Cricket 1896

“ Together joined in Cricket’s manly toil.”— Byron. n o . 4 3 6 . v o l . x v . T H U R S D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 1 7 , 1 8 9 6 . p b ic e aa. CHATS ON THE CRICKET FIELD. ME. A. E. JOHNS. Originally chosen as the first wicket­ keeper of the Australian team, Mr. Johns has not played as often as had been expected, on account of the unlooked for development in the batting of Mr. Kelly, the other wicket-keeper of the team. I When Mr. Johns has played he has given ample proof that his great reputation behind the wicket was deservedly earned. Everybody knows that in the match played by the Australian team against the Rest just before the team sailed, Mr. Johns was “ barracked” by the crowd, because he found a difficulty in taking Mr. McKibbin and others on a terrible wicket, but this was an incident which at some time or other is sure to fall to the lot of a wicket­ keeper, however good he may be. The odd thing was that, although Mr. Johns is not a great bat, and does not profess to be one, he practically won the match for the touring team, by keeping up his wicket for an hour and a ha f, when the bowlers could do almost what they liked wilh the ball. The crowd, which had previously mocked at him, now cheered almost every ball he played, aud in fact did their best to make up for their previous behaviour. Mr. Johns is the captain of the Melbourne University O.C. Before he went to the University he played for Richmond, which, at that lime, was in the front rank of Fj Melbourne clubs. TheUniver- sity cricket club does not consist, as in j England, only of present members of the University. “ For instance,” said Mr. Johns, “ I still play for the club, and can do so as long as I am good enough. The qualification is that a player must be a matriculated student of the University, or a schoolboy attending one or other of the public schools, of which the chief are j Wesley College, Scotch College, and Church of England Grammar School. In the ca^e of boys, they must be actually at the college at the time that they are playing for the club. These qualifications keep the club select, of course, but at the same time they handicap us against the other clubs, who can take any man from anywhere. To a certain extent, the Uni­ versity C.C. is a nursery. If we see any MR. A . E. JOHN'S. •om a Photograph bj A. Pi Jeering, High Street, Leicester, promising youngsters at the schools, we stick them in the second eleven, and they often turn out useful members of other clubs. It is another drawback with us that many of our best matches are played during the long vacation, which begins in November and ends in the middle of February; consequently many of our men, whose homes are in the country, are away at the most important time of the season.” “ Do you like the present system of playing the Pennant matches P” “ In one or two particulars I think it might be improved. The rule at present in force i< that t.lvree Siturday afternoons may be devoted to a match. If by the eud of the third afternoon it is not brought to a conclusion, the si te which made the most runs iu the first innings is adjudged to be victorious. The result of this is, that the side which ought to win, and would win easily if time per­ mitted, is often beaten. The sys'em is to some extent con­ ducive to slow play, and it has other drawbacks. It seems to rao that it would be a wiser plan to call the match a draw, as in first-class cricket in England, if it is not brought to a conclusion. It is very difficult to kuow what plan could be devised to improve the present system; t cer­ tainly did not like the old system by which a match might last for five Saturdays.” “ Did you always keep wicket ? ” “ N o; but I have kept for about the last fourteen years off and on. I suppose I began because I was captain of my club team, and there was nobody else who cared for the position. But I did not begin to keep wicket in earnest until about two years ago, for what with being at the Melbourne University and the duties of my profession afterwards, I had few chances of getting practice either in batting or wicket-keeping. Such is the reason why I am not a better bat now. I used to tell my club to put somebody else in my place, but they would not hear of it.” “ One would think that at an Univer­ sity you would get plenty of practice ? ” “ It is so in England, I understand. But a man goes to Melbourne University simply to study ; everything else is quite subservient to this. He goes through his course of lectures as carefully as possible,