Cricket 1888

10 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECOKD OB’ THE GAME. JAN. 26, 1888. Ormond were left witli only six runs to win. A. Glasscock hit the ball, which was seized by a dog, who ran off with it. “ Lost b a ll!” was called, and the game was won with two wickets to spare. T h e Australian team which is to visit England nest summer under the captaincy of Percy McDonnell intend, I see it stated in one of the Australian papers, to play their last trial match prior to leaving for England, in Adelaide, towards the end of March. It is added that they will probably leave by the Messageries Mari- times steamer on March 24, and in that event will arrive in London about the 30th of April. T h e small chance that at one time existed of a continuance of cricket at Sheffield Park next summer, has, every one will be sorry to learn, disappeared. It washoped that the Australian cricketers who have been so hospitably entertained by the Earl of Sheffield, might again have an opportunity of visiting the most picturesque cricket ground in England, and, indeed, I believe that there was reasonable ground for the hope that the first match of the Australian programme of 1888 might as usual be decided at Sheffield Park. Unfortunately, though, Lord Sheffield has not found any sufficient change in the attitude of his anonymous assailants to warrant him reconsidering his resolution to close Sheffield Park, and one of the prettiest as well as the best cricket grounds will thus be lost to the public. The Australian team will be sincerely sorry to lose one of their most enjoyable fixtures. Me. H . J. H . S co t t , the captain of the Australian team of 1886, has, every one will be glad to hear, completed, and with credit, the medical studies which have kept him in England for the last two years. He passed his final examination to enable him to qualify as a physician on Saturday, and had the additional satisfaction of a special compliment from the examiners. Mr. Scott has no inten­ tion of remaining longer than he can possibly help now in England, and there is not the smallest chance that he will be associated with the team to come here under Percy McDonnell’s captaincy. I am assured, indeed, that he will have left on his return for Australia by the end of next month at the latest. Dr. H . J. H. Scott,isnowM.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. There is something appropriate for a cricketer in the eleven initials he is now able to claim. He will, whenever he leaves, carrywith him to his Australian home the best wishes of English cricketers. T h e Sydney Mail gives the following as a reason recently given by a county club in that Colony for not sending dele­ gates to the New South Wales Association. “ We are not satisfied with the way meetings are conducted. Members are allowed to speak too often, and country members can not afford the time so uselessly wasted.” It would be a good thing, I venture to think, if the senti­ ments of the New South Welshmen were more generally shared with regard to the purposes and proper conduct of cricket and other meetings. I n all probability the formation of the team to represent Australia on English cricket grounds will be practically settled very shortly now. Advantage will, I should fancy, be taken of the presence of the cream of Australian cricketers in Syd­ ney about this time for the Inter-Colonial match to conclude the arrangements for the comingtour, and Mr. C.W. Beal will during the next few weeks have his hands pretty full in putting the finishing touches to the preparations. P e r c y M c D o n n e l l will Captain the Team, and New South Wales will also furnish S. P . Jones, already known to English cricketers, and the two bowlers who have contributed so much to the brilliant record of New South Wales during the last two years, to wit, Turner and Ferris. South Australia, I expect, will furnish a useful pair in G. Giffen and A. H. Jarvis, and Victoria J. M . Black- ham—the only cricketer who will have been over here with every one of the six Australian teams—and the veteran, H. F. Boyle. It is doubtful as stated above whether H . Moses will be of the party, but it must not be inferred that he will be an absentee. A m o n g those mentioned as likely to fill up are G. L. Lyons, a useful all-round cricketer from South Australia, J. W. Trumble, who was here two years ago, T.Horan and J.Worrall, anotherVictorian. I have seen no mention of Bonnor as likely to join the team,but I have everyreason to believe that the giant, whom I saw in Lon­ don on Tuesday by the way, will be one of the party. As little is known ofWorrall by English cricketers, the following comments by “ Mid-on” of the Melbourne Leader will be of interest:— I am satisfied that it is to players especially of the Worrall stamp we must look to fill the vacant places. A rough and ready fearless bats­ man, he never goes to the wicket allowing that the pitch must beat the bat, but on a bad wicket which has been fatal to his predecessors is seen at his best. He hits, I will admit, with a cross bat, but nevertheless he hits hard and effectively, and so far as per­ fection of style is concerned E. M. Grace. Hornby, Thornton, and other giants of their day could never be accused of being “ ortho- dex.” On certain wickets Worrall would prove a valuable bowler, and in the field would be appreciated by the English critics. He is essentially what is commonly known as a “ grafter,” ready to go forward point four or five yards in front of a man like Ulyett, and stay there for a week if necessary, and in the cricket field, as oh the football ground, has never been known to flag. He evidently doesn’t know what fear means, as all will admit who have seen him field. I remember well Bonnor hitting one back to him that few men would have tried for. Coming to the left hand it spun him clean round, but he stuck to it, and caught the good tempered giant, who remarked—“ X don’t mind getting out, but I was afraid I had killed him .” Men of that calibre are bound to do well in a tour which must prove disastrous to the laggard who assumes ornamental and apathetic style. A s p e c ia l meeting of the new Cricket Council is to be held in the Pavilion at Lord’s on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m., to discuss the various points introduced at the preliminary conference in Decem­ ber- The following propositions are to be brought forward :— Mr. Ellison (Yorkshire) will move “ That the attention of the M.C.C. be called to the unsatisfactory effect of Law 24, and to recom­ mend that it shall be so altered as to secure that a batsman shall be out ‘ If with any part of his person, being in a straight line from wicket to wicket, he stop the ball which in the opinion of the umpire would have hit the wicket.’ ” Mr. A. J. Webbe (Middlesex) will move the following addition to Law 24—•“ Or should he wilfully cross the wicket, and defend it with his person.” Dr. W. G. Grace (Gloucestershire) will propose “ That all county matches should commence at 12 noon on the first day, and on the second and third days play shall commence at 11 a.m., and that this rule shall be strictly enforced.” Mr. G. Marsliam (Kent) will propose “ That the Chairman and Hon.Secretary and Treasurer should be ex-ojjicio members of the Council.” Mr. A. H. Heath (Staffordshire) will move “ That arrangements shall be made on county cricket grounds to enable boundary hits to be run out.” T h e members of the world-famed brotherhood of Smith will be glad to hear that the Captain of Shrewsbury’s eleven is not the only one of the distinguished family in the Colonies capable of acquit- ing himself with credit on the cricket field. The Sydney Referee is my authority for the intelligence that eleven Smiths played eleven of the Manly Club a few weeks ago and, as was only to be expected, came out of the fray with flying colours, beating the Manly—perish the thought that the Smiths are unmanly— by 53 runs on the first innings. T he critic of the Beferee seems quite hurt that the Smiths are developing so rapidly in the Colonies, but he hardly appreciates the inexhaustible resources of the tribe. “ This is about the first team of brothers or namesakes,” says the Beferee, “ thathas shown itself out in the colony, but in England the Christopherson Bros, are reckoned a very formidable team. We are getting more like England every day, but bother it all, there are too many Smiths in and around Manly.” M r . W. W. R e a d , according to the latest advices from Australia, has been sufferingconsiderably from neuralgia since he has been in Australia. This will account for a certain amount of ill success in the earlier matches, and indeed the reporter of the A ustralasian newspaper, in commenting on the match between Mr. Vernon’s team and eighteen Mel­ bourne Jnniors in December, states that what he calls “afacial affection’’has affected the Surrey Amateur’s sight. Muchly since then, though, Mr. Read has shown by his NEXT ISSUE, FEBRUARY 28.