Cricket 1896

M arch 26, 1896. CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 35 BETWEEN THE INNINGS. So, after all the chopping and changing, the fuss and worry, the Ninth Australian Team has at last been chosen, and is now well on its way towards us. And Turner and Lyons are not coming; and Clement Hill and Albert Trott are com ing; and Harry, after being chosen, is to be left out in favour of the New South Welsh­ man, Kelly. This last change strikes me as particularly rough on Harry. He is, I believe, a man well into the fourth decade of his life, so that, having lost his chance of accompanying this team, he is scarcely likely to be chosen in three years’ time. He is a good sound batsman; one of the best fields in Australia; a change bowler of some merit; and a very fair wicket-keeper, though not, I am told, of the same class as Johns and Kelly, the latter of whom has come on wonderfully lately. Considering that Johns is no batsman, it might have been wiser to have brought over Harry rather than him, for even now it seems probable that Kelly will fill the position of first stumper, Johns playing under-study to him. My suggestion that Harry and Hill might be capable of doing the wicket-keeping work of the team between them was also, I see, mooted “ down under” by my good friend, “ Point.” On further con­ sideration, though, such an arrangement would seem to involve elements of risk. Even now, if occasion should arise— which scarcely seems probable—Hill can be utilised; but he is quite a youngster, and probably the fatigue of frequent wicket-keeping would have rendered him far less valuable with the bat. As it is, with fifteen men available (and Moses, who is coming over on a trip of several months, also not unlikely to be played occasionally), he can be given a rest whenever necessary ; and he, should thus have every chance of displaying his true form. Turner has apparently regained both his bowling and batting form. I was delighted to see this and to hear that he was to come; and it seems ridiculous that he should stand down simply because he could not catch the Cuzco. Surely he could have travelled b^ another vessel, and have arrived here within a week, or at most a fortnight of his comrades ! Still, we shall welcome Albert Trott, though his decision to come to England when not chosen looks somewhat like putting him­ self up for sale to the highest bidder. It will be remembered that Humphreys made overtures to him on behalf of Sussex fifteen months or so agQ. Probably it will be in the Sussex eleven we shall see him after a ll; and—for I don’t believe his falling-off this Australian season to be anything more thantemporary—he should prove an extremely useful man to Mr. Murdoch’s team, as to the Ninth Austra­ lian team during the coming season, though the cablegram referring to him does not say that he will be a member of the team, but simply that he will be “ available.” I think we may take it for granted he will play pretty regularly. Despite the regrettable absenceof Lyons, Turner and Bruce—without whom it can scarcelybe considered actually representa­ tive—the team is, to my mind a very strong one, and should do better than any since the famous ’84 team, which included such men as Murdoch, Spofforth, M ’Donnell, Palmer, Blackham, Boyle, Giffen, Alec. Bannerman, Scott, and Midwinter. There are on the side eleven batsmen who should make a good many runs; while of the other four Kelly and Jones are likely to come off at times, for the former has made his centuries in club matches in Sydney, and each has played a good innings in one of the intercolonials this last season. There are seven good bowlers, not including Donnan, who is a mere change, and scarcely likely to be called upon. There are three wicket­ keepers, two spoken of as quite first-class, the other likely to train on. There is not a bad fieldsman in the team, though Donnan is somewhat uncertain; Darling, albeit reliable, not very fast; and Giffen scarcely as active as he was. Perhaps the r61es of the men will be best shown in this form :— Batsmen: G. Giffen, G. H. S. Trott, S. E. Gregory, H. Graham, J. Darling, C. Hill, H. Trumble, A. E. Trott, H. Donnan, F. A. Iredale, and C. J. Eady (to which may be added, if needed, H. Moses). Bowlers : G. Giffen, H. Trumble, G. H. S. Trott, A. E. Trott, E. Jones, T. E. McKibbin, and C. J. Eady. Wicket-keepers : J. J. Kelly, A. Johns, and C. Hill. The great question of the captaincy does not appear to have settled itself yet, though, I note that Harry Trott officiated in that capacity in the big match at Syd­ ney just prior to embarkation. Too much importance should not be attached to that fact, however, for Giffen was suffering from sciatica, and, one would think, would have done better not to have played at all. The following list will give the names of the captains and managers respectively of each of the nine teams, with the im­ portant exception already noted: Team Year. Manager. Captain. 1st ... 1878... J. Conway ......... D. W . Gregory 2nd ... 1880... G. Alexander ... W . L. Murdoch 3rd ... 1882... C. W . B e a l......... W . L. Murdoch 4th ... 18S4... G. Alexander ... W . L. Murdoch 5th ... 1886... Major B. J. Wardill H. J. H. Scott 6th ... 1888... C. W. Beal ......... P. S. M’Donnell 7th ... 1890... H. F. Boyle......... W. L. Murdoch 8th ... 1893... Y. Cohen ......... J. M. Blackham 9th ... 1896 ... H. Musgrove ... --------- The following tables, for which the averages of all the leading Australian players in first-class matches against English sides, both in England and at the Antipodes, have been most carefully worked out, may be of interest as present­ ing some standard of comparison between the heroes of old and the men of the present team. Batting averages of Australians in matches v. English sides No. Times of not Highest rr inns. out. Runs. Aver. score. F. A. Iredale+ 15 . . 2 . . 553 .. 42*53 . . 140 J. Darlingt.......... 13 .. 1 . . 463 .. 38-58 . . 117 H. Mosest ......... 35 . 4 . . 985 .. 3177 . . 109 H. Grahami-........ 58 .. 3 . .1585 .. 28-81 . . 219 W . L. Murdoch ... 251 ... 23 . .6033 . 26 46 . . 286* C. Bannerman .. 51 . . 4 . .1196 .. 25-44 . . 165* G. Giffen+ .......... 259 . . 17 . .6003 .. 24-80 . . 203 H. H. Massie 85 . . 5 . .1906 .. 23-82 ... 206 W . Bruce ......... 146 . . 10 . .3139 . 23-08 ... 191 T. Horan ........ 132 . . 12 . .2687 . 22-39 .. 141 J. E. Barrett........ 66 . . 7 . .1312 .. 22-23 .. 97 P. S. M’Donnell.. 247 . . 9 . .5224 ... 2194 .. 147 H. J. H. Scott .. 122 . . 13 . .2346 . 2152 .. 123 8. E. Gregory+ 132 . 20 . .2399 .. 2141 .. 201 G.H . S. Trott+ .. 226 . . 7 ..4497 . . 20 53 .. 186 J. J. L yon s......... 196 . . 9 .3839 . . 20-52 .. 149 A. C. Bannerman 317 . . 20 . .6091 .. 20-50 .. 133 G. J. Bonnor 231 . . 17 ..4207 . . 19-65 .. 128 R. W. McLeod 57 . . 11 .. 895 . 19-45 .. 62 S. P. Jones ......... 197 . . 12 . 3533 . . 19-09 .. 151 W. E. Midwinter.. 69 . . 8 ..1156 . 18-95 .. 92* J. M’llwraith 52 . . 8 .. 831 . . 18-88 . 64 H. Donnant........ 14 .. 3 .. 207 . . 18-81 .. 39 J. W . Trumble .. 75 . 9 .1234 . . 18-69 .. 60 N. Thompson 10 . . 1 .. 165 . . 18-33 .. 50 J. M. Blackham .. 380 ... 54 ..5317 . . 1630 .. 97 G. E. Palmer 176 ... 31 ..2159 . . 1488 .. 94 W . F. Giffen 36 .. 5 .. 461 . . 14-87 .. 81 P. G. M’Shane .. 25 .. 1 .. 355 . . 14-79 .. 65 G. H. Bailey......... 24 .. 5 .. 281 . . 1478 .. 40 R. H ouston........ 10 .. 0 .. 146 . . 14-60 .. 68 R. C. A lle n ......... . 24 .. 2 .. 321 . . 14-59 .. 41 A. H. Jarvis......... 162 .. 16 . 2129 . . 1458 .. 96* C. T. B. Turner .. 214 .. 12 ..2888 . . 14-29 .. 103 H. Trumblet 115 .. 27 ..1250 . . 14-20 .. 105 S. T. Callaway ... 14 .. 3 .. 153 .. 13-90 .. 41 A. Coningham . . 28 .. 3 .. £47 .. 13S8 ... 46 P. C. Charlton . . 51 .. 11 .. 547 .. 1367 ... 75* W . H. Moule . 13 .. 4 .. 123 .. 1366 ... 34 S. Morris ... . . 10 .. 3 .. 92 . . 1314 .. 54* G. Alexander . 25 .. 2 . 995 .. 1282 ... 47 J. D. Edwards . 63 .. 12 .. 647 .. 12-68 ... 65 F. J. Burton... . . 17 .. 5 .. 152 .. 12-66 .. 30 T. W. Garrett . 177 .. 20 ..1934 .. 1231 .. 59* J. J. Ferris ... . . 142 .. 36 ..1280 . . 1207 .. 54* D. W. Gregory . . 36 .. 5 .. 368 ... U-87 .. 57 T. U. Groube . 23 .. 3 .. 228 . . 11-40 .. 61 F. H. Walters . . 53 .. 4 .. 526 . 1073 ... 53* F. R. Spofforth . . 185 .. 31 ..1644 .. 10-67 ... 56 E. Evans ... . . 70 .. 19 .. 533 .. 10-45 ... 74* H. F. Boyle ... . . 180 .. 50 ..1310 .. 1007 ... 69 K. E. Bum ... . . 43 .. 4 .. 376 . 964 ... 35* F. E. Allan ... . . 31 .. 6 ... 241 .. 964 ... 78 J. Worrall ... . . 85 .. 10 ... 718 .. 957 ... 46 A. P. Marr ... . . 10 .. 0 .. 90 . . 9-00 ... 34 H. Hiddleston . . 16 .. 1 ... 133 .. 8-86 ... 37 W . H. Cooper . 22 .. 11 .. 78 . 7-09 ... 22* S. M. J. Woods . . 10 .. 0 ... 54 .. 5-40 ... 18 R. J. Pope ... . . 16 .. 4 .. 47 .. 3-91 ... 12 The following played fewer than ten innings:— C. Hill+ (3 innings, 1 not out, 226 runs); A. E. Trott+ (9-4-331) ; J. J. Kelly (2-1—27); A. E. Johnst (I—0—10); T. R. McKibbinf (6—1—49); E. Jones+ (5 -1—16). * Signifies not out. Bowling averages of Australians in matches v. English sides :— Balls. Runs. Wckts. Aver. C. T. B. Turner ... ...32669 ..11075 .. 877 .. 12-62 F. R. Spofforth ...23864 .. 9679 .. 720 .. 1344 H. F. Boyle .......... ...14338 . . 5037 .. 352 .. 14-30 J. J. Ferris .......... ...20873 .. 7300 .. 506 .. 1442 G. E. Palmer.......... ...22993 .. 8784 .. 548 .. 16-02 T. W. Garrett.......... ...16995 .. 6003 .. 354 .. 16-95 H. Trumblet.......... ... 8489 .. 3632 .. 190 .. 19-11 G. Giffent .......... ..22959 ..10453 .. 521 .. 20-06 P. C. Charlton ... 2355 .. 924 .. 45 .. 20-53 J. Worrall ......... ... 1958 .. 848 .. 41 .. 20-68 A. Coningham ... 2041 . . 890 .. 42 .. 21-19 E. Evans................. ... 5501 .. 1688 .. 79 .. 21*36 W. E. Midwinter ... ... 2363 .. 822 .. 38 .. 21-62 G. H. S. Trott+ ... ... 7740 .. 4318 .. 187 .. 23.09 F. E. Allan .......... ... 2307 ... 876 .. 36 .. 24 33 R. W. McLeod ... ... 3857 .. 1531 .. 62 .. 24-69 J. W. Trumble ... 3536 .. 1338 .. 52 .. 25 73 J. J. Lyons ......... ... 3868 . . 2038 .. 79 .. 25 79 W. H. Cooper.......... ... 1758 .. 993 .. 38 .. 2613 S. P. Jones .......... ... 1950 .. 930 .. 34 .. 27-35 W . Bruce................. ... 4531 .. 2176 .. 77 .. 28*25 The following took fewer than 25 wickets:— J. E. Barrett.......... ... 352 .. 140 .. 10 .. 14-00 T. Kendall .......... ... 563 .. 215 .. 14 .. 15-35 T. Horan................. ... 804 .. 381 .. 22 .. 17-31 W . R. Robertson ... ... 597 .. 283 .. 12 .. 23-58 A. E. Trott+ .......... ... 1110 .. 456 .. 19 .. 24-00 S. T. Callaway ... 1259 .. 408 .. 17 .. 24-00 G. Alexander.......... ... 1024 .. 398 .. 15 .. 26*53 A. C. Bannerman... ... 964 . . 459 .. 15 .. 30-60 C. McLeod .......... ... 1093 .. 360 .. 11 .. 32-72 P. G. M’Shane ... ... 1480 .. 643 .. 18 .. 3572