Cricket 1891

88 CRICKET: A WEEKLY EECORD OF THE GAME. MARCH 26, 1891 bowling of Turner and Downes when play was stopped for the day. On the fourth morning (Jan. 28), Blackliam did all the scoring, Houston taking half an hour to add 3 runs. The great wicket-keeper was in his best vein, and when he was caught in the slips he had made 50 of the 57 totalled. Trott. who succeeded him, never had a chance of settling down. He drove Charlton for four, but this was his only hit, Wales catching him neatly at the wicket from Turner’s bowling. Walters made 20 of the next 26 runs, and was then caught in the slips, making the third wicket down at 91. With three of their best batsmen out,Victoria’ s hopes of saving the inn­ ings appeared to be very small, and they were considerably reduced when Horan was given out lbw, after a very tame display. Since the beginning Houston had been playing with the greatest care, but at last his time was come, being clean bowled by Charlton with the total 101. Trumble and Worrall gave a different aspect to the game by some free hitting. The former was the first to leave, caught at forward cover at 120, and he was followed twenty minutes later by Worrall, a drizzling rain having stopped play for some time during his partnership with Morris. W ith the slippery ball, and on the wet turf, runs came more quickly with Morris and Tarrant to­ gether, and at the end of the fourth day the total was 170 for seven wickets, Morris not out 25, Tarrant not out 13. A short time sufficed to finish the game on the following morning. Only 21 runs were added by the three remaining batsmen, and as the tenth wicket fell at 191, New South Wales were left with an easy victory by an innings and 93 runs. V ictoria . First Innings. G. H. S. Trott, c Charlton, Second Innings, b T u rn e r........................ 19 c Wales, Turner ... b 4 F. H. Walters, c Wales, b Turner ........................ 106 c Charlton, b Turner ... 20 T. Horan, b Turner.......... 0 lbw, b Turner 2 H. Trumble, b Turner ... 4 c Garrett, Turner ... b 10 S. Morris, b T urner.......... 20 c Moses, Turner ... b 29 R. Houston, run out.......... 1 b Charlton ... 24 Tarrant, b Turner .......... 1 run out ... 14 J. Worrall, not out .......... 22 c Bonnor, Turner ... b 19 J. M’C. Blackham, c Garrett, b Downes 3 c Charlton, Turner ... b 50 J. Phillips, lbw, b Turner 2 e Bonnor, b Charlton ... 10 J. Carlton, c Downes, b Turner ........................ 1 not out ... ... 5 Lb............................... 2 B .......... 3 Total ...,. ..181 N.S.W. Total ...190 C. T. B. Turner, c Carlton, b Phillips 70 A.C.Bannerman, lbw, b Carlton...............35 H. Moses, c Tarrant, b Phillips ....... 147 H .Donnan,cHouston, b Phillips .......... 7 S. B. Gregory, c Tarrant, b Phillips 1 P.Iredale, c Biorris, b Worrall ...............46 G. J.Bonnor, run out 12 P. C. Charlton, b W o rra ll.................28 T. W. Garrett, c Trott, b Phillips... 76 H. Downes, st Black- ham, b Trott..........12 S. Wales, not out ... 12 B 6, lb 3, w.6,nb4 19 Total ...465 BOWLING ANALYSIS. V icto r ia . First Innings. B. M. R. W . Turner ... 191 9 74 8 ... Downes ... 48 2 30 1 ... Charlton... 84 4 33 0 ... Garrett ... 126 6 42 0 ... N.S.W. Second Innings. B. M. R. W. ... 29421 100 7 ... 84 7 25 0 ... 221 15 58 2 ... 12 1 4 0 B. M. R. W . Phillips ...336 21 88 5 Trumble...13H 7 66 0 Carlton <..252 12 113 Hor*n ,54 4 21 B. M. Morris ... 96 4 Worrall...264 18 63 2 Walters... 12 0 R. W. 0 Trott 2 0 90 2 60 1 Carlton bowled 3 wides and Trumble 1, Phillips 2 wides and 4 no-balls. The following remarks on the match are from the pen of that {most capable of critics, “ Felix ” of the Australasian newspaper:— A great object sought by a captain of a team is to win the toss. Blackham did so, and yet it has to be said that in the inter­ colonial which finished on Thursday the winning of the toss meant the loss of the match. Ned Gregory had spent a long time in giving a thorough preparation to the wicket, and in the early morning of the opening day the players on inspecting the turf were loud in their praises of its excellent condition. The Victorians, it is hardly necessary to say, were almost beside them­ selves with joy when the coin^spun in their favour. They looked forward «o a very large total, and certainly the opening was decidedly promising. But, alas for the long scoring, the rain came on, Hand dashed the hopes of Victoria to the ground. Shortly after luncheon Turner was cutting back from the off stump, sometimes past the leg; and had it not been for the admirable and well-timed hitting of Walters for 106 the Victorians would have been simply nowhere, only very moderate compilations being credited to those of the remaining men who made any stand at all. The second day found New South Wales at the wickets, and a lovelier day for batsmen could not well be imagined. The wicket throughout was as good as the weather, and the batsmen were still in at 6 o’clock with 6 down for 262. Then came that ever-memor- able scorcher on the third day, when Moses attained his fine score of 147, and, aided by excellent contributions from Garrett and Iredale, a total of 465 was realised. In a minority of 284 the Victorians started, and though the wicket was in good condition, the record was only 170 for 7 wickets at call of time. The rain had fallen, but it did not aid the bowlers, for the ball cut through, and enabled the batsmen to play with comfort. Morris and Tarrant found no trouble at all in negotiating Turner while the ball cut through, but next day the order of things was vastlv different. Rain had kept on during the night, and when Ned Gregory put his thumb into the turf at about noon on the last day he said “ Half an hour will finish it.” He was wrong; it took only 20 minutes, and Victoria had lost the forty-sixth intercolonial by an innings and 94 runs. The value of a bowler like Turner on a side is immense, and in this match he was at his very best, both when the wicket was in good order and in bad order. He had enjoyed a good rest after his heavy work in England, and the cool and refreshing air of the uplands at Goulburn had imparted extra vigour to his compact and active frame. In the first in­ nings he took 8 for 74 off 191 balls, and in the second 7 for 100 off 294 balls. When you take 15 wickets from 20 as the result of one man’ s efforts, it does not say much for the other bowlers. Yet neither Garrett, Charlton, nor Downes bowled poorly. Charlton had very bad luck. Turner missing three chances off him. It is the opinion of Tom Flynn, who umpired for Victoria m this match, that he never stood behind any bowler who can do as much with the ball as Turner. The Victorian bowling was inferior to that of New South Wales, with the exception of Phillips, who came out with the capital record of five wickets for 88 off 336 balls, against a strong batting side, on one of the best wickets ever prepared in the world, and in weather of such a scorching character as to test the stamina of the strongest player in the field. Phillips did not start well, solely because the ball was so sticky that he could not let it go with freedom from his fingers. All the Victorian bowlers complained of this stickiness and it soon became manifest that it was produced by a composition on Blackliam’s gloves. Though this stickiness did not last long, it was sufficient to cause an apparent looseness and inaccuracy of pitch sufficient to give plenty of confidence to batsmen. Ninety-two runs were up in eighty minutes, and of this number Turner alone made 70. Carlton, the North Mel­ bourne man, lias had liis maiden essay in inter-colonials, and from his figures—1 for 113 off 252 balls—you would infer that he did not bowl at all well. Yet it is not so. He sent down some capital overs, but the true turf made him come along quite easily. He is a promising bowler, but he has a lot to learn in the matter of precision of pitch. He thought he had Moses leg-before when that batsman had made 6, and Blackham agreed with the bowler, but Mr. Briscoe’s decision was in the batsman’s favour. Again, when Moses had made 77 he was actually caught at the wickets by Blackham off Carlton, but the bowler got in front of the umpire, who thus was prevented from seeing the batsman. This was distinctly hard luck for Carlton and for the Victorians, for, apart from the apparent leg-before- wicket, if Moses had been given out at 77 the result of the game would'probably have been very different from that which it is now my duty to record. Worrall bowled very well and pluckily, and he had bad luck in having a couple of chances missed off him, one by Morris, and the other by Horan. Worrall got two wickets for 63 off 264 balls, and kept a fair length throughout. Trumble was not in best form, his length being decidedly poor at times. In all, eight Victorian bowlers were tried, and Blackham would have made the ninth, only just as he was about to go on Worrall bowled Charlton by a change of pace and by lowering his arm. Worrall calls this class of ball a “ Denny Hayser.” In batting, first mention must be made of Walters, for though Moses headed him, Walters got the bulk of his runs on a wicket that suited Turner to a nicety. Time after time the ball would whip back from the off, and time after time Walters was equal to the occasion. His play all round the wicket was capital, and some of his strokes were as hard and clean as anyone could wish to see, notably some of his off strokes. He gave a couple of chances, it is true,'.but considering the circum­ stances, he deserves nothing but the warmest congratulations on his fine display. If he had only played this fine, bold class of cricket in England, his record during the last Australian tour would have been admirable instead of miserable. To make 106 out of 181 is a great record, and leaves little to be said for the other men, yet it is but just to state that Worrall flayed freely and well for his 22 not out, despite a chance. Horan was at his best in making 20, and Trott, when apparently going strong, was snapped up in consequence of the kicky condition of the pitoh after lunch. In the second innings of Victoria, Blackham was the hero, and I do not know when I felt better pleased than when I saw him pile up his 50 out of 57 in his old rapid run- getting form. Some of his off strokes were very sweet and clean, and on the leg side he was also thoroughly at home. Sam Morris played like an artist for his 29, and one of his off strokes was really the sweetest and best of the match. Houston, who stonewalled for 24, deserves high praise, for his body and arms were so sunburnt that at one time it was thought he could not possibly take part in the match. He, however, showed true football pluck, and after smearing his body with vaseline he went out and despite the keen irritation and pain he stopped for more than two_ hours and a half at the wickets. Walters, in making 20, was free and deter­ mined, and Worrall totted up 19 in taking style, marked by freedom and confidence. Tar­ rant,the young Fitzroy favourite, had the bad luck to meet Turner on a sticky wicket in the first innings, but in the second, when the ball came along in the wet, the natty batsman shaped like an artist, and with the coolness of the proverbial veteran. On the last day he had to resume against Turner on a sticky wicket, and ran himself out rather foolishly. J. Phillips deserves high mention for his 10 because they were made on the worst of wickets, and J. Carlton, though he got only 5, not out, also merits a line of praise. NEXT ISSUE, APRIL 16.