Cricket 1887

B 1887. C E IC K E T : A W E E K L Y EE COED OF THE GAM E . 467 T H E TW O E N G L IS H T E A M S IN A U S T R A L IA . (From the Sporting L ife , by permission.) After spending about eight hours for coaling at King George’s Sound, the Iberia left for Adelaide. Most of the passengers spent a few hours on shore in looking round the rising town of Albany. A chat over past times by the cricketers with Mr. G-. Bailey (who, it will be remembered, visited England as one of the members of the first Australian team, and who has been manager of a bank in Albany for the last five or six years), some billiards, and long walks soon ended a most enjoyable afternoon. On leaving the Sound variable winds pretty equally divided from all quarters lasted till Monday at noon, when it finally became east for the rest of the journey. Mr. W. W. Read sprained his ankle the evening of leaving Albany, and Mr. Vernon fell down some steps on Monday, cutting his ear rather badly; but both are going on favour­ ably, although it is yery doubtful if Mr. Read will be able to play at Adelaide. Kangaroo Island was sighted on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 4 p.m., and we soon ran into the sheltered waters’ of the bay, one hundred miles taking us to the anchorage of the Orient steamers off Adelaide, which was reached veiy early on Wednesday. The passengers have to go some eight or ten miles by rail on landing to reach the South Australian metro­ polis, and a great many went on shore, although very little time was allowed to see much, the steamer being advertised to leave at 2.30 for Melbourne. MR. VERNON’S TEAM. Mr. Vernon’s team received a hearty wel­ come from representatives of the South Aus­ tralian Cricketing Association, and delegates from the Victorian Association and tho M.C.C., on their arrival at Adelaide. They had break­ fast on board, and then all Mr. Vernon’s team but the manager himself, landed, and were taken to the city, where they arrived shortly after eleven o’clock. Drags awaited them at the Adelaide Railway Station, and they were driven round the Botanic Park, along the Ade­ laide “ Rotten Row,” past the Exhibition building, and thence to the Town Hall, which was reached as the Post-office clock chimed the hour of noon. About 400 people assembled in the meeting place of the Adelaide Civic, where Mr. E. T. Smith, the popular Mayor, extended a warm welcome to the team. Other leading citizens also spoke words of welcome. The reply was made by theHon. M. B. Hawke, who addressed a large public audience for the first time in his life. He expatiated on the good feeling which existed between cricketers of the old and new country, and thanked his worship for the cordiality of his welcome. Speaking about the rival teams, he said that they had been on the most amicable terms on the voyage; in fact, had agreed that if arrangements could be made they would com­ bine to meet the full strength of Australia in a series of test matches. Great applause greeted this remark. The suggestion had already been made in Melbourne, and the M.C.C. had stated that they would have no objection Mr. Walter Read also responded in a few well-chosen words. An adjournment was then made to the Reception Room, where at the invitation of Mr. Smith champagne was sampled and toasts honoured. Immediately after luncheon the team wended their ways to the well appointed Ade­ laide Oval, and nearly all of them were soon hard at work in front of the nets. Mr. Read did not practise owing io the injury to his ankle, and Attewell preferred to wait until the next day. Those who did bat only hit with the object of loosening their joints, and re­ moving some of the superfluous adipose tissue. A large crowd watched the proceedings, and as Messrs. Hawke, Stoddart, O’Brien, and the professionals made big .hits, manifested their approval. Towards the end of the afternoon rain began to fall, and the men returned to their hotels for the night. The next day was very wet, and not much practice could be had. The rain cleared off during the night, and by noon next day, when the first match was to begin, the weather was beautifully fine. FIRST MATCH.—v. ELEVEN OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The South Australian Association made a rather bold venture when they decided to meet the visitors with eleven. They have always had fifteen before, and even then have seldom managed to make a win. However, so much improvement has been made that they thought it unworthy of them to play with odds. A really good team had been chosen, but four or five first-class men could not leave business, and the eleven was not as strong as might have been wished. Still, it was fairly strong, though the bowling perhaps was rather weak. George Giffen was elected captain, and began badly by losing the toss. After the previous day’s rain the wicket was not as dry as a bats­ man might like. There was, however, a strong sun, which was rapidly drying it, and Mr. Hawke decided to have first use of the wicket. Mr. Walter Read stood out of the visitors’ team, the other absentee, of course, being Mr. Vernon, who had to go on to Melbourne in the steamer. At^aquarter past twelveMr. Stoddart and Abel went to the wickets. The bowling was entrusted to Lyons, who is spoken of as a candidate for the next Australian Eleven, and Musgrove, a fast round arm left-hand bowler. The amateur was soon at home, and scored 3 off the left-hander’s first over. Then he drove a ball very hard back to Lyons, whose right hand was bruised severely in stopping it. After this let off he continued to run up the score, while Abel was content to keep up his wickets. Mr. Stoddart got Lyons to the chains, and 21was hoisted. Abel then snicked a fast ball from Musgrove, and Lyons at slip did not refuse the chance. Bates came in, and Giffen took the ball from Lyons, and nearly bowled the Middlesex hitter. Nine runs only were added when Musgrove clean bowled Mr. Stoddart, who had made his runs in dashing style. Then disasters came quickly, Giffen clean bowled Bates, and Mr. O’Brien was caught in the long field with the score at 86, and the local man jubilant. Mr. Hawke and Peel raised the total to 45, when the former did not get hold of a yorker, and was well caught at mid-wicket (five for 45). Rawlin joined Peel, and was nearly out when he had made only 2. Giffen thought he had caught and bowled him, but the umpire was of a different opinion. It was avery close thing. An adjournment was irade for luncheon at a quarter to two, with the score at 61. At the spread the Hon. G. O. Hawker (whose son, by the way, was at Cambridge with Mr. Hawke) proposed the health of the visiting team. Mr. Hawke thanked him, thanked the field for applauding when he went to the wickets, said that if Walter Read had been playing so many men would not have been out, remarked that “ brevity is the soul of wit,” and sat down. The health of the S.A. team was also proposed and drunk with musical honours,. Play was resumed again at half-pasttwo. Both batsmen continued to pile on the runs, Rawlin’s up­ standing style being especially admired. With 83 up Giffen changed ends, and put on Lyons again instead of Musgrove, who had become rather expensive. The scoring steadily in­ creased, and 90 was the total when the little man lifted Giffen to long-on, but Walter Giffen failed to hold a difficult catch. The Yorkshireman made but little use of his let off, for Lyons bowled him with a ball which hung and got the batsman in two minds. Peel’s innings had been a most use­ ful one. In addition to the chance already mentioned, he only gave a difficult one of stumping when he had only made 8. Rawlin continued to score after Mr. Bowden’s advent, and 104 was on the board when he skied a ball, and was caught behind the bowler. This inn­ ings was about the best of his side. The inn­ ings terminated most sensationally. Mr. Newton was all abroad at Giffen. Ho tried to hit the third ball over the chains, but miscal­ culated the break, and was bowled. A straight ball dismissed Attewell, and Beaumont stepped in. Mr. Bowden played amaiden from Lyons ; Giffen then had Beaumont, and tho first ball clean bowled him. The Adelaide crack had, therefore, done the hat trick—a most unusual performance in a first-class match; in fact, it has never been done in tho Colonies. A few friends in the pavilion carried round the hat and collected 56s., with which the ball v ill he mounted. At four o’clock Walter Giffen and Jarvis began the South Australian innings, Peel and Beaumont being entrusted with tho attack. Mr. Newton kept wicket, and in tho first six balls had twice appealed without avail. A no-ball was the first run, and with­ out any addition Jarvis was snapped up in the slips. Lyons came in, and the batting was very tedious. Scarcely anything but singles came. 19 was registered when Attewell took the ball from Beaumont, and 'directly after Peel gave way to Rawlin. The separation was not effected by the bowlers, but at 44 Giffen essayed a run, turned round to get back, slipped, and was easily run out. He had been batting for an hour and a half, and did not give a single chance. His brother part­ nered Lyons, and the tvzo played out time, the score standing at 64, Lyons 39 (not out), Giffen 4 (not out). There were only about 1,700 spectators during the afternoon. S e c o n d D ay — S a t u r d a y , O c t o b e r 29. Saturday was a terribly dull day, a thunderstorm threatening and making the light bad. At a quarter-past twelve o’clock the innings was resumed. Beaumont and Peel each sent down a maiden. Lyons then tried to place the latter bowler to leg, but wasbowled without having added to his score. He had played a good innings of two hours’ duration, anci had been unusually patient. The remainder of the batsmen gave a very tame display. The cricket was painfully slow, Giffen setting the example to his men, most of whom were comparatively new to senior cricket. Craigie was neatly stumped, and Weeks was easily caught off a bad stroke at mid-wicket. Peel dismissed Haldane and Knill with successive balls, and Bates had Kemp caught with one run still wanted to tie the Englishmen’s score. Liston played steadily and helped his captain to raise the score to 118, Then Liston was bowled, Musgrove caught in the slips, and the innings was all over for 118. Of this total the Giffens, Lyons, and Liston, representatives of the Norwoods, the premier club in the colony, made no lessthan 101. The visitors fielded splendidly, Mr. Newton, in particular, at the wicket creating a very favour­ able impression. The bowling was very good, though Peel was by far the most successful. The innings lasted for four hours and a half. Giffen, who took out his bat, was at the wicket three hours and a half, and he only gave one hard chance of stumping on Friday afternoon. The Englishmen had two hours to bat, and sent in Stoddart and Abel again. Both fnen soon settled down, and scored rapidly off Giffen as well as Lyons. At 28 Musgrove took a turn with the ball, and 1‘2 runs later Lyons resigned to Kemp. The change had no effcct except to increase the rate of scoring, and Giffen displaced Kemp at 70. Only 16 runs were added when Mr. Stoddart lifted one from Giffen to the deep field,, and was badly missed by Weeks. Lyons again took the bail at 98, and 5 runs later dislodged Mr. Stoddart’s stumps. The Middlesex amateur had been batting for ninety minutes, and was quite at home with the bowling, His placing to leg wasmuch admired. Mr. Hawkejoined Abel, but Lyons’ first ball lowered his centre stump. Mr. O’Brien and Abel played out time, Abel 51 not out without a chance, and Mr. O’Brien lo not out. Not more that 2,000 spectators were on the ground during the day. N E X T IS SU E , JANUABY 26.