Cricket 1884

12 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. J an . si , is 84. colony as that allotted to Massie on the northern side of the Murray. In Massie’s case it was abundantly proved that dashing play is a good thing on English wickets, and Groube’s failure, in the contrary direc­ tion, gives the point f arther confirmation. Few men can hit harder along the turf than Turner, and, unlike the majority of hard­ hitting batsmen, he has plenty of confidence. His fault up to the present time has been a too great eagerness to score, but this might be expected to disappear with the steadying influences of an English tour. Massie cannot go to England with the present team, and there is no one better qualified than Turner to act as his substitute. In South Australia a new player, W. Giffen, is supposed to have a claim for inclusion in the team. Jarvis, who was a partial failure in the second team that visited England, is said to have again recovered international form, and to be a candidate for the honour of representing Australia in the cricket field, as well as the pleasure of sharing the spoil afterwards. If merit alone is to be considered, irrespective of location, both these players suffer by comparison with Lewis, M ’Shane, Scott, and Turner, and must come after them in pressing their claims. It is not yet known whether Murdoch or Bannerman will go to England this year, and there could be no doubt that the absence of either would be a misfortune. It has been said that there is some difficulty about terms, but it is to be hoped that the question of finance has not yet obtained such sway in these matters as to give credibility to the rumour. Spofforth should go, but will not, and Garrett, who, on the contrary, should not go, is mentioned as one of the team. Horan has set an example that might be followed with profit by a few of his late colleagues, and decided to stand out. Among the certainties of the team are the seven Victorians — Boyle, Bonnor, Blackham, Palmer, M’Donnell, Cooper, and Midwinter. Cooper, who cannot take part in the inter­ colonial match on account of pressure of business, has won a place through the peculiarity of his bowling. While the last tour was in progress, the advisability of sending a cable message to Australia asking Cooper to join the team was for »ome time a matter of deep consideration, and on this occasion the executive have decided to avoid the anxiety by including him in the team. Midwinter, though of doubtful nationality, is too good a player to be overlooked, and he should prove a valuable man in the team. Of the other Dlayers named, with the excep­ tion of M ’Donnell, it can only be presumed, in the absence of any evidence on the point, that they are as good as ever. In ignoring the general opinions of the Australian cricketing public as to the con­ stitution of the team, it would seem that the Australians are not consulting their own interests. According to their own books the profits of the last team came quite as much from Australian as from English patronage. If so many good players remain in the colonies it will be a strong temptation for the several cricketing associations to organise a second Australian team to play a series of matches with the next visiting English eleven,and thus secure for legitimate cricketing purposes a share of the money that now goes to swell private banking ac­ counts. It is indeed a small favour to ask that the best available team should be taken to England, and the managers of Australian elevens cannot long continue to ignore such a popular request. THE FOURTH AUSTRALIAN TEAM. S peakin g of the personnel of the fourth Australian Eleven, the Australasian hints that there is a probability of favouritism being shown, in the selection of the team, to the old players. “ The English people are just as anxious as the Australian public to see an infusion of fresh blood into the ranks, and the claims of such cricketers as H. Scott, P. Lewis, G. M’Shane, E. Turner and Jarvis, and Gifien of South Australia, must not be ignored merely to gratify the whims of the ‘ old stagers ’ who are anxious to pay another visit to England. The four Victorian players above - named are in splendid form this season, and are worthy of a place in the eleven, but it has been bruited abroad that however brilliant their performances may be, their services will not be required, and it is asserted in some quarters that the selection of the team is ‘ cut and dried.’ It is a well-known fact that one of the promoters of the trip is himself notoriously unfit to be chosen, when there are so many good and younger men to select from, and it will be a lasting stigma on the manhood of the Australians if they allow the ‘ old un ’ to thrust aside so many better and deserving cricketers. The eleven cannot assume the prefix ‘ Austra­ lian ’ unless the team is in every sense a representative one, and is selected without bias or favouritism. The two associations should be asked to fill the doubtful places.” B. E. N ic h o lls , Winchester bowler of 1883, has just gone into residence at Magdalen College, Oxford. I t is stated that R. Pilling will leave the ground staff at Lord’s to be attached next season to that of the Lancashire County Club at Old Trafford, Manchester. On November 24th the last match of the Californian season was played at San Francisco, the Merion Club of that city opposing an eleven of Australian tourists waiting the departure of the Australian steamer. The Australians scored 67 for eight wickets, Merion 64. H am p ton W ick R o y a l C lu b —The an­ nual general meeting was held on Wednes­ day, Jan. I6th, at the Hampton Wick School Room. The accounts showed a balance in favour of the club of £6 15s. 6d., in addition to outstanding subscriptions to the extent of £19 19s. The election of officers for the following year resulted as follows :—Rev. F. J. C. De Crespigny was unanimously elected President. Vice-pre- sidents: Lord George Hamilton, M.P., Sir Thomas Nelson, J.P., Captain Hutchin­ son, and W. Eykyn, W. East, A. Shorter, and W. M. Wilkinson, Esqa. Hon. Secretary and Treasurer: Mr. A. Kennett-Camp- bell. Committee: Messrs. A. Bunn, G. Brown, C. J. Campbell, W. H . Colgate, F. Dean, H . R . Lipscombe, H . C. Paice, W. Piggott, G. Selle, L. Shorter, C. Spear­ ing, J. Fawcett, D. Harrison, and W. S. Miles. The hon. sec. stated that twenty- three matches had been arranged (including a week's tour in Sussex). The clubs with whom matches are played are Burlington, Richmond, Gryphons, Isleworth, Ivanhoe, South Wimbledon, Northbrook, Law Club, Mid-Surrey, Clapham, Billingswick, Chat­ ham House Wanderers, Home Park (Wind­ sor), Bognor, and Chichester. Reuben Tickner was unanimously re-appointed ground man for the coming season, and an­ other bowler will probably be engaged. NOTTS COUNTY CLUB. The annual general meeting of the mem­ bers of this club was held on Saturday after­ noon at the George Hotel, Nottingham. Lord Newark, the president, occupied the the chair. Mr. H. B r o m le y (the honorary secretary and treasurer) read the following report and balance-sheet:— Your committee have to report that they have examined the accounts and vouchers produced by the treasurer, and found them correct. A summary of the income and ex­ penditure is appended, from which it will be seen that there is a balance in hand of £1,170 10s. lid ., showing an increase of £259 16s. 5d. cn last year’s balance. The committee consider this highly satisfactory, especially as there have been several un­ usual items of expenditure during the past year. Your committee have expended a consider­ able sum in improving the pavilion by the erection of a ladies’ room and committee room, both of which were much required. They have also carried out an alteration on the ground, which they think will be generally approved by the subscribers, viz., the turfing of the running path in front of the pavilion. The trustees are in negotiation for a lease of the ground> which they expect will now shortly be completed. This step, which will be of the greatest importance and value to the club, will justify the committee in mak" ing still further improvements on the ground and premises. With respect to the doings of the County Eleven during the past season, the com­ mittee have again to report that the county took the leading position. Six home and home matches were played, of which four were won, seven drawn, and only one lost. In addition to the county matches proper, two matches were played with the Maryle­ bone Club, the proceeds of the second of which were given to the County Eleven. The match, owing to its being played late in the season, was not very numerously at­ tended, and in order to make up the defi­ ciency the committee decided to add to the gate money so much as enabled them to hand over to the regular members of the county team, including F, Morley, the sum of £10 each. With regard to the coming season your committee have arranged five home and home county matches, viz., with Gloucester­ shire, Middlesex, Surrey, Sussex, and York­ shire. A match with M.C.C. will also be played, and your committee have arranged to play two matches on the Trent Bridge Ground against the Australians, also a North of England match against the Colonial team to be played at Nottingham. At a meeting held in the autumn your committee were appealed to by Lord Harris to support him in his protest against unfair bowling, and the Committee feeling that the time had arrived when strong measures were necessary, decided not to play any county having bowlers with deliveries open to sus­ picion. In accordance with this resolution your committee felt justified in declining to play Lancashire. Your committee need hardly say that the pledge that the county gave in conjunction with other counties, at the meeting at Lord’s, not to employ any bowlers with unfair de­ liveries, will be strictly adhered to. The committee have decided to play a benefit match this year for J, C. Shaw, who Next Issue of CRICKET will be published Thursday, February 28.