Cricket 1885

62 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OV THE GAME, APRIL 16, 1885. team in England, and if M'Donneil, Black­ ball!, Murdoch, and Giffenhad playedit would have been hard to decide who should have stood out. 'Why M’Dnnnell and Blackham were not playing I do cot know. Murdoch pleaded pressure of business, and Gillen, I believe, never was asked. Jarvis, who is a formidable rival to Blackham as a wicket­ keeper, travelled 1,000 miles from Adelaide to play in this match. The Englishmen were favourites at 5 to 4, but when they had lost choice of innings the Colonial team was freely backed at evens. The weather in the morning was beautifully fine, though fearfully hot, and the storm predicted came sooner than was expected. About one o’clock heavy masses of clouds began to bank up in the south-west, and quickly spreading over the sky, a fearful thunderstorm burst over the ground at two o’clock. Although I have witnessed some fierce storms on the Asso­ ciation Ground before, this beat the record. In a moment the cricket ground was a vast sheet of ice; the noise of the hail which came down in terrific force on the galvanised roofs of the Pavilion and Grand Stand was almost deafening. The playing ground was a sight to look a t; what had a few minutes before been a beautiful dry greensward had now the appearance of a field of snow. On the hail ceasing, the picture was again changed, as if by magic, for the hail and ice rapidly thawing, the whole ground was a sheet of water. Of course it was not likely that play could be resumed for some time. The absorbing and thirsty nature of the soil, though, quickly made it possible, and at a quarter past four play again took place, though under quite different circumstances, as the one hour and twenty minutes’ play before luncheon had been on a splendid, true, hard wicket, now wet and sloppy. A t lunch time 40 runs—23 by Jones, and a dozen by Bannerman, with 5 extras—had been made with no wicket down, After this, however, came, as was only to be expected, a great change, and at six o’clock eight wickets had fallen for 97. Tlie attendance, which numbered 2,000, was, of course, completely spoiled by the storms, for although train cars loaded came down to the ground, their passengers did not get out, and were taken back into Sydney again. Massie beat Shrewsbury for choice of innings, and sent in A. Bannerman and Jones, the bowling being entrusted to Peel and Attewell. Bannerman hit Peel’s second ball to the off for 2, following this up with a couple from Attewell. A snick by Jones from Peel for 3 followed—then three leg-byes were run. (10 up). Jones next hit Peel to square leg for 4, and soon after for 3 more. Two leg-byes and a snick for 3 from Peel by Bannerman brought up 20, and Bannerman then gave a hard chance at slip, which was not taken. Ten overs now only realised a single, and by slow degrees the score reached 36, >vhen Ulyett relieved Peel. Bannerman cut the Yorkshireman’s second ball for 4 (40 up), but although another dozen overs were sent down, no more scoring took place before luncheon. After the storm, the umpires having decided that the ground was playable, the game was resumed at a quarter past four, Flowers bowling instead of Ulyett. Misfortunes soon befell the combined team, as Jones, who hit Attewell for4 and a single, was in the next over smartly stumped from Flowers for 28. (One for 45). One more run only had been made, when Bannerman was caught at short-leg. Horan and Scott were now together, and after the score had been slowly advanced] to 56, Horan was caught at the wicket. Bonnor came next, and should have been caught by Scotton at long-on, but the latter misjudged the catch. 60 appeared, and Bonnor after cutting Attewell for 3, hit him for 4 and 2 in one over. Scott was now beautifully caught at slip by Ulyett. (Four for 73). Trumble followed, but soon lost Bonnor, caught at slip. Bonnor’s 18 was a very “ streaky ” performance. Massie, after making two singles, sent one to Scotton in the long-field, where it was held. (Six for 83). Jarvis was clean bowled first ball. (Seven for 83). Spofforth came next, and Trumble hit each bowler for 4, though in attempting another the latter was well caught by Read in the long-field. (Eight for92). Gar­ rett now partnered the Demon, and no more wickets fell, the total being 97 for eight wickets when the stumps were drawn. Attewell bowled extremely well all day, and Flowers did good work. S econd D ay , F e b . 21. The morning was dull, and threatened rain, but towards noon it cleared, and turned out a beautiful afternoon for cricket. A rather sensational day’s play took place. Indeed, when Spofforth was stumped with the score at 101 for nine wickets, no one had the least idea that the combined team would almost double the total when Evans joined Garrett; but so it was. Garrett was missed at slip with the total at 106, and then with Evans added 80 for the last wicket. This too was on a very false pitch, but some­ how the English bowlers could not bowl a bit, and Barnes, who would have been thoroughly suited by the ground, was actually not tried. On the Englishmen going in they had a fresh wicket which played fairly well at first. Horan, though, subsequently found out the spot which Spofforth usually makes on the pitch, and several batsmen fell to bumpy balls, the innings closing for 49less than the combined team. There were about 10,000 spectators present. On the game being resumed at twelve o’clock, Garrett hit Attewell twice for 2 in his first over. Flowers, who delivered from the other end to the demon bowler, hit him a nasty crack on the finger, and the next ball Spofforth ran down the play to drive him, missed, and was easily stumped. (Nine for 101). Evans whipped in, and the next ten overs only produced 5 runs. A fine cut from Flowers by Garrett for 4, and 3 by Evans from Attewell, with singles, brought 120 on the board,when Peel relieved Flowers. A couple of 2’s by Evans from Attewell, and 2 and a brilliant cut for 4 from Peel, sent up 130. Ulyett then bowled, but Evans hit him for 3, and soon after a square-leg hit by Garrett for 4 sent up 140. Peel now went over to Ulyett’s end, but Evans made 5 from the first over of the change, and Flowers resumed at his old position. Garrett made 5 from Peel—4 to leg and a single—and up went 150. Some slow play now followed, the score only being increased by singles, till at length Evans drove Peel splendidly all along the ground to the off for 4. (160 up). Bates now bowled instead of Peel, and the score reached 169, when Attewell relieved Flowers. Garrett cut his second ball for 4, and soon after the luncheon bell rang, the score standing at 175. On resuming, Ulyett tried instead of Bates, and with the addition of 6 runs Evans was caught at the wicket for 33, Garrett being not out 51, The new wicket having been well rolled, Massie and his men took the field, Shrews­ bury and Scotton first appearing for the English team. Spofforth and Garrett opened the bowling. Five maidens were sent down before Shrewsbury hit Garrett to leg for 4. Twos and singles then came rapidly, and another crack by Shrewsbury from Garrett brought up 20. At 25 Horan relieved Garrett, but the parting was effected by Spofforth, who took Shrewsbury from his own bowling for a capital 18. (One for 31). Ulyett fluked the first ball he received for a brace, and was then clean bowled by the demon with a rattling “ yorker.” Barnes, who came next, was stumped the first ball he xeceived, the ball bounding from the legs of Jarvis into the wicket. (Two and three for 33). Bates, who followed, played with more caution than usual, the bowling just now being excellent. After the new comer had made a dozen, and was apparently getting dangerous, he put a bumper into the hands of Evans at point. (Four for 46). Briggs, who followed, after making 3, was caught by Scott at forward point. (Five for 56). Flowers immediately hit Horan for 4, and the score was increased to 70, when Scotton was given out caught at the wicket for a patient 22. This was a bad decision, and a serious error for the English side, as Scotton was carefully blocking one end against all the best bowling. Read, who followed, hit Horan to square- leg for 4, but this was his only contribution, as he was caught at point directly afterwards from a kicker. (Seven for 82). Attewell, who came next, hit Horan to leg for 4 and cut him for 8. Horan here gave way to Evans, whom each batsman hit for 4. Another 4 from Spofforth with a brace of 2’s followed, and Flowers was then caught at the wicket. (Eight for 111). Peel came next, and Horan relieved Evans, bowling Attewell with a rare “ yorker.” (Nine for 111). Hunter, on joining Peel, cracked the “ demon” to leg for 4, a rare hit. Peel then drove Horan for 4, and the score had reached 133 when Horan bowled Hunter, the stumps being then drawn for the day. T hird D a y , F e b . 23. On Monday, in glorious weather and on a drier wicket, the game was started punctually at twelve o'clock, and a fine day’s cricket ensued. The English bowling and fielding were superb all day. Bonnor played well for 29, but the best batting of the day was by the two Victorians, Horan and Trumble, though Massie hit in dashing style for hi3 21. Bates was by far the most successful trundler, but all bowled at their best. There were 6,000 spectators on the ground, who appeared to thoroughly enjoy the high class cricket. Bannerman and Bonnor opened the second innings of the combined team. Ulyett started the bowling, and sent them down at his best pace, whilst Peel occupied the other end. Buns could only be made by slow degrees, but still they came, and the total had reached 28, when twice Bannerman was nearly caught—once at slip, and again at point. Bonnor also narrowly escaped being bowled by a fast “ yorker ” from Ulyett, but he was not so fortunate later on, as at 37 another gem of a “ yorker ” beat him, and sent his leg stump flying out of the ground. Horan and Bannerman increased the score to 56 by the most careful play, when luncheon took place, Bannerman having been in ninety minutes for 16 runs. Without increasing his score he was well caught at point, after Horan had hit Attewell for 4. (Two for 60.) Jones followed, and things became lively. Ulyett came in for some punishment just now, and Flowers tried, Jones cracking him to leg for 4. The score had reached 90, when Attewell got one past Jones, and perhaps the best batsman on his side retired for 22, all well made. Scott, who followed, dashed Attewell to the off for