Cricket 1889

456 CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. NOV. 28, 1889. THE SEVENTH AUSTRALIAN ELEVEN. B y F elix . [From the Australasian.'] Some time back a home paper in a pleasant cricket sketch dubbed our men “ Swallow Cricketers,” because they had a knack of turning up regularly in England with the swallows in spring. It can hardly be said that the designation is inappropriate, for ever since the first team left these shores under Gregory and Conway in 1 8 78, our men have made abiennial flight to England, and, like the swallows in their annual flight, have invari­ ably arrived in time to see the old land in the prime of its verdant beauty. It was thought when the last team returned that our crioketers would no longer follow the habits of the happy birds that change their sky and “ live their lives from land to land,” but reoent announcements show that the old biennial migration is to be maintained, and that the 1 8 9 0 exodus will be under the man­ agement of the veteran “ swallow cricketer,” H. F. Boyle. It will be the first time that he has winged his way home as manager, and I heartily wish him success. Boyle has made many warm friends in England. He is known well and favourably at Lord’s, the Oval, Old Trafford, Clifton, Brighton, Trent Bridge, Bradford, Huddersfield, Bramall Lane, and his return to these and other grounds will be hailed with satisfaction by thousands of lovers of cricket. But the chief charm in connection with the new team is that Mur­ doch has consented to join it. After five years’ absence from the field he has made up his mind to put on the flannels once again. Who is there that has not heard of Murdoch ? What cricketer but loved to watch and copy, if he could, his elegant, accomplished style, the ease and freedom of his action. Manly and resolute, skilful and self-reliant, he was undoubtedly one of the best uphill players the cricket world has ever seen. Everybody regretted his retirement, for he was then in the zenith of his fame, and left none his like behind him in Australia. Right cordially do we welcome him back to the arena, where his splendid prowess so materially helped to build up for Australian cricket that “ strong renown which time shall ne’er decay.” And despite the fact that he has been away for a full lustrum, which has landed him on the shady side of 30, I believe he will re-enter the field with all his old vigour of limbs, all his old keenness of vision, and retaining unim­ paired that graceful forward stroke and brilliant cutting power which stamped him as a batsman “ perfect and finished to the finger-nail.” Murdoch will, of course, be captain of the team, and those who were associated with him in 1 8 80, 1882, and 1884 know how admirably he is fitted for the posi­ tion. If it be pleasant to hear that Murdoch is going, it is also pleasant to hear that George Giffen is going. As an all-round man he is, in my judgment, second to none in the world. On a fast, true wicket, I know no bowler who is more likely to get men out; as a batsman his style is excellent and his record first-class; and in the field he is about as smart and sure as they make them. In addition to Giffen we are to have the celebrated Sydney bowlers, Turner and Ferris, who were the right and left bower respectively of the last team. Their names are known all over England, and I hope their brilliant achievements of 1888 will De repeated in 1 8 9 0 . Harry Trott is another cricketer who has earned a capital name in the old country. He got into the last team almost at the last moment, because other players could not go, and he acquitted himself in such sterling fashion that at the close of the tour he was justly bracketed with the best batsmen of the day. As a bowler he did not come up to expectations; but in the field he won the highest praise, the critics being unanimous in stating that he was the best Australian point ever seen on English fields. May he win similar praise in 1890. Percy M‘Donnell has not yet said whether he will go or not, but it is hoped that a strong effort will be made to induce this dashing and powerful batsman to travel again with his old comrades. I hope, too, to see little Alick receive an invitation to join the team. I am aware that some persons who ought to know look upon him as “ done.” I don’t. I think he is as good as ever, and that he can stone­ wall as well now as in that memorable match in 1882 against the famous I Zingari at Scar­ borough, when Bonnor stood colossal by his side, and smote A. P. Lucas to the tune of 20 off four balls. Bonnor himself will, no doubt, be included in the team, and as his hitting power has not in the least diminished with advancing years, his services should be of considerable value. If S. Jones can go, he should be taken, for, apart from his batting skill, he is a fine field and a fine change bowler. There is one player yet to mention, whose name is a household word in England. That player is our own great wicket-keeper Blackham, whom “ age cannot wither nor custom stale.” He is as good with the gloves as of old, and though he fell off a good deal in batting last trip it is quite on the cards that he will come along this season and be himself again. It will be seen from the above that I have mentioned the following names :—Mur­ doch, M‘Donnell, Blackham, Bonnor, Banner­ man, G. Giffen, Ferris, Jones, Turner, and Trott. These ten form a powerful array of batsmen and bowlers without a weak fields­ man, and when to these are added three other names of good men and true, Australia will be capitally represented, and if the players show true form, the results, from a cricket standpoint, are almost sure to be satisfactory. Among the players who have a chanoe of being asked may be mentioned F. Walters, J. Drysdale, J. Harry, J. Barrett, E. Barrett, J. Worrall, P. Charlton, J. Lyons, J. Mackenzie, W. O’Hanlon, W. Giffen, H. Donnan, K. Burn, A. Jarvis, J. Edwards, G. Palmer, and A. Coningham. The certainties of the team will choose the required number, and it is safe to say that every effort will be made to get the best men, irrespective of the colony to which players belong. Blackham must have a wicket-keeper to assist him, so that Jarvis, Mackenzie, O’Hanlon, and Harry look like a quartette from which one is bound to be chosen, unless some new and unexpected light shines out upon the wicket-peeping horizon during the present season. Mr. Alcock has been instructed to arrange a first- class programme, including three matches with England, and a match for the benefit of the Cricketers’ Fund. There is no reason to apprehend that any antagonism will be shown in England against our men. Lord Harris, I am certain, will be one of the first to give them a heartj welcome, and as for Surrey County manifesting opposition, I simply don’t believe it. Australian Elevens have made Surrey County a rich club. The best of feel­ ing has from the start prevailed between that club and the Australians, who have always found Surrey the home of men with heart and hand both open and free. The misunderstand­ ing about the County Cricket Council will be speedily set right. Our men will have the support of that body, and I hope the associa­ tions of the colonies will also accord their sanction. It is, no doubt, well remembered that our associations desired at least four years to elapse without a visit to England, but the real objection to the formation of teams was not the mere visit to England, but the preliminary and final matches in Australia, which had the effect of materially injuring club cricket The present team, however, wili play no preliminary and no final matches, and hence will not interfere with our season’s programme. For this reason I am inclined to think that no opposition will be shown here to the organisation of a team, but that, on the contrary, all lovers of the game will wish Boyle and his comrades a pleasant and prosperous trip to England and a safe return. T H E P R IN C I P A L C L U B S IN 1889 . LIST OF SECRETARIES. THE COUNTIES. C h e s h ir e —James Horner, Stockport. D e r b y s h ir e — W. B. Delacombe, 7 , Irongate, Derby. D e v o n s h ir e — Rev. G . Townsend Warner, Newton Abbott, Devon. D u r h a m —R. H. Mallett, 7 , Lorne T e r r a c e , D a r lin g to n . E s s e x —M. P. Betts, Essex County Cricket Ground, Leyton, E. G lo u c e s t e r s h ir e —Dr. E. M. Grace, Thorn­ bury, Gloucestershire. H a m p s h ir e —Dr. Russell-Bencraft, Raeberry Lodge, Southampton ; H . K. Grierson, 9, Portland Street, Southampton. H e r e f o r d s h i r e — H. C. Burnett-Phillip, The Knoll, Tapsley, Hereford. H e r t f o r d s h i r e — O. Pigg, 7 , Warkworth Street, Cambridge. K e n t — A. J. Lanoaster, 2 1 , Watling Street, Canterbury. L a n c a s h ir e —S. H. Swire, 2 6 , Barton Arcade, Manchester. L in c o ln s h ir e —Ben Robinson, jun., Spilsby. L e i c e s t e r s h i r e — T. B. Burdett, Aylestone, Leicester. M id d le s e x — P. M . Thornton, United Univer­ sities Club, Suffolk Street, London, W . N o r f o l k —C. J. E. Jarvis, King’s Lynn, and W. E. Hansell, Thorpe, Norwich. N o r t h a m p t o n s h ir e — T. H. Vialls, 7 , Wood Hill, Northampton. N o r t h u m b e r la n d — John Thompson, 2 4 , Front Street, Cullercoats. N o ttin g h a m — W. H. C. Oates, Langford Hall, Newark-on-Trent. S o m e r s e t s h ir e —H. E. Murray Anderdon, Hemlade House, Taunton. S t a f f o r d s h i r e — T.C.Slaney, Lichfield Street, Hanley. S u r r e y — 0 . W. Alcock, Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington Oval, London, S .E . S u s s e x —W. Newham, Sussex County Cricket Ground, Brighton. W a r w ic k s h ir e — W . Ansell, 7 8 , Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. W o r c e s t e r s h ir e —H. C. Jobson, Summerhill, Kidderminster. Y o r k s h ir e — J. B. Wostinholm, 10, Norfolk Row, Sheffield. THE UNIVERSITIES (Captains). C a m b rid g e —S. M. J. Woods, Trinity College, Cambridge. O x f o r d — Hon. F. J. N. Thesiger, Magdalen College, Oxford. PUBLIC^SCHOOLS. (C aptain s o f E l e v e n s .) Bradfield College—G. M. T. Smyth, Bradfield College, Reading. Brighton College—A. J. Meissner, Brighton College, Brighton. Charterhouse School—C. H. King, Charter­ house School, Godalming. Cheltenham College—Hon. F. Thesiger, Cheltenham College, Cheltenham. Clifton College—B. F. Hanson, Clifton Col­ lege, Bristol. Eton College—R. T. Jones, Eton College, AVindsor. Fettes College—G. T. Campbell, Fettes College, Edinburgh. Haileybury College—R. W. C. Fisher, Hailey­ bury College, Hertford. Harrow School—A. C. Maclaren, Harrow School, Harrow-on-the-Hill. Lancing College—F. C. Cooper, Lancing College, Shoreham. Loretto School—E. C. De Moubray, Loretto School, Musselburgh, N.B. Malvern College—P. H. Latham, 3, College Grounds, Malvern. Marlborough College—T. E. Etlinger, Marl­ borough College, Marlborough. Radley College—L. C. V. Bathurst, Radley College, Abingdon. NEXT ISSUE, DECEMBER 27.