Cricket 1891

MARCH 26, 1891 CRICKET: A WEEKLY EECORD OF THE GAME. 89 For New South Wales, Moses, in compiling 147, showed that he retains unimpaired his masterly defence, and that when he has a safe chance he can hit almost as hard as of old. He obtained a large portion of his runs by the leg glance, but he also made several good off strokes and straight hits. As has been stated, he was caught at the wickets at 77, but no other blemish is down against him, for though Blackham and Carlton con­ sidered him out leg before when he made 6, this cannot be counted against the batsman when the umpire on appeal dis­ allowed it. Many persons had said that Garrett was not fit; some indeed called him a fossil. Well, I can only say that I would like to have a fossil of his stamp on my side any day. He played a beautifully free and reso­ lute game for 76, and avoided those wind-and- water attempts which often cause batsmen to come to grief. When he went back to the pavilion the cheering was greater than when Moses retired, and even the Victorians were pleased at the success which attended this fine player, whom a few adverse critics are trying (I hope in vain) to banish from the in­ ter-colonial field in New South Wales. Time after'time Garrett has come to the front just when wanted in these contests; yet, ignoring all his past performances, the desire is ex­ pressed that he should be shunted to make way for younger men. Garrett himself is quite a young man yet, and I trust the success which has crowned his efforts in this match may be the forerunner of many similar successes in future contests. His detractors will, I trust, take warning, and after giving him due meed of praise remain silent for evermore. Turner’s 70 was the outcome of fast and resolute play, but he made some hits which were much too uppish to be considered as first-class. None the less the redoubtable bowler merits high mention for his vigorous and telling display. Iredale’s score of 46 was compiled by as graceful, effective, and sound cricket as was shown in the match, and the way in which he got on to some off balls was worth study­ ing by rising players. I predict a big future for Iredale as a batsman. Charlton batted without a mistake for 28, and his play was marked by briskness and freedom. A. Ban- nerman obtained his runs in his best form, and there was an absence of anything in the shape of stonewalling of too stubborn a type. He had to retire leg before to Carlton, and as usual he was very angry, and took Mr. Briscoe to task for having dared to give him out. Mr. Briscoe threatened to report him to the New South Wales Cricketing Association, but sub­ sequently matters were arranged smoothly. This is the third time Mr. Briscoe has given Alick out leg before. Bonnor shaped very well for 12, and was rather badly run out by his partner. Though the Victorians failed with the ball and with the bat, they acquitted themselves excellently well in the field. It was, indeed, universally allowed that better fielding had never been seen on the ground. Every man stuck to his work from first to last with un­ remitting attention and vigour, and to per­ form with such conspicuous credit all through the blazing, terrible heat of the third day was a feat in fielding which has never been surpassed in the annals of the game. I forget how many hundred it was in the sun, but the Hon. Mr. Reid and Mr. M. Faithfull state that they never remember such a day. I have witnessed these interesting matches for many years, and I can certainly say I never re­ member as hot a day either in Melbourne or Sydney. The pavilion bar ran out of ginger- beer, owing to the intense thirst occasioned at *e ^remen^ous heat. Worrall, Tarrant, Morris, and Houston did splendid work, each being at times really brilliant, and Carlton, Horan, Trott, Walters, Phillips, and Trumble all appeared to advantage. Round after round 0n^T>?use ranS ou^>an(l the men deserved it all. Blackham was not at his best behind the wickets, but even when he is a bit off he is better than most other men. Houston effected a nne catch in the long field, and Tarrant’s display would have been simply splendid but for missing Garrett when he had made only a few. Trott also missed a chance, and Sam Morris and Horan are in the same category ; but it can be said that the chances were decidedly difficult. On the New South Wales side, first place in the field is due to Wales, who was A 1 from start to finish. In the first innings of Victoria he did not allow a single b y e; and in the second there are three against him. When it is considered how the ball cut about on the sticky wicket, I think this record is magnifi­ cent, and entitles Wales to the very highest mention. Were I not certain I would hesitate to say it, but it is undoubtedly due toWales to say that his form in this contest was superior to that of the great Victorian prince of wicket­ keepers. But bear in mind the Victorian had to keep wicket for a very long innings under the hottest of blazing suns, and the mystery to me is how Blackham hour after hour kept his post as well as he did in that trying, terribly trying, heat, with a debt of only 6 byes against him. A. Bannerman fielded quite in his old form, and S. Gregory was correct and vigilant, as usual. Downes and Garrett did sound work, and Iredale and Moses also appeared to advantage. Moses caught Phillips very cleverly indeed at short leg. I believe if the weather had been fine throughout that the match would have been very interesting, and I would have pinned my faith to Victoria, for all the men shaped excellently at practice. The bad weather, however, ruined the chances of Victoria, and gave New South Wales the easiest of victories. Granted that the Victorians did not perform well in the second innings, when 7 were down for 107, if only 1 had been down for 200, the remaining 9 would not on the last day have got the 84 required to save the inn­ ings defeat, for Turner was unplayable on the last day. The match was played on two wickets, but Blackham intended before tossing to arrange for only one wicket. He, however, forgot at the last moment, and, of course, it was too late after the coin had been spun. The New South Wales men themselves admit that if they had won the toss they would probably have lost the match. Mr. C. I. Thornton, the noted English hitter, was present at the match, and he was of opinion that the weather was warm on the third day (just a little). He thought the play of Moses too slow on such a fine wicket and in such rare run-getting weather. Mr. Thornton thinks the Sydney ground one of the finest he has ever seen, and the fielding ground in his opinion is the best in the world. He sat in the committee-room, a*d was most warmly welcomed by Mr. Reid, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. M. Faithfull, Mr. C. Beale, Mr. V. Cohen, Mr. Portus, and others, Mr. Thornton had a hit or two with the Victorians at practice, and he hit with a lot of his old power. THE INTER-UNIVERSITY MATCH, MELBOURNE v. SYDNEY. A most exciting finish was the outcome of this match between the Universities of Mel­ bourne and Sydney, commenced on the ground of the Melbourne Club on January 14. After four days of excellent all-round cricket, the game ended in favour of the Sydney men with only seven runs to spare. Sydney won the toss, and occupied the wickets all the first day for a total of 240, to which H. H. Lee was the principal contributor with 39. The best feature of the innings, however, was the stand for the last wicket. Harris and Buchanan came together with the score at 167, and when the former was caught the side were all out for 240, the last two men having added no less than 73 runs. The burden of the run-getting when Melbourne went in was borne by the earlier batsmen. McLean was out lbw, with the score at 42, but Barrett stayed until 192 had been totalled for three 'wickets. Of this sum he had made 105, a brilliant innings though marred by three chances. The score when M8rler, the fourth wicket, was out was 244, but the rest lent only small help, and on the third morning the innings was over for an addition of only 47 runs. In a minority of 51, Sydney made a bad start, losing two of their best bats for only 19 runs. S. P. Jones, the well-known Australian cricketer, stayed with Street, however, for some time, and 63 had been added before the former was bowled. Street continued to play fine cricket, but at 168 he was clean bowled for a highly meritori­ ous score of 105, which only contained one chance, and that when he had got 99. Wanting 131 to win, Melbourne, like their opponents, made only a moderate commence­ ment, and when play ceased on Jan. 16, 47 of them had been obtained for the loss of four good wickets. On the following day the match was soon concluded. The finish proved to be very exciting, 'and until the last it was any­ body’s game. When the seventh wicket fell, 29 runs were still wanting, but these proved too much for the remaining batsmen, and when the last wicket fell Melbourne were 7 runs short. S yd n e y U n iv er sity . First Innings. H. H. Lee, b Francis D. O. S. Jones, run out S. P. Jones, b Francis . K. L. Street, c Francis, M’Lean ..................... D. O’Reilly, b M’Lean V. A. Adams, hw, M’Lean ..................... H. H. Dare, b Ham ... . W. H. Palmer, b Ham . W. J. Cargill, b Bam G. Harris, c Barrett, M’Lean ..................... C. A. Buchanan, not out, B 9, lb ], nb 2 ... . Second Innings. ... 39 b Francis .......... 8 ... 14 b F rancis.......... 6 ... 17 b Ham .......... 14 b ... 29 b M’L e a n ..........106 ... 38 b M’L e a n .......... 9 b ,.. 4 b M’L e a n .......... 20 .. 14 b Fr*u-:ir. .......... 7 .. 0 not on t .......... 0 .. 0 bM ’Ltau .......... 4 b .. 37 lbw, b M’Lean... 0 ... 36 b M’L e a n .......... 0 .. 12 B 5, lb 2 ,n b l 8 Total ...240 Total ...181 M elbourne U n iv e r sit y . First Innings. Second Innings. D. M’Lean, lbw, b O’Reilly 24 b Street .......... 7 E. A. Barrett, c Lee, b Jones........................ H. M’Lean, b Adams R. Mailer, c Harris, Street ....................... H. Francis, b Street... W. Hallows, lbw, O’Reilly ................. J. Quirk, b O’Reilly... B. Ham, c Lee, b Street F. Dickson, c Jones, O’Reilly ................. R. Wilmott, c Harris, O’Reilly ................. E. Toms, not out ... B 3, nb 1 .......... Total .................291 ...105 c Lee, b Jones .,.. 26 ... 31 b Jones ... ... 8 b ... 44 b Street ... ,... 3 ... 42 c Palmer, b Street ... ... 4 b ... 15 c Lee, b Street 28 ... 13 run out ... .,.. 8 ... 6 b Street ... .... 12 b ... 3 not out ... . .. 0 b ... 0 b Street ... . ... 0 ... 4 c Lee, b Street, 22 ... 4 B 3, w 2 ... 5 Total ...123 MELBOURNE v. ESSENDON. Some high scoring was recorded to the Melbourne Club in its match with Essendon on the Melbourne ground on Feb. 14. Bruce, tho captain of M.C.C., was the chief run- getter with a fine innings of 111, which included no less than nineteen 4’s. As all the five who batted for Melbourne have been identified with Australian teams in England, it will be of interest, we feel sure, to give the M.C.C. W . B r u c e , b Ormerod..................Ill W. H. Moule, c Mills, b T andy................... 10 J. M’Ilwraith,c Mills, b Ormerod ............ 29 F. Walters, not out... 76 H. Trumble, b Mills 50 Extras ..........12 Total . ...£83 Innings declared finished. CRICKETERS— B e s t G oods City Agents — bear this Mark.—Advt. P arton & L ester , 94, Q ueen S t ., C heapside , NEXT ISSUE, APRIL 1G.