Cricket 1891

10 CRICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OP THE GAME. JAN. 27, 1891 professional team to the Antipodes in 1884-85, and with success, taking the fast bowling without effort, and boasting the useful batting average of 13.8. After­ wards his hands seemed to give way, and though in 1887 he had another very good season, he never fully regained his former excellence. Indeed, in 1888 a first trial was given to his younger brother, David —the present popular Yorkshire stumper. But during the three or four seasons named, Hunter was certainly without a superior in England- His death, whioh took place at the Wheat Sheaf Hotel, Botherham, on the 4th inst., was some­ what unexpected. He was only thirty- three years ol age. THE BOWLEE MAN. Come hither, all young cricketers, and listen well to m e; I ’ll tell you of a bowler bold, as wily as could be. And if you want to win a match, just follow out my plan, Engage as a professional, the demon bowler man. Hush ! hush! hush 1 here comes tho bowler man. Get finer slip, look out long leg, and catch them if you can. Hush I hush! hush! and away the fielders ran. H ush! no talking on the ground—here comes the bowler man. His curl from leg will get the man who merely draws aside; Because he thought the umpire was about to call a wide. He’ll get the man who sees something behind the bowler’s arm, And the one who only hits the grass is sure to come to harm. H ush! hush! hush ! here comes the bowler man. Get finer slip, look out long leg, and catch them if you can. H ush! hush! hush ! and away the fielders ran. Hush! no talking on the ground — here comes the bowler man. He’ll get the man who is always bowled because he is not ready; And the one who finds that after lunch his nerves are not so steady. Also the man who really thought that he would make a score, “ For all this year, upon my word, I have not made a duck before.” P lay ! play 1 play ! play to the bowler m an; Now guard your sticks as best you may, he’ll get them if he can. P lay! play! p lay ! and away the fielders ran. P lay! no talking on the ground—here comes the bowler man. S ome remarkably interesting play was witnessed on the Adelaide Oval on Nov. 22, when Adelaide encountered South Adelaide. The former, after being dis­ missed for 42, got rid of their opponents for just twice that number. In their second innings, the senior club had actually lost seven of its best batsmen for 42, when Messrs. B. J. Hiscock and W. Magarey (both candidates for Inter­ colonial honours) got together. It was found impossible to part this pair, who had put on more than 150—Magarey with 100 to his credit, Hiscock with 62— when the captain was encouraged to close the innings. Another surprise was in store, however, as on South Adelaide going in against time, runs were got at a remarkable rate, and the requisite 180 were made, with a little while to spare, for the loss of three batsmen ! The chief credit of this performance belonged to J. Beedman, whose 113 (not out) was admitted to be as fine an exhibition of clean, hard hitting as was ever seen on the South Australian ground. I believe he was forthwith chosen to play for his Colony in the match of the season. S ome time since, I had occasion to mention that George Lohmann, the well- known Surrey cricketer, had abandoned his intention of taking ‘a team to South Africa during the present winter at all events. A letter from Cape Town, under date of December 31, informs me that the principal subject for discussion at the meeting of the South African Cricket Association on the previous afternoon was the advisability of accepting or invit­ ing the visit of an English team to South Africa at the end of this year. The decisionlwas in favour of such a \isit, with power to the Secretary negotiate on certain points. The meeting, though, bore something'of a private character, and no definite result will be arrived at till the various District Unions have been approached. According to a letter received by the Secretary of the South African Association from Lillywhite, Lohmann will be prepared next winter to personally conduct a powerful mixed team to South Africa. Toujours, or rather Tourjours, tours' The cry is still they come. A Colombo team is the latest addition to the noble army of Tourists. Arriving at Singapore late in the afternoon of Dec. 30, for a series of matches in the Straits Settle­ ments, there was no chance for practice as they had to commence their first game against the Native States on the following morning. Among the cricketers they will have to meet during their visit will be Capt. J. Dunn, the Old Harrovian, who played for Surrey once or twice some fifteen years ago, and whose name will be well ;remembered by reason of his exceptionally and consistently high scoring in Ireland a few summers back. According to the latest advices from Singapore there seemed to be some doubt whether Capt. Dunn would be able to represent Hong Kong against the Colombo eleven, as he had been recently disabled. T he tournament commenced at Cape­ town on Boxing Day under the auspices of the South African Cricket Association, for the Champion bat presented in 1876 by the Corporation of Port Elizabeth, seems, as far as one can judge, to have been a pronounced success from every point of view. The Kimberley eleven, who have held the trophy for the last four years, were again much fancied, but the complete failure of the two batsmen of whom on their public form much was expected destroyed any cha,nce they might have had. As amatter of fact they were beaten by both the Eastern as well as the Western Provinces, the latter of whom won the bat fairly on their merits. Two Cricketers well-known in England, Frank Hearne, and the Old Bug and Oxonian H. H. Castens, did good service for the winners. The latter’s wicket- keeping was highly praised, and in addition, in the first match against the Eastern Province, he gained the distinc­ tion of the highest individual score (165) so far recorded on the Ground of the Western Province Club in Capetown. I f the report be trile that New South Wales is to lose the services of not only one but of both the bowlers who have contributed so materially to its successes during the last few years, it will be a severe blow to cricket in the Colony. There is no reason to doubt that J. J. Ferris has definitely decided to remove to England with a view to qualify for Gloucestershire, and indeed it is stated that he will leave Australia next month. His loss is bad enough of itself, and his latest performance for New South Wales, against South Australia at Adelaide, at Christmas time, particulars of which will be found in another part of the paper, will show how difficult he will be to replace. T he removal of C. T . B. Turner to Goulburn, to fill the post of manager of a branch of the Australian Joint Stock Bank, it is also to be feared, may possibly have the effect of causing his withdrawal from important matches. “ The Terror,” as he is called, was not able to represent his Colony against South Australia in the recent match at Adelaide, although I saw it stated in one Aus­ tralian paper that he would in all probability play against Victoria. At the same time a writer in a sport­ ing journal published in Sydney states that Turner had given him every assurance of his intention to retire alto­ gether from first-class cricket. Turner and Ferris have been the mainstay of New South Wales for the past four years, and the extent of their services will be gathered from their performances in matches between New South Wales and Victoria, and between the Colonial and English teams. According to the Sydney Mail , in these contests Turner has taken 742 wickets for 8,807 runs, average 11-645, Ferris 552 wickets for 8,031 runs, average 14-303 runs. S e c reta ries of Metropolitan Clubs will do well to profit by the following announcement, taken from a paper of the 12th inst. D a m a g e t o C e ic k e t P a v ilio n s a t L ee .— On Saturday last an attempt was made to break into the pavilion of the Granville (Lee) Cricket NEXT ISSUE, FEBRUARY 26.