Cricket 1894

106 UBlCKJfiT: A WEEKLY EECORD OP THE GAME, MAT 3, 1894 OPENING OF THE SEASON. A P o st -P randial P hantasy from L o r d ' s . B y “ V .C .” O d t of Winterland, out of weariness, night of football and dulness and rain, Conies the summer game, lifting the dreari­ ness, lilting lightsomelv over the plain, Over our England, homeland of merriment, over the meadows made rich with May, Cricket, eldest and latest experiment, older than memory, young as to-day. Queen of games, with benefits bountiful, child of hardihood, mother of health, Filling with sports and spirit a county full, giving advantages greater than wealth. Stir among groundsmen, stir among officers, pitching of wickets and rolling of swards, “ Sherry-sirs,” “ Tes-sirs," “ Smoke-Birs,” and “ Coffee-sirs," falling from lips of the waiters at Lord's. All of traditional, all that is olassioal, fresher and younger than aught that is new ; Trying of gloves and the willowy fasciole, holding of records and rules in review. Gossip of county men under pavilions, making and marring of many a career ; Out and without, the sport-loving millions waiting the coming events of the year, Asking, “ Who will the year’s willow-wielders be ? Who of the champions retires from the fray V Who will our bowlers be ? Who will our fielders be ? What will our standing be after the play ? ” Cricket, more novel than all of the novelties, old as tradition, new-born every M ay; What though perhaps at its best at the Oval ’tis; had we not with us the talent that day. Chat of the championships over the vintages, talk of the clubs and the doings of “ pots,” Citing of press-reports, gone out of print ages back, on the merits of Surrey and Notts. Tales of the hat-trick, stories Harrisian, all that the record of cricket affords, Cricket Colonial, Yankee, P a r is ia n th a t’s what we heard over dinner at Lord’s Wielders of willow, men mighty and muscular, manfully guarding the wiokets all day, Slogging away till the night dews orepusoular fell with the sundown, stopping the play. Visions of play on the coming Bank holidays, play on the Oval, play by the T rent; Bright, merry, jolly days, dark, melancholy days, Surrey will find them in either event. Points of the championship, changeable, various; our county finally heading the lin e; Honour’s own pinnacle, proud but precarious, trembling afar through the haze of the wine. Our county first and for ever victorious, greater than all that old record records ; Chief among counties, unconquered and glorious—That's what we saw after dinner at Lord’ s. THE SEASON OF 1894. THE LONDON CLUBS. The C r y s t a l P alace C lu b opened its sea­ son, in somewhat inclement weather, on Saturday last, with a match, Married v. Single, which ended in a draw. A dinner was subsequently held in the Crystal Palace, and was made the occasion of a presentation to the late hon. treasurer of the club, Mr. A W. Gardner-Woolloton, who through s J 7 en years has held that office in a most efficient manner, and whose services have been of great value to the club. The presentation took the form of a handsome tankard and a pair of opera-glas-es. The former, it need hardly be added, was filled to overflowing and the contents partaken of by all those present. Under the chairmanship of the new President, Mr. W. J. Franks, whom all members heartily welcome in his new capacity, a most enjoy­ able evening was spent with music, recitations, etc. Still, the occasion must not be passed over without allusion to the long presidency of Mr. J. T. Noakes, who, owing to failing health, has been obliged to resign the position he has held for so many years as president of the club. Though they regret that the club will lose him in this capacity, yet there is great satisfaction to the members that the name which has been so prominent in the club's doings from its origin,is well represented in Mr. W. Noakes and his sons. Though the members of the L o n d o n a n d W estminster B ank C C. have been sedu­ lously practising for some time past under the care of Bailey, the Surrey cricketer, the actual season does not commence until Saturday next. The Forest Hill Club, too, introduces as it closes the season. The matches arranged by hon. sec. T. H. Pritchard are in the main the same as those of last year. One vacancy will be observed with general regret in the absence of the Hendon Club, which has lost its ground. On the other hand, there are new fixtures with Brighton, Southgate, the Kennington Wanderers, and AUeyn. The result of the early practice would seem to indicate another successful season. In any ease, the club will have the advantage of its tried captain, A. Podmore, to direct its operations on the field THE SOUTH AFEICAN TEAM. Well up to time, theUnion Co.’s steamer “ Tartar ” arrived at Southampton on Sunday with the majority of the mem­ bers of the South African Team who are visiting England this year on board. Messrs. E. A. Halliwell, C. L. Johnson, T, Boutledge, and C. Sewell, all of the Transvaal, had come on in advance, so that the arrivals by the “ Tartar” consisted of S. Kemp, is D. C. Davey, of Natal; G. Glover, of Kimberley; T. Parkin, of Eastern Province; H . H . Castens, G. Cripps, A.W. Seecull, C.B;we, F. Hearne, C. Mills, and J. Middleton, of the Western Province; with Mr. W . A. Simkins, who also hails from Cape Town, as manager. Quarters having been providedfor them at theTavistock Hotel, they reachedthathotel soon after eight o’clock on Sunday night. W . Brockwell and G. Ayres, the Surrey cricketers, both of whom were members of Mr. W . W . Read’s team which visited South Africa two winters ago, were at Waterloo station to welcome the visitors. The uncertainty as t) the time they would reach London was no doubt ac­ countable for the small muster to receive them. The names of the various members of the team are as under:— Transvaal—E. A. Halliwell, C. L. Johnson, T. Routledge, and S. Kempis. Natal—C. Sewell and 1). C. Davey. Kimberley—G. Glover. Eastern Province—T. Parkin. Western Province—H. H. Castens, G. Cripps, A. W. Secoull, C. Eowe, F. Hearne, C. Mills, J. Middleton, and W. A. Simkins (manager). Mr, Castens, the captain, will be re­ membered by many as an Old Bug, as well as Oxford University footballer. He was also tried on one occasion for the cricket eleven. Not only is he himself a good bat, but also a useful wicket keeper. E, A. Halliwell is also above the average in this department, so that the team will have in any case an understudy between the sticks. The inability of A. B. Tancred to come is greatly regretted by tbe mem­ bers of the team. Mr. H . M. Taberer, the old Oxonian, would undoubtedly have strengthened the side, if only by reason of his fast bowling, of which there is a want in the team. Still, on the whole it is considered that the fifteen now here are fairly representative of South African cricket. The members of the team are much gratified at the kindness of the Private Banks Club, in granting them the free use of their excellent ground at Cat- ford Bridge for their practice. They do not commence there till Monday next, and as their first match is at Sheffield Park on May 22 and 23, they will have just a fortnight to get accustomed to turf wickets. As most C r ic k e t readers are well aware, cricket in SouthAfrica is played entirely on matting, and a couple of weeks will hardly be too much for them to get used to the pace of the English wickets. Until Monday some of the members of the team are doing London in their different ways, others paying visits which will not be possible after the actual work has begun. Nor was it long before the first social func­ tion was arranged in theirhonour. Indeed, the Union Steamship Company lost no time in giving them a formal welcome. They were the guests of the directors of that line at a dinner on Monday night at the Hotel Victoria. The chairman of the company, Mr. Giles, presided, with Sir Francis Evans, the deputy chairman, in the vice-chair. General Marshall, who was for many years president of the Surrey County C.C., and has had a considerable and practical knowledge of South African affairs, and Sir Charles Mills, the agent- general for Cape Colony, who met the team at Southampton, were amongst the speakers. Altogether, a very pleasant evening was spent. Just before leaving for England the team played a match a,gainst an eleven called All-Comers, but practically con­ sisting of the Western Province. One of the chief features of the game was the innings of Frank Hearne, who contributed 99 though not without considerable luck. The best batting, though, in the match was that of A. Bichards for the other side. Middleton took four wickets for 35 runs. S o u t h A f r ic a n T e a m . Middleton, not out... S B 13, lb 4, w 1, nb 3 21 Total 01 Hearne, c DawSbn- Thomas, b Kuys ... 99 Mills, o Border, b Duff 34 A. W. 8eccull, b Kuys 33 G. Glover, b Ward ... 0 D. Parkin, c Richai ds, b Mainon................. 9 H. H. Castens, G. Kempis, and G. Eowe did not bat. (Innings declared closed.) Crippa and Van der Byl absent. A l l *C om ers . A. Richards, bKempis 50 E. Allen, b Middleton T. Border, c sub., b Middleton... Major Booth, b Mid­ dleton........................ C. D. Mainon, c Rowe, b Middleton .......... 0. Duff, b Kempis ... 45 E. M. D a w s o n - Thomas, b Kempis 0 F. Kuys, not out ... 10 M. Biseet, not out ... 0 B 1, lb 1 .......... 2 Total J. Anderson and J, Ward did not bat. ...115

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