Cricket 1893

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron . THURSDAY, APBIL 13, 18S3. m r . j . M c C a r t h y B L A C K H A M . B lacrham and in bis war paint. There could hard­ ly be a more fitting sub­ ject for the “ first of the weekly numbers of C rickf . t ” in a season which is to be made m e m o r a b l e b y t h e presence of, on paper, one of the best com ­ binations Australia has ever sent home. In any case, the great wicket­ keeper enjoys a dis­ tinction which no other Australian can claim. H is e x p e r i e n c e is unique in that he is the only cricketer who has been over with everyone of the eight Australian teams which have so far visited England. Besides that, he has always been a striking personality on English grounds. His never-failing pluck, his imperturbable nerve, and consummate skill have ensured full recognition for him among English cricketers as the ideal of a wicket-keeper. For after all, though he has done good service many a time and oft as a batsman, particularly when things have been going altogether against his side, it is as a wicket­ keeper that his name will be handed down to poster' ity. To enumerate his many exceptional per­ formances is beyond the scope of this brief sketch. The best, perhaps, of all was at the finish of the match at the Oval in 1882 when theAustraliansbeat England by seven runs. No one who saw him on that occasion, standing up to Spofforth bowling his hardest when two balls to the boundary would have given Eng­ land the victory, will ever forget the scene. It was the perfection of wicket - keepiDg, a re­ markable illustration of coolness and presence of mind, which will always be vivid in the me­ mories of a sensational finish. Just now Black- ham’s personality is of greater interest than ever In all probability he will captain the team. A wicket-keeper is in the best position for direc­ tion of the field. But apart from this Black- ham’s long experience 8nd knowledge of the game are sufficient guarantee of his useful­ ness for the post. More­ over he has been highly tried in the position. Be acted as captain* it will no doubt be remembered, in 811 the three test matches played by Lord Sheffield’s team in Aus­ tralia in the Winter of 1691-92, and with satisfactory results. It has been stated in some papers that the captaincy will rest be­ tween the two B ’s Bannerman and Black- ham. In any case the latter is bound to play an important part in the management of the side. Our portrait, we may add, is from a photograph by Hawkins and Co., of Brighton.