Cricket 1887

OCT. 27, 1887. C R IC K E T : A W E E K L Y RECORD OF THE GAM E . 441 To judge by the following remarks ■which appeared in the Sydney Mail of September 17th, from the pen of its cricket contributor, the present season in New South Wales bade fair to open with an agitation of a somewhat unusual kind. “ Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere,” says Prince Henry in “ King Henry the Fourth,” and I must say, to an ordinary mind, it would be difficult to reconcile the existence in Sydney of two bodies, both apparently identifying them­ selves actively with the cricket arrange­ ments of the Colony. It v/il) be interesting to know the outcome of this challenge of the Association to the Trustees: There are signs that the battle is about to begin between the New South Wales Cricket Association and the Trustees of the ground. The trustees have gradually been taking out of the hands of the association the whole management of cricket in the Colony, and the members of the association so far have con­ tented themselves by blustering, making speeches which go for nothing, aud passing resolutions which the trustees have simply ignored. At the meeting of the association last Monday letters were read from the trustees, asking for patronage for a number of matches in which the English teams were to take part on the Association Ground, and naming cer­ tain dates. A motion was at once moved by Mr. Clayton, and carried, to the effect that the trustees be written to, informing them that this association cannot acknowledge them as trustees of the Association Cricket Ground acting as agents for any team of cricketers. This resolution, if it is worth anything, means that the association intend to make a bid for the mastery and management of cricketing affairs. It remains to be seen whether they will be as good as their word, but in any case it is just as well to settle which shall be the controlling body. T h e latest copy to hand of the Austra­ lasian newspaper contains the sad intel­ ligence of the death of an amateur, known and respected both on English and Aus­ tralian cricket fields. Mr. Donald Camp­ bell, who died in Melbourne last month, had made a high reputation as an all­ round player in England, before he finally settled down in Victoria. He came out first, though, (in 1867-8) in connection with the East Melbourne Club, and played for it with success until 1871-2, when he left for the old country, having obtained the top average among East Melbourne batsmen. Having matriculated at Oxford, he figured in the University elevens of 1874 and two following years, doing good service against Cambridge particularly in his first year, when he helped Mr. (now the Bev.) W. Law to put on over 50 before a wicket fell. Having finished his University course he was admitted to the English bar, and after extended travels returned in 1878 to Vic­ toria. There his ability as a batsman was proved unmistakeably by a brilliant inn­ ings of 128 for Fifteen of Victoria against Lord Harris’ English Team, in the match begun on Boxing Day, 1878, on the Mel­ bourne Ground. He represented Victoria, too, in the Intercolonial match with New South Wales, and with distinct success on more than one occasion. He was an effective batsman with defence as well as hitting powers, and, in addition, a first- class field. He took the greatest interest in the Melbourne University, where he was educated, and it was chiefly to him that the revival of the Inter-University matches was due. He maintained the greatest interest in cricket to the last, and indeed was one of the most generous patrons of the game in Australia. If I remember rightly, he paid a flying visit to England during one of the Australian tours—one of the later trips unless I am mistaken. Though only 39 years of age, he had been suffering for some time from paralysis, to which he succumbed at last. T h e Committee of the Surrey County Club have sustained a heavy loss by the death of Mr. George Wells, one of their number, who passed away peacefully after a long illness on Sunday last. For some years Mr. Wells had been an active member of the Surrey executive. His practical knowledge was of the greatest service in carrying out the many improve­ ments which have been made of late at the Oval, and no sacrifice of time or labour was ever grudged where the interests of the Surrey Club were concerned. His technical knowledge and power of master­ ing details rendered his advice of the greatest value in the various sub-com- mittees on which he served, and his place will not easily be filled. During the visits of the earlier Australian teams, he took an active part in the arrangements made by the Surrey Club for their fixtures, and the news of his death will be received with regret by many of the Australian cricketers who have visited England A silver salver was presented to him by the Committee of the Surrey Club in appre­ ciation of the great services he rendered in organising and supervising the details incidental to one of the earlier Australian years at the Oval. E nglish C ricket readers, particularly those who enjoyed the personal acquaint­ ance of T. Horan during his visits to England with the First and Third Australian teams, will be interested to learn that he came out recently at the head of the poll in the election for the Committee of the East Melbourne Club. Horan’s hand, it may be added, has not lost any of its old cunning with the bat, for he came out at the top of the first-class averages in Victoria last season with the splendid average of 95 for eight innings. The veteran H. F. Boyle, by-the-way, too, was first in the bowling averages in Victoria, his wickets only costing 9-76 runs each. East Melbourne was the premier club of Victoria last season, losing but one of the nineteen matches it played. It was on the East Melbourne Ground, it is hardly necessary for me to remind C r i c k e t readers, that the huge score of 803—the highest recorded in what are called first-class matches—was made by the Non-Smokers against the Smokers in March last. M r . J. A. S c o t t , who will be well re­ membered here by reason of the consist­ ently good batting he showed for the Gentlemen of Philadelphia on the occa­ sion of their visit to England in 1884, was the recipient of a presentation from his fellow clubmen and other admirers at the close of the match between the Germantown and Philadelphia Clubs, played on the 17th of last month. By its victory over Philadelphia the Belmont Club, of which Mr. Scott is the captain, earned the right to hold undisputed possession of the Halifax Cup during the year 1888, and there could hardly have been a more fitting opportunity for the ceremony in which Captain Scott was the principal actor. M r . S cott made many friends among English cricketers during his brief visit to England, and the following account of the presentation,taken from the American Cricketer, will be read with satisfaction— At the conclusion of the match, Captain Scott was treated to a pleasant surprise. An­ ticipating the result of the contest several of his admirers and fellow club-men, appreciating his splendid efforts and superb generalship throughout the season, had ordered a belt ot special design to be worn henceforth by its modest recipient. On behalf of the donors the belt was presented by Captain John P. Green, the popular President of the club, whose remarks were brief, appropriate and congratulatory. He reviewed the work of the season, and complimented both the Captain and his associates for their plucky uphill fight after their two early and unexpected reverses. Producing the gift he stated that it was not given by the club, and that he was merely the spokesman for those who had originated the idea and carried it out. The belt is of white silk with a massive silver buckle bearing on its face in relief, the name of the club with its emblem, a four-leaved clover and flower, and the usual paraphernalia of the cricket-field. The recipient was completely taken back, but accepted the gift and acknowledged the com­ pliment in a modest and witty speech. T h e averages of the various Public School elevens last summer are given in full in another part of the paper. It may be useful if I supplement these statistics with what information I have been able to obtain respecting the future destination of some of the players who have already left, or, will have left before next season. Eton sends to Oxford W. D. Llewellyn, Hon. H. Coventry, and its wicket-keeper C. A. F ield; Harrow, J. St. F. Fair; Bugby, H. C. Bradby, A. A. Allen, H. Bowden Smith, and W. M. Batcliff; Win­ chester, F. J. N. Thesiger ; Charter­ house, L. B. Wilkinson and W. A. Shaw ; Cheltenham, C. T . Smith; Wellington, F. W. Parker ; Repton, P. B. Farrant and J. H. Smith; Clifton, H. S. Schwann, L. G. Thomas, and E. Smith; Rossall, G. S. Davis, E. C. Davis, and J. P. Wilson ; Badley, G. B. Theobald; Brighton, G. L. Wilson ; Shrewsbury, F. Cobbett, W . Thomas and E. B. Jones; Fettes, C. J. N. Fleming; and Loretto, A. M. Paterson and A. N. Briggs. As I announced in C r i c k e t of July 21, T. W. Brand the captain, Lord Chelsea, C. P. Foley, and B. Gosling of this year’s Eton Eleven will be available at Cambridge next summer. P. Ashworth and T. B. A. Clarke (Harrow), W. H. Leese (Winchester), B. A. Wilson (Bugby), H. B. Meyer and D. C . Leman (Charter­ N E X T IS SU E , NOVEMBER 24.