Cricket 1896

A p r i l 30, 1896. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 103 FIRST PRACT ICE OF THE AU STRA L IAN S . Although nobody would be innocent enough to go to Mitcham in the expecta­ tion of seeing any great batting or bowling on the part of the Australians, there is always sufficient interest in their first appearance to attract a pretty large crowd to what is perhaps the most interesting ground in Surrey. It was announced that practice would begin on Wednesday at a reasonably early hour, and many people were on the ground in good time. Wiser folk came later and found that owing to a heavy shower or two which had fallen in the morning, nothing could be done until two o’clock. By this time spectators were numerous and crowded round the nets and in front of the bowlers in an embarrassing way. Just before two o’clock the Australians were observed to be coming on to the ground with their pads and bats, and immediately they were respectfully mobbed. The wicket helped the bowlers a little, but the ball cut through so much that, when viewed from a distance behind the bowler, the ground in front of the batsman looked as if it were covered with spikes. About the first ball bowled was one by Jones, before any batsman was at the wicket. Nobody at the back of the nets knew who the bowler was, but when a small boy, who had flattened himself against the net, received the ball on his leg and squeaked in alarm, opinion became unanimous that the fastest bowler of Australia was on. This proved to be right, and very soon both Jones and Eady were seen together bowling at Iredale, who, after withstand­ ing their onset for a time, ventured to remark that one fast bowler was enough for him at that early stage of his practice. Thereupon Eady retired in favour of George Giffen, who, after he had got something like a pitch, made the ball do a good deal. There was naturally great curiosity to see Iredale bat and Jones bowl, but it would be perfectly absurd to form any conclusions as to what they are really like. All that can be taken as certain is, that Iredale is a difficult man to bowl, that he stands up well to the ball, and meets it with a straight bat. Jones can bowl a decidedly fast ball, which appears to have ^some devil in i t ; but it was pretty obvious that he was not bowling his fastest on Wednesday. He has an action which is not likely to be tiring. Whether it is his habit, when bowling a very fast one, to lower his arm, or whether he does it in practice only, can be discovered in course of time. In the first day’s practice there was a marked difference in the height of his arm when bowling fast. Eady will be as prominent a figure on cricket grounds during the summer as were Bonnor and Lyons. It is said that he can bowl all day without feeling any fatigue; and if he can do so with his rather laboured action, he must be one of the most powerful men in the world. At the beginning of the practice another bowler was trying his hand at Iredale. He was in ordinary costume, but the crowd promptly put him down as the dark horse of the Australians, who­ ever he might be. They had some reason for expressing their approval of his bowling, for it was Brockwell, the Surrey bowler, who, having had more practice than the visitors, kept a much better length. On the other net Gregory had a little batting, and Donnan followed; and H. Trott followed him, but except that even the most unsophisticated spectator could see that they knew something about the game, there was nothing remarkable in their doings—as was but natural. Most of the team had a little bowling, and McKibbin came in for a large share of attention. All that can be said at present about him is, that he can make the ball turn a lot sometimes, and that he seems the sort of bowler, who if he can keep a good length, is likely to be very difficult, Like all the others, Donnan shewed a great want of practice, but every now and then a ball did “ something” which reminded one of occasional balls which used to be sent down by Tom Emmett. It is, as was pointed out in these columns two weeks ago, quite on the cards that Donnan may find himself a fine bowler on English wickets, at least occasionally. Of the other bowlers who are not known to Englishmen, no one showed any special cleverness, though for all that can be guessed, they may be excellent. After the first two or three men had batted, the others went in more fcr hitting, partly, it would appear, to clear a space round the wickets if possible, and partly because the wicket was cut up. Eady made a good catch, and in trying to catch another, found that a young gentleman of some 5 feet 2 inches, had also set his mind on catching the ball. The result was a collision in which the Englishman did not score very heavily. figures. Donnan was the highest scorer with 41; Iredale made 23, and A. E. Trott 26. When stumps were drawn the total was 179 for 8 wkts. C eylon . CR ICKET IN CEYLON . THE AUSTRALIANS v. XVIII. OE CEYLON. Played at Colombo on April 1st. It would be obviously unfair to attach any great importance to this match,for the Australians could not possibly be in form, while owing to amisunderstanding several of the best men in Ceylon were unable to appear. Nevertheless, some good cricket was shown by both sides. Of the Austra­ lians, Giffen, Eady, McKibbin, Johns and Trumble did not play, and the side was made up by the inclusion of Grey, the chief engineerof th e Cuzco, and Hethering- ton, a Melbourne cricketer. Against the bowling of Jones, H. Trott, Donnan and A. E. Trott, the Colombo team could not be expected to do much, but four of them, Lieut. O’Brien, L. Thomasz, E. H. Joseph and Lieut. Currie made double figures, Total 97. The Australians found run- getting a matter of difficulty, for there were no less than six men on the boundary. But with the exception of Darling, all of them who were disposed of made double A. A. Pillans, b E. T. Y. Wright, c Jones ................. 6 Heatherington, b Lieut. O’Brien, c A. E. Donnan ................. 0 Trott, b Jones......... 10 H. L. Crawford, b A. E. B. Alexander, st E. Trott ................. 0 Kelly, b H. Trott ... 5 E. R. Waldock, b A. S. de Saram, b Jones 6 E. Trott ................. 0 Major Young, b H. Lieut. Currie, c Hill, b Trott........................ 2 Donnan ................. 19 H. Thornhill, lbw, b H. M. Waldock, run Jones........................ 0 out ........................ 1 Lieut. Bowen, b H. Perkins, c Gregory, b Trott........................ 2 Donnan ................. 6 L. Thomasz, c A. E. Ludovici, b A. Trott 2 Trott, b Donnan ... 11 Philps, not o u t .......... 0 Corpl. Keenan, b Jones 2 Extras .......... 4 E. H. Joseph, b A. E. — Trott........................ 21 Total .......... 97 A ustralians . J. Darling, c Bowen, A. E. Trott,st Perkins, b Bowen ................. b Pillans................. 3 26 H. Donnan, b De G. Gray, not out.......... 4 Saram ................. 41 H. Hetherington, b F. Iredale, c Thornhill Bowen ................. 19 b Ludovici .......... 23 E. Jones, not out 3 H. Graham, c Philps, Extras'................. 16 b W right................. 15 — S. Gregory, run out ... 15 Total ...179 C. Hill, c Crawford, b E. R. Waldock 14 J. Kelly and H. Trott did not bat. C eylon . B. M. R. W . B. M. It. W . Jones.......... 48 2 22 5 I Donnan... 36 3 H. Trott... 67 0 31 3 |A.E.Trott 36 0 16 24 Pillans Bowen H.M.W’ldk. Ludovici ... De Saram... A ustralians . B. M. R. W. Alexander 20 Wright... 40 E.R.W’ldk.20 0 Thomasz 15 Philps ... 15 B. M. R. W. 0 18 0 3 10 1 9 9 15 0 GALLE v. NONDESCRIPTS. Played at Galle on April 4th. G alle . First Innings. A. C. Edwards, b W. Joseph 0 Second Innings. Subasinhe, b VanRooyan ... 2 E. Ruston, b W . Joseph ...18 b S. de Saram ... 9 D. Robertson, st Perkins, b Joseph............................... 4 c S. de Saram, b VanRooyan ... 30 E. Weinman, c Perkins, b VanRooyan .................38 c VanRooyan, b W . Joseph ... 18 J. Ludowyke, b VanRooyan 0 c S. de Saram, b Joseph .......... 1 G. Cookson, st Perkins, b Thomasz .......... ... 3 b S. de Saram ... 10 A. Ohlmus, c Joseph, b W. Joseph...............................13 c S. de Saram, b VanRooyan ... 1 C. de Livera, b S. de Saram 25 c Joseph, b Van­ Rooyan .......... 9 J. de Silva, c Prins, b W . Joseph............................... 7 c Joseph, b Tho­ masz ................ 8 0 . de Vos, c E. Joseph, b W . Joseph........................ 0run out ........ 4 L. Obeyesekere, not out ... 0 not out ........ 8 Extras .................12 Extras ........ 14 Total.................. 120 Total ...114 N ondescripts . First Innings. Second Innings. S. de Saram, b Weinman ... 5runout ........ 0 C. Soerts, c and b Robertson 0st Weinman, b Robertson ... 4 L. Thomasz, b Weinman ... 9b Ludowyke ... 24 E. H. Joseph, b Robertson 39 F. VanRooyan, c Ludowyke, b Robertson ................. 1run out ........ 2 G. Perkins, b Robertson ... 0b Robertson H. A. Loos, c Weinman, b Robertson........................ 2 B. de Saram, not o u t..........14 run out J. O. Prins, b Weinman ... 0 D. Subasinhe, lbw, b Wein­ man ............................... 0 not out W. Joseph, c Ohlmus, b Robertson........................ 1 Extras ....................13 Extras ... 0 Total.; , 84 Total .