Cricket 1885

458 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. nov . 2 g , 1885. appears to exist. As far as I know all tlie countieswithout exception have tlie same voting powers in the annual conference at Lord’s, and I would also add that at the last meeting a resolu- tiod was unanimously passed that there should be no distinction of any kind between the counties, as there really is not, whatever classifications may be made by the press or the public for their own convenience or purpose. None the less, I am sure that the Conference at Lord’s next month will meet any suggestions from Saturday’s meeting with the consideration they deserve. I f present appearances are to be relied on the presenceof anAustralian Team will not be the great attraction of next cricket season in England. For the last few weeks there has been a strong impression among the best informed in cricket matters here, that the Melbourne Club, under whose auspices the tour would be arranged, and who were the original movers in the matter, had found greater difficulties than was anticipated in arranging the details necessary to the success of the trip. R ecent advices from the Colonies have shown that the two great cricket Associations, those of VictoriaandNew South Wales, have not looked favour­ ably on the action of the Melbourne Club in taking the initiative in a matter which in their opinion ought to have been the province of the gov­ erning bodies of tlie different colonies. The South Australian Association, I believe, promised its assistance to the Melbourne Club in furtherance of the trip, but thoseof Victoria andNew South Wales have evidently resented what they seem to have regarded as an interference with their rights, and indeed that of New South Wales not only passed a resolution expressive of regret “ that the governing authorities of the Melbourne Club were in treaty with the English authorities in send- an Australian team to England, a matter which should be left in the hands of the Associations of the lead­ ing colonies,” but went so far as to add that “ it considered further trips of Colonial Teams to England and English Teams to Australia would exercise a prejudicial effect on Club Cricket.” T h is joint protest of the two rival Associations must, to a great extent, have interfered with the settlement of the preliminaries on the other side. I am inclined, though, to think that the difficulties have been increased by the doubts as to the policy of includ­ ing in the team certain members of Murdoch’s last party, without whom it couldhardly be considered thorough­ ly representative of Australia, and whose presence, at the same time, might probably, owing to their attitude to the English professionals last winter in Australia, be by no means well received in England. I a m led to believe that these doubts have weighed considerably with the executive of the Melbourne Club, as it was onlylikely would be the case. Un­ less I am misinformed, the opinions of some of the leading authorities here were taken on the propriety of including in the team, some of those who took such an antagonistic position to the Englishpros during their recent colonial tour, and the feeling was expressed that it was not altogether desirable. My own notion is that it would not be politic for theMelbourne Club, or any other Australian body to send anything but a thoroughly re­ presentative team to England, and though a Reuter’s telegram from Mel­ bourne, under date of Monday last, states that the final decision of the Melbourne Club will not be given till Dec. 12, I am disposed to think that, as in all probability the programmes of most of the principal English clubs will have been arranged by then, if the Conference of Secretaries takes place on the second day of the Cattle Show week (Dec. 8) as stated, the chances of the visit of an Australian team to England in 188G are not very great. M e n t io n of the Melbourne Club reminds me that the Marylebone Club of Australia will be more than usually strong this winter. Spofforth, who has left New South Wales to settle in Melbourne, will alone be a tower of strength, Percy McDonnell, who left Victoria last winter to fill an appoint­ ment at Sydney, will be a great loss, but the Club has received several valuable recruits in F. Walters, the SouthMelbourne crack, and Worrall, a capital all-round cricketer hitherto identified with the same Club, not to mention others. Spofforth, Bruce, Blackham, Walters, Worrall, Alexander, Swift, and Mcllwraith were all down to play for the Austra­ lian M.C.C. in its opening match, and their names will serve to show what a strong lot the Club will be able to put into the field this season. L IST OF SECRETAR IES. In compliance with a general request we vive herewith the names and add efs=!s of the Secretaries of the leading Metropolitan and Wandering Clubs. Our object h s been merely to give a list of the most important clubs under the two headings for the i nform- ation of Secretaries. The names have been verified by application to each club, and we have every reason to believe that they ara thoroughly reliable. We hope to be able shortly to prepare a general register of clubs for reference and use of Secretaries, and shall presently invite the co-operation of officers of dubs with this object. METROPOLITAN CLUBS. A d d isco m b e — G . Frisch, Fernleigh, Clyde Eoad, Addiscombe, Surrey. -E o lia n s —0. Jones, 7, Whitehall Gardens, S .W . B arne . h —F. W. Stratton, 13, The Terrace, Barnes, S.W. B a t t e r s e a — L. Finding, 105, Castle Street, B attersea, S.W. B la c k h e a t h —F. S. Ireland, The Hol'ies Biacklieath Park, S.E. B b ck en h am — A. M. Inglis, Binfield, Becken­ ham. B e x le y —Walter C. Jackson, Bexley, Kent. B ic k le y P a rk —W. B. Pattison, Graylings, Beckenham.. B r ix to n W a n d e r e r s —W.A. Gilligan, 208,1 he Grove, Camberwell, S.E. B r o a d w a te r —Murray Marshall, Godalming. B u c k h c r s t H ill —J. Conquest, Granville Lodge, Buckhurst Hill. B ro o k w o o d —T. A. J. Shepherd, Brookwood Asylum, Woking. B y f l e e t — G . A. Jones, Byfleet, Weybridge. C h a r lt o n P a rk — A. J. Newsome, 43, Maryon Eoad, Charlton, S.E. C h isw ick P a r k —F. B. Shadwell, Chiswick P a rk , S.W. C la p t o n —G. Head, 8 9 , Gresham Street, E .C . C r o y d o n — H. E. Groom, Pitside, Brigttock Eoad, New Thornton Heath, Surrey. C r y s t a l P a la c e — C. E. Smith, Weston Lea,Crystal Palace Park Eoad, Syden­ ham, S.E. D ork in g —H. J. Ivery, Dorking. D u lw ic h —T. E. Pearse, 8, Victoria Eoad, Peckham, S.E. E a lin g — A. M. Hemsley, 3, Cleveland Boad, Ealing. E lt h a m —J. Eagleton, Eltham, Kent. Epsom —J. 0. Jacobs, 2, Park View Villas, Epsom. E n f i e l d — E. Mantle, Wellington Eoad, Bush Hill Park, Enfield. E s h e r —C. Martineau, Littleworth, Ether. F o r e s t H ill —C. Spencer West, Perry Rise, Forest Hill, S.E. G r a n v il l e (Lee)—A. Lindley, St. Hilda, Chislehurst. G ra v e s e n d —H. Huggins, Clarence Place, Gravesend. G r e e n h it h e — H. Bliss, Greenhithe, Kent. G u il d f o r d — H. Botting, 96, High Street, G u ild ford . H am p stead— E. E. Flemming, 35, Regent’s Park Road, N.W. H am p ton W ick —J. A. Kenneth Campbdl, Lower Teddington Road.HamptonWick. H e n d o n —T. A. Fison, Hendon, N.W. H ig h b u r y — W. T. Coventon, 50, Highbury Park, N. H ig h g a t e — A. Ellis, 42, H ig h Street, High­ gate, N. H o k n s e y — G . C. Rayner, 10, Osborne Eoad, Stroud Green Road, N. I s lin g t o n A lb io n —W. H . A . Gow, 3, Cam­ den Square, N.W. Next Issue December' 24-