Cricket 1888

466 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. D E C . 27, 1883. CKICKET IN AUSTRALIA. (From our Sydney Correspondent). U n iv ersit y v . B e l v id e r e . In consequence of the very bad show made by the University against the new senior club, the Sydneys, it was not expected that Alma Mater would long trouble the bowlers in this match on Oct. 20. But their good luck in winning the toss was the forerunner of really excellent play, and it is many a long day since the public were treated to so good an exhibi­ tion of genuine cricket. The evergreen Tom Garrett and H. Lee opened the game, and though the latter at first played all round the ball instead of on it, he gradually settled down and showed good defence for 17. Garrett also commenced slowly, but when once set was remarkably busy. His cuts and glances off the fast bowler were a treat, whilst off the slower trundlers he astonished the field by some of those old fashioned square-leg hits to the boundary which, with most players, have gone out of date. E ighty runs were up in the hour, and the scoring increased when Barbour joined the veteran. The new comer hit from the outset, and made some really wonderful cn drives, scoring three 6’s over the fence, against a very strong south wind—and what that means those who have visited Sydney well know. At length, almostevery bowler having been tried, Tom Garrett hit one from Moses hard over Crane’s head at point. By leaping he just touched the ball, and it was caught at the second attempt. Garrett had then been in three hours, and had scored 147, including twenty-one 4’g, without giving anv chances except an almost impossible catch to short­ stop. This is the second highest score Garrett has made, his best being 163 against Victoria, when Murdoch made his 321. At this time Barbour had made 90, and for the last half hour somewhat slowed down, Dr. Wilkinson, who played for Middlesex in his student days, being his companion. At the stroke of six, Barbour and the doctor were not out for 104 and 14 respectively. Play was somewhat slow during the re­ mainder of the innings, which was continued on Oct. 27. Barbour, mindful of his average, played “ the rock,” whilst none of the others could do much against the bowling, except Powell, who hit hard for 12, including a five, but put his leg where his bat ought to have been in trying for another over the fence. Belvidere went in to face the score of 380 runs, and though C. Richardson lost his wicket early in the proceedings, all the others played good interesting cricket. Harry Moses made 41 without a chance, but succumbed to an off- break from Garrett. A. Shute and Charlton showed good driving powers in compiling their scores, but W . Richardson played much better cricket for his score of 60 not out, which included three fives. The total at the call of time was 179 for three wickets. The Belvideres deserve great credit for the brilliant manner in which they played an uphill game, for the scoring was anything but slow, the 179 being made in just two hours. A lb ert v . S yd n ey . On the Domain these two teams met for the first time, but though the new club had the advantage of the wicket, they were all soon disposed of for 118. Newell and M ’Kenzie played well for their runs, but nothing further relieved the innings from mediocrity. The Alberts scored 60 for one wicket, Farnsworth playing with Vigour for his score of 34 not out. The match was continued on October 27. The Sydney, which is a new club, had much the worst of the play throughout. Their first innings produced 118 runs, which their oppo­ nents passed by 109, and then the Sydneys— by very indifferent play, for both wickets 'and light were good—lost three wickets for 20 runs. Carlton journeyed to Parramatta with a weak team, and Warwick played a suburban team, but neither match requires mention. Among other matches may be mentioned that of the Surry United against St. Peter’s, which brought into prominence a new player, who should make his mark both with the bat and ball. Playing for a school team (Royston College), he has taken in three innings this season fourteen wickets for 44 runs, and was therefore asked to play for the Surry, one of the best Junior teams. He was not tried as a bowler, as his side were at the wickets all the afternoon, but, going in ninth, he made the highest score, 63, including three 5’s (all run out), seven 4’s, five 3’s, one 2, and three singles. W e shall probably hear from him again. At the last meeting of the New South Wales Cricket A&sociation it was decided to accept the Melbourne Association programme of Inter-colonial matches, by which only one match each year will be played between New South Wales and Victoria. This, however, does not meet with general approval, and it is probable that at the next meeting this decision will be reversed. From Victoria I have the following matches:— M.C.C. v. C a r lto n . On the previous Saturday seven M.C.C. wickets were down for 310 runs, with MT1- wraith not out 77. The score was now not much increased, the innings producing 336 runs, of which M’llwraith made 94 not out. With the exception of two capital innings by Freeman and Leydin, the latter being not out, the Carlton innings was a failure, as when play ceased nine wickets were down for 110, E ast M elb ou rn e v . R ich m o n d . On the previous Saturday East Melbourne had disposed of their opponents for 51 and had made 28 for three wickets. During the whole afternoon only three more wickets were lost. Lewis compiled 86 in good form, and the veteran, T. Horan, was not out for 57, playing a splendid innings without a single chance. S outh M elb o u rn e v . U n iv e r sit y . The former lost eight wickets for 151 on the previous Saturday, and now only added 9 runs. University followed, and scored 162 for six wickets, Freeman 57 and M’Lean 48, being the principal scorers. Only one more wicket fell on the following Saturday when rain stopped play, the University having scored 179 for seven wickets against an innings of 160. From the second eleven matches in Mel­ bourne, a few loose strings may be gathered. M.C.C. v. Carlton made 391 runs, and six of the team reached double figures, Dunne being top scorer with 106. For M.C.C. against St. Xavier’s College, Jones took four wickets for 9 runs, a feat about equalled by Wells of South Melbourne, who took five University wickets for 13. For North Melbourne v. St. Kilda, first elevens, Bean, who was unsuccessfully tried for the Australian team of this season, made 72 in good style. Against really first-class bowling he failed lamentably. The Warwicks played at Parramatta, and had a terrible leather-hunting, the local team making 277 for six wickets. Of this number Walford made 108, Brodie 42, and Copeland (not out) 37. Our last meeting of the N.S.W. Cricket Association brought about some curious dis­ closures. The new club, the Sydney C.C., applied for admission into the Association. This is the club to W'hich I have previously alluded as having been greatly favoured by the ground trustees at the expense of the other clubs. The managing trustee founded this club, gave it free practice wickets on ti e Asso­ ciation ground, a privilege for which other clubs pay £‘25 a year each ; he also made its members honorary members of the ground, which costs outsiders two guineas a year ; he promised to find them a cricket coach, and sundry other little extras, for all of which others have to pay a very fair market value. All this was done with the avowed object of inducing some few Juniors to play Senior cricket. The names were read out, and to the astonishment of all concerned it was found that of the 31 members of this club, thirteen were either in the very front rank of cricket, or had already passed into the “ sere and yellow.” Of the remaining eighteen, at least twelve have in the past belonged to Senior clubs, but went back to the Juniors for the sake of—pots— and even now they only make a convenience of the club, for they play junior cricket just when it pleases them. So it fell out that the Association refused to admit the Sydney Club, but there will be a battle royal overthe matter before it is concluded. At the same meeting there was also some display of feeling on the appointment of a Selection Committee. It was proposed that Mr. D. W . Gregory, the captain of the first team which visited England from the Colonies, should be sole selector of teams for Inter­ colonial matches. Another section desired a committee of three, but disclaimed any per­ sonal feeling against Mr. Gregory. When it wasdecided there should be only one selector ofteams, they evidenced this absence of personal feeling by fruitlessly proposing in rapid succession half-a-dozen names in opposition. W ith such bitter feeling predominant, needless to say the meeting was as bad as a National League Demonstration. Among the items worth mentioning is the bowling at a suburban match in Melbourne. A team called the Fawkner in their first essay scored 22, of which ten were sundries. W . Perraton took three wickets for 4 runs, A. Eades four for 8, and Jarvis two for nothing. There should be some latent talent in this quarter. A lb ert v . C arlton . The cricket of the week ending Nov. 7 has been rather tame, owing to the fact that the Trustees of the Association ground leased the ground for last Saturday for a military tour­ nament and athletic sports. No doubt the passage of heavy guns over the out-fielding will render it much better for cricket. But that is quite in keeping with the usual mode of working the ground. A few shillings maybe are brought in by the sports; from cricket nothing is to be had, and as there are no English teams coming out this year to tell tales, it does not matter much about the wickets. On a new ground, made by one Pannell, who claims to have been ground bowler at the Oval, was played the only Senior match really worth mentioning. The Alberts met the Carltons, but the turf played trickily, and high scores were quite out of the question. At the end of the after­ noon Carlton had somewhat the best of a very unsatisfactory game, having scored 38 for three w'ickets against an innings of 64. The new Sydney team, which I suppose will not now have a very long, or at all events a very happy life, journeyed to our model village by the sea—Manly—where they had a pleasant afternoon, scoring 248 for seven wickets. Scoring was rapid, for the runs were put together in something less than three hours. R. Brewster made 111 and Donnan 65. It is not often that I can obtain Adelaide news early enough to embody in my budget. A telegram from the “ flour city ” brings the news of a match between Adelaide and South Adelaide, in which the former made 156 for eight wickets, and also of a match between North Adelaide and Hindmarsh, in which the former team compiled 275 for nine wickets, a new player of the name of Smith making 103 and retiring ill. It is not a matter of wonder that Melbourne cricket was slack on Saturday last. The Cup will be run in a day or two, and Saturday wTas a race day, second only to Cup day in import­ ance. It was Derby Day, and hence many of the “ sports ” were absent from the cricket- field. South Melbourne played M.C.C., but none of the great guns did anything remark­ able, considering the superlative excellence of the ground. Bruce contributed 34, Mcll- wraith 17, and Jem Phillips, engaged last summer at Lord’s, 13 to the total of 188. Kemp took six w’ickets for 47. South Mel­ bourne had got 17 without the loss of a wicket when play ceased. NEXT ISSUE, JANUARY 24.