Cricket 1893

APRIL 13, 1893 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME0 57 Bruce, who has just reached England in advance of the bulk of the Australian team. H is 328, not out, for the Mel­ bourne Club against H otham, in 1884, remained for nine years an Australian record. Last February, however, the credit of the best performance passed over to F. Laver, of the East Mel­ bourne Club. H is score of 352, not out, was made for East Melbourne against St. Kilda. The innings extended over three days, and was still unfinished when the last wicket of East Melbourne fell on February 11. H is score, it may be added, consisted of two fives, nine fours, seven­ teen threes, nineteen twos, and fifty - seven singles. On the first two days his play was with­ out a fault, and it was only towards the end that he made a real mistake. East Melbourne’s total was 713. There is no lack of frankness in the following verses reproduced from the Sydney Bulletin :— What boots it if before attack Of English foe our fellows falter ? I am the great Australian crack, A cd love my little brother Walter. If I should take the trip and '•tin ” And leave him, I’ d deserve a halter; And I’ll 6e hanged if I join in If they pass over little Walter. Pray, where’s the use of being great, An indispensable big brother, . If Wally may not share the “ gate,” And get h is whack like any other? say but for an accident the front page of this, the first of this year’s summer num­ bers of C r i c k e t would have been orna­ mented by the portrait of A, B. Tancred, the premier batsman of South Africa. His popularity in that country has just re­ ceived substantial acknowledgement in the valuable presents made to him last month in view of his approaching marriage, j The Pirates Club o f Johannesburg, o f which he is captain, recognised the occasion by the presentation of a large mounted photograph, accompanied by a J purse of forty pounds. The Wanderers I Club of Johannesburg were even more 1 appreciative with a gift of seventy pounds. Tancred is looked upon as one of the certainties for the South African team which, it is expected, will visit England next year. W a l t e r G i f f e n ’s presence in the Aus­ tralian team has, of course, afforded end­ less material for some o f the more out­ spoken of the critics “ down under.” O ld D komobe . I t will be well, perhaps, for me to C. J. M. G o d f r e y , the Sussex Cricketer, will captain the Granville Club, which is Lee way, this year, His acceptance of I f the information given in the Town and Country Journal of Sydney be correct, which there is no reason to doubt, the offer o f colours to the Australian team now nearing home, by a Colonial firm, has been accepted. The colours will be woven with a small silken shield quartered to represent New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia. The New South Wales tint will be light blue, that for Victoria dark blue, while red, gold, and black will typify South Australia, and orange, black, and yel­ low Queensland. Between the quarterings are to be placed stars to represent the Southern Cross. The presentation will be made on the arrival of the team in England. M r . J ohn L ogan , the Laird of Matjesfontein, who has shown such' kind­ ness to Lohmann during his stay there, is one of the most liberal supporters of sport in South Africa. His interest in cricket, too, is likely to be handed down to the next generation. His son, J . Logan, jun., at all events, that is if m y infor­ mation is correct, has shown himself to be possessed of considerable promise as a cricketer. He is in statu pu pilla ri at Blair Lodge School. So at least I am informed. A s u g g e s t io n from Eng­ land that it would be ad­ visable to arrange for the South African team to visit us next year to play fifteen against Elevens of the principal Counties, seems to have found favour with the authorities on the other side. Experience has shown that matohes against odds are quite out of date here. Besides, thfere is a strong and natural feel­ ing against them on the ground that they are not real crioket I should myself, indeed, hardly say that the “ very leading Counties and teams,” to use the phrase employed by the Cape Times, would give their support to con­ tests of such a kind. It would be to my | mind infinitely preferable for the team, when they had got thoroughly used to English light and to turf wickets, to test their mettle against some of the stronger Counties, even if they did not go in for a more ambitious trial, on even terms. A. C o n in g h a m , whose in­ clusion in the Eighth Aus­ tralian team seems to have been due to a suggestion of the Australasian Cricket Council as to the necessity of a fourteenth-man, is, it would appear, a good speci­ men o f an all-round athlete. As a runner, he has won no less than one hundred and seventy races during his by no means lengthy career. He must be a pretty goodstayer, as he has put uprecords in Brisbane for the quarter-mile hurdles, half-mile flat, one-mile flat,and five-miles flat races. Besides that, he is a capital pigeon shot as well as an oarsman and footballer of reputation. It may, too, be of interest to some C r i c k e t readers, to learn that he is not only a non-smoker, but also a total abstainer. T he “ G ood O ld D a y s .” And I shall boss the blooming team, And bowl from May to late September; The Englishmen will score like steam, But, theD, one may be caught, remember. And while nine men, disgusted, sneer, And may in their allegiance falter, I’ll have the moral aid of dear— Of precious little brother Walter. My will more mighty is than a ll! Committees may seem very knowiDg; But though we all g oto the wall, To England Wal. with us is going.