Cricket 1885

“ Together joined in cricket’s man ly toil.”— Byron. Beglatertd ffiJ&JSSL&i* THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1885. pr iob aa MR. F R A N C IS H E N R Y W A L T E R S . T hboogh the courtesy of Mr. David Scott, of the well-known Melbourne firm of Boyle and Scott, we are able to give this week a portrait of an eminent Australian cricketer, Mr. P. H. Walters. Just at the present time, too, the particulars of his career will be of special interest even to English C bicket readers from the fact that his name has recently been authoritatively mentioned as one of the most likely choices in the event of the despatch of another Aus­ tralian team to England next summer. Though his parents hailed from Glouces­ tershire, Mr. Walters was born in Mel­ bourne on February 9, 1860, and the credit of his cricket education, in con­ sequence, must be given to the colony of Victoria. As far as we can trace he first came into prominence in connec­ tion with the Carlton Club of Melbourne, a club which has been the means of in­ troducing J. M. Blaokham and many other leading Victorian players to pub­ lic notice. His connection with the Carlton commenced from 1873, when he was only thirteen, and extended without interruption until 1881. During these eight years he was most success­ ful, and, indeed, in four following sea­ sons he won the prizes for best batting, as well as bowling averages, besides that for the highest individual score, a great achievement for so young a player. Though he had batted with some suc­ cess for Fifteen of Victoria against the First Australian Team early in 1880, it was not till the following year that he ripened into an International player. Some very promising cricket, not only for Fifteen of the Colony against the Australian team, just returned home, out also against New South Wales, in the second match of the season, added materially to his reputation, and acting on the advioe of tho great Australian wicket­ keeper, in 1882 he joined the South Melbourne, one of the three leading clubs in tho Victorian Uipital, to which Blackham had himself trans­ ferred his allegiance. Here Mr. Walters was ®ven more successful than he had been with 61.35 for seventeen innings, very fine figures. In 1884 Mr. Walters was again very sucoessful for South Melbourne, and, indeed, he won the only two prizes given by the club—the batting trophy with an average of forty for fifteen in­ nings, and the bowling prize with one of nine runs per wicket. He also took part in both the Inter-Colonial matches of last season, and not only represented Vic­ toria against Shaw’s team with suc­ cess but, after being chosen as first emergency for Australia, formed one of the combined eleven which were so de- cisivly beaten by the English profes­ sionals at Melbourne last March. Like so many of the Australian cricketers who have visited England, Mr. Walters is a man of inches. He stands six feet two inches in height, and has, conse­ quently, great advantages as a batsman. Possessed of a very strong defence he pimishes too severely at times, though in great matches he hardly uses his hit­ ting powers as he should. His chief strokes are the cut past cover point, off- drive and leg-hit. He is, indeed, a very fine leg-hitter, and on one occasion made twenty runs off an over of five halls, all sent to the boundary. He bowls a good medium pace ball, and as he is always on the wicket can be de­ pended onto keep down runs. Though iiardly quite as active as some of the Australian cricketers he is of great use intheout-field. He is a sure catch and in one match for his club caught five bats­ men out in one innings—some of them taken very finely. His batting has hardly been so successful in the grent matches as was expectid, though this may in a great measure be explained by the fact that his business allows him to give little or no time for praotice. It was at one time thought likely that he would \iait England with the Aus­ tralian team of 1884, though the pro­ moters were of opinion that he was hardly experienced enough. There is but little doubt, however, that he will be seen on English cricket grounds,'and as previously stated he is already mentioned as one of the most likely candidates for a place in the next team. Mr. Walters Carlton, and in his first season he made a clean sweep of the board, taking no less than five prizes- the hatting trophy, with an extraordi­ nary average of 75 for fifteen innings; the bowling prize, with an average of ten runs per wicket, that for the highest individual in­ nings with a score of 174, for the best all-round player and the greatest number of catches in the season. In addition, too, to scoring a hun­ dred on three occasions, he enjoyed the enviable distinction of being at the head of the batting averages of Victoria, with a splendid average of