Cricket 1884

494 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. d e c . 25, ism. T he University cricketers seem to have been busy of late in tbe more serious vocations of life tojudge by tbe announcements of the congregations held at Oxford and Cambridge on Wednesday of last week. Mr. M. C. Kemp, of Hertford College, tbe captain of tbe victorious University Eleven of 1884, took bis B.A. degree at Oxford on that day, as did Messrs. C. W. Wright, the bon. sec. of the Cam­ bridge University Cricket Club, and Mr. H. G. Topham, tbe slow bowler of tbe Light Blues, at the sister University. So many inquiries have been made of me respecting the number of old blues entitled to represent Cambridge University next summer that I have taken the trouble to procure official information on the subject. All those who played at Lord’s this year will be available for next with the exception of tbe captain, Mr. J. E. K. Studd. I am told, though, that it is doubtful whether the Hon. J. Mansfield and Mr. H. G. Topham will be able to play again owing to business. As some alterations bave been made in the University fixtures since the meeting at Lord’s, refer­ ence can be made to a list which appears in another part of this paper S ome time ago I stated that it was in contemplation to produce a series of works by practical authorities on sporting subjects, to be called “ The Badminton Series.” The editorship will nominally be in tbe bands of the Duke of Beaufort, though Mr. Wil­ liam Yardley, the once celebrated cricketer, and now equally well known dramatic author, will, I believe, bave the practical supervision. Mr. Yard­ ley bopes that the volume on cricket, in which he is sure to have tbe chief hand, will be ready late in April or early in May, in time for the com­ mencement of next season, E nglish cricketers are apt to envy tbe good fortune of their Australian brethren in the enjoyment of such a long season, and, as a rule, such favourable weather for the pursuit of the national game. Cricket, though, in New Zealand is at times played under the same disagreeable conditions which mark the fickle climate of the old country, to judge from the follow­ ing account of a Cup match played at Christ Church, N. Z., on October 18, between the Lancaster Park and Addington Clubs :— The first innings of Addington ended in a violent hailstorm, during which Pocock, with the hailstones beating in his face, managed to judge and hold a “ skier.” Later on, Cotterill, after playing remarkably well, was bowled by a bailer from Moorhouse in a blinding gust of wind and rain. The wicket, at first, played easily enough, but as the afternoon wore on, the grass wore off and the pitch began to look as black as that of “ another place ” is popularly supposed to be. Indeed, the space between the wickets began to resemble the scene of a Rugby Union scrimmage, or one of Mr. Matson’s sale-yards on a wet auction day. Bowlers and fielders found the leather not much easier to hold than a wet lump of Pears’ famous soap; while batsmen complained that the ball was difficult to see, and that when hit it declined to travel. All concerned, however, took their troubles good humoured- ly, and consoled themselves at intervals with libations of hot tea, provided by a good Samaritan from among the lady members of the L, P. C. The scoring was extremely slow, some 330 balls being bowled during the day for 72 runs and eight extras. T he P allingsw ick C l u b have the follow­ ing dates open for half-day matches:—June 20th, July 4th, 25th, August 15th. Address to the Secretary, A. W. Graham, 24, Nor­ land Square, Notting Hill, W. T h e E nglish C ric k e ter s in A u stra lia .— On December 12, 13, 15, and 16, Shaw’s Team played a match at Adelaide against the Australian Cricketers who visited Eng­ land this summer. Spofforth and Midwinter were not playing. The Englishmen won by eight wickets. Scores—English Team, 369 and 66 (for two wickets) ; Australians, 243 and 191. E ldon C l u b . —The Hon. Alfred Lyttelton presided at the annual dinner of this club, held on the 12th ins I. at Prosser’s, Chancery Lane. Messrs. A, G. Steel and P. Gale were present amongst others. Mr. Steel in pro­ posing the Army. Navy and Volunteers, thought that it would be a good thing if some of our great National differences could be settled by means of a quiet cricket match. “ It would be a happy day if one could stroll from the Temple some June afternoon and witness a great national dif­ ference—we will say between England and Germany—being settled by means of a game at cricket, with Mr. Gladstone bowling wides at one end and Prince Bismarck putting his leg in front at the other.” The Hon. Alfred Lyttelton, in proposing the toast of “ Pros­ perity to the Eldon Cricket Club,” said that “ If you went to Lord’s any Saturday after­ noon you would find the people playing there had banished from their minds all the frivolous things of this life. They did not consider there whether the House of Lords was in danger—whether Sir Garnet Wolaeley was going to win a great battle, or whether the Literal party was going to be turned into a Conservative one—but the all-absorb­ ing topic was whether Mr. Steel’s leg, which had recently been injured, was getting better, had the Australians won at Dewsbury, had Yorkshire beaten Nottingham, or whether Mr. W . G, Grace was expected to retire from the profession of cricket.” These speeches created great amusement. A very pleasant evening was spent. C R ICK E T IN SCO T LAN D . A m eetin g of representatives of the Scottish cricket clubs was held, on December 9, in Edinburgh, Mr. L. M. Balfour (Grange) in the chair. The following clubs were repre­ sented :—Lasswade, Grange, Aberdeenshire, Fettesian-Lorettonians, Carlton, Dunferm­ line, Stirling County, Leith Caledonian, Merchiston Castle, and Academicals. Ga'a C. C. was proposed and admitted to the list of clubs entitled to send represent tatives to such meetings. The two gentle­ men elected at the last meeting to act with the Grange representative in choosing national teams—namely, Messrs. Almond (Loretto), and Mr. John Carrick, Jun. (West of Scotland), were unanimously re-elected. Messrs. Somerville (Lasswade), and G. San­ derson (Royal High School) were elected to choose the Edinburgh teams in the Inter-City matches. C ity C ricket C lubs A ssociation . —At a meeting of secretaries of City Cricket Clubs held last week, a City Cricket Clubs Associa­ tion was formed with the object of offering a Challenge Cup for competition. Mr. A. T. Pearce, of Cook, Son & Co. (Ravens- bourne C.C.), was elected treasurer, and Mr. J. J. Clarke, of Scott, Son & Co., 8 Cannon Street (Distaff C.C.) hon. sec. A committee was also formed consisting of one member from each club. This Association is strictly confined to the clubs of the whole­ sale Manchester houses of the city. C roydon C l u b .— A very successful negro minstrel entertainment by members and friends, under the management of Mr. J. Aris, was given at the Public Hall, Croydon, on the 6th inst., the proceeds being devoted to the Pavilion Fund. In the first part Mr. C. P. Whiteley was Interlocutor, Mr. A. Can­ ning and Mr. Oswald Bones, and Mr. Lee and Mr. J. Aris Tambourines. Solos were sung by Messrs. F. Savage, A. Canning, C. P. Whiteley, J. Aris and Percy Harvey, and Master L. Smith. The second part included Professor Chum’s Lecture on Chalk—intro­ ducing some capital sketches of well known personages, political and local; stump speech by Mr. F. Hill ; Prima Donna Song by Mr. W. Haslam; Clog dance by Mr. Saunders ; a topical duet (thrice encored) by Mr. S. J. Grove and Mr. J. Aris ; and concluded with a farce written especially for the occasion by Mr. J. Aris and Mr. A. S. Tomson, entitled “ How’s dat, Umpire? or, Out you Go,” in which Mr. A. S. Tomson gave very olever representations of Mr. Wilson Barrett and Mr. Henry Irving. The performance was in every way a very satisfactory one, and reflects great credit on all who took part. NOW BEADY. I N D E X TO “ SCORES & BIOGRAPHIES.” VOLS. I. TO XIII. A COMPLETE Index to all the Bio- graphies of Cricketers which have appeared in the Thirteen Volumes of “ Scores and Biographies.” Invaluable to those who have frequent need of reference to that record of the game. Neatly bound in cloth, PRICE ONE SHILLING. PUBLISHED AT T h e O f f i c e o f “ C R I C K E T ,” 41, St. Andrew’s Hill, London, E.C. Only r. Limited Number of Copies printed- Next issue o f Cricket Jan- 29-