Cricket 1889

2 CRICKET: A WEEKLY EECORD OF THE GAME. JAN. 24, 1889. and whatever may be the result of the tour from a cricket point of view, if it only tends, as it must do, to cement the good feeling which animates all parts of the Imperial dominions it will have done its work. English cricketers will be glad to find that South Africa not only can boast good players imported from the old country, but, also, many born on its soil. The successes of the local teams will give a great impetus to the pursuit of the game in Cape Colony and neighbouring parts. They will also invest the doings of cricketers in South Africa with a new interest in England, and all cricketers here will heartily congratulate the Colonists on their achievements. A visit of a South African team to England may, after all, be an event of a nearer future than Major Warton thought when he left England. Its probability can hardly fail to have been increased by recent developments. T he following account of the tour written by the Special Correspondent of the Sporting L ife is reproduced by permission :— On Dec. 14, we found ourselves on waking in Table Bay, with a lovely view of Cape Town, and Table Mountain rising sheer and square behind the town like a vast building completely dwarfing the town. It was half- past nine or ten before We got into the dock (a fine piece of work), and found a large crowd awaiting us—a large percentage being Kaffirs and Malays. Of course all the leading lights in the cricket community of Cape Colony, and indeed from Griqualand West were there, and, after introductions, the team were driven up in waggonettes drawn by white horses to their hotels, the amateurs to the International, and the professionals to the George—it being thought more convenient for the team to be in the town, rather than, as had been suggested, at Wzuberg, which is nearer the field of action. During the morning a council of war was held, and the programme finally arranged, the notable alterations being a straight course from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth by the “ Roslin Castle,” and a journey by coach from Johannesberg to Natal. In the afternoon the team were seen at practice at the nets on the Newlands Ground, but loose matting and the recent sea voyage gave the bowlers a decided superiority. In the evening the team were conducted down to a large bazaar (on behalf of an organ fund), and two of us pressed into service— Skinner for a recitation and Smith for “ Enniscorthy.” On December 15 the team had net practice on the Claremont Ground, where a good mat­ ting wicket was provided, and a better show on all hands was seen. W e had so far enjoyed the most glorious weather, beautifully bright hot days and cool nights, in the evening the south-easter freshened, and we saw that curious effect, the tablecloth over the moun­ tain, a clear sky above and a white cloud lying flat and bright upon the top, and pouring down like a huge waterfall, but melting away half-way down. The following day the mem­ bers of the team dispersed here and there, escorted by various friends, some being driven round the suburbs on the other side of Table mountain, which are really beautiful, being densely wooded with pine groves and oak avenues, and others were taken to see one of the best old “ Dutch farms ” in the Colony, belong­ ing to a Mr. Allan Cloete—a hospitable old Dutch gentleman, who entertained them for the greaterpart of the day, showing them some splendid vineyards, which have fortunately escaped the Phylloxera and other diseases; the house being a beautiful old Dutch habita­ tion at least 120 years old, and arranged with all the care ana thought shown by the old Dutchmen of that time. Though Monday, December 17, was a real sweltering day—105 deg. in the shade, never­ theless, the Englishmen were in full force at practice on a matting wicket in the middle cf the Newlands Ground, two batiing and the rest fielding. In the evening the team were entertained at a public dinner, at which His Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson was present, and the chair was occupied by SirThos. Upington, who was supported on the right by His Excellency , the Governor, Sir Hercules Robinson, by Sir J. H. de Villiers (the Chief Justice), and by Sir David Tennant (Speaker of the House of Assembly), whilst on his left were Mr. C. A. Smith (captain of the English team), Mr. Justice Buchanan, and Mr. G. Moodie. Some 120 persons in all sat down to dinner, amongst them being, in addition to those already specified, Sir Thomas Scanlen, and the Hon. J. H. Hofmeyr. In replying to the toast of his health, His Excellency The Governor expressed his pleasure in being able to unite in welcoming the first English cricket team which had ever visited those shores. He had always main­ tained that a taste for all the good old English sports and pastimes not only exercised a very important influence in the formation of a sound and vigorous national character, but that it contributed also a very effective bond of union between the daughter lands and the Mother Country. Next to racing, cricket was the most essentially English of all their national amusements. And he rejoiced that it had taken such a root in the affections of the South African youth that they had invited an English team to come out there, so as to test in a practical manner the progress which they themselves were making in the noble game. Although a poor cricketer himself, he greatly admired good play in others ; and he often thought when looking on at the game that to be a first-rate performer a man must possess a happy combination of nicely-balanced qualities, which would go a long way towards ensuring him success in any walk in life. He must have caution without timidity, activity without precipitation, and courage without rashness; he must have a quick perception of his object, and a dexterous use of the means. In giving the toast of the evening, the Chair­ man tendered on behalf of the citizens of Cape Town the heartiest of welcomes to the mem­ bers of that team. He could promise them that they would receive in that colony as sound and as hearty a welcome as they had received in any other portion of Her Majesty’ s domin­ ions. Whether the Cape cricketeis succeeded in defeating the team or not, the English players would carry away from that colony nothing but the pleasantest recollections of their stay. They would find amongst the people nothing but a desire to welcome them, a desire to admire their play, a desire to learn from them, and a desire to make African cricket as perfect as it could be modelled upon their model. Time was in Australia when cricket was not the magnificent thing it is in Australia now. Nothing, he thought, could have a greater effect of binding together the Empire than that visits should be made by teams like this team. The future of England depended upon th3 future of her colonies, and the more that Englishmen cross the sea to visit the colonies, to see what colonists are, to ascertain how devoted they are to the Empire, the better for the Empire. And no better thing could be done by any English country gentlemen wishing to see what the Empire, of which he is a subject, is than to traverse the seas as a member of one of these teams, and come to the colonies. When he came of course he would take care to bring with him a strong force at his back. Mr. Smith had taken care to bring a jolly strong force at his back this time. But even if he won they would wish him all success in his victory; if, on the other hand, he lost, their pride would be unbounded. In reply Mr. Smith, the Captain of the English team, said these visits did more than anything else to promote the interests of cricket, and to further the feeling of sport which every British man had within himself. And they did, too, more than that. They made one feel, as subjects of Her Majesty, that there was a link between the mother country and the colonies, far thicker than any­ one realised at home. When they came to a Colony, Englishmen found brothers and cousins extending to them the right hand of welcome, and they felt then in reality they were Englishmen one and all. When in E ng­ land sometime before sailing, some one said to him “ You are going to play cricket at the Cape ?” the question was asked, “ Where are you goin g?" He said, “ To Cape Town, Kimberley, Maritzburg, Natal, and other places.” And the query then came, “ Where are you going to play; on the roads?” He replied that he believed they had cricket fields out there, but was then told by his informant that when at the Cape previously they used to play there on the hard high road. He was glad to hear that evening that the Cape Town cricketers did not expect to thrash them, for previously he was under the impression that that was their expectation. In fact they were quite frightened the other day when practis­ ing at New'lands. One of the Cape cricketers or ground-men was there watching Briggs— little Johnny Briggs—who was then getting what was called a lot of “ stuff” on the ball. After a time the man went into the pavilion and then said, “ They talks a lot about that there Briggs, but I been watchixighim for this ’arf-hour, and I can bowl as straight myself.” They all felt very grateful for the kind reception they had met. Major Warton also briefly replied. Mr.C.A. Smith proposed “ The South African Cricketers,” to which Mr. W. H. Milton briefly replied. The Englishmen have met with a reverse in their first encounter here, having been defeated, after a hard fought game, by 17 runs. Glorious weather tempted some 4,000 or more people to witness the first struggle of the locals against the Englishmen, a V6ry large percentage being ladies, and much excitement was displayed on all sides, though no one, or very few, felt that a victory for the Englishmen was a practical certainty. And as the match went on—the issue being in doubt up to the last two wickets—the excite­ ment grew intense. Of course some explana­ tion is demanded for the reverse of the Britishers by all, and it must be given. Certainly they had the worst of the luck through the match, and the intense heat of the third day, not forgetting, perhaps, the excessive hospitality of the Cape Town people during the last few days, affected their play to some extent, but they met a Twenty-two of no mean calibre, including several men who learnt their cricket at home, and in Theunis- sen and Ashley they had to contend against two very fair bowlers, and difficult to score off with a large flock of Twenty-two fieldsmen around them. Theunissen is a right-hander, who bumps them down rather short, with variety of pace and a quick break back; and Ashley, a left-hander, with an exceptionally good length and leg break. These two bowlers, with Milton’s batting, won the match for the Colonials, as no one else made any stand against the English bowling ; though two or three at the commencement showed good defence. The Colonials wron the toss and elected to bat, sending in Cox and Richards, both of whom showed a good style of defence. How­ NEXT ISSUE, FEBRUARY 21.