Cricket 1891

42 CKICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OP THE GAME. MARCH 26,1891 Australian Team at the Oval, at the close of the tour of 1878. On that occasion in the second innings he took everyone of the ten wickets, and so pleased was Conway, the Australian manager, with the achievement that he had the ball with which the bowler proved so successful mounted with a suitable inscription in commemoration, and duly presented to Barratt with the acceptable addition of a ten pound note. During the last few years he had acted as one of the umpires in County matches,having been nominated by Surrey to occupy that position. His death, which took place on February 27, was not unexpected. He had been ailing, indeed, for some time, and the nature of his complaint (consumption) left no hope of his recovery. J. J. F e r r is , who was nearing England in the P. and O. steamer “ Massilia” when the last number of C r ic k e t was published, has by this time got pretty well settled down in Gloucestershire, for which county, as is generally known, he is qualifying. The sturdy little Aus­ tralian, who reached his new home in Bristol in the middle of last week, has been spending the first few days since his arrival prospecting the sporting capacities of the district in which he is to live, under the care of Mr. W. G. Grace and other leading spirits iu Gloucestershire cricket. On Friday he accompanied W. G. to a shooting match in which the G.O.M. took part, and this week both of them have, or ought to have, been in practice for the Gloucestershire Colts’ match, which is to begin on Monday next. Ms. J. W. A rrow sm ith , who is to publish “ Forty Years of Cricket,” is my authority for the announcement that W . G.’s new book will positively be ready in the middle of next month. A s I stated last month, the whole of the edition de luxe was quickly snapped up, and already, I hear, seven thousand copies of the six- shilling edition have been ordered. All the teams which visited Australia, America, India, and the Cape will be included, also the teams which have visited England from any of those countries. The doings of the leading batsmen and bowlers in the decades 1871-80 and 1881-90 will be given, also batting, bowling, and fielding records down to the present time. Curiosities of batting, bowling, and fielding will also be included, and the sketches of “ Cricketers I Have Met” have been considerably en­ larged. I t will be of interest to C ric k e t readers to learn that the Junior of the last Australian team, S. E. Gregory, to wit, has been recently distinguishing himself by some remarkable scoring in Sydney. The occasion was a match between the Sydney and Warwick'Clubs, begun on Feb. 7. When play ceased at the end of that afternoon, Sydney had not done very well, having scored only 106 for the loss of seven wickets. Syd. Gregory and Noble, however, gave the game a completely different aspect on the following Saturday morning,and thanks to their efforts, the total was raised to 563 before the last wicket fell. The two batsmen added no less than 442 runs while they were together, Gregory scoring 235 and Noble 227. As is often the case, when the separation at last came both wickets soon fell. Gregory was the first to go, clean bowled, and Noble followed the next over, dismissed in precisely the same way. T hough it is difficult, more especially at any distance of time, to hazard an opinion on the possibilities ot the forma­ tion of an Australian team, particularly after the unsatisfactory experiences of recent years, there seems reason to believe that Mr. Victor Cohen, who is this time organising the affair, has good grounds for being hopeful. Ferris con­ siders that there would be no real obstacle if proper arrangements could be made. There is the rub. There is much virtue in an “ if.” Supposing G. Giffen could be thoroughly relied upon to make the journey, there would be real ground for expecting a fully representative team. In any case, Ferris believes that Moses, the crack batsman of New South Wales, is inclined to join, assuming another trip is determined on. A promise from him would, at least, be an important step. C r ic k e t readers generally will be in­ terested to learn that Mr. C. I. Thornton, the mighty hitter, has been away from England during the last few months, during which time he has had the oppor­ tunity of testing the wiekets on several of the best known Colonial grounds. He was an interested spectator of the last Inter-Colonial match at Sydney, as was Pilling, by the way. Both in that city as well as in Melbourne he received a cordial welcome, as was only to be ex­ pected, from the hearty interest he has always shown in, and the assistance he has at all times given to promote the enjoy­ ment of Australian teams visiting the old Country. Mr. Thornton, as those who know anything of him hardly need to be re­ minded, never loses a chance of a game. Indeed, he utilised the opportunity of the short stay of the P. and 0. steamer “ Vic­ toria,” in which he was making the return voyage from Australia, at Colombo to arrange a match against a scratch team got up by Mr. G. Vanderspar. T hough I understand on the best authority that definite arrangements have not as yet been made by the Earl of Sheffield for the visit of a team of English cricketers next winter, the negotiations, to judge from the accounts received by the last Australian mail, are progressing. The committee of the New South Wales Association cabled to Lord Sheffield on the 11th of February that they would be glad to give him every assistance if he brought a team of English cricketers to the Colonies next season. To this they received a reply on the following da y :— “ Very grateful for kind offer. I f trip finally decided, shall be most glad your assistance.— S h e f f ie l d , Brighton.” ^'I nform ation in connection with Glou­ cestershire cricket is not of the most extensive character. The programme originally included a match with the Americans, as well as a fixture with the Parsees on behalf of the Gentlemen of Gloucestershire. The abandonment of both these tours, however, has reduced tho list to sixteen Inter-County engage­ ments, made up of home and home fixtures with Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Somer­ setshire, and Notts. Arrangements have, it is stated, been made, whereby Woof will be available for all the matches, and the addition of his bowling will be an immense advantage in improving the season’s record. It is also stated that there are signs of a likely wicket-keeper coming on. Next Monday will see the Colts put through the mill on the County ground, and, in anticipation of this match, Mr. W. G. Grace—as well as Mr. J. J . Ferris, who has come from Australia to qualify for Gloucestershire—have, as we are informed, been already hard at practice. * This arrived too late for classification in County cricket. MABYLEBONE CLUB. MATCHES AT LORD’S. May 6—Anniversary Meeting and Dinner May 7 - M.C.C. and Ground y. Sussex May 11—North v. South (A. Kylott's Benefit) May 14—M.O.C. and Ground v. Lancashire May 18—(Whit-Monday.) Middlesex v. Somerset­ shire May 21—Middlesex v. Kent May 25—1Zingari v. Gentlemen of England May 28—M.C.C. and Ground v. Warwickshire June 1—M.C.C. and Ground v. Nottinghamshire June 4—Middlesex v. Yorkshire June 8—Middlesex v* Nottinghamshire June 11—Middlesex v. Lancashire June 15—M.C.C. and Ground v. Kent. June 18—Middlesex v. Gloucestershire June 22—M.C.C. and Ground v, Cambridge Uni­ versity. June 25—M.C.C. and Ground v. Oxford University* June 29—Oxford v. Cambridge July 2—M.C.C. and Ground v. Leicestershire July 8—Gentlemen v. Players July 10—Eton v. Harrow* July 13—Bar v. Army* July 16—M.C.C. and Ground v. Derbyshire July 20—M.C.C. and Ground v. Northamptonshire July 22—Gentlemen of M.C.C. v. Koval Artillery (with bands)* July 24—M.C.C. and Ground v. Scarborough* July 27—M.C.C. and Ground v. Wiltshire* July 29-Rugby v. Marlborough* July 31—M.C.C. and Ground v. Cheltenham College* Aug. 3—M.C.O. and Ground v. Notts Castle* Aug. 5.—M.C.C. and Ground v. Hertfordshire* Aug. 7—M.C.C. and Ground v. Glamorganshire* Aug. 10—M.C.C. and Ground v. Devonshire* Aug. 13—Middlesex v. Surrey Aug. 17.—Middlesex v. Surrey Aug. 20—M.C.C. and Ground v, Hull Town* Aug. 24—M.C.C. and Ground v. Cheshire* Aug. 26—M.C.C. and Ground v. Northumberland* Aug. 28—M.C.C. and Ground v. Staffordshire* * Two-day matches. Remainder three-day matches. W alteu H a stings , a well-known Melbourne cricketer, died recently in England. T he Doctors beat the Barristers of Mel­ bourne on Jan. 23 by five wickets and three runs. A team of Malay cricketers will visit Kim ­ berley to play a series of matches during the Easter holidays. NEXT ISSUE, APRIL 16.