Cricket 1890

JAN. 47, 1890, CKICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 9 Lord’s in 1886, but hardly fulfilled the expectations of his School form subse­ quently at Oxford, In last month’s C r ic k e t I had the gratification of notifying the first appear­ ance in any character of a youngster sure to develop into an enthusiastic cricketer, if a love of the game comes by inheritance as we have seen proved times out of number. I am referring to the son and heir of Mr. G. G. S. Lindsey, to whose enter­ prise was mainly due the visit of the Gentlemen of Canada to England in 1887. Since then I have heard thart G. G. S. himself has been seeking the bubble reputation at the ballot’s mouth, and with success. I notice from the Toronto Em pire, in the report of the Aldermanic Elections for that City, that Mr. Lindsey was not only second of the three Can­ didates for his ward but was within eleven votes of the top of the poll. N ot a few CniCKET-readers will re­ member well P. E. Allan, the left- handed bowler, who formed one of the first Australian Team to visit England under the command o f D. W . Gregory twelve years back, known at home as “ the bowler of a century.” H ecam eover here with a great reputation, whieh, how­ ever, he hardly confirmed in England. Latterly, he has been practically lost to Australian cricket, and, indeed, it is, I believe, some six or seven years since he represented Victoria in an Inter-Colonial or International contest. That his hand has, however, lost little o f its cunning was shown a few weeks ago. Playing for Warrnambool against Port Fairy in a match for the District premiership, he had a remarkable analysis. The wickets at Warrnambool are, as a rule, good, and this makes his record, 48 balls for 10 runs and 7 wickets, all the more merit­ orious. I am given to understand that another fixture has been added to the programme of the Australian team to visit England this summer, since the meeting of County Secretaries at Lord’s. Mr. H. F. Boyle, the Australian manager, has accepted an invitation of the Earl of Londesborough to play on the ground of the Lyric Club, and the Australians will figure at Barnes as arranged on July 31 and two following days. As this was the only vacant date after the English fixtures had been made, up to the end of the real season, it does not seem as if the Australians will have any chance of a rest between May 8, when they play their first match at Sheffield Park, and August 28, unless some of the provisional dates should after all be available. C r ic k e t readers will be sorry to learn that J. iWorrall, of the last Australian team, has been prevented from playing cricket this season owing to a bad foot. After one toe had been cut, it was found necessary to perform another operation, and for some time Worrall was confined to his bed. He had so far recovered, though, as to be able to get about on crutches by the commencement of the inter-colonial match between Victoria and New South Wales in the middle of last month, and no doubt by this time is about again with all his usual vigour. F rom what I can learn the two young Surrey professionals, Brockwell and C. Mills, who accompanied Frank Hearne to South Africa with the object of getting an engagement and a winter’s 'practice out there, have had no reason to be dis­ satisfied with their experiment. Mention was made in last month’s C ric k e t of the remarkable performance of Mills for K im ­ berley against the Arabs, and his 297 on that occasion earned for him the distinc­ tion of a best on record for South Africa. Brockwell, who has been bowling with great success, and Mills opened the year with some capital all-round cricket for Kimberley against the Natal team. The former took seven wickets for 52 runs in the second innings of Natal, in addition scored at a great rate while he was in, helping at one time to add 100 runs in fifty minutes. South African cricket cannot be all enjoyment, though, to men who are not acclimatised, and Brockwell informs me that in the match in question the thermometer showed 160 degrees in the sun. I am glad to hear that the trip has been in every way profitable to Brockwell and Mills, who are both thoroughly respectable and de­ serving, young fellows. Mills’ latest con­ tribution up to the despatch of the last South African mail was 62 for Kimberley against the Pirates. In a few weeks they will be on their way home, and it will be interesting to see how they fare next season in connection with Surrey cricket. I learn from Mr. H . F. Boyle, the manager of the Australian team which will shortly be leaving the Colonies for England, that everything points hopefully to the collection of an exceedingly formid­ able side. “ Felix,” in the Australasian of Dec. 21, mentions that there is a chance of H . Moses, the well-known New South Welshman, joining the party. H is presence here would undoubtedly give additional interest to the visit, so that everyone will heartily echo “ Felix’s ” hope that he may be able to form one of the new combination. It is stated that in all probability the team will leave the Colonies about the 17th March. “ Felix ” gives another piece of information, by the way, which will be o f interest to English cricketers. W . L . Murdoch, he states, was practising on the Melbourne Ground in the middle of last month, and, he adds, “ shaped in fine style, his hitting all­ round being quite up his best form. A special ‘ sticky ’ wicket had been fixed up for him, and he was thoroughly at home on it.” E v e r y genuine cricketer will sincerely regret the unsportsmanlike course G.Giffen thought fit to take in the Inter-colonial match between Victoria and South Australia, begun at Adelaide on Dec. 13. The circumstances of the case may be briefly given:—A ball delivered by H . Trumble struck the batsman, George Giffen, on the leg, and the bowler ap­ pealing the South Australian umpire gave Giffen not out. The Victorian wicket­ keeper thereupon appealed to the other umpire for a decision respecting “ hit wicket,” and Flynn gave Giffen out. It appears that when the second appeal was made one of the bails was off, and it is affirmed that Giffen, falling in malting the stroke, had knocked it off with his foot. Had he quite completed his action of playing at the ball, of course the bats­ man ought not properly to have been given out, but this does not at all affect Giffen’s attitude. Bightly or wrongly the umpire gave him out, and it is a thousand pities that a cricketer of such exceptional ability should set so unworthy an example in seeking to place himself above laws which have been respected by generation after generation of players all over the world. I f the umpire’s decision is to be disputed with impunity, as it practically was when Blackham allowed Giffen to con­ tinue his innings under protest, cricket will lose most of its charm, all its dignity. I shall be surprised if Giffen’s attitude does not meet with an expression of severe disapproval from the South Australian Association, whose reputation for fair play cannot but suffer from his action. N ot a few C ric k e t readers will have noticed with interest the newspaper ac­ counts o f the marriage o f Mr. F. Elmer Speed at the end of last year. Mr. Speed, who is the second son o f the well-known Queen’s Counsel, was in the Kugby School Elevens of 1875, ’76, and ’77, and captained the team in his last year. He has been of late years chiefly identified with the M.C.C., Free Foresters, and other leading clubs. The ceremony took place on Dec. 31, at St. Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge. The bride was Miss Elinor Leyland, youngest daughter of Mr. Frederick Leyland, of Prince’s Gate and Wootton Hall, Lancashire. T h e Sydney M ail states that the Australian team for England will leave the Colony about the 17th of March. D . W . G regory , the Captain of the First Australian team, has just resigned the posi­ tion of H on. Sec. of the New South Wales Association, after holding it for five or six years. C. T . B . T urner , the great Australian bowler, did a fine performance for Carlton against Sydney, at Sydney, last m onth. In the first innings he bowled 96 balls for 28 runs and seven wickets. NEXT ISSUE, FEBRUARY 27.