Cricket 1893

10 CKICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. JAN. 26, 1893 their two matches with the English Amatturs, decided just before Christmas. In a letter written to Mr. J. M. Patel, the well-known Parsee cricketer, in the return, Lord Hawke congratu­ lated him and his brother ciicketers on their great victory, which was earned by good sound play. His Lordship hoped tnac he might be able to make a better match with the Parsee cricketers in the return. Lord Hawke further said: “ I was indeed much pleased with the reception the on-lookers gave to us, and I can honestly say I never played before a more impartial crowd.” In conclusion, his Lordship wished the Parsee team continued success. T h e English captain’s hope that his team would make a better match wi'h the Parsees at. the second time of asking was, it need hardly be added, realised. After a very interesting match the Parsees were beaten by the narrow margin of seven runs. The number recalls another historic finish, in whi h an English eleven was beaten by the same small majority. But the issue at stake was in that case far more momen­ tous. I t is not often there is any difference of opinion between the two captains, at all events, as to which side has won the toss. “ Felix,” in a recent number ot the Australasian newspaper, records the exception which goes to prove the rule. In a match between the Melbourne and North Melbourne Clubs in the early part of last month, both captains were under the impression that they had won the toss. Each therefore ordered two of his eleven to put on their pads, and it was quite funny to see the padded Bruce peeping round the corner at one end ot the pavilion to see whether North had entered the field, whilst at the other end the paddei North batsmen were peeping in a similar manner to see if M.C.C. had taken the field. When nobody seemed disposed to go out, it was patent that a mistake had occurred, and the result of an interview between Boss and Houston was that the latter at length went into the field. R um ou r has it that there is a move­ ment on foot with the object of ascertain­ ing whether the law of lbw requires alteration. I have it, at least, on good authority, that some influential cricketers are bestirring themselves with a view if possible to obtain something like a re­ liable expression of public opinion on this question. The views of most of the leading players are being taken on the question, and in the event of anything like uniformity, I assume that the matter will be the subject of a special meeting of the Marylebone Club to procure a revision of the existing rule. The stoppage of 1eg play is of course what is aimed at. T h e Earl of Sheffield has been fortun­ ate enough to escape all the severe weather here during the last few weeks. Instead, he has been basking in the full enjoyment of a blazing sun and tropical heat. To be explicit, be has been taking his ease in Egypt, and doing the Nile in the customary stages, with a sufficiency of time to visit the many places of historic interest on the way. The Sus-ex Presi­ dent,with Alfred Shaw as one of his party, spent Christmas day at Assouan. That cricket was even then uppermost in his thoughts, I have myself reason to know. At all events the composition of the eleven he is to place in the field at Sheffield Park on the eighth of May, to give the Australian team their opening trial in England, was the subject of some important communica'ions of his from the neighbourhood of the First Cataract. M e l b o u r n e was the scene of some j very high scoring on the 10th of la»t ) month, to judge by the accounts that have come to hand in the Australian papers. The Melbourne Club, who had on the previous Saturday scored 122 for the loss of only one batsmau, were in all the afternoon for an addition of 359 runs at a cost of seven more wickets. William Bruce, who was not out 08, increased his score to 2G0, and his partnership with J. Phillips, the Middlesex bowler, pro­ duced no less than 249 runs. Bruce’s 2G0, was the more meritorious as it was free from a real chance. On the same afternoon the South Melbourne performed on the North Mel­ bourne to the tune of 431 runs. The chief contributor to this big innings was young Harry Graham, who was respon­ sible for 202 of the number. Bruce and Graham are both in the list cabled over as constituting the Eighth Australian Team. Bruce I have all along said was coming, and my last advice by mail was that Bannerman, Turner, Blackham, Lyons, McLeod, Trott, G. Giffen, and Gregory were certainties. It will be gratifying to C r ic k e t readers to learn that so many of the forthcoming com­ bination are full of runs this winter. Mr. C. M o n t a g u e Kixg, the Assistant Commissioner at Hoshiarpnr, a district in the North of the Punjab, has been gool enough to send me a report of a cricket match played out there as a specimen of a native’s sporting style: A cricket match, Hoshiarpur School Team, vcrsu*, Jullundur team, was played on the 23rd iustant. The Jullundur team consisted of the choicest men of Ju'lundur. The Hoshiarpur School eleven mida only 57 runs in the first innings, the bow ing of Jullundur |party being very effective. The Jullundur Jparty made forty runs in the two innings thus leaving a surplus of 17 runs The main j features of the play were that Jullundur men j now and then picked a point for quarrel, so tha*; they may stop the play and thus save themselves fr im the pain of a defeat. But the pliab e Hoshiarpurias yielded to every protest they made and in spite of all this won a striking victory. The most notable in the Hosbiarpur players was the hard bowling of Dina Natb, from whose hand the b ill shot forth as if from a canon. But Ram Chand the other bowler got most of the wickets. The scene was very interestingwhen the play ended, and a thousand little boys gathered around the Jullundur men’s cart with cries of Hip, Hip, Hurrah. By a government order, Mr. King adds, cricket and football arc compulsory in all district schools. At the same time he is of opinion that both games are played on less modified forms. In any case it is gratifying to think that there are parts of the empire in which a beneficent ad­ ministration regards cricket as within the curriculum of a youngster’s education. Hip, hip, hurrah! T he Hon. Alfred Lyttelton, it will be of interest to C r ic k e t readers to know, has just been appointed by the Home Secretary to the vacant Becordership of Hereford. Athletic sports have never, well, perhaps,hardly ever, produced a better all- round man, and, indeed, of recent years, there are cnly one or two who could possi­ bly claim to an equality for uniform profi­ ciency in outdoor games. His career at the Bar, too, has already been successful enough to warrant a confident prediction that he will attain to the same high posi­ tion in his profession as was his good fortune on the cricket field. I t may be of use to some cricketer3 to know the dates of the various Inter­ national matches for decision in Australia during the current season. The following may be accepted as a correct card : Dec 24, 23, 27, 23.—Melbourne, Victoria v. New South Wales. Dec. £0, 31, Jan. 2, 3.—Melbourne, Victoiia, v. South Australia. Jan. 6, 7, 9,10.—Sydney, New South Wales v. South Australia. Jan. 28, 30, Feb. 1, 2.—Sjdney, New South Wales v. Victoria. March 17, 18, 19, 20.—Adelaide, South Austra’ia v. Victoria According to the information I have received, Victoria was to have been re­ presented against New South Wales at Christmas time by H.Trumble, B McLeod C. H. Ross, J. Phillips of the Melbourne Club, J. Worrall and Mitchell of Fitzroy, Dr. J. E. Barrett, H. Trott, and H. Gra­ ham of South Melbourne, and J. ■Carlton of North Melbourne. F. Laver of East, and H. Stuckey of North Melbourne were down as emergencies. Blackham, who had been unable to play for some little time owing to a whitlow, was at Christ­ mas still laid up from that cause. L o r d H a w k e ' s team, it goes without saying, have been having a good time of it everywhere in India. The welcome has been so hearty and so universal that it would hardly be fair to make any special mention. It would be indeed, to use the parlance of the sporting reporter, invidious to particularise. In Bombay Lord Hawke and his comrades were right royally entertained by Lord Harris, who, as every one who has an elementary knowledge of cricket matters knows, is Governor there. I n Madras, the members of the team were entertained by the Madras Club at