Cricket 1892

26 CBICKET: A WEEKLY EECORD OF THE GAME. FEB. 25 1892 O n e of the m o s t interesting features, to those who like to see young players coming to the front, of a match which was par­ ticularly noteworthy for the failure of the greatest of all Australian Cricketers, G. Giffen to wit, was the marked, success of B. McLeod. He was, as some may possibly remember, selected as one of the Seventh Australian team to visit England in 1888, but was unable to accompany the party. His excellent all round cricket for Victoria against New South Wales just before thoroughly justified his inclusion in the eleven to oppose Lord Sheffiel l ’s team. How he realised expec­ tations, too,can best be fully learned from the comments of “ Felix,” before men­ tioned, on the match. On the Australian side McLeod was the bowling hero in the first innings of the Eng­ lishmen, and when he clean bowled Abel and Grace in successive balls, the spectators became so enthusiastically demonstrative that I really thought some of them would scale the Major’s handsome iron fence, speed across the green sward, and clutch “ Bob ” to their bosoms in embraces of frantic delight. Just before bowling the champion, “ B o b ” sent him down a spier did over, every ball of which caused the doctor to put forth all his skill to save his bacon, or rather his wicket. Never before on the M.C.C. ground, or any other ground, has a young bowler’s success been greeted with greater enthusiasm, and it can be said McLeod thoroughly deserved the ovation he received. In all he took five wickets for 53 off 172 balls in the first innings, and when the innings closed he was again hailed with hearty acclamation on approach­ ing the pavilion gate. Though McLeod’ s figures were capital he actually bowled with downright hard luck. I n his notes on the Australian fielding, too, “ F e lix ” gives McLeod honourable mention. “ McLeod and Turner,” he wrote, “ did fine work, and ‘ Bob’s ’ capital catch which got rid o f the dan­ gerous and aggressive Bean, was of signal service to the Australian side. It was a high hit to square leg, and McLeod, who had to take a sideward run for it, judged it in fine style.” W ith cricketers of pro­ mise like McLeod of Victoria, Donnan and Callaway of New South Wales, Walter Giffen of South Australia, and, no doubt, others of hardly lesser merit, the next Australian team should not be open to the possibility of the reproach of being deficient in new and likely players. M en tion of the English team reminds me, by the way, that they expect to arrive home about the 8th o f May. From information I have received, at all events, I am able to say that they are to return home on the P. and O. steamer “ Valetta,” which is due to arrive then or thereabouts. W h a t a pity it is, before leaving the subject of the English tour in Australia, that it has not passed without disagree­ ables of one kind or another. A dispo­ sition to cavil at the decision of umpires is, horresco referens, not a new com ­ plaint. On the contrary, it is a subject on which I have had to comment, a n d in forcible terms, many a time a n d oft. Nonetheless it is greatly to be regretted th a t the voice o f the umpire so often provokes an unsportsmanlike reception, umpire he never so wisely. But the gravity of the action is increased when the friendly relations of English and Australian cricketers suffer, as must be the case in the latest incident of the kind. I refer of course to the retirement of the umpire selected by New South Wales, in the match finished on Tuesday, in con­ sequence of an objection to one of his decisions by the English Captain. OLD CARTHUSIANS. F ix tu re s foe 1892. May 28—Wellington College, v. Wellington College June 6—St. Leonard’s, v. South S»xons June 14—Vincent Square, v. Westminster School June 25—Hillingdon, v. Evelyns July 7—Charterhouse, v. Charterhouse July 8—Broadwater, v. Broadwater T h e T o u r . July 27 28—v. Old Wykehamists July 29 ,30—Brighton College, v. Old Brightoniana Aug. 1, 2—Rugby, v. W. G. Michell’s XI. Aug. 3, 4—Newbold Revel, v. A. Woad’s XI. Aug. 5, 6—Wellesbourne, v. Wellesbourne Aug. 8, 9—Westfield, Chelmsford, v. A. P. Lucas’s XI. LORD SHEFF IELDS TEAM IN AUSTRALIA . R e p r in t e d fr o m t h e Sporting L ife by p e rm issio n . EIGHTH MATCH—v. SIXTEEN OF MELBOURNE CLUB. F ir s t D a y — T u e sd a y , D e c em b er 22. A perfect summer day. That means that it was scorching hot, and Melbourne in hot weather is not the most desirable place in the universe, nay not even in Australia. The Englishmen felt the heat the more because since they landed on these shores the weather has mainly been cool and pleasant, and after such days a hot Melbourne blast is not a great desideratum. The Melbourne Club turned out a strong sixteen, including, besides Phillips, of Middlesex County, five men who have been in Australian elevens, and no less than seven men who played against the Englishmen are to represent the colony of Victoria against New South Wales at the end of this (Christmas) week. The sixteen, there­ fore, comprised the strongest lot the visitors have yet met outside the Inter-colonial Elevens. As in the match with Victoria, Blackham won the toss, and, as the wicket was perfect, he sent his men in to bat. They made rather a lamentable display, as the seven inter colonial men only totalled 91 between them. A wretched start was made, the first three wickets falling for 15, of which Bruce, who went in first, made all but 4. Orr, the next man, only got 5, but Bruce was busy while these 5 were scored, and four for 41 read a little better. The next three wickets fell for a dozen runs. The seventh wicket was that of Bruce, who after making 39 out of 53 in dashing style, played a fast ball on to his wicket. The next man failed, and at lunch-time eight wickets were down for a miserable 62. The rest of the men made a bit better show. Curr stonewalled for 18, but Phillips showed the best cricket of his side, and came out with top score. He has been regarded as a bowler pure and simple, and as a man who could occasionally, at the end of an innings, slam up a few / He is, however, improving every day as a batsman, and is now one of the most dangerous wielders of the willow in Victoria. He hits hard, but his timing is excellent and his defence good. At the same time he is not an elegant batsman, and never will be. The last wicket increased the total by 21, the two men hitting in better style than their more experienced comrades. There was half an hour available for play, and in that time Abel made 13 and was badly missed in the slips by Trumble. Dr. W . G. only made 4 in half an hour. His own batting is rather a striking commentary on his remarks anent Australian batting. The Master has dubbed it dull and spiritless, but here lie makes 4 in 30 minutes and in Sydney the same number in an hour. S econd Day— W e dn esd ay , D e c e m b e r 23. The match was continued on December 23, in more pleasant weather and ended in a draw, with the result very open. Aljel did not add to his overnight score, and Grace only made 5 more, two wickets being down for 35. Briggs and Philipson were now partners, and a serviceable stand was made. Both men hit hard, but with the extra five men in the field they found it extremely difficult to score. Making runs against these odds is not an easy matter, badly placed as the fieldsmen are, as a rule; but it is giving the bowlers a great pull over the batsmen to let a veteran general like Blackham have five extra men, and those pretty good ones, to dispose of. When Briggs had made 4 he was badly missed, and again at 18 he was let off,while he had the luck, though he walked away from the wicket when he had tipped the ball into the wicket-keeper’s hands, to be given not out. At length he was clean bowled. Stoddart did not come off, but Bean, the next man, did. The bright light and fast, brown, glaring wickets have puzzled him considerably, and up to this match he had not shown anything approaching his true form. The Oxford amateur was playing at­ tractive cricket,making several 4’sby judicious, inelegant pulls. Bean soon demonstrated his ability to off-drive and cut, and several strokes elicited well-deserved applause. W ith 111 up Phillipson was caught by an extra man at foaward square-leg. Maurice Read soon gave way to Peel, who was content to watch Bean banging the ball in all directions for 4’s. At last the Sussex professional was bowled. He made 57 out of 96, got while he was at the wickets, by brilliant batting. Three extra men on the off could not prevent many sweet cuts and wristy drives, going like a shot to the chains, still with only eleven in the field Bean would have easily reached the “ century.” The tail end of the team failed utterly, and in the end the Melbourne total was only exceeded by 19. Peel remained not out with 21 to his credit, all of which were made by his own downright solid play. The fielding of the Melbourne men was not first-class. The match was inevitably a draw, and Dr. Grace did not waste the energies of his best bowlers when the Victorians went to the wickets again, so that in an hour and a half 88 were easily made. Bruce batted brilliantly, and Phillips again played j udiciously. The match was left in a draw in a very interesting con­ dition. M elbourne C l u b . First Innings. W. Bruce, b Sliarpe 39 P. H. Walters, c Graco, b Sharpe .. 0 C. H. Rose, b Loh- mann ................. 0 R. McLeod, c Atel, b Lohmann .......... 4 H. Orr, c Abel, b Loh­ mann ................. 5 H.Trumble, b Loh­ mann ................. l J. M. Blackham, b Lohmann ......... 0 J. D. Edwards, c Grace, b Lohmann 9 , W.Houston.bSharpe 0 I Total J.Curr, c Lohmann, b B r ig g s .....................18 J. Phillips, c Briggs, b Sharpe............... 45 J. P. Fitzgerald, b Attewell................. 4 P. G. Jennings, c Abel, b Attewell ... 3 J. T. Lempriere, b Attewell................. 2 M. F. Dawkins, run ont ........................13 J. Wilson, not out ... 8 B 2, lb 2, w 1... ... 5 .. 156 In the Second Innings, J. D. Edwards scored b Grace 5. W. Bruce (not out) 53, J. Curr, b Grace 6. J. Phillips (not out) 31; b^3—TotaJ, 88. 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