Cricket 1894

DEC. 28, 1894 CRICKET s A WEEKLY KECOKP OF THE (JAMB* 4GS THE FIRST TEST MATCH. Full particulars of the first of the five matches which have to be played this winter, between the Twelfth English Team in Australia and the pick of the Colonies, have yet to come. The match was only begun a fortnight ago, and it is chiefly to the enterprise of the Pall Mall Gazette that English cricketers have been able to get such a graphic des­ cription of the various phases of a most remarkable game. Our purpose now is merely to glance at the principal foatures, reserving details for next month’s C r ic k e t . The match begun on Friday, December 14, saw the Australians go in first on a batsman’s wicket. Richardson’s fast bowling was singularly successful at the outset, and Lyons, Trott, and Darling, the first three batsmen, only made thirteen between them. There, theirsuccess ended, for Iredale, George Giffen, and Gregory were all seen to the best advantage, and the end of the first day saw only half the wickets down. On the second day, Gregory continued to play brilliant cricket and was not out till he had scored 201. Blackham, too, punished the English bowling, weakened by the loss of Lockwood, who was unwell, severely, with the result that the total eventually reached 586. The Englishmen began batting in a rather bad light, and when play ceased had made 130 for the loss of three wickets, with Albert Ward not out 67. Rain fell heavily on the Saturday night and following morning, and on Monday when the game was resumed play had to be postponed for a short time. Still the wicket played fairly well, and, as the later batsmen were all seen to advan­ tage, the total after all reached 325. While Lockwood and Briggs were to­ gether a severe mishap befell the Austra­ lians. A ball from Lyons split Blackham’s thumb, and the Australian team thus lost their wicket-keeper, a serious loss. Following on in a minority of 261 the Englishmen made a much better show. Ward again played very fine cricket, and as Mr. Gay alone of the eleven failed to get double figures, the result was a very creditable total of 437. This left the Australians with 177 to win, and as the end of the fifth day saw 113 of them got for the loss of only two batsmen, an easy victory seemed assured. Heavy rain during the night, however, put quite a different complexion on the game. Briggs and Peel found the wicket entirely to their liking, and with the help of brilliant all­ round fielding they proved so successful that the last wickets only added 53, leaving the Englishmen with a thoroughly well-earned victory by ten runs. Early in the second innings of the Australians, Richardson had to retire unwell, so that his bowling was lost, at least at the finish of the fifth day. The best bowling on the English side was that of Richardson, who took five wickets for 131, and one for 27, Peel, two for 104, and six for 67, and Briggs 0 for 96, and three for 25. For the Australians, G. Giffen took four wickets for 75 runs, and four for 164, Turner two for 89, and one for 78, Jones one for 44, and one for 58 In the match altogether 1514 runs were scored, which is a record, the previous best being 1411, in Victoria v. New South Wales, at Sydney in 1882. The fall score of the match follows: A u s t r a l ia . First Inninga. Second Innings. J. J. Lyons (S.A.) b Rich­ ardson ........................ 1 b Richardson ... 25 G.H. S. Trott (V.) b Rich­ ardson ........................... 12 c Gay, b Peel ... 8 J. Darling.S.A.).b Ricbard- soa ................................ 0 c BrocfewelJ, b P eel...............53 P. A. Iridale (N.S.W.), c Stoddarfc. b Ford ......... 81 b Briggs ............ 5 G. Giffen (S.A.J, c Ford, b Brockweil.........................161 lbw, b Briggs ... 41 S. E. Gregory (N.S.W.), c Peel, b Stoddart .........201 c Gay, b Peel ... 16 J. E. Reedman (S.A..), c Ford, b Peel ....................17 c Gay, b Peel ..; 0 C. M 'Leol (V.), c Gay, b Peel ..................................15 not out ............ 2 C. T. B. Turner (N.S.W.), b Richardson .................. 1c Briggs, b Peel 2 J. M’O. Blackham (V.), b Richardson ................... 74 b P e e l.................... 2 E. Jones (S.A.), notout ...11 c M'Laren, b Briggs ........... 2 Extras ... ..........12 Extras............10 Total ..........686 Total ...366 E ngland . First Innings. Second Innings. Mr. A. C. M'Laren, c Reed­ man, b Turner .......... 4 b Giffen ......20 Ward, c Iredale, b Tur­ ner .............................. 75 b Giffen .....117 Mr. A. E. Stoddart, c Jones, b Giffen................12 c Giffen, bTur­ ner .36 Brown, run o u t .................22 c Jone3, bGif­ fen ... 53 Peel, c Gregory, b Giffen... 4 b Giffen ......17 Brockwell, c Blackham, b J on es...............................49 b Jones ......S7 Lockwood, c Giffen, b Trott ...............................18 b Trott ......29 Mr. F. G. J. Ford, c Black­ ham, b G iffen ....................80 b M 'L eod....... 48 Briggs, b G iffen.................57 b M'Leod ... ..« 42 Mr. L. H. Gay, c Gregory, b Reedman ... ..........33 b Trott ....... 4 Richardson, not ou t......... 0 notout ......12 Ex-ras .................21 Extras ... 22 Total ..........325 Total ...437 Just now, when the English public is again on the tip-toe of expecta­ tion in view of the second match, which is to begin at Melboui'ao on Saturday, a summary of the thirty-nine mitehe3 which have so far been played between England and Australia, will be of interest. For it we are indebted to Mr. C. P. Moody’s book just published under the title of “ Australian Cricket and Cricketers ” 1856 —1893-91. Until the visit of Lillywhites’ team in 1877 the Australians had not ventured to try conclusions with an English combination on even terms. The two matches against Lillywhite’s team saw the honours divided, as the English­ men after losing the first by 45 rang, won the return with four wickets. To the bold front shown by the Australian cricketers in these two matches, may be directly attributed the first visit of an Australian team to England. The success which attended that visi is now a matter of ancient history. It was not until 1880 that England and Australia met on equal terms on an English ground, Even then it was mainly to the good offices of Lord Harris that the match was played during that visit. The game was memorable for two fine displays of batting by W. G. Grace and Murdoch. The former had contri. buted 152 to the first total of 420 by the Englishmen, and the latter went one better in the second innings by carrying out his bat for 153, The match, ndeed reflected almost equal credit on both sides, for the Australians, though they had to follow on 271 to the bad, were only beaten in the end by five wickets. The next match in England gave occasion for the first victory of an Au? ralian team, The details of that histor^ game at the Oval in 1882 will be fresJ even now in the memory of those who witnessed the match. With 85 to win and 50 of them up for the loss of only two wickets, what was there to prevent the success of the English team ? Only the bowling of Spof- forth and Boyle with Blackham at the wicket and fine all-round fielding, nothing NEXT ISSUE JANUAR Y 31