Cricket 1896

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. No. 4X9. VOL. XV. THUESDAY, MAY 21, 1896. p b ic e aa. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. ME. S. E. GREGORY. Notwithstanding that Mr. Gregory is only twenty-two years of age, he is making his third visit to England as a member of the Australian team, and has gained a reputation which is greatly to be envied. He first came out as a bowler, and although he felt sure that it was as a bat that he would do best, it was some time before this proved to be right. In his first intercolonial match, seven years ago, he scored 27 (caught off Mr. Trumble) and 0 (lbw). Since then he has steadily gone on adding credit to his name. In 1892-3, he had the top average for New South Wales, and was second in matches against Lord Sheffield’s team. During his first visit to England he began well, but was played out towards the end of the tour, his highest innings being 59 against Lanca­ shire. In 1893, he had an average of 23'4a for the team, and among his scores were 112, 87, 88, 90 and 94. Altogether he made 1196runs in that sea­ son. As a boy, he played on matting wickets, like all the Sydney juniors, but has never done tihis in later years. He did not begin to play cricket) until he was thirteen years old. Everybody knows that during the practice at Mitcham, this year, he was very seriously hurt, but he has had a good many accidents in one way and another. “ When I was thirteen or four­ teen, I went on to the Sydney ground,” he said, “ where the tw o-ton roller was being put over the turf. Sam Jones, who came over with one of the teams, was sitting on one side of the roller— for there was a sort of box at the top—and I tried to get up on the other side. M y foot slipped, with the result that it caught in the spokes of the roller. The sensation was horrible. I had just sense enough to From " P.ioto by Gillm tn & Co., Oxford. turn myself in time with the roller, which was stopped when it had got about half­ way round. The heel of my boot was cut off as clean as if with a razor. When I was released, I started off to run (for I didn’t know that I was hurt) and immediately fell headlong. For seven months after that I had to lie on my back, and it was two months more before I could walk again. When I was about ten, I fell off a balcony and broke my arm, and, a few years ago, I broke my right collar bone when playing Ru gby.” “ What was your place in the field at Ru gby.” “ I was a quarter back. We played the Rugby rules, but though we had two quarters and two halves (your halves and three-quarters) we also had two three-quarters and a full back. I was quick at getting off and could run pretty fast, but my size was against me, especially when it came to being collared b y a fourteen or fifteen stone man.” “ What led to your being chosen for the team of 1890?” “ I should think that there is no doubt that it was my fielding. In my opinion, Donnan should have been chosen before m e; in fact, I think he should have been picked in 1888. He certainly had a better average for New South Wales than I, but he was not such a good field as he is now.” “ Had you any idea be­ fore the selection was made that you might be included ? ” “ It would never have occurred to me at all. I had certainly made some runs, including 116 against Turner, when he was at his best, but I was very young, and it was my first season of intercolonial cricket. I could have gone to New Zealand with the New South Wales team, but Murdoch advised m y father to keep me back, because he said there was a chance that I might be asked to go to En gland. This was about a month