Cricket 1895

A p r il 18, 1895. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 73 V i e w " i B a u k a d o e s G round . T h e E n g l i s h A m a t e u r s in t h e W e s t I n d ie s . T h e r e was also another incident, almost fls agreeable to recall, in connection with the ball off which the winning stroke was Diade. After a short chase, M’Kibbin pot it, and all Jarvis’s wiles failed to in- IIuce the Bathurst bowler to part with it. Later on, in the pavilion, the English c iptain said to Blackham, “ Jack, do you think there is a possible chance of getting that ball. I would give my very soul to get it, upon my word I would.” Jack waited upon M ’Kibbin, who said that ' ‘ the ball is very valuable to me ; I prize it greatly.” At last M’Kibbin decided to fiive it to A. E. Stoddart upon one con­ dition, and it was this, “ If you give me ' our photo I ’ll give you the ball.” The English captain was delighted with the >'ice way in which M ’Kibbin met him. A nd so say all of us. T h e English team in Portugal have fleshed their maiden swords. I am not certain if that is the correct quotation, hut it matters little. What I mean is that Mr. Westray’s amateur combination has played its first match at Oporto and won it. The Oporto Clnb, which it is uot a surprise to find composed mainly, if not entirely, of Englishmen, found the h'ft arm of Mr. L. C. V. Bathurst, too much for them on a wicket effected apparently by rain. Last year’s Oxford bowler spelt wholesale disaster for them indeed, and his seven wickets III their second innings only cost eleven •uns. “ Hence these tears.” T he anniversary meeting of the -Uarylebone Club is not a movable feast as everyone or nearly everyone knows. Like the laws of the Medes and Persians, the date alters not. This is to sty, that it will take place this year on Wednesday, May 1, as usual. The Committeemen returning by rotation are: The Earl of Ancaster, the Earl of Lichfield, Mr. A. J. Webbe, and Mr. C. K. Francis. In their places the Earl of Jersey, Lord Hawke, Mr. E. L. Bateman, and Mr. Walter H. Long, M.P., have been duly nominated, and have expressed their willingness to serve. The annual dinner takes place the same evening at 7.30. E v e r y o n e interested in the welfare of the Notts C.C.C., which is to say every one who is concerned with the well-being of county cricket, will be glad to learn that Mr. William Wright, of Wollaton, has been persuaded to accept the post of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Club. Mr. Wright, who is, I need hardly add, father of Mr. C. W. Wright, is one of the keenest of cricketers even now, and still takes his own part in the game with credit. But what is of more importance, there is no more popular sportsman in the county, and it will not be his fault if the Club does not gain the considerable accession of subscribers it ought to have. The executive are to be congratulated on their success in obtaining so capable a successor to the late Captain Oates. A n o th e r and this time a slightly more circumstantial report has just reached this side confirming to some extent the belief that the visit of an Australian team to England next year is likely soon to come within the scope of practical politics. The prospect of another tour is at least beginning already to become the topic of conversation in Australian circles. It is to be hoped that there is truth in the statement that the team will come under the joint auspices of the Melbourne Club and the Trustees of the Sydney Ground. What reliance is to be placed on the announcement that George Giffen and other prominent players have expressed their willingness to join the party remains of course to be seen. A n o t h e r experience of cricket “ as she is spoke ” at times at an important match. This time the scene is in Australia where they order these matters better as a rule :— “ The most elegant” batsman of the early part of the century was there with a grievance, so writes the cricket critic of the Tasmanian Mail, anent the last test match. He had to stand and watch the cricket while a lady in one of the best seats calmly read a novel with­ out the least pretence of being interested in the game. Another was observant and anxious to learn. ‘ ‘ Oh, now I know what byes really are,” she declared after a long explanation, “ but you haven’t told us how many byes make a goal.” T h e new hon. secs, of the Kensington Park C.C., are evidently bent on getting to work betimes this season. The ground at St. Quintin’s Park, Notting Hill, is to be opened as early as Saturday next for practice, hence there should be at least a fair number of members in pretty good form by the following Saturday, when the first fixture, a half-day match against St. Mary’s Hospital has to be decided. J u s t now, when Mr. B. Slade Lucas’ team are giving a boom to cricket in the West Indies, has come not inopportunely the official record of the Kingston Club of Jamaica. One of the most interesting events of the last season was the erection I of a new pavilion at a cost of £264 11s. 7d.,