Cricket 1896

M arch 26, 1896. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 41 pennant matches he played recently for Melbourne University. In five consecu­ tive pennant matches the University eleven fielded while the following scores were made against them:—St. Kilda, 220 and 80; South Melbourne, 395; Mel­ bourne, 643; East Melbourne, 476; Carlton, 917 ; total, 2,731 runs. Wicket­ keeper Johns, a Melbourne critic face­ tiously suggested in face of this, had assuredly deserved the rest he was ap­ parently about to enjoy during the trip to England. A curious accident is recorded by “ Felix,” of the Australasian, as having occurred in a match between the Adelaide Wanderers and the Blackwood Club. “ While Julian Ayres, who had made 81, was batting, the Umpire, named Wigley, who is noted for hisknowledge of the game and very prompt decisions, called ‘ Wide.’ Ayres, however, simultaneously taking a couple of steps to the off, hit the ball into mid-off’s hands, whereupon he was promptly given out.” In reply to our Adelaide friend, “ Felix ” gave his ver­ dict on the Umpire’s decision, and very properly thusly :—“ The ball was not a ‘ wide,’ inasmuch as it was hit by the batsman, and the batsman was out, for the reason that he was caught.” I n the records of High scoring, Satur­ day, February 8th, of the present year will play a very important part, whether it is to be outdone in the near or far future time alone can show. At any rate the three big innings recorded in Melbourne on February 8th will take a lot of doing. The collector of cricket curios will be interested to have the particulars. Three clubs completed an innings on that after­ noon, with the result, an aggregate of nearly twenty-five hundred runs, as follows :— Carlton v. Melbourne University......922 East Melbourne v. Richmond............... 876 Melbourne v. St. Kilda..........................683 This, it will be seen, gives a grand total of 2,481 runs, oran average of over 82 runs per wicket, while in each of the last two innings there were three scores of over a hundred, in the first there was only one. Still that was very nearly a record in the shape of Worrall’s 417 not out. When 700 had been posted for East Melbourne in its long innings against Richmond, a small boy in the reserve on the East Melbourne ground, said to A. Haddrick, who was fielding near the reserve fence, “ Are you winning, Mister ?” The fieldsman, fixing the boy with his eyes, replied, “ We have not been in yet.” It is fair to say that for this anecdote I am indebted to the Austra­ lasian newspaper. In view of the controversy which seems to have taken place in Australia, with regard to the qualifications of Hugh Trumble, for a place in the Australian team now on its way to England, “ Point,” of the Adelaide Observer, has taken the trouble to get out his figures as a batsman during this winter. It will interest cricket readers to learn, that in club matches in five consecutive innings, up to February 8th, he had scored 100, 120, 28, 55, 58, and 163. A calculation will show that this gives him an aggre­ gate of 524 runs, and an average of 87-33. T hat they order some things better in Australian than in English cricket is certain. In many details their arrange­ ment for the accommodation and con­ venience of the public are undeniably more complete. In one particular the Australian Cricket crowd has the advan­ tage in that it is able to follow the game to the minutest detail with ease and comfort, without the necessity of a score card. The scoring board on Australian Cricket Grounds is a pretty big affair, as the description of the new machine used in the recent Inter-Colonial Match between Yictoria and New South Wales, at Sydney, will show. The board, which was planned by the ground curator, Mr E. Gregory, is 65ft in length, and in addition to the ordinary scores, shows the bowling averages run by run. All the figures are worked by rollers, and the board gives a most complete record of the game as it goes on. It takes three men to manage the huge structure, and they work it very smartly indeed. A CURIOUS incident marked the pennant match in Sydney on Feb. 8th, between Glebe and South Sydney, which it is worthy of remark as an evidence of the interest in club cricket out there, was witnessed by over 13,000 people. Noble played a ball into his pad at the knee, and with a confidence that was touching allowed Searle, the wicket keeper, to come round and take the ball out. Needless to add the batsman had to retire caught. And serve himAright. So say all of us. A NOTEWORTHY performance was re­ corded in Victorian cricket in the match between Warrambool and the Rovers on February 8th. The hero was W . Green­ wood. Of Warrambool’s total of 96 he contributed no less than 62, and what is more carried his bat right through the innings. It is worthy of remark that this is the third time he has seen the whole side out during the season. J. W o r r a l l , whose record score of 417 not out for Australia caused such a sen­ sation in Melbourne in the early part of last month, had made himself, at the time of the last advices from Australia, pretty sure of keeping possession, for ever and aye, of the Williamson and Mus- grove Trophy, the reward for the best average in Victorian pennant matches. Up to the middle of last month he had played three innings for an aggregate of 592 runs. As he was not out on the occasion of his greatest performance his average to date was 296. His three scores for Carlton were, 75 against Richmond, 100 against Fitzroy, and 417 against the University. T here is happily no chance that the Canterbury week, which has had the sincerest flattery of much, and it is pleasant to be able to add, of successful imitation, since its institution close on fifty years ago, will have to seek fresh fields and pastures new. The Members of the Kent County Club, at their annual general Meeting, on the 13th, decided to purchase the St.Lawrence Cricket Ground which has been offered to them by Lord Sondes at a resonable figure. The price of the freehold, it may be stated, is £4,500, and the Committee of the County Club are raturally hopeful that the amount will be subscribed, so as not to touch the funds they have at present invested, amounting to £2,100. Mr, George Marsham, one of the keenest supporters of Kent cricket, has contri­ buted £100, the Marques of Camden £50, Mr. Leach Lewis, of Margate, £5 5s, Major-General Denne and Admiral Henry Boys, each, £5 5s. 0d. Subscriptions payable in one sum, or spread over two years, may be sent to the Secretary of the Kent County Club, Mr. A. J. Lan­ caster, 46, St. George’s Place, Canterbury, or to Messrs. Hammond and Co., or the London and County Bank, both of Canterbury. S in g l e wicket matches are so rare that any instance, particularly one at all out of the common, deserves a special record. That recorded in the Sydney papers between Adam Mather and Alf. Foster on January 15th at Singleton (N .S .W .) may fairly be classed as out of the ordinary. Mather, who went first to the wicket, remained there from 2.30 p.m. to the end of the day, by which time he had scored 152. On the following Monday the game was continued and Mather proved as successful in the field getting Foster out for 12 and 0. Mather, it may be added, has only one eye, having lost the other through an accident some years ago. The match was for five pounds aside. To the making of books there is no end. If it be true that there is little new to be said or written, in a general way, the history of Cricket, in particular, one would have thought had been long before this pretty well exhausted. Yet there is still another cricketer to follow the lead of Mr. W. G. Grace and Richard Daft, to judge by recent announcements. This time it is Mr. W. W. Read, the Surrey Amateur, who is about to issue a book entitled ‘ ‘ Annals of Cricket, a Record of the Game,” under the auspices of Messrs. Samson Low, Marston, and Co. Mr. John Shuter, so long captain of the Surrey eleven, has written an introduc­ tion. In addition to numerous illustra­ tions there will be a frontispiece portrait of the author. A cc o r d in g to the Australasian, twenty- four berths were engaged on the Cuzco, which left Adelaide on Saturday week for England, for the members of the ninth Australian team and their following. Donnan and Iredale, it is stated, are both accompanied by their wives. It is expressly stipulated, so it is said, that the Benedicts are to leave their wives in London while the team is