Cricket 1885

6 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. jan. 29 . isss. bad been chosen captain, beat Shrewsbury for choice of innings, and went in with Jones, to the bowling of Flowers and Peel. Both of these men will be remembered as members of the Australian E even of 1882, Massie in particular being always a great favourite with the public for liis dashing play. His star was not in the ascendant, however, on this occasion, as in the second over of Flowers he let out, and sending the ball a tremendous height to long on, where Scotton was in waiting, the latter judging the ball famously, held it, to the delight of the Britishers, who were very glad to get rid of such a dangerous customer fo cheaply. One for 0, Moses, a left-handed batsman, then joined Jones, and a grand stand was made. It took some time to get 10 on the board, but 20 soon appeared by each man cracking either bowler for 4. Some very slow play followed, till with the score at 27, Hunter ought to have caught Jones. That batsman though escaped, and the pair sticking, Ulyett took the ball from Flowers, while Attewell tried at the other end. Briggs next fielded a hard hit brilliantly, and in attempting to run out Jones, who had started for the run, threw it wildly to ths boundary for 4. At luncheon time (half-past one) the score stood at 43. When play was resumed at twenty minutes past two, Peel and Flowers again bowled. Runs continued to come from both ends, and principally by singles 60 was posted. Barnes here took the ball from Peel, but Moses made a five, a two, and a three from his first over. Then the play became tediously slow again, till at last, as 70 appeared, Attewell tried instead of Flowers. A drive for 3 by Moses, and a cut for 3 and drive for 4 by Jones caused 80 to go up. Soon after, 90 appearing, Bates took the ball from Attewell. The wicket was so good and true that both bitsmen played all the English bowlers with the greatest ease, although they had been thoroughly on the wicket. A few singles and a crack by Moses from Bates for 4 sent up the 100 amidst hearty applause, which the fine play of the batsmen well deserved. The English bowl­ ing was now getting used up, and Peel again tried, Jones driving the first ball for 4. At four o’clock au adjournment was made for refreshment. Soon after resuming Hunter had a chance of stumping Moses, but missed him by being slow. However, it mattered little, as from the next over he was caught by Barnes at slip for a very careful 49, 121 runs having been put on since tho fall of Massie. Turner was next, but, as. often happens when two men make a great stand, when one goes the other quickly follows. Jones was caught at the wicket, having played a splendid innings of 72, which included ten fours. He wasloudly cheered on retiring. Turner having made 1 was caught at slip, and four wickets were down for 122, a very great change from 120 for one wicket with two men thoroughly set. Allen and the once Champion of Australia, Charles Bannerman, now became partners, and the score gradually rose to 140, principally through the exertions of Bannerman. XJlyett now tried instead of Bates, but could not get on, so Flowers came to the rescue. The move was soon successful, and at 154 Bannernmn was taken at slip for a useful 25. All the dash and tremendous hitting powers which made Bannerman so famous and so dangerous a few years ago, seem to have entirely left him, his runs now being made in a poking, muddled style. Hiddleston, who followed, had not time to score before all had to retire for the day. Heavy clouds began to roll up from the South about four o’clock, but it was hoped the storm would not come. At about five o’clock, however, brilliant lightning flashed along the horizon from the South to the West, and in half an hour the rain burst over the ground in a perfect deluge, sheets of water quickly covering the ground. 154for five wickets was considered avery good performance; and so it was. Had the batsmen, though, hit with the freedom of the English players I think another 100 runs might have been added, and victory for New South Wales made a certainty. Altogether they were batting for four hours and twenty minutes on a perfectly true fast run-getting wicket, and I am certain, had the English team won the toss, in that time they would have made fully 250 runs. There were fully 0,000 persons present. S econd D ay , N ov . 22. On reaching the scene of action it was evident to all that things had completely changed. What the day before had been a rare batsman’s wicket had completely turned round, and the bowlers were observed to smile contentedly as they examined the pitch. The day was fine, but cloudy, at times threatening rain, though fortunately none fell till just at the close of play. As predicted by all judges, scoring was very difficult the whole of the day, and eighteen wickets fell for 167 runs. Eight New South Wales men were out during the day—five in the first and three in the second innings—• for 57 runs only. At twelve o’clock Hiddleston end Allen were at the wickets, the bowlers being Flowers and Peel. Some idea of the difficulty of the wicket can be formed by stating that up to lunch time (half-past one) only 28 runs were scored. Eighteen of these had been made by Allen, when he fell to a magnificent catch by Attewell from his own bowling. Evans, who came next, made no si»n, being taken at short leg from Barnes, who had gone on for Flowers. Hiddleston was caught at point for 10, and then fol­ lowed luncheon. On resuming Garrett and Downes were quickly disposed of, and the innings closed for 184. The match had been arranged to be played on two wickets, so after the English team had picked out and rolled the new one Scotton and Shrewsbury began the innings. A disastrous start was made, as from the second ball delivered Shrewsbury was well taken by Evans at point from Downes. The latter is a left-handed medium pace bowler with great break, and rather deceiving delivery, though, like all those who try to get such a lot of spin on he gives a lot of bad balls. Ulyett, who followed, w'as not at homo, and after making 5 was clean bowled by Garrett. Barnes, like Shrewsbury, was clean howled by Garrett without a run, Scotton in the meantime having hit Downes to leg for 4. Three for 9. Flowers, who followed, should have been caught at slip after scoring 4. Both men now began to hit, but just as Flowers seemed likely to be dangerous he was taken by Turner for 19. Four for 32. Bates, who came next, soon began to score; but soon lost Scotton, who at 43 was caught at point for a patient 13. Bead was caught and bowled directly by D o ’ b nes—a very hard piece of luck. The batsman driving the ball back with great force, it struck Downes in the body and spun up in the air, when he secured it. Briggs was immediately bowled, and seven wickets were down for 44, This was a sorry look out for the Englishmen, and a follow-on appeared certain. On Attewell joining Bates, though, things improved. Both men hit freely, and the score was raised with great rapidity to 80, when Attewell was run out. In his score of 17 he made two very fine drives. Peel and Bates increased the score to 99, when Bates ran in to a short one of Garrett’s and was clean bowled. He had made 32 in fine style, and played up well at a very critical time. On Hunter joining Peel 6 runs were still wanting to save the follow-on, and there was great excitement amongst the immense assem­ blage. Peel, however, soon set the matter at rest by twice cracking Garrett to leg for 4. Hunter had made a couple when Evans, who had relieved Downes, bowled him, and the innings closed for 110, Peel being not out 21 —well and pluckily made. Garrett, as usual, bowled extremely well, and was very difficult to play. Downes was also very successful. The innings only lasted 1 hour .45 min., those who scored getting runs very quickly, with the exception of Scotton, who played his defensive game of 1884. At five o’clock the second innings of the New South Welshmen was opened hy Jone3 and Allen. Jones sent the first ball from Attewell to the fence for 4. A lot of slow play then followed, till Allen was at length taken at slip from Attewell. Moses, who came next, was out leg before, and two wickets were down for 9 runs. Hiddleston came next, but after playing some time carefully, had his finger broken, and was forced to retire. Evans took bis place, and the score was carried to 27, when Jones was bowled by Ulyett with a very fast ball. Jones had again played very good cricket for 22. Three wickets for 27 runs. It being six o’clock, the stumps were drawn for the day, the N. S. W. men being 101 on for the loss of three wickets. Altogether the actual play only lasted four hours and a half. Of this one hour and three-quarters were occupied by the English team in making 110, while two hours and three-quarters were actually taken by the Welshmen to score 57 runs, a rate of about 20 per hour. The company on the ground was very great, not less than 15,000 being present. The Grand Stand was crammed, half of the occupants being ladies, who at times paraded the lawn to the strains of a splendid band, which played some select musio. The vast throng of people was very orderly, though, of course, there was great excitement at the rapid downfall of the English batsmen, the fall of each wicket bringing forth a tremen­ dous roar and great cheering at the success of their own countrymen. Soon after the stumps were drawn slight rain began to fall, but soon ceased. Sunday being a glorious day, most of the men went to see friends, while others were taken down the magnifi­ cent harbour by our old friend, Mr. David Gregory, the popular captain of the pioneer Australian Eleven of 1878, and spent a very pleasant day. T hikd Day, N ov . 24. The morning broke fine and cloar, and the weather lasted the whole of the day. Punctually at twelve o’clock the Englishmen took the field, Massie accompanying Evans (the not out) to tie wickets. Attcwell delivered the first over to Evans after Ulyett had finished tho over commenced on the second night, and the second ball, a very good one, disturbed Evans’ leg stump. C. Bannerman next appeared. The wicket, which on Saturday had been so slow and false, was this morning fast and fiery in tho extreme. Massie made some hard hits, but could not score more than singles, the field Next issue of Cricket Feb. 26,