glorious victory,” but whose the victory was, I am ashamed to say at this moment I forget. In the afternoon Lord and Lady Dufferin came down, and a whole bevy of ladies from different places in the neighbour­ hood. A little removed from these sat a number of stolid Turks, wondering, doubtless, what could possess us to keep running about in so imbe«ile a manner in the sun, instead of squatting at our ease and smoking, beneath the trees. Now and then a water-carrier would, in the innocence of his heart, walk across the pitch, absolutely indifferent to the balls that were bowled and the hits that were made, and the anathemas that were hurled at his devoted head. Separated from the men, and on the other side of the ground, strolled a party of Turkish women, airing themselves and their children in the soft September air. The bril­ liant hue of their dressses—pale yellow and light blue seemed to predominate—gave a charming colouring to the landscape; while their yashmaks kept them secure from the glance of the too curious Giaour. And then came lunch on the banks of a neighbouring stream, with the trees branching above us ; and five o’clock tea to wind up the day. The hour of sunset drew, nigh, and scattered in groups over the ground, the Turkish followers of Mahomet knelt down, and turning towards Mecca lifted up the evening prayer of the Prophet. It was a very picturesque sight—that cricket ground—sur­ passing, as it seemed to me, the most brilliant spectacles of Lord’s. Everything was there to complete the picture—the level Turkish lawn, the row of English ladies laughing and chatting in the shade, the ranks of impassive Turks, the gorgeous hues of the dresses of the Turkish women, and then the prostrations to the earth as the setting sun bade the true believers turn their eyes towards Mecca. SURREY COUNTY CLUB. T h e annual general meeting of this society was held in the Pavilion at the Oval on Thuisday. Lord Monson, the president, was in the chair, and there was an unusually large muster of members. The first business was the reception of the annual report and balance sheet. The former was published in extemo a fortnight ago in C ricket with a portion of the accounts. The latter showed that £15,925 19s. 8 d. had passed through the hands of the Secretary, and that after a large expenditure in improvements there was a balance at the close of the year of £5,000 4s. 10 d. About £1,500 was due for works in pro­ gress, and out of the balance the Committee proposed to pay off the debentures remaining after this month, the only liability of the club, which would require £1,860. Mr. Gale com­ mented on the report, Ieferring to the young play­ ers, whom he declared had not been sufficiently encouraged. He also complained of the condition of the ground, and that more money had not been expended on its improvement. The Trea­ surer, Mr. Wildman Cattley, andMr. R. Lydgate defended the Committee, repudiating any idea that there had been any neglect in the renovation of the ground. Mr. Burbidge spoke on the subject of the young players. During the last three years, the Committee had annually tested about seventy Colts at the Ovai. He thought that too much had been expected of Colts. They had been put at once into the County eleven to meet the best bowling iu the kingdom, whereas theywanted tuition befere they could really hope to do themselves justice. He thought a little more expenditure might be devoted to the en­ couragement of the young players by employing them at the Oval, and enabling them to get good practice and improve their cricket. The report and balance sheet were then adopted. The ejection of Messrs. C. A. Stein and J. B. Oakley on the committee, in the place of Messrs. A. P. Lucas and J. H. Bridges who had resigned during the last year, was then confirmed by the meeting. Lord Monson was re-elected president ; Lord Bessborough, vice-president, and Mr. W. Cattley, treasurer. The seven retiring members of the commit­ tee—C. C. Clarke, D. R. Onslow, M.P., Dr. Jones, Dr. Blades, F. Burbidge, L. A. Shuter, and W. Burrup were re-elected, and Mr. W. S. Trollope was chosen in addition to serve on the committee. The secretary’s salary for the ensuing year was fixed at £250, and a donation of £50 was voted him for his services during the past year. The committee reported that there were 94 candidates for election, among them, the Earl of Rosebery and Hon. S. l ’onsonby-Fane. Mr. Gale brought forward certain resolutions of which he had given notice to the committee. The principal of these was one to the effect that a third of the ground should be reserved for the sole use of the members of the Surrey County Club for the purpose of practice. As his pro­ posals were matters of detail, they were not put to the meeting, |and referred to the com­ mittee. The question of a benefit for Caffynwas brought forward, but on a representation from the com­ mittee that they could not do this in justice to those who had loyally supported the county throughout, the matter dropped. A feeling how­ ever was expressed in favour of the formation of a fund of some kind, and if such a one were raised, it would be well responded to. The pro­ ceedings closed with a vote of thanks to Lord Monson for his valuable assistance as president of the club and chairman of the meeting. In the evening the annual dinner was held in the Club House. Lord Monson again presided, and he was supported by about sixty members. A very pleasant evening was spent, and the dinner was the best that has ever been provided by anOval caterer. The toast of *‘ The Clubs of Surrey” was happily proposed by Mr. G.W. Rus- den, an old Surrey man who was specially chosen to welcome H. H. Stephenson and the others who formed the first English team to visit Australia on their arrival in the colonies. LONDON AND SUBURBAN ASSOCIATION. T w e n ty - t w o clubs have entered for the Cup Competition, twelve North, and ten South of the Thames. On Thursday last the Committee met at head-quarters to make the first draw, with the following result. “ N o kth .” — Dartmouth Park v. Woodford Wells. Finsbury v. Elm. Bee3 v. Holborn. Lower Clapton v. Tottenham. Belmont v. Edmonton. Bow and Bromley Institute v. Hounslow. “ S outh .” — Balham v. Heathfield. Brixton Wanderers v. Star. Lower Tooting v. Champion Hill. Alleyn v. Hanover United. Trafalgar v. Lennox. The draw must be completed on or before Saturday, June 2, and the Committee suggest that Secretaries of clubs who play their matches on Saturday should invite the two clubs who are displaced on their match cards, to meet each other, and to exchange list of names, from which the Elevens will be selected fourteen days before the milch, so that if there be any objections they may be considered by the committee of the Association. FREE FORESTERS. May 14 and 15, at Woolwich, v. Royal Artillery „ 26, at Esher, v. Esher June 6, at Elstree, v. Elstree ,, 9. at Crookham, v. Crookham „ 16, at Eton, v The College „ 20 and 21, at Weybridge,*v. Oatlands Park „ 32 and 23, at Shoeburyness, v. School of Gunnery July 7, at Henley, v. Henley „ 9 and 10, at Rugby v. 'I he School „ 11, at Westminster, v. The School „ 11 and 12 at LoDgwood, v. Lord Northesk’s Eleven July 16 17 and 18, at Aigburth Ground, v. Liverpool Club „ 20 and 21, at Manchester, v. Old Trafford „ 23 and 24, at Abbots Langley, v. Abbots Langley „ 25 and 26, at Cheltenham, v. East Gloucestershire Aug. 3 and 4, at Reigate, v. Rev. Churchill’s Eleven „ 7 and £, at Hitchin, v. Gents of Herts „ 15 and 16, at Middleton Towers, v.MiddletonTowers ,, 17 and 18, at Norwich, v. Gents, ofNorfolk „ 20 and 21, at Middleton Hall, v. Lord Jersey’sEleven „ 23 and 24, at Banbury, v. Banbury Club „ 28, at Shepperton, v.E . Rutter’s Eleven „ 29 and 30, at Aldershot, v. Division I n a match between Prescot and Egrem onk at Prescot, on Saturday, J. Schofield, for former, went in first and carried out his bat for 78 out of 188. The Wake Challenge Cup (Sheffield). Owing to the miserable weather, on Saturda'- the first round of this competition could not l»e completed. Only very few of the fourteen matches were decided. . M anor G range were all dismissed by Elsecpf- on Saturday, for nineteen. F or Married v. Single, of Crystal Palace Cl”1, on Saturday, P. Currey (slow underhand) took thre3 wickets with successive balls. F or the Linden club against Coombe 0,1 Saturday, Fletcher took six wickets for nil*0 runs. In a match on Friday and Saturday last-, a* Cambridge, Caius College scored 476 again [ Magdalene College. J. G. Page was chief con­ tributor with 136. Magdalene only made 28 and 27. F or the Liverpool club v. St. Helen’s, on Saturday, D. G. Steel scored 110 out of a total of 199.