Cricket 1887

M j j i APRIL 21, 1887 CRICKET: A WEEKLY BECORD 0E THE GAME. 75 THE ENGL ISH CRICKETERS IN AUSTRAL IA . By O ne op the T eam . From the Sporting Life. Reprinted by permission. TWENTY-SIXTH MATCH.—v. VICTORIA. The English team arrived safely in Mel­ bourne a little before noon on Thursday, March 3, and most of them went to the races. One of the most important meetings of the year was taking place, and the Australian Cup was run for on that day, a race only considered second throughout the Colonies to the Melbourne Cup. It produced a grand struggle between a New Zealand horse called Nelson, and the champion three year old of Australia, Trident, the Australian horse winning by a head. On Friday, March 4, in perfect cricket weather, the return match, England v. Victoria, was commenced on the Melbourne ground. Barnes was still unable to play, and Wood again took his place; Gunn was indisposed, and a substitute fielded for him. Midwinter beat Shrewsbury for the choice of innings, and, of co.urse, decided to bat, as the wicket was one of those gems so often seen on this ground, it being in perfect order for run-getting. Bruce and M’llwraith opened the innings to the bowling of Lohmann and Bates. Bruce was in rare form. When 20 appeared on the telegraph board 17 stood to his name. The next 10 runs included two 4’s by Bruce. At 28 Barlow took the ball from Bates, but Brucejwas especially severe on him, and 50 went up*. At 65 Briggs went on for Lohmann, but after exactly one hour’s play 75 runs had been made. At length Bruce, in attempting to drive Briggs, hit it straight to Flowers at extra mid-off, who held it. The retiring batsman had played brilliantly for 62, made in sixty-five minutes. Luncheon nowtook place, after which Trumble joined M’llwraith, Briggs and Flowers bowling. A dozen overs produced as many runs, when Trumble was smartly caught at the wicket. M’Shane with M’llwraith made a long stand. 100 appeared at ten minutes to three. At 107 Lohmann again tried at his original end, but this seemed to suit the batsmen, as runs came much faster, M’Shane twice hitting the Surrey man for 4. At 126 Bates once more took up the trundling, but this only increased the pace of the run- getting, 4’s coming much faster than the Eng­ lish captain relished. Another change took place, Barlow trying his hand. This seemed useless, and the forlorn hope, Maurice Read, was put on. This had the desired effect, as from his third delivery M’Shane was very well caught by Briggs at cover-point for a useful 45. (Three for 163.) An interval of ten minutes for refreshments now took place, after which that popular cricketer Tommy Horan joined M’llwraith, who had all this time been playing a steady, cautious game. Horan opened with a brace from Read, sending the same bowler to leg for 4 directly after. With 180 up a double change took place, Briggs and Flowers going on. Thi3 proved good business, as, with the addition of 6 runs M’llwraith was caught at point for 64. Although he started a bit fluky, the latter part of his innings was something like the form which last season caused him to be chosen to represent Australia in England ; but M’llwraith will never shine as a batsman, only on such perfect wickets as Adelaide and Melbourne can produce in fine weather. Now came serious disasters for the Colonials. Mid­ winter, after making 7, w*as taken at cover- point (five for 202). Morris made 4, when he was caught at the wicket. Houston only got 2, when he was caught at point, and Won-all served the same soon after (eight for 215). This was a great change from 160 up for two wickets, with two men well set; but at this, figure another wicket fell, Phillips being caught at slip, and the innings should have closed at this figure, as Cotter hit one back easily to Bates, who dropped it. This seemed to give confidence to the Colonial, who let out freely, one verv high hit over the bowler’s head being a chance to Read, but he could not judge it so high up in the glaring sky. A drive for 4 caused Briggs to take up the bowling. This just suited Cotter, who hit him for 10 in one over, and Lohmann tried to separate the bats­ men before time, but without avail, the score standing at 245 for nine wickets, Horan not out 23 and Cotter not out 27. The attendance only numbered about 1,000. On Saturday, March 5, in very hot weather the game was continued, a maiden to Horan was sent down, but Bates bowled Cotter with his first ball, a “ yorker,” and the Victorian innings closed for 245, fully 100 less than their supporters had hoped for from the promising start made. Shrewsbury and Bates com­ menced the English innings to the bowling of Midwinter and Morris. Shrewsbury opened his account by hitting the Victorian captain to the off for 4. A single by Bates from Morris got him in front of Midwinter, whom he hit faraway to the on, where Bruce was stationed, who caught it, but, to the disgust of the field, it was from a no-ball. This piece of good luck for Bates, however, did him no good, as from the very next ball he was bowled by a “ yorker,” and Barlow entered into a long partnership with his captain. At first Barlow scored freely, opening with a snick for 4, four 2’s, and another 4—16 in all—in about half as many minutes. Then some of the most monotonous play ever seen, even from such steady players as Barlow, took place, and this on one of the most perfect, fast run-getting wickets ever seen. At lunch time, the score was 63— Shrewsbury 29, Barlow 25. At four o’clock the total was 125, Barlow during the one hour and forty minutes having made 15 runs. Shrewsbury’s score at this time stood at 70. The interval for refreshments now took place, and on resuming ironical cheers greeted Barlow on his scoring a single. Two more singles by him brought his innings to a close for 43. (Two for 148.) Morris was the means of getting rid of the Stonewaller, who got his leg in front. Nearly three hours were occupied in making his last twenty runs, and it was a great relief to the spectators when he retired leg before. Very different tactics were indulged in by the next man, Read, w’ho laid on heavily, but the fieldsmen were placed so deep that his big hits, many all along the ground, only resulted in singles and 2’s. The Victorian bowling was frequently changed. A couple to the on by Shrewsbury completed his century. This event was greeted with hearty and prolonged applause. The score was hit to 196, when Read was taken at cover- point for 23. Gunn went in, and the 200 soon appeared on the board. In spite 6f a couple of changes in the bowling, no other wicket fell, and at six o’clock the score was 220—Shrews­ bury 123, Gunn 15. No praise could be too much for the magnificent play of Shrewsbury; all the bowlers wrere alike to him, as he played them with the most consummate ease. He was missed at the wicket when he had scored 58, and from a very difficult chance at extra cover-point at 109. Gunn was in good form, and it seems highly probable that, given fine weather, a large score will be made. The attendance was the poorest ever seen on a Melbourne ground when an international match was taking place on a fine Saturday, and could not have numbered more than 2,500. A great race (the Champion Stakes) took place in the afternoon, which in all probability took large numbers away. Sunday was a dreadful day—terribly hot, with a northerly wind blowing clouds of dust down the streets of Melbourne from morning till night. Monday morning, March 7, broke hot and fine, but soon after ten ominous clouds appeared in the west, and rapidly spread over the heavens, and before noon rain began to fall and continued the whole day, no play being possible. Tuesday was a lovely day, the match being resumed at a quarter pasttwelve. The wicket was in a terrible state, and it was soon evident the English innings would be cut short. Midwinter and Bruce opened the bowling, .Gunn and Shrewsbury, the not-outs of Saturday, going to the wickets. Eight rims were added, when Bruce bowled Gunn. Scotton only made 2 when he was caught at point from Trumble, who had relieved Midwinter. Loh­ mann was quickly bowled by Bruce, as was Briggs; Shrewsbury, after adding 21 to his Saturday’s score, was also bowled by Bruce for 144, in which were sixteen 4’s. Wood was out leg before and Sherwin skiedone to M’llwraith, who held it. Flowers had played capitally for 26. The innings closed for 283, seven wickets having fallen this morning for 63 runs, six of them to Bruce, who took advantage of the difficult wicket, and bowled extremely well. M’llwraith and Bruce again opened the batting for Victoria. Flowers and Lohmann were entrusted with the bowling. Bruce played one up to Briggs at mid-off, but he could not see it for the sun, and the batsman had a lucky escape. After this Bruce played merrily for 18, when he lifted one from Lohmann to Gunn, wrho patiently waited for it under the fence and held it. Horan, who followed, assisted M‘Ilwraith to raise the score to 47, when a catch dismissed the latter from the bowling of Briggs, who had relieved Lohmanh. M‘Shane made 2, when he was well caught at long-on by Loh­ mann. Barlow now bowled instead of Flowers, and Trumble, after getting 2, skied one to long slip, where Gunn was in waiting. (Four for 62;. Midwinter and Horan caused lots of trouble; the wicket was improving every minute, and several changes of bowling took place, but it was not till Lohmann tried for the third time that the desired wicket fell, the Surrey man bowling down the off-stump of the Victorian captain, who had played well for 35. Morris and Horan played out time, Horan having,played a patient innings of 42, the early part of which was on a difficult Wicket. Five wickets were down for 137. Had the English bowling in the early part of the day been good they certainly should have got the Victorians out for 100 runs, but it was so very moderate that even on the treacherous turf they managed to keep up their wickets, and after four o’clock, so much had the ground improved under the hot sun, very few difficult balls were bowled. The attendance was very poor, numbering about 1,000. On Wednesday, March 8th, the match was resumed at twelve o’clock. The Victorians collapsed miserably, the remaining five wickets only adding 19 runs. Lohmann certainly bowled at his best, as did Flowers, but with the ground in rare order for run-getting, such a feeble exhibition can hardly be accounted for. Horan, after making 5, was clean bowled by Lohmann, Morris just previously being caught at the wicket. Worrall was imme­ diately stumped, and eight batsmen were out for 146. The last two wickets added 10 runs, the innings closing for 156. The 19 runs made this morning occupied one hour and ten minutes. After luncheon the Englishmen, requiring 119 runs to win, sent in Shrewsbury and Bates. The Yorkshireman was in his best form, and soon began to make matters very lively. Midwinter and Bruce started the bowling. Bates hit the latter twice to leg for 4, and at 23 Morris went on, and soon after M‘Shane took the place of Midwinter, but Bates would not be denied, so, at 46, Trumble took a turn, and at 51 Bruce again tried his hand, but the score continued to rise rapidly, and in spite of several more changes, the 100 appeared after eighty minutes’ play, Bates 76 to his partner’s 24. Twice in one over Bates hit Midwinter grandly for 4, and just as it looked any odds the two would make the required number, Bates was smartly caught and bowled by Worrall. With 8 runs to wTin Barlow went in, and the match was won by nine wickets. Shrewsbury'played in his usual safe style for 29, allowing Bates to do more than three-parts o f.the-scoring. The Victorian bowlers were all alike to him, and in spite of their placing half the team round the fence, h 4 s hitting was so powerful that