Cricket 1885

APRIL 23, 1885. CRICKET ] A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. 731] I have during tlie winter more than once had occasion to refer to the disagreement between Murdoch and his comrades and the management of Shaw’s English team, andmy opinions are quite the same as when I first wrote. I am able to state, though, on the best authority that the question of the action of the Victorian Associa­ tion has never been considered at all by the committee of the Surrey Club, and that no intimation has been made to them of any intention such as that attributed to M.C.C. on the part of other English clubs, to act as the telegrams to the Australian press would imply. The remarks in certain of the Colonial papers on the assumption that the news cabled from England was correct would appear, therefore, to be a little premature. I am not expressing any opinion on the merits of the dispute itself. This has been fully debated pro and con, and I can not see what possible good can arise from a continuance of the discussion, if, as recent intelligence would lead one to believe, the points at variance had been so far adjusted as to lead to a reconciliation of the conflicting interests. I cannot myself for a moment imagine that the slightest objection could or would be offered here, to the presence of any members of the last Australian team on English grounds, especially under the conditions by which, if the recent statements in some of the leading Australian papers are to be relied on, the tours would be governed, the direct management of the three principal Cricket Asso­ ciations in the Colonies. I t seems to be, though, quite too utterly absurd to suggest, as “ Mid- O n ” in the Melbourne Leader does, that even had the action attributed to the Marylebone and Surrey Clubs been actually taken, any consideration of Spofforth’s bowling could have had the smallest weight in producing such a decision. “ Mid-On” writes : “ This i.e., to say that the leading Australian players shall not play at Lord’ s or the Oval) may be a convenient way of getting rid of the Demon, who is the acknowledged terror of English bats­ men, but the proceeding seems to me most insulting.” “ Mid-On’s” inference, some might be inclined to argue, is not in itself in the best possible taste. E nglish Cricketers will remem­ ber the unfortunate accident which, last August, the commodious grand stand on the Melbourne cricket ground was destroyed by fire. For temporary purposes, a wooden struc­ ture was erected, and, according to the latest intelligence from Australia, this was soon to give way to a handsome pavilion, with all the latest improve­ ments. At least the Committee of the Melbourne Club, out of fifteen tenders, on March 4, accepted the lowest, one of £11,490, with the stipulation that the building was to be completely finished within six weeks from the signing of the contract. I n their stand accommodation, the two leading grounds of Australia, that of the Melbourne Club at Melbourne, and the Association ground at Sydney, seem to be so much superior to the best we can show in this country, that a few particulars of the building now, I presume, in course of erection on the Melbourne ground, will be read per­ haps with interest. The st ructure will be carried out with a substructure of brick work tuckpointed, and in accord with the new pavilion with super­ structure entirely of wrought and cast iron. The massive brick and cement piers, which were such an objectionable feature in the old stand, have been entirely done awaywith, and cast iron columns 12 inches in diameter substituted, about twenty feet apart. The ground floor is built entirely of brick, with the following accomodation, viz :—Members’ ladies’ luncheon room, 26 feet by 25 feet, with a pantry, cloakroom, lavatory, &c., attached, a private stair leading down to the same from the top of the galhery; recreation room 68 feet by 39 feet. Grand stand refreshment bar 67 feet by 32 feet, with 80 feet length of counter; grand stand luncheon room, 48 feet by 39 feet. Refreshment bar for outside ground, 39feet by 18 feet. Two large entranoe lobbies are provided from the paddock each 30 feet long. Two stone stairs, 8 feet 6 inches wide, are ascended from these lobbies leading directly to the upper portion of the stand, and two corridors, each ten feet wide, leading from the paddock to the front of the stand. Out­ side stone steps are provided only at each end of the buildings, it having been found that the steps in front of the old stand were always obstructed by onlookers, and passage up and down the same rendered difficult if not impossible. The stand itself will provide comfortable sitting accommodation for 1,850 persons, with an additional 450 in the members’ ladies’ pavilion. The seating for the latter will consist of American turn up chairs, and in the former easy backed seats will be provided. The frontage to the ground divided into 16 bays, will be 305 feet, and at the back 326 feet by a width of 42 feet, the building following the curve of the ground. The height to the gutter from the ground 32 feet, with a total height of 40 feet to the top of the roof. Five flag staves are provided. The necessity for a reversible stand being done away with by the discontinuance of play on the ground formerly used for football purposes, advantage has been taken of the circumstance to erect the new building on the north boundary of the club grounds, that is to say, the north wall will take the place of the existing corrugated iron fence. This will give a magnificent promenade in front 70 feet wide, 15 feet only of which will be asphalted next to the stand, the remaining portion to be turfed. E nglish Cricketers, who had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Mr. H. C. A. Harrison, a member of the Committee of the Melbourne Club, last summer, during his visit to England in company with Murdoch’s team, will be glad to hear that he reached Melbourne early last month after a very enjoyable trip round the world. The Australasian states that he had immediately resumed his duties on the executive of the Mel­ bourne Club, and those of us in the old country who had the opportunity ofjudging of his enthusiasm in every­ thing appertaining to cricket and football can estimate the value of his return to Victorian sport. His friends here, and they are many, wish him every prosperity and good luck. M ention of Mr. Harrison'' reminds me that another keen supporter of cricket, the very gentleman whom Mr. Harrison replaced on the Melbourne Committee on his return home, has recently arrived in this country. I refer to Mr. A. F. Robinson, who is well known to all English cricketers who have visited Victoria. Mr. Rob­ inson, who, by the way, is Surrey by birth, has done good service to Victorian cricket. It was he who, during a previous visit to England, made, on behalf of the Melbourne Club, the arrangements with the Hon. Ivo Bligh, to take an English team to Australia in the winter of 1882. Two other prominent personages in connection with Australian Cricket are, I hear, to spend their summer in England. Mr. A. E . Clarke, who has been a most liberal supporter of the East Melbourne Club for many years, left Melbourne, homeward bound, on Feb. 28, in the French Mai] steamship “ Caledonien.” Mr. Clarke is an enthusiastic supporter of cricket in Victoria, and any little courtesies shown to him by cricketers here will be only a small return for the kindness extended to English players who visit the Colonies. Mr. T. N unn , who has been a very active member of the Carlton Club of Sydney for a number of years, has also recently arrived in England, where I believe he is to stay some