Cricket 1893

“ Together joined in cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron, Registered^or^TraTeraTBai^n Abroad. THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1893 PR ICE 2d. M R . A . B . T A N C R E D . T he rumour of a visit of a team of South African cricketers to England next summer cannot fail to give particular interest to any thing which tends to show the probabilities of the game on that continent. The tour of Major Warton’s English team some few years ago gave the first real insight into the possibilities of cricket development there. In spite of the obvious difficulties calculated to retard a real confederation of cricketers, in the long distances which divide the principal centres, a few years have worked a material improvement. The members of Major Warton’s party who were also attached to Mr. W. Read’s team in the winter of 1891-92 had practical illustration of this. During the interval between the tours, the quality of the cricket generally had shown such a marked advance as to em­ phasise the feeling of regret that on the occasion of the second visit of English players a combination far too strong for the ordinary re­ quirements of the case,strong enough in fact to take all the heart out of the local players, had been collected. However opinions, too, may differ on the kind of opposition a repre­ sentative team of South African players would offer under a change of conditions, that is from matting to turf wickets, on one thing the majority of Englishmen who have had practical experience of the form of South African cricketers on their own grounds are agreed. They are it least of one accord in the view that some of the best exponents of the game out there would render a good account of themselves in English matches, and not in any inferior company either. At the present time, as far as one can judge, there are two or three players who would not discredit some of the best traditious of our own cricket. Tancred, HalliwelJ, and Routledge are names which most readily occur as the recipients of favourable mention as batsmen, at teast on the occasion of the last tour of hiDglish cricketers in South Africa. A c- ?? acc°untsHhe greatest of these is the first named. In an interview which appeared in C r ic k e t about this time last year» Mr. W. W . Read, in comparing the i es cricketers his team played against, went so far as to describe Mr. lancred as beyond a doubt the best all-round cricketer in South Africa. “ In any case, he session of two exceptionally good cricketers. One was the captain, A. B. Tancred, the other the hon. sec., 0. E . Finlason. Just about this time both were in good form, in particular Finlason,who in 1891 had the triple distinction of the highest batting average, the largest aggregate, the greatest number of centuries, a? well as of the highest total in a cup match. Even then Tancred was recog­ nised as the premier batsman of South Africa, was the best we met,” said the Englishcaptain. In this estimate, most of those who know any­ thing of South African cricket agree. His father occupied an official position of some importance in Kimberley, and it was there the younger Tancied practically served his apprenticeship to the game. It was with K im ­ berley, at all events, that he first made a name. For three years the Eclectic Club of that town was particularly fortunate in the pos- at least, that is the title accorded to him in the “ South African Cricketers Annual ” of 1890-91. Since that time Griqualand West has lost his valuable services, which have been transferred to Johannesburg. That the Transvaal has profited by his change of residence, of course goes without saying. His show against the formidable array of bowling concentrated in Mr. W. W . Read’s team, the winter before last, was quite sufficient to prove his capacity as a batsman at all events. For four hours he success­ fully resisted the joint attack of Mr. Ferris, Martin, Alec, and J. T. Hearne at Johannesburg at the end of January, and on a wicket which helped the ball more than the bat. His cutting and driving on that occasion were described as particularly good, and the high praise was given to his innings that it was free from a mistake. For some years Mr. Tancred has been a leading personality in South African cricket. As far as one can judge, too, he has all the physical advantages which conduce to suc­ cess. According to Mr. W . W . Read he stands about five feet ten inches in height, and in build is not unlike Mr. T. C. O’Brien. He seems, in addition, to possess some of that genial Irishman’s proclivities. At all events, he belongs to the illustrious fraternity of gentle tappers. He not only makes full use of his strength, but also of his height, and wnen set scores at a great pace —m ore T. C. O’B. In the other depart­ ments of the game he has an advantage. As a fast round-arm bowler he has often been very successful. Moreover, he is an excellent field, which—But no matter! In any case his credentials as a cricketer will encourage the hope that he will be able to ac­ company the South African team which, it is said, will visit England next year. T he match between Mr. H. H. Hyslop’s Team and eighteen of Honor Oak Club and District, fixed for May 5, in which several of the Australian team had promised to play, has had owing to unavoidable circumstances, to be given up. W . M. H emingway , the Uppingham Fresh­ man, began the season in very promising st\ le at Cambridge on Tuesday. Of 173 made by King’s for the loss of two wickets against Trinity Hall, Le was responsible for 102 not out. On the other side F. H. Willis scored 103 out of a total of 254.