Cricket 1892

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Btjron. N o. 297. VO L . X I. Registered for Transmission Abroad. THURSDAY, MA.Y 12, 1892. PRICE 2d. T H E S E C O N D S O U T H A F R IC A N T O U R . THE CAPTAIN INTERVIEWED. T he doings of Mr. W. W. Read and tbe cricketers who starred with him in South Africa during the winter are approaching rapidly, it mny be, the stage of ancient history. No doubt for the nonce, the centre of attraction has been diverted in the direction of the latest arrivals. “ The Master” and the other members of Lord Sheffield’s combination arecertain to be the cricket lionsof themoment. Still, the chance of perpetuating the South African team in their entirety presented too favourable an opportunity of securing an authoritative opinion on the present, as well as the future of South African Cricket, to be allowed to pass profitless. And if there was the hour there certainly was also the man. The man of course was none other than the Captain, and a right good Captain too. Mr. Read is not difficult to get at, particularly during the summer time. “ The Oval,” which as most cricketers know, is Kennington way, is then as a rule a sure find. The cricket season proper, too, has yet to commence on the Surrey Ground. Test practice there is serious enough no doubt, and carried out with all the care and method which mark the arrangements of the big Club over the water. Still, in test practice there are moments of leisure, and it was in one of these that I was fortunate enough to find Mr. Read “ resting,” to use the parlance of theatrical celebrities. I h e G e n e r a l R e su l t s of t h e T o u r . “ And the general result of the tour was satisfactory, at all events, from a purely cricket point of view, was it n o t ? ” was my first question. “ Well, our record could hardly have been better,” replied Mr. Read. “ We did not lose a match, but more than that, in only one case was the result ever in doubt. We were exceptionally strong, of course, in bowling. Mr. Ferris was the mainstay of the team. The climate seemed to have very little if any effect. No amount of work apparently told on him. He not only kept a remarkably good length but bowled with rare judgment. His fast ball was particularly deadly, and was indeed mainly responsible for a majority of his wickets.” “ You found, too, J. T. Hearne of great use ? ” “ Oh, yes, he fully maintained the reputa­ tion he had gained in English cricket last year. This pair bore the brunt of the work, though Martin never failed to prove effective when wanted. In addition there was no lack of good change with Pougher, Alec Hearne, and ethers available if required.” “ Granted that the bowling was the strong point of the team, there was still no want ot run-getters ? ” _ “ Well, there was little or no tail, as the later batsmen, notably Wood and J. T. Hearne, proved conclusively more than once. Chatterton’s unwearying defence was, of course, the great feature. At times his cricket was a little slow, but his steadiness kept the team together, beyond a doubt. At the same time he only confirmed the high opinion which has been held for many years by good judges that he is one of quite the foremost batsmen of the day.” “ In the earlier matches Murdoch made a lot of runs ? ” ‘ ‘ Yes, and his correct style made a great, and it is to be hoped, lasting impression on the young cricketers of South Africa. Pougher, who was only occasionally wanted as a bowler, was at times of use /ts a bat. Alec Hearne, Mr. Brann, and Wood were all reliable run getters. Mr. Brann’ s punish­ ing cricket fairly demoralised the South African bowlers at times. Unfortunately, an injury to his ankle prevented him playing in the later fixtures, when there was every reason to believe he would have scored heavily. One of the best innings during the tour was Wood’s 134 (not out) in the last match of the tour. His hitting, on the off-side in particular, was thoroughly characteristic.” S outh A f r ic a n C r ic k e t . “ We have heard at times of the possibility of a South African team visiting England. What would be the chances of such a tour ? ” “ You mean, of course, the chances of their success on the cricket field. Well, it would be of essential importance that the team, in any case, should be thoroughly represen­ tative. There are, of course, some cricketers who would be worthy of a place in some of our best elevens in England. They are few in number, though, and the full strength of South Africa would have to be placed in the eleven to make a match of it with the best of our Counties. Fifteen of them would make a better handicap. There are several dangerous batsmen, and some of the bowling is decidedly above the average. The fielding, however, impressed us most. This was, indeed, as a rule, very good, far better than we had anticipated.” T he B est C r ic k e t e r s . “ Whom would you'describe as the best ex­ ponent of the game ? ” “ Beyond a doubt A. B. Tancred is the best all-round cricketer in South Africa. In any case he was the best we met. His father occupies an important position in Kimberley, and the younger Tancred, until just lately, was identified with Kimberley cricket. At present, however, he is located at Johannes­ burg and played for that district. He stands about five feet ten inches in height, and is something of Mr. T. C. O’Brien’s build. With plenty of strength he makes full use of his height, and is a very punishing bat when set. In addition he is a very useful fast round-arm bowler and an excellent field. The Orange Free State introduced us to a goodish bat in C. Feichardt. His defensive cricket was of great use against us more than once.” “ Natal, too, can furnish its quota of cricketers, if we can judge from the informa- ion which reaches England ? ” “ D. C. Davey, of Durban, is perhaps the best cricketer we met in the Colony. He is a good bat, with excellent defence, and fairly strong on the off-side. By the wav, the Eastern Province has two very fair bowlers in Crage and Parkin. The former is left hand, the latter right-hand medium. Both were very effective against us at Port Elizabeth. Mention of bowlers recals Grimmer of Kim­ berley. He is right-hand slow, with a high delivery. Besides varying his pace with judgment, he can make the ball do a lot.” C r ic k e t at C ape T ow n . “ The general impression over here is that Cape Town monopolises most, at least, of the best cricketers in South Africa ? ” “ The rivalry between Western Province and Cape Town Clubs, to my own knowledge, seems to give rise to a keen competition. At present Western Province Club has the advantage,as its ground has much the better accommodation. Still the management of the Capetown C lu b, which has now C. Mills, the young Surrey professional, as ;ts coach, is very enterprising, and in the near future will be a dangerous candidate for public favour. The Western Province Club has as its captain W. H. Milton, an old Marlburian. He will be remem­ bered by some C r ic k e t readers as a punishing bat, a character he retains up to the present time. The old R u g . and old Oxonian, H. H. Castens, is a batsman of quite a different stamp. He is a very steady bat as well as a good wicket-keeper. During his academical career he was one of the most active members of the Richmond Football Club. Besides this pair the Western Province has a useful cricketer in W . Van Der Byl, a fast right- hand bowler and good bat.” “ You must have come across some other cricketers from the Old Country ? ”