Cricket 1890

APRIL 17, 1890, CRICKET: A WEEKLY EECORD OP THE GAME. 9 57 m a n y frien d s a n d w ell-w ish ers, it is certa in that th ere w ill b e a rig h t m erry e v e n in g u n d er the h osp ita b le r o o f o f th e L y r ic C lu b. A l e t t e r just received from Mr. H . F. Boyle, the Manager o f the Australian Team now on its way to England, shows that he at least is fairly confident that the combination will be thoroughly well able to take its own part. H is list was made out before the fickle Bonnor had made up his mind to withdraw ; but ic includes Deane, the new wicket­ keeper of New South Wales, and substi­ tuting young Gregory for the former, and adding the Tasmanian crack, K. Burn, this would make the fourteen which it was expected Boyle would bring. Aecording to the latest information we have from the Colonies, Deane was com ing on in the “ Liguria,” which is bringing the team to England, from Sydney to Melbourne, but there the intelligence as to his movements ends. Writing on Feb. 28, Boyle gives the follow ing—Murdoch, Turner, Ferris, Jones, Charlton, Bonnor, and Deane (from Sydney), Lyons (from Adelaide), Blackham, Trott, Dr. Barrett, Walters, and H . Trumble as his companions. As I have already said, the Manager is hopeful enough o f the chances of the side. “ Niue of them ,” he writes, “ are very good bats, four are what I term stock bowlers, and four others good change bowlers.” The “ Liguria,” I may add, passed Port Said safely on Sunday last, and, all being well, should be due at Plymouth on the 26th of this month. I t will interest CRiCKET-readers to learn that, as far as one can judge, Frank Hearne has made plenty of friends in Cape Town since he undertook his engagement with the Western Province Club there. H is benefit match took place last month at Newlands,the ground o f th e W .P.C.C., and the public apprecia­ tion o f Hearne’s merits was shown by a much larger company than had attended any previous match during the season. The Western Province men, who had th e Cape Town Club as their opponents, had the worst o f the game, being beaten by 21 runs on the first innings. Hearne himself scored 0 and 10. O ld Harrovians will be pleased to learn that Mr. P. F. Hadow is main­ taining his form as a reliable batsman on the cricket grounds o f Ceylon. In a match between Kandapolla and Dekoya Maskeliya, on March 10 and 11, the former closed their second innings when they had made 245 for two wickets, and won by 176 runs. Mr. A . G. Dupuis scored 103 o f the 245, and Mr. Hadow, who was not out, 102. Exactly a week later, for Kandapolla against Nuwara Eliya, Mr. Hadow was in when the former made the winning hit, having scored 30 o f 103 for three wickets. Another at one time well-known English cricketer—Mr. A. O. Whiting, the old Oxonian, to wit— I see, was on the job in Ceylon about the same time. H e was credited with 119 out ef a total of 309 made by Dimbula against Nuwara Eliya on March 7. A p h o to g r a p h of Australian veterans, and one which should be of interest to all who take interest in the early history of Colonial cricket, was taken, I learn, at Sydney, during the progress of the Inter­ colonial match between Victoria and New South Wales at the end of January. The group, which was taken at the back of the pavilion on the Association ground, is composed of four out-and-out veterans in the persons of Harry Hilliard, Charlie Lawrence, G. Moore, and Nat Thompson, with a less ancient veteran in the person o fH . F. Boyle, while the giant Bonnor stands colossal close to C. W . Beal to repre­ sent the player of to-day. “ Felix,” the Australasian cricket critic, gives the pedigrees of the quartette thusly :— C. Lawrence came out with the first English team in 1861-2, and settled in New South Wales, for which colony he played from 1863 to 1870, in all five matches. Though far in the sere and yellow now, he is as fond of cricket as ever, and Boyle tells me that he looks hale and hearty, and is still located at Newcastle: Old George Moore hails from Maitland. He played in the Inter-colonial from 1S71 to 1873, and was specially choien for his slow round-arm bowling, which proved fairly effeotive against Victorians. He, it will be remembered, used to wear braces in the old-time fashion. According to his own statement, he is 70 years of age, has played cricket for more than 60 years, and within the last six weeks scored 35 in a match in his district. Who, after this, will say that the Kentish septuagenarian, C. Absolon, has it all his own way as the oldest man now playing cricket? There is no better known figure at intercolonials than old Harry Hilliard. He played in the opening match in 1856, and retired in 1860, but he has the grand record of having never missed witnessing an inter­ colonial match from 1856 to date. Every Christmas we greet him in Melbourne, every Anniversary Day we greet him in Sydney. May it be thus for many a Christmas and AnniversaryDay to come. Nat. Thompson has the record in New South Wales for number of matchesplayed. He took part in no fewer than 21 matches from 1858 to 1879, and his graceful and finished style of batting has few imitators now. I always thought it a treat to watch Nat bat, and as with his batting so with his bowling, wicket-keeping, and fielding, every movement and action indicating the perfect artist. H a m p sh ire cricket was very much represented all round in the persons of the principal actors in the marriage ceremony between Lady Helen Alice Carnegie, only daughter of the Earl of Northesk, and Mr. Francis Eden Lacey, o f the Inner Temple, at Owslebury Church, on April 9. The bridegroom, as all C r ic k e t readers know, is the brilliant batsman who has done such good service for Hampshire for several years. H e has just g iv en up the Captaincy of the County Eleven to Mr. H . W . Forster, who acted as his best m a n . Mr. Lacey’s father-in-law, too, if I remember rightly, was President o f tke Hants County Club a year or two ago. At all events, he is a keen supporter of cricket, as indeed are all the members of his family. The Bev. James Gordon Crowdy, M.A., Canon and Precentor of Winchester Cathedral, who officiated at the wedding service, in conjunction with the Bev. P. H. Owen, Vicar of Owslebury, is also an old cricketer and an enthusi­ astic follower of the game. Mr. Lacey and his wife, who will have the best wishes of all C r ic k e t readers, are on the Continent spending their honeymoon. L o n d o n cricketers, to whom he is thoroughly well known, will be sorry to hear that Mr. George Head has found it impossible to continue in office as Hon. Sec. of the Clapton Club, a position he has held for the last few years. An old cricketer, and long time member of the Marylebone and Surrey Clubs, Mr. Head’s experience has been of great use to the club of which he has just given up the management. Indeed, the high repu­ tation it enjoys at the present time has been in no small measure the result of his personal influence and popularity. Though Mr. Head, to whom I beg to tender my hearty congratulations on his recent marriage, has felt himself com ­ pelled to give up the secretaryship, he will, it is satisfactory to know, retain a place on the Committee as Vice-President, and give the club the benefit of his advice and assistance in every way. He will have an efficient successor in the office o f Hon. Sec. in Mr. J. W . McEwen, and all communications should be addressed to the latter at 206, Mare Street, Hackney, N .E. T h e re-appearance of the Captain of the com ing Australian team in Inter­ colonial matches last month, it is grati­ fying to note, was the occasion for a spontaneous outburst of enthusiasm befitting the reputation of a cricketer who on his day had perhaps but one superior. Mr. Murdoch, as many C r ic k e t readers do not need to be reminded, represented New South Wales against South Australia at Sydney a few weeks ago. It was his first big match after an absence of five years, and the opportunity was not allowed to escape by the cricket public of New South Wales, to whose enjoyment he has so often contributed. On emerging from the pavilion gate, [writes “ Mid-on,” in the Melbourne Leader] Murdoch met with a reception which he will never forget. The crowd cheered as though they would never stop, the South Australians in the field joining in. It was a proud moment for the champion, by whom the demonstration was well deserved, for no man has had a bigger say in making the reputa­ tion of Australian cricket, or in maintaining the manly and gentlemanly character of itj exponents than W. L. Murdoch, good luck and long life to him. He made 13 carefully and was then causht “ in the country.” Considerable doubt has been expressed as to whether Murdoch has lost his form, and whether he will ever again perform as of old in England. I may assure all who feel interested in the question that Murdoch never batted better than when practising for this