Cricket 1885

488 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. oct .29. wss. T H E ENGL ISH GENTLEMEN IN AMER ICA . B y O n e op t h e T eam . Continued frompage 430. We sailed from Liverpool in the White Star Linesteamer “ Adriatic” on Aug. 20, and after a remarkably smooth passage arrived at New York on the 29th at 10 a.m. Though the majority proved good sailors, excep­ tions must be made in the cases of Turner, Whitby, A. J. Thornton, and Bolitho—the last of whom was really bad, and quite prostrate for a few days. We commenced practising on hoard, and on Monday, the 24th, played our first match against All America, whom we beat by 8 runs, scoring 36 to 28. Several members of the Staten Island O.C. met us on the landing stage, including Cyril Wilson, an old Somersetshire player as well as amember of M.C.C. and Surrey Clubs, and Captain of the Staten Island C.C. Our team then crossed over by the ferry to the Island, and having deposited our baggage at the Pavilion Hotel, donned our iUnnels, and cricket bag in hand walked down to the ground to get some practice. The ground, which is situated within 200 yards of the Kills, is very pretty, and all ihe inward and outward bound Transatlantic steamers to and from New York pass close by, in fact as we steamed up to the City in the “ Adriatic” we could distinctly see a man rolling the wicket. There are, however, several drawbacks to the ground The glare from the sun shining on the sea, produceda very puzzling light, while as one side of the ground ismuch higher than the other, long leg on the one side fielded on quite an elevated platform, and on the other down a steep slope. Therefore boundary hits which on the higher side were obtained with difficulty, on the lower were very easy. The practice wickets were excellent, and Butler thegroun’dman, who will berecognised as a member of the Notts County XI. only a few years ago, had evidently done all he could to make our practice comfortable. On Monday we again indulged in some practice. In the evening some of the members of the C.C. kindly gave us two boxes at the Clio Theatre in New York, where we witnessed the performance of Adonit, which was most amusing. On the next day, September 1, we commenced our first match against Staten Island in beautiful but rather hot weather, the thermometer registering 80 in the shade. An excellent wicket had been prspared, but it was decidedly slow. The consequence was, after the fast wickets to which we had been accustomed in England, we all played, eicept Newton, in the first innings in very feeble style. J. L. Pool, a young American, bowled splendidly, and their fielding was certainly up to the average, Butler particularly distinguishing himself in this department. On going in to bat they made rather a poor show against Bruen’s bowling and Newton’s wicket-keeping, the latter especially delight­ ing the onlookers by his agility. Their idea seemed to be that Bruen being a slow bowler must be hit, and they paid their penalty accordingly, We did much better in our second innings, putting together the respect­ able total of 242. A. J. Thornton, Turner, Cobb, and Newton again batted most brilliantly. Had we, though, been contented with GOless runs, we should have stood a much greater chance of winning the match, as they could not have possibly made the runs in the time, and we should have had an hour longer to get them out. The attend­ ance on both days was very good, a number of ladiej being uresent, and a very pretty effect they gave all along the elevated ground. In the evening we all dined at the Stone Cottage, and the following evening were entertained at dinner at the Pavilion Hotel by the mem­ bers of the Staten Island C.C. Our second match was to have been at Chicago, but owing to their inability to get together a team the fixture was abandoned. Sanders, however, received a telegram from Detroit offering to play us with fifteen, a challenge we eagerly accepted. We accord­ ingly started for Detroit early on Thursday, and after a long journey of 26 hours arrived there at ten o’clock on Friday morniDg. Our first experience of sleeping cars was most amusing. In the afternoon a Mr. McMillan kindly took us up the river in his steam yacht, accompanied by several of the Detroit cricketers. In the evening we all went to see Buffalo Bill and his wild Indians perform. The Detroit ground, where we commenced our second match on Saturday, Sept. 6, is situated about 1; miles from the Bussell House, and is easily reached by means of the road cars. It is a small ground, and certainly spoilt hy an enormous tree growing almost in the middle of it. The surround­ ings, too, are not very pretty, and Turner showed them that it was not a very diffic Jt matter to hit out of it. Pannell, their ground man, who figured a year or two ago as a Surrey Colt at the Oval, had made a very fine crease, as they say, although it was very slow. They won the toss, but put us in as they wanted to see us bat, and we showed them that we could perform by knocking up 283. Por them Dale, who came over some years ago with the Canadian team, bowled very well indeed; he was fast and straight and his analysis of seven wickets for 86 runs was most creditaule. Their fielding too was good. On Sunday some of us went up Lake St. Clair on a fishing expe­ dition, while the others went to church to hear our worthy captain preach. The game was continued and finished by 3.30 on Mon­ day, and then they put us in to give them two hours’ exhibition of our hatting. This time Lane, a Nottingham professional, played for them, and we were dismissed for 131. Lane umpired for us throughout the tour, and gave us the utmost satisfaction in every way. We left Detroit at eleven o’clock the same night for Niagara, where we spent the next day, and a very wet one it was, sight seeing. Leaving Niagara at 4.30 we took a steamer at Lewiston across Lake Ontario for Toronto, a distance of 36 miles. The lake was very rough, Bolitho, A. J. Thornton andWhitby experiencing the sen­ sation of being sea-sick on fresh water. The next day, September 10, was a pouring wet day, so it was early decided to give up all idea of beginning till the next morning, which turned out a fine piping hot one. The ground was some distance from the hotel, very pretty, surrounded on all sides by trees. These are very nice in affording shade, but they make the catching in the outfield very difficult. We won the toss, but decided to put them in on a very wet wicket, quickly drying under the fierce rays of the sun. Our foresight was correct, as Boiler and Bruen dismissed thom for 76, by no means a bad score though, considering all things. We made a poor start, losing four good wickets for 18 runs, when happily Boiler and Cobb came to our rescue and added 67 for the fifth wicket. For the Ontarios Ferrie and Ogden both bowled well, the latter in particular using his head very tuccessfully. We came across an old face here in A. H. Stratford, but he has sadly deteriorated from want of practice. During the second day’s play the weather was again perfect, but the wicket decidedly tricky, the result being that the Ontarios were dismissed for 38, and beaten in an innings and 20 runs. It was during their second innings that Boiler met with the unfortunate accident which prevented him bowling another ball during the tour. While bowling he lacerated the muscles of his right forearm, and so badly, that he was compelled to finish the over under­ hand, and then leave the fi.ld. This turned out a most serious loss to us, as he could not take part in the first match against Philadelphia, and when after standing out for two matches he did play he was evidently labouring under the greatest disadvantages. The match finish­ ing early on Friday, we commenced a re­ turn, and agreed to play till five o’clock on Saturday. In the evening we were dined by the memb rs of the Cricket Club. The Ontarios met with no better success in the second match, and had to succumb by an innings and 98 runs. The attendance on the two first days was good. We were rather disappointed with their batting, especially as they had just previously defeated Philadelphia. Their fielding was, however, very smart. We left the same evening for Kingston, where we were to have embarked on a steamer to Montreal. We arrived at Kingston at 5.30 a.m., and there found that the steamer was eight an 1 a-half hours late. Embarking at 1.30 p.m. we could only go up the Biver St. Lawrence as far as Brockville, where we had to disembark and take the train for Mon­ treal. This was a great disappointment, for although we saw the Thousand Isles, we missed shooting the rapids. We reached Montreal on Monday, Sept. 14, at 8 a.m., and having put on our flannels, and breakfasted, we walked up to the cricket ground, which is only about 300 yards from the Windsor, our hotel. This is also a rather small ground, but most picturesquely situated at the foot of Mouut Royal, a hill covered with trees, the autumnal tints of which were really lovely. We were again destined to have a slow wicket, but we were now getting used to them. Winning the toss we decided to go to the bat, but want of sleep and a long journey told its tale, and we were all out for 110. Their idea of play­ ing slows was very curious, as the analysis of Bruen’s bowling in the first innings and A. J. Thornton’s in the second will show. They wanted 30 to save the follow, but were out for 28, so had to go in again, and were eventually beaten by an innings and 50 runs. 'Ihe next day we played them a return, in which they did better, compiling 93, while we made 133 for four wickets. The weather was very hot on both these days, and the attendance considerable. On Mon­ day eveniDg we were given a dinner by tho M.C.C., and had a glorious evening. Mon­ treal was left behind at 8 30 on Tuesday evening, and we arrived at Philadelphia at 4.0 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, where we took up our quarters at the Continental. Thursday, Sept. 17, opened gloriously for our first great match with Philadelphia. A 20 minutes' ride by train brings you to the station, purposely erected for great interna­ tional contests on tho Germantown cricket enclosure. It is a splendid ground, covering about eight acres, and compares well with any of our county grounds. The pavilion and other arrangements are very fair, while on the right hand side there is a large grand stand. Mr, Daniel Blancke, who looked after the business department, is to be con­ Next Issue November 26.