Cricket 1890

MAS. *27, 1890. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 89 THE SEVENTH AUSTRALIAN TEAM. M r. H. F . B oy le, old Parliamentary hand as he is, does not seem to have found tlie work of collecting an Australian team for E ngland quite as easy as at one tim e seemed likely. In his earlier comm unications to us on the subject, he was especially hopeful of being able to personally conduct a combina­ tion that would equal the celebrated team of 1882, by comm on consent the best representa­ tion of Australian cricket that has visited this country. In securing the prom ise of W . L Murdoch, G. Giffen, C. T . B . Turner, J. Ferris, J. M cC. Blackham, and H . Trott,, there was certainly every justification for the highest expectations. Unfortunately, these hopes were not destined to be realised. There was a subsequent rumour that H . Moses m ight be induced to make the trip, and public interest in England was much stimulated by the announcement. As the time approached, however, for the final arrangements, difficulties began to arise. Giffen, who hac prom ised to join the party if Turner and Ferris were able to obtain leave, though his conditions were fulfilled, withdrew and resolutely refused to carry out his original arrangement. Alick Bannerman, another acceptance, also backed out at the last m oment, and Moses found it impossible to make the necessary arrangements for the tour. The absence of such an exceptionally fine player as Giffen is, of course, m uch to be legretted in the interests of Australian cricket. Still, the all-round capacity of the team, now on their w ay to England, remains to be proved. It is premature, as yet, to speculate on its probabilities. In Murdoch it will have the benefit, at least, of an excep­ tionally able captain. T o help him there will be capable batsmen in Blackham, Trott, Jones, and Lyons, all of whom have shown themselves to be in excellent form during the Australian season just ending. The merits of Turner and Ferris as bowlers were fully pr©ved on the occasion of the last tour, while Jones and Trott are by no means to be despised changes. Though we have re­ ferred, as yet, only to the players known to E nglish cricketers, it will be seen that there is herein the nucleus of a good side. Nor are the new men whom Boyle has selected for this trip below the average of Australian cricket on recent form . If the reports that have reached us through the medium of Reuter’s telegrams are correct, the Seventh Australian team will consist of W . L. Murdoch (the Captain), S. P. Jones, C. T . B. Turner, J. J. Ferris, P. C. Charlton, and S.Gregory of New South W ales; J. M cC. Blackham, H . Trott, F . H . Walters, H . Trumble, J. E. Barrett, and H. F . Boyle (the Manager) of V ictoria ; J.J.Lyons of South Australia, and K. Burn of Tasmania. Of these fourteen six— Charlton, Walters, Trumble,Barrett,Gregory,and Burn to wit—are new to English grounds. Charlton, whose por­ trait and biography we are able to give in this number, has for the last two or three years been regarded as one of the best all-round young cricketers in N ew South W ales. He has bowled with success in the last two or three Inter-colonial matches, and when doubts began to arise as to Giffen’ s inclusion in the team, his name was freely mentioned as the m ost capable substitute. Over six feet, he bowls from a good height, and besides varying his pace with judgm ent, makes the ball com e back very quickly at times. Boyle him self thinks highly of Charlton, and “ Felix,” the cricket critic of the A ustralasian , who is generally believed to be no other than T. Horan the well-known V ictorian cricketer, endorses his opinion. Charlton has an off-stroke which, according to “ Felix,” w ill remind lovers of the game in England of Mr. O. T. Studd. He is, in addition, an excellent field. W alters’ name has been frequently m entioned by colonial critics in connection with form er Australian visits. H is portrait and biography were given in C rick e t of Sept. 10,1885, and it was then stated that he was one of the most likely candidates for a place in the next team. Standing 6ft. 2in. in height, he has great advantages as a batsman, which, perhaps, he does not use as he m ight. In addition, though, he has excellent defence and exceptional punishing powers, and besides being a fair change bowler, is a brilliant out-field and a sure catch. Hugh Trumble, a younger brother of J. W ., who was over here with the Melbourne Club team in 1886, has com e to the front just lately a3 one of the forem ost V ictorian bowlers. He, too, has all the advantage of inches, and making full use of his height, is sure to be a dangerous bowler, particularly as he can get a good work on to the ball. In both of the Intercolonial matches of this season against N ew South Wales he was very successful, though by far his best perform ance was in the first contest, when he w on the bowling trophy, taking in all ten wickets at a cost of 107 runs. Dr. J. E. Barrett is a batsman apparently of the stamp of Alick Bannerman. He has un­ wearying defence, wliich stood V ictoria in good stead during both the recent intercolonial matches with New South W ales. In the first, begun on Boxing D ay, he was the chief scorer with 69 and 29 not out. Just lately, too, he was credited with a fine innings of over a hundred for South Melbourne. “ Felix ” has also a high opinion of his capabilities, as his reference to the m atch just m entioned will show. “ He made,” writes “ Felix,” “ m any telling drives, and at tim es infused m ore than an average share of powder into his strokes. A ll the bowling, how ever, was alike to Barrett. N o delivery could break through his masterly defence, no change of pace could disturb his customary serenity and repose. Only one chance is down against him , and that was given at 120. In dealing w ith him it should be borne in m ind that in big matches he is just as able, con fi­ dent, and sound a batsman as in an ordinary club m atch.” Sydney Edward G regory will be the junior of the team. Mr. David Scott, in some com ­ ments on the Inter-Colonial matches, makes him out to be only seventeen, but a biographer in the Town and Country Journal of Sydney credits him with two m ore years. E lder son of Edward, and nephew of D . W . Gregory, captain of the First Australian team , he first came into prom inence while playing for the Oriental Club in 1886-67. In the follow ­ ing year he joined the Sydney Club, and an excellent innings of 116 (not out) against the Carlton that season brought him still m ore to the front. His first Inter-Colonial was against N ew South W ales last January, and in this match, as well as against South Australia, subsequently he showed very promising form . H e is confident, without >eing reckless, a brilliant bat, and one of the most prom ising young players in New South Wales. “ K enny Burn,” the Tas­ manian cricketer, has often been named as a likely candidate for a place in one of the A us­ tralian teams. H e has done some brilliant perform ances in the Colony, and only lately was the central figure in a big score of Southern Tasmania, who made 368 for two wickets, 186 of them by Burn. H e has a great variety of strokes, and bats w ith great judgm ent as w ell as vigour. In the field, too, he is above the average. A fter the close of their English programm e the Australians will visit South Africa, having accepted a guarantee from the Johannesburg Wanderers Club of tw enty-five hundred pounds for a tour of ten or eleven m atches extending over a period of seven weeks. The proposed course of tour is as follow s :— Practice Rest Matches Capetown..........3 days 1 day 6 days 2—10 days to Kimberley ... 2 „ 1 „ 6 „ 2— 9 „ to Johannesburg 3 „ 1 „ 6 „ 2—10 „ to Natal............. 2 „ 1 „ 6 „ 2— 9 „ toPortElizabeth 2 ,, 1 „ 6 „ 2— 9 „ to Capetown......2 „ 2 „ Seven weeks.. So far as we can learn the cricketers at Cape­ town, Kimberley, Natal, and Port Elizabeth have all decided to co-operate with Johan­ nesburg, so that there will apparently be no difficulty for the promoters. It has also been stated that B om bay is anxious to welcome the Australian cricketers if they should be able to pay a visit to the Presidency on their way hom ev TH E COLOMBO CLUB IN 1889. BATTING AVERAGES. Times Inns, not out, Most in Runs, an Inn. Aver. E. Stephens.......... 21 ... 5 ... 419 ... 59 .. 26.18 G. Vanderspar ... 21 ... 1 ... 446 ... 85 ... 22.30 M. H. P ain e......... 13 ... 0 ... 248 ... 50 ... 19.08 Lt.-Col. Churchill 17 ... 1 ... 277 ... 45 ... 17.31 H. Goodwyn......... 10 .. 2 ... 102 ... 26 .. 12.75 W. Courtenay ... 20 ... 2 ... 222 ... 44 ... 12.33 R. B. Roberts 6 ... 0 ... 71 ... 36 ... 11.83 S. L. Murray.......... 9 ... 1 ... 94 ... 44 ... 11.75 F. W. Kerr .......... 10 ... 2 .. 67 ... 19 ... 8.38 P. D. Warren 6 ... 0 ... 40 ... 21 ... 6.66 W. B. Kingsbury... 6 ... 0 ... 26 ... 14 ... 4.33 G. L. Taylor......... 9 ... 0 ... 14 ... 5 ... 1.55 Played in less than six innings. James Forbes ... 1 ... 0 .. 27 ... 27 ... 27 J. G. Fort .......... 4 ... 2 ... 40 ... 29 ... 20 E. Benham .......... 5 ... 1 .. 67 ... 86 ... 16.75 E. Cave-Browne ... 5 ... 0 .. 54 ... 28 ... 10 80 A. S. Berwick 4 ... 0 .. 41 ... 18 ... 10 25 C.A.Walker-Leigh 3 ... 0 .. 27 ... 16 ... 9 W. Seale ......... 2 ... 0 .. 14 .. 7 ... 7 Capt. Mackenzie 5 ... 1 .. 26 .. 9 ... 6.50 A. Brown .......... 4 ... 0 .. 14 ... 16 ... 6 A. D. Gardyne 4 ... 1 .. 15 .. 11 ... 5 H. E. Lindsay ... 5 ... 1 .. 20 .. 13 ... 5 F. Macindoe......... 4 ... 0 .. 18 .. 8 ... 4.5 W. E. Mitchell ... 2 ... 0 .. 9 ... 9 ... 4.5 A. T. C ath cart ... 3 ... 0 .. 3 ... 3 ... 1 BOWLING AVERAGES. Balls. Runs. Mdns. Wkts. Aver. Lt.-Col. Churchill 1207 ... 338 ..103 .. 54 ... 6.26 M. H. Paine......... 729 .. 274 . 48 .. 37 ... 7.405 C. Gordon ......... 565 .. 172 .. 35 .. 23 ... 7.44 G. Vanderspar ... 1469 .. 584 . 92 .. 58 ... 10.8 W. Courtenay ... 313 .. 169 . . 10 ... 9 ... 18.80 Bowled in less than six innings. C.A.Walker-Leigh 305 .. 104 . . 17 .. 15 ... 6.9 W. B. Kingsbury 129 .. 68 . . 3 ... 9 ... 7.6 S. L. Murray ... 170 .. 65 . . 12 ... 7 ... 9.3 E. Cave-Browne 193 .. 72 . . 15 ... 5 ... 14.4 C. Ross-Wright... 150 .. 30 . . 20 .. 3 ... 10.0 G. L. Taylor ... 55 .. 18 . . 5 ... 1 ... 18.0 S O M E R S E T SH IR E . F ixtures for 1890. April 18—Taunton, Somersetshire Colts’ Match May 26—Lord’s, v. Middlesex June 26—Southampton, v. Hampshire July 14—Taunton, v. Leicestershire July 18-Stoke, v. Staffordshire July 21—Birmingham, v. Warwickshire July 25—Cardiff, v. Glamorganshire Aug. 4—Leicester, v. Leicestershire Aug. 11—Taunton, v. Staffordshire Aug. 14—Taunton, v. Hants Aug. 18—Taunton, v. Warwickshira Aug. 21—Taunton, v. Middlesex Aug. 27—Taunton, v. Devonshire Aug. 27—Bath, v. Glamorganshire J ames L illyw h ite ’ s A nnual for 1890.— This cricket record, now in its eighteenth year, has just been published. In addition to A rticles on the C ricket of 1889 by Incog, on Public School Team s by the R ev. A. F . E. Forman, and a Sketch of the T our of Major W arton’s team in South A frica, there are the usual exhaustive statistics of the past season, cricket notes on the County and principal matches, Results and Averages of the Public Schools with notes on the various elevens, and a host1of inform ation of interest alike to Clubs and Cricketers. The photograph is a group of female cricketers who are, it is stated, to star through the Country during the com ing summer. NEXT ISSUE, APRIL 17.