Cricket 1884

MAT 15,1884. CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 121 T h e cricketers of New Zealand seem recently to have had an oppor­ tunity of testing the batting powers of the Hon. Ivo Bligh. The follow­ ing account of the effect caused by his appearance at Otago, taken from the Otago Daily Times, of the 10th, will cause some amusement: On Saturday evening, as Hendley was in the act of clearing oft the cricketing things from the Oval, there walked up to him a tall, gentlemanly-looking man, and asked him if he wouldn’t mind bowling him a half-dozen balls, to which Hendley at once gave his consent. Being in what he calls good form, he intended to make short work of the stranger. He commenced by giving him some trimmers, but not taking his stumps he put on more speed—still with no effect. He next tried ‘ spinners,’ and then ‘ twisters,’ but all to no purpose. The new-comer coolly cut them, drew them, chopped them, and drove them all over the field at his own sweet will. Hendley became desperate. He did not at all like the way in which matters were going. He couldn’t understand that the veteran bowler could be knocked about in that manner by any man in New Zealand, and was determined to ascertain the name of the mysterious individual who treated him so roughly. Consequently he walked up to the batsman and said, ‘ Please, sir, might I ask what your name is ? ’ To which the stranger promptly answered, ‘ My name is Bligh.’ 1What,’ said Hendley, ‘ not the Hon. Ivo Bligh ? ’ That gentleman answered iu the affirmative. Henaley’s consternation may be surmised. He intends in future to ask the name of strange batsmen of the tall, gentlemanly-looking order before he gets into a perspiration, either mentally or phy­ sically, over vain efforts to bowl them. T h e victory of the Yorksliiremen over Gloucestershire on Saturday was one of which they have indeed good reason to be proud. When the Western players went in to make 85 to win everything was in their favour and the chances of the Yorkshire eleven were certainly anything but bright. How much of this success was due to Peate can be seen by a reference to the score. Indeed both in batting and bowling he was of the greatest service, and though on principle I place little credence in many of the statements published relative to Yorkshire cricket, it is difficult to see how any eleven of that county can possibly be considered complete with Peate absent. At the present time, too, Emmett is not far from its best all-round player, and everyone will be glad to see that he opened the season well atMoreton-in- the-Marsli lastweek. M r . E. F. S. T y l e c o t e , I under­ stand, leaves England on July 3rd for Australia in the “ Tongariro.” The Kentish wicket-keeper, as is now generally known, is t3 be married to a daughter of Sir William Clarke, the Victorian magnate, and I hear that the ceremony will in all probability take place in September. Mr. Tyle­ cote has done good service to the game in the South, and cricketers of all classes will combine to offer their best wishes to himself and his Austra­ lian bride. As Mr. Tylecote is leaving England for the Antipodes, his captain during the last visit of an English team to Australia will be arriving or have just arrived home with his wife, also won in the Colonies. Another para­ graph of “ Gossip ” speaks of a recent visit of the Hon. Ivo Bligh to New Zealand, but by this time he must have left or be leaving for home. In­ deed, I hear there is a probability that he may reach England by the end of this merry month of May. Mr. Tylecote and his captain may fairly be said to have helped to cement the alliance between English and Australian cricket. T h e Surrey men were to have played their first county match at the Oval on Monday last, but Norfolk were unable to collect an eleven, and the opening fixture of importance at Kennington will be commenced to­ day, when Essex will meet Surrey. The Essex eleven it is announced will consist of the following :—Messrs. W. Francis, F. P. Francis, J. J. Bead, H. G. Owen, and A. Law, with Silcock Pickett, Curtis, Kirkman, Jones, and Began. The Surrey eleven will be Messrs. J. Shuter, W . W . Bead, E. J. Diver,W.E. Boiler, M. P. Bowden, and A. C. Cattley, with Jones, Abel, M. Read, Barratt, and Wood. L a s t week I stated that overtures had been made by the Derbyshire authorities to F. Shacklock to take part in several of the earlier matches to be played by that county during the present season. Shacklock, who did some exceptionally good perform­ ances with the ball in minor matches last year in Scotland during his engagement with the Lasswade Club, played for Notts, under the resi­ dential qualification, at the end of 1888. He was born, though, in Derbyshire—at Crick— and I learn now that he has accepted the offer of the Derbyshire executive to play in their five earliest engagements. Ac­ cording to this understanding he will form one of the Derbyshire eleven to meet Manchester on Thursday next. F . H. Su gg, who was absolutely announced to help Yorkshire against Gloucestershire on Thursday last, has, it would appear, after all decided to throw in his lot with Derbyshire for which he, too, is qualified to play b y right of birth. Sugg last year hardly fulfilled the expectations of those who estimated him highly by reason of his scoring in minor matches, but with the confidence he is sure to gain by continuous practice it is quite possible that he may realise the hopes of his supporters. I h a v e so strenuously advocated the necessity of preliminary practice for the eleven which is to represent England against Australia that I am very glad to be able to announce a probability of the proposal being really carried out. I learn that the matter has now assumed a definite shape, and hope soon to be able to notify the arrangement of two trial matches. The dates now fixed for Gentlemen v. Players at Lord’s and the Oval are the only available ones, and though the English eleven would hardly get well together in two games they ought at least to understand each other thoroughly by the time of the thirdof the three contests between England and Australia, to be decided at the Oval on August 11th. Two trial fixtures, such as I have proposed, would be immensely popular, and next week I expect to be able to state that they will be played. ME. J. W . HOBBS’ CLUB. May 8 , at Selhurst, Captain v. Secretary May 7, at Selhurst, v. stygians May 10, at Blackheath, v. West Kent Wanlerdrs May 17, at Selhurst, v. Battersea May 24, at Streatham, v. Albion May 81, at Mitcham, v. Mitcham June 2, at Selhurst, v. Clapham June 8 , at Bexley, v. Bexley Heath June 7, at Streatham, v. Coventry Park June 13, at Sclhurst, y. Surrey C. and G June 18, at Selhur^t, v. Orleans June 28, at Penshurst, v. Causeway July 12, at Battersea, v. Battersea July 16, at Selhurst, v. Bexley Heath July 19, at Streatham, v. Chelsea July 28, at Selhurst, v. Crystal Palace Aug 4, at Selhurst, v. Mitcham Aug. 9, at Solhurst, v. Albion Aug. 16, at Streatham, v. Coventry Park Aug. 20, at Selhurst, v. Clapham Aug. 23, at Selhurst, v. Stygians Aug. 80, at Selhurst, v. Causeway Sept. 18, at Selhurst, ▼. West Kent Wanderers