Cricket 1888

DEC . 27, 1888."1 CEICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OP THE GAMS. 471 thoroughly as possible he insisted on standing among the players. The result of this was that he joined in it unconsciously—that is, he fielded a ball with his head, and his skuli being rather softer than a swift-flying cricket ball, he was more or less injured. This convinced the wise authorities that their views as to the dangers of cricket were well founded, and the game was forbidden by order of the municipality. T h e following remarks on the strength of Philadelphian cricket, taken from the American Cricheter, will be specially interesting, if only as an indication of the possible composition of the team which will represent the Gentlemen of Philadel­ phia over here next Slimmer — Should Messrs. R. S. Newhall and J. B. Thayer be unable, by reason of business engagements, to take the time to get into practice and make the trip, it will be generally acknowledged that the twelve who played in the second Irish match, Messrs. D. S. Newhall, Brewster, Clark, H. I. Brown, Patterson, Morgan, Brockie, W. Scott, Stoever, Etting, Lowry, and Thomson, with the addition, of course, of J. A. Scott, who was prevented by illness from taking part against the Irishmen, and also of one other man in the shape of a fast bowler, would make a good showing in the old country, and is unquestionably the best available aggregation at present. Although the run-getting abilities of B. S. Newhall and Thayer would be greatly missed, and admitting that it is, and will be for a long time, impossible to fill the place of C. A. Newhall as a fast bowler, we are of opinion that the men above-named are capable of making as creditable a showing as did their predecessors in 1886, a result which would be entirely satis­ factory to all concerned. I t will be of interest to C r ic k e t readers who were brought into contact in any way with the First Australian Team, which visited England ten years ago, to learn that Mr. D. W. Gregory, the captain of that combination, has recently been appointed by the New South Wales Asso­ ciation sole selector of the teams to re­ present the colony during the year. A small sub-committee had performed the duties which now devolve on Mr. Gregory, in the past, but the recent decision of the Association to leave the selection in the hands of one responsible and capable per­ son, seems to have received general ap­ proval. The choice of the Victorian elevens has, for a long time, been en­ trusted to one individual, who, for the last year or so, has proved to be Mr. W. H. Cooper, a member, as many will recollect, of the Fourtli Australian Team of 1884. T h e appearance of Frank Hearne, who went out to South Africa some weeks before the main body of the English cricketers under Mr. C. A. Smith’s com­ mand at the Cape, seems to have been received with mixed feelings by some of the Cricket critics in the Colony. “ Gossip,” of the Kimberley Independent, apparently has found something very suspicious in Hearne’s arrival in advance of his fellows. “ Gossip,” mindful of the old axiom, Fas est ab hoste doceri, is not to be caught with a trap of this kind, and this is how he cautions the cricketers of the District under the heading of “ Learning from the Enemy ”— The Cape Town cricketers seem to think that a month’s coaching from Hearne will do them a lot of good. I am inclined to think,however, that Hearne will learn quite as much as he teaches, unless precautions are taken. It is not probable that the Cape Town men can master the things taught by Hearne in a single month, but it is likely that tlie pro. will learn all about the Cape Town bowling and batting. Such knowledge would be usedwith disastrous effect when Hearne plays with the other Englishmen against Cape Town. I see that the local Advertiser exhorts Kimberley players to go to Cape Town a few days before the date of the All Colony match in order to “ get a little coaching from the Kent pro.” Now, if I were the captain of the Kimberley team, I would ralher put them in handcuffs until the day of the match. The batsmen could not learn anything in a few days, but Hearne would detect their weak and strong points at once. As for the bowlers, the less Hearne knows about the extent and style of the Kimberley “ breaks ” the better it will be for the analysis of the Kimberley trundlers. His many friends will be glad to learn that Hearne made a successful first appearance in South Africa. Though he had not before performed on a matting wicket, and moreover had not got over the effects of the voyage, the Kentish cricketer did good service for the Western Province Club against Claremont, making seventy- seven, in addition to taking three wickets. The rest of the team, too, seem to have had most hearty reception on their arrival at Cape Town on the 14th inst. A banquet was to be given in their honour on the following Monday, three days before they were to commence their opening fixture, meeting Eighteen of the Western Province District at Cape Town. I h a v e ' good reason for stating that the Hon. Ivo Bligh has been selected by the Sub-Committee appointed to find a suitable successor to Mr. A. J. Webbe to occupy the dual office of Hon. Sec. and Treasurer to the County Cricket Council. Mr. Bligh has, moreover, intimated his willingness to undertake the duties, so that the matter is practically settled. The Counties are to be congratulated on having secured the co-operation of one so thoroughly well qualified to take the direc­ tion of affairs. Cricketers of all classes, too, will be pleased to see Mr. Bligh taking an active partin the good work ofconsolidating County cricket, and identifying himself with a body which ought to be of great influence in developing the best interests of the game. I t is gratifying to find that cricket is steadily increasing its hold on the youth of the United States. Harvard University seems to be doing good work just now in its efforts to develop the game by its permanent introduction into the collegiate institutions of America. At the first meeting of the University Cricket Club, held lately, the management reported that they had tried to arrange a match for Monday, Oct. 11, between Fifteen of the University and the Gentlemen of Ireland. Unfortunately, though, owing to the fact that they had to sail from New York on the following Wednesday, the Irishmen were unnble to play, a matter for regret to the cricket authorities at Harvard, not only because such a fixture would have helped the game a great deal in the University, but because it would have considerably improved Harvard’s chances of meeting Yale, its great rival, in an annual match. A v e r y noteworthy performance with the ball was recorded to the credit ot a young cricketer in Brisbane, on the 27th of October. Playing for South Brisbane against Marylebone, T. Rogers took seven wickets for two runs, and six of the seven batsmen were clean bowled with successive balls. Rogers, who also shaped well with the bat, is regarded as one of the coming cricketers of Queens­ land. Another notable bowling feat was reported in the Adelaide Observer of Nov. 3. In a match between Koseworthy College and Freeling, A. Turbill, a left- handed bowler, bowled five wickets in an over of six balls. He h'it the stumps, too, with the sixth ball, but without removing the bails. P a r l ia m e n t has just received into its midst another enthusiastic supporter of our grand old game of cricket, by the election of Mr. F. S. W. Cornwallis to represent the borough of Maidstone in the House of Commons. Mr. Cornwallis, who is an Old Etonian, dispenses right royal hospitality to cricketers on the pretty ground attached to his estate at Linton Park, near Maidstone, as the men of Kent and many good men and true out­ side that county’s borders know from per­ sonal experience. The Linton Park Week is one of the most enjoyable of the many festive gatherings of the kind, and that there is plenty of good cricket can be proved by the fact that last year the house eleven had to meet the Free Foresters, I Zingari, and B.B. in turn. I believe, too, I am right in saying that the elect of Maidstone is at the present time, or was last year, Honorary Secretary of the distinguished fraternity of Kent amateurs, yclept the Band of Brothers. T h e members of the English cricket teams which have visited Australia of late years have had substantial proof of the existence of more than one really good cricketer in the colony of Tasmania. Messrs. E. H. Butler and C. W. Rock have both proved their abilities on English grounds, and there seems to be just now no lack of talent, particularly in the northern districts. Not many weeks since the Wellington Club did some good scoring, knocking up 456 runs for seven wickets, against the Break o’ Day Club. The principal contributors to this total were G. Gatehouse, who made 168, and K. Burn, who scored 121. Burn, no doubt many C r ic k e t readers will re­ member, has been mentioned in connec­ tion with the later Australian teams that have visited England, and Mr. Vernon and his comrades were highly impressed with the capacities of the two cricketers. They had, indeed, evidence of their quality, for Burn contributed 99, and Gatehouse 42 to the total of 405 made by NEXT ISSUE, JANUAEY 24.