Cricket 1896

J a n . 30, 1896. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. of view been a very busy time. Mention of Madras cricket would be quite incom­ plete just at time without any reference to the departure in a few days from Madras andTndiaof Colonel Pennycnick, R.E.,who has played the game out here for over 30 years with a vigour that is still unabated, as proved by the fact that in every one of those thirty seasons he has, I believe, always got his 100 wickets, besides taking part in every match (when he has been out in India) that has taken place between Madras and Bangalore. In conclusion let me wish all your readers a happy cricket season for 1896, with lots of runs and wickets like that we now have here on the Madras Ground, hard as nails, true as a billiard table and quick as lightning. (To such of your readers as bowl I, of course, wish the other thing). MR. J. J. FE R R IS ON ENGL ISH CR ICK ET . Mr. J. J. Ferris, the well-known cricketer, who went to England from New South Wales some time ago under engagement to the Gloucester County Club, was a passenger by the P. & O. Co.’s B.M.S. Oceana , which berthed at Port Melbourne on Dec. 3rd after an exceedingly smart trip from Adelaide. Ferris who looked in splendid health, told a representative of the Melbourne Age that he had come to trans­ act important business in the colonies, and expressedhimself somuchin love with Aus­ tralia, in which he achieved such promi­ nence as a cricketer, that he felt inclined to settle in the colonies again. It was likely that he would play for one of the Sydney clubs during the present season, even should he decide to return for the next season of English cricket, but was as un­ certain as yet which club he will throw in his lot with. Ferris spoke in glowing terms of the state of cricket in England. The season which closed prior to his departure was a highly successful one in every branch of the game. Dr. Grace’s performances with the bat were exceptionally brilliant. His vitality was marvellous. He played now with a skill and a dash which could hardly be expected from a veteran like the doctor, and his phenomenal scoring during the season was done against first- class bowling for the most part. He was undoubtedly in capital form, and it was a pleasure for cricketers to observe the enthusiasmwith which the British public hailed the achievements of the champion. “ Depend upon it,” said Ferris, “ Dr. Grace will make many hundreds yet, and the next Australian eleven will have to reckon with him as one of the most dangerous batsmen in England. He never seems to lose his form, and the chances are next year he will equal, if he does not surpass, his achievements of the season which has just ended.” Mention of the Australian eleven suggested a question as to the prospects of the Australians in England next season. Ferris spoke without hesitation in hearty approval of the proposal. The English people, he declared, regarded a visit from an Australian eleven next year a certainty. They were stirred to enthusiasm by the exciting contests between A. E. Stoddart’s team and the Australians, which were played last season in the colonies, and a repetition of those gallant struggles would rouse the people of England to the highest stages of excitement. Stoddart’s team recognised the sterling mettle of the Australians, and the English cricketers generally were fully alive to the importance of keeping themselves in the best of form to compete against champions in bowling and batting who were con­ stantly coming to the front in the colonies. An Australian eleven going to England would therefore have to be up to the highest standard. If possible it should be without defect, because every demand would be made upon its resourcefulness ; its bowling, batting and fielding would be strained to the utmost. Needless to say the English public would be disappointed if the team were not the best available in the colonies, or in fact if the eleven were to show any marked weakness in any department of the game. However, that was not anticipated, because Mr. Ferris said the cricketing public at home have heard such glowing accounts of the progress of the game in the colonies that the performances of past Australian elevens are expected to be eclipsed by the record of the next team. CR ICK ET IN SOUTH A FR IC A . WESTERN PROVINCE v. CAPE TOWN. The match between these clubs, begun on November 30th, ended on December 7th in an easy win for Cape Town by nine wickets. F. E. Smith, the Surrey bowler, took six Cape Town wickets for 41 runs. The best bowling of the match was by Middleton for Cape Town. He had in all twelve wickets for 61 runs. W estern P rovince . First innings. A. Richards, lbw, b Rowe... Hearae, b Willoughby Capt. Cuthbertson, c Kuys, b Willoughby ................ M. Bisset, b Middleton V. van der Byl, b Wil­ loughby ........................ Smith, b Middleton ......... E. M. Dawson-Thomas, b Middleton........................ Second innings, b Middleton ... 30 b Middleton ...36 b Middleton ... 3 b Middleton . l Y. A. van der Byl, b Mid­ dleton .............................. 4 M. Spence, b Middleton ... 0 D. Marshall, not o u t..........10 B. Graham, b Willoughby... 0 Extras........................ 9 b Street ......... not out.................: st Prince, b Mid­ dleton .......... b Middleton b Middleton . . b Middleton lbw, b Street ... Extras ......... Total.. ..............108 C ape T own . Total.. L. Smuts, c V. A. van der Byl, b Smith ... C. Prince, lbw, b M. Spence ................. H.Francis,st Richards, b Van der Byl......... Street, run o u t ......... E. Allen, b Smith J.B. Cormack, b Smith F. Kuys, c and b Smith ................ Second innings:—C. Francis, not out, 0; E. Total (1 wicket), 50. Middleton, c Spence, b Hearne ................. A. Lawton, not out ... G. Rowe, c and b Smith........................ J. W illo u g h b y , c Heame, b Smith ... Extras................. T otal..........1 Prince, b Van der Byl, 16; H. Allen, not out, 29 ; extras, 5. CR ICKET IN N EW ZEALAND . CANTERBURY v. WELLINGTON. The inter-provincial match between Canterbury and Wellington was played at Wellington on November 6 and 7. Wellington won by six wickets. Score and analysis:— C anterbury . First Innings. Cuff, b Holdsworth ... ...27 Lawrence, c R. Blacklock, b Holdship ........................66 Ridley, b Upham.................24 North, st Niven, b Upham 4 Wilding, b Upham ..........31 Fowke, c Gore, b Holdship 1 Hasall, ht. wkt., b Ashbolt 8 Stevenson, lbw, b Upham... 3 Reese, b Ashbolt................. 0 Frankish, lbw, b Upham ... 0 Gunthorpe, not out .......... 0 Extras ........................ 5 Total Second Innings, b Holdsworth ... 55 c A. Blacklock, b Upham .......... run out ..........27 and b Ashbolt 12 0 b Upham b Ashbolt .......... c Howard, b Up­ ham lbw, b Ashbolt... st Niven, b Up­ ham ................. not out .......... c Holdship, b A shbolt......... Extras .......... 9 ..........169 W ellin g ton . First Innings. Cross, b Frankish................ 6 Total.. A. Blacklock, b Gunthorpe 7 Holdship, c and b Hasall ... 47 not out... R. Blacklock, lbw, b Gun­ thorpe ...............................20 Gore, b Reese .................25 notout... Holdsworth,c North,b Reese 6 Howard, b Gunthorpe ... 51 Second Innings, c Stephenson, b Ree*e ..........10 ... 18 Fitzsimmons, b Gunthorpe 19 c Frankish, b Reese ......... 4 Frankish, b Lawrence ... 0 Upham, c Hasall, b Reese 5 Ashbolt, b Lawrence........34 lbw,b Reese ... 2 Niven, not out ...............19 Extras......................18 Total ..............257 Total (4 wkts.) 34 BOWLING ANALYSIS. C anterbury . First Innings. Second Innings. M. R. W. 4 47 4 2 22 4 2 12 0 2 25 1 2 9 0 B. M. R. W. B. Upham........ . 99 10 49 4 .. ... 123 Ashbolt........ .. 94 1 23 3 ... ... 77 Fitzsimmons 54 2 26 0 ... ... 36 Holdsworth ... 54 1 21 1 ... ... 60 Holdship . 72 1 32 2 ... Howard . 36 4 18 0 ... 24 W ellin g ton . First Innings. Gunthorpe Frankish Cuff......... Hasall ... B. M. R. W. Stephenson Lawrence North ... ...102 ... 39 ... 66 ...132 ... 18 ... 10 .. 6 Frankish bowled one wide and Second Ininngs. B. M. R. W. ... 36 2 15 0 48 1 18 3 12 1 1 1 one no-ball. CAMBRIDGESHIRE COUNTY CLUB. The following provisional fixtures have been made :— May 28-29, Cheveley Park, Opening Match. July 27-28, Lords, v. M.C.C and Ground. July (last week), Oxford, v. Oxfordshire. August 3-4, Cambridge, v. M.C.C. and Ground. August 5-6, Norwich, v. Norfolk. August 7-8, Cambridge, v. Oxfordshire. August 17-18, Cambridge, v. Norfolk. YORKSHIRE COUNTY CLUB. The match against Leicestershire, at Leicester, has been altered from June 22 to 18, the return being played at Scarborough on August 13, etc. Matches will be played with Durham, in Durham, August 10, 11, and at Barnsley, June 22, 23, while it is likely that fixtures with Northumberland and Staffordshire will be arranged. NEXT ISSUE, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27th.