Cricket 1893

A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. MARCH 23,1893 42 CRICKET; will take a tangible Bhape by the prepara­ tion of something like a draft programme. Personally, my knowledge of the real capacity of South African cricket, as I am bound to admit, is limited. At the same time the only difficulty would appear to be the precise handicap which would bring a representative combination and English Clubs together. A short time, though, will, no doubt, solve any problem of the kind. In any case a South African team would be sure of a hearty welcome this side. As far as I know, no answer has as yet been received by the Secretary of the Melbourne C.O., our good friend B. J. Wardill, to the telegram forwarded to the Earl of Sheffield, expressing the general desire of Australian cricketers to see him in the Colonies again next winter at the head of another English team. Should Lord Sheffield, however, not be able to see his way to carry out his intention ol paying a second visit to Australia at an early date, the trustees of the Sydney Ground and the Melbourne Club have made arrangements to bring out an English combination on their own account. Moreover, the Australasian Cricket Council has already given its formal assent to a visit of English cricketers, under the joint auspices of the two bodies named, so that any possible difficulty has been removed in anticipa­ tion. T h e Australian public, it is satisfactory to be able to rccord, has quite recovered its old enthusiasm for the game, and the authorities are naturally anxious that the impetus given to cricket by Lord Sheffield’s visit shall be maintained. As a proof that the diminution of interest of which cricket critics made so much capital only two seasons ago was only temporary, it only needs to be stated that the attendance at the Intercolonial matches during the season just over, both in Melbourne and Sydney, outdid all pre­ vious records. I n the intercolonial between New South Wales and Victoria, at Melbourne, close on £'2,000 was taken, and in the return at Sydney that sum was beaten by a hun­ dred pounds. The interest in cricket in both places has, indeed, undergone a re­ markable revival. And should the team now on their way to England only do well, it would, no doubt, be an opportune time to invite another representative team of English cricketers to Australia. T h e Shield presented by the Earl of Sheffield, with the object of stimulating Australian cricket, an object which has been more than maintained, has been awarded to Victoria, which will have the honour of holding the trophy for the first time. The Shield, which is to be held every year by the colony which wins the most inter-colonial matches, has been fairly earned by the Victorians, who are without a doubt the premiers of the season. New South Wales has not just been as strong latterly as when Ferris and Turner were both in such splendid fettle, and its double defeat by Victoria was only in accordance with public form. T h e two vacancies on the Committee of the Surrey County C.C., caused by the death of Mr. F. Burbidge and the resignation of Mr. J. S. Balfour, have been recently filled up by the appointment of Messrs. J. B. Scriven and K. K. Causton, M.P. The latter, who is one of the Junior Lords of the Treasury, has —I am not certain whether it is quite correct in his case to use the past tense —been a keen cricketer, and is still a frequent attendant at the principal matches within the home circuit. He was an active Incog, and is, I believe, still attached to that most popular of tour­ ing clubs. A d e ta ile d account of cricket as it is played in Fiji appears “ in another place.” A little too much room may be occupied by the scores, which perhaps are in a way “ caviare to the million.” Still, for the sake of one of the keenest of cricketers and a conscientious C ric k e t reader to boot, it will be 'of interest to many to see how well the old Incog, J. S. Udal—to be precise, I must apply the pre­ fix of Hon. to his name—is doing hiswork in another sphere as a cricket missionary in far distant climes. A l t o g e t h e r the Suva Club, teste Mr. Attorney-General of the Fiji Islands, seems to have had a very successful season. The appearance of the flag­ ship of the Admiral, Lord Charles Scott, a good old cricketer himself, by-the-way, in Fijian waters, of course, created some stir. Unfortunately since her recommis­ sion the “ Orlando ” was nothing like so strong as she was from a cricketing point of view, and though ably assisted by the “ Curacoa,” and to a lesser extent by the “ Royalist,” the combination was not able to cope with the local team. T he ground at Suva, though small, as it should be in the tropics, is now very good, and some of those who played on it last season went so far as to declare that the wicket was as good as those provided on the Oval at Adelaide, which to the initiated is high praise. It is hoped during the recess to enlarge it by adding a little to the width. Cricket, in Mr. Udal’s opinion, has now obtained a thorough hold in Fiji, and the youngsters are taking very kindly to it, which bodes well for its future maintenance in the group. T h e authorities in Fiji were hopeful of being able to take a mixed team of whites and natives during the tropical summer to New Zealand for a cricketing tour. There was a great desire in New Zealand to see them, and as several of the natives are very fair cricketers it w as thought that the Fijians would make a very creditable show. The guarantee expenses, however, proved too great a difficulty for the New Zealanders, and to the disappointment of the intending tourists the visit has had to be deferred, at all events, for the present. T h e selection ot A. Coningham, when it was found that the Australasian Cricket Council stipulated for the addition of a fourteenth man, to complete the Australian team was generally expected. Some were in favour of Iredale, also of New South Wales, but on his recent form Coningham who first made a name for himself in Queensland, seems to be a very judicious choice. His bowling for New South Wales in the last match against Victoria was particularly success­ ful, and some of the best judges in Australia have a very high opinion of him as an all-round cricketer. I t is curious that he only got a place in the return match against Victoria, in the absence of one of the original selection, as he had previously not been playing quite up to expectations. Still, another left hander in the team, can not fail for obvieus reasons to be useful. l i e bats as well as bowls left- handed, and as he can hit very freely he should not spoil the average of what bids fair to be a strong batting side. His bowling has plenty of devil in it, and he alters his pace with considerable judg­ ment, varying a succession of medium overs with a break from the off with a fast ball coming the other way. The latter proved very effective against Victoria, as he bowled Bruce, McLeod and Phillips with this particular delivery. G eorge GiFFEN,the Australian cricketer, has done so many brilliant performances in his time, that one more or less is of comparatively little moment. Still, his double feat for the Norwood Club, at Adelaide, on Jan. 14,1 should fancy to be unique in the way of records. Not content with the distinction of taking all ten wickets of the Adelaide Club, he supple­ mented this by carrying his bat through the Norwood’s innings, scoring 172 not out, or precisely one half of the total of 344. I know it is a big order, but none the less I should be glad to know if any C r ic k e t reader can furnish any other instance of such a “ double first.” I n view of the visit of the Australian cricketers, it will be of interest to the public generally to know how the various mem­ bers of the team have fared in the various Inter-Colonial matches during the cur­ rent season. The tables which follow need no explanation. They turnish themselves an order of merit which can hardly be challenged,