Cricket 1885

s e p t . 24 , IMS, CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 425 Dulwich College eleven of last year, has a brilliant record for his first season at “ the shop,” having scored 730 runs for eleven completed innings or an average of 63.3. M r . C. J. Fox can also boast an exceptional record of high scores for the Crystal Palace Club during the summer. He opened the season badly with a ‘‘ duck ’’ against Clapton, but as he had only just returned from a long sojourn in India he was at first quite out of practice. His first score of any account was 54 against the Maryle­ bone Club and Ground, on June 24, and after that time he was only eight times out for single figures. On four occasions he scored a hundred (117 against United Thespians, 146 against Chiswick Park, 107 against Torquay, and 110 not out against Exmouth) and, altogether, totalled 1,324 runs in 28 completed innings, for an aver­ age of just over 47. Mr. Fox, who is an old Westminster, and played, if I remember rightly, for Surrey before he went to India, is also, it may be added, a medium pace bowler above the average. S ome time since I called atten­ tion to the kindly feeling which prompted tho Melbourne Club to forward a donation of ten pounds to­ wards the fund raised for the benefit of the family of the late F. Morley. The following letter from the secretary of the M.C.C. will show how warmly the generosity of the premier club of Australia has been appreciated here. Lord’s, June 9, 1885.—Dear Sir,—I beg to acknowledge with warmest thanks your m< st liberal donation, £20 15s. 3d., for the late b'. Morley’s family. No one, had he been alive, would hive been more appreciative of your great generosity than poor Morley himself. You will be glad to hear that we are making good progress with the fund, and believe m e —Yours very truly, H enby P er k in s , Sec. Marylebone C.C.—B. J. Wardill, Esq. U n l e s s any unforeseen obstacles arise there is every reason to believe that another team of Austra'ian cricketers will visit England during the summer of 1886. When I men­ tioned some months ago that the preparations had already commenced on the other side, my informationwas received with incredulity, even by some of the Australian papers. Time, though, has shown that my corres­ pondent, who is particularly well posted on the subject of Colonial cricket, was quite correct As one who strongly believes in the inter­ change of visits between English and Australian players on proper lines, I hope to have to record the visit of a Fifth Australian team to England as an accomplished fact. S h o u ld the negotiations nowon foot be brought to a successful issue, the management of the trip will be in the hands of theMelbourne Club, through whose auspices and at whose risk the English teami captained by Lord Harris and the Hon. Ivo Bligh respectively were introduced to Colo­ nial cricket grounds. Though there is no doubt a strong feeling that the visits of Australian teams should be under the joint direction of the chief associations, the Melbourne Club has taken such a prominent position, as I have just pointed out, in welcoming English amateurs to the Colonies that it is peculiarly fitted to be entrusted with the despatch of an Australian team “ home.” Under its management, too, it is quite certain that such a team would be heartily received here. A t the time the mail just to hand left Australia, no great advance had been made in thematter, and the only definite information as yet given to the public is a resolution passed at a meeting of the Committee of the Mel­ bourne held on July 29 last. “ It was resolvedunanimously to entertain favourably the proposal to send a team to England if the necessary arrangements can be completed.” A special general meeting of the club was to be held to fully consider the matter, and it is stated in the FederalAustralian that in allprobability this would take place on the same afternoon as the general meeting, the 12th of this month. By the next number of C r i c k e t , which I may add will be published on October 29, I hope to be in possession of fuller information. The Australian press seems to be unanimous in the conclusion that it would be unwise to send any of the last team excepting Spofforth. It is already stated, too, that the “ Demon ” has expressed his intention not to come this time, and the English newspapers have reproduced this re­ port as conclusive. It is quite possible that he may not, but unless I ammis­ taken “ Spoff ” has refused in equally emphatic terms before. Indeed, I find on referring to “ Gossip ” of Jan, 31, 1884, that the Australian critics were all quite certain he would join the Fourth Australian team in spite ofhis repeated assertions to the contrary. And they were right. T h e composition of the team will, of course, as it has done before, give rise to difference of opinion. Assu­ ming that none of the last party should come, which remains to be seen, the following remarks in the Sydney Mail by “ Censor,” who, if I not mistaken as to his ideutity, is able to speak with authority by virtue of his experience in the promotion of Australian trips, will be read with interest by English C r ic k e t readers : I f n on e o f the fou rth A u stra lia n eleven be in v ited to jo in th e p ro jected colon ia l team for an E n g lish tour, and S pofforth has sign ified h is in ten tion of n o t jo in in g the team , th e fo l­ lo w in g w ou ld be th e best available m en for selection :— Jarvis, W . G iffen, and N oel, from S ou th A u stralia; J. Jones, M arr, G arrett, and E v an s, from N ew S ou th W a le s ; H oran, M ‘ S h an e, B ru ce, T ru m ble, W alters, G rou be, L ew is, R ob ertson , W orra ll, and H a rry from V icto ria . A fa irly good eleven co u ld be ch osen from th e above, but in ord er to th orou gh ly w eld th em togeth er before op en ­ in g th eir E n glish cam paign th ey w o u ld re­ quire a prelim in a ry colon ia l tou r o f three m onths. It w as th e few m on th s o f m atch p ractice togeth er th a t m ade th e first A u stra­ lian E le v e n so form idable. A team ch osen from th e above w o u ld h old its ow n against the cou n ties of E n gla n d , b u t against a p rop erly organ ised E n g lish eleven it w’o u ld in m y opin ion h ardly h o ld its ow n. T h e absen ce o f first-class b o w lin g w ou ld be th e w eak elem en t, but in battin g, fieldin g, and w ick et-k eep in g it w ou ld be w ell su pplied. A n o te has reached me from “ R.T.” to the effect that Edgar Willsher, the well-knownKentishpro­ fessional—one of the very best and most effective bowlers of his day—is seriouslyill. Willsher, all cricketers will be sorry to hear, is confined to his bed at his residence, 18, Lethbridge-road, Lewisham, and indeed his critical state is a source of great anxiety to liis family. On Tuesday last, Mr. Timothy Carew O’Brien, the well-known Oxford and Middlesex cricketer, was married at All Saints’ Church, Barton-on-Irweli, to Miss Gundrede Annette Teresa, second daughter of Sir Humphrey de Trafford, of Traf­ ford Park. The ceremony was per­ formed by the Right Bev. Monsignor Kershaw, assisted by the Bev. Father Schreiber. The bridesmaids were Miss Annette de Trafford (sister of the bride), and Miss O’Brien (sister of the bridegroom). Miss Hilda de Trafford acted as train-bearer. The Next Issue October 29-