Cricket 1898

130 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. M a y 19, 1 8 9 8 . and a charmin g garden inwhich many kinds of w ild animals are kept in cages. The whole place is a cross between a zoologi­ cal and botanical garden. On some occasions, we were told, the grounds are illuminated, and must form a delightful evening promenade. Rain fell heavily during "the afternoon, at night, and until lunch time the next day, but we were then able to make a start with the first match against the Oporto O.O. Oar opponents won the toss and elected to go in on a rather tricky wicket, of which our bowlers, Brom ley-Davenpoit and Bathurst, made the most. On the ninth wicket falling the score stood at 22, but Eay then hit out well, and, showing more confidence than his predecessors, raised the score to 33. Warner and Douglas opened the batting for our side, and the 100 went up before they were parted, Warner then being dismissed for a nice free innings of 53. Douglas continued to cut and drive brilliantly, twice on-driving out of the field (both big hits) until, having topped his century, he fell to a good catch at m id-on. Our innings eventually closed for 254 early on the second day. Oporto, going in a second time, fared much better and showed greater confi­ dence, leaving the dangerous off-balls alone, while hitting the loose ones, and thus showing us some of their true form. George Daggs, especially, shaped as he is accustomed to do, and two or three times placed the leather well over the boundary. This, their second effort, realised 118, and thus left us victorious by an innings and 103 runs. It was unfortunate the cricket did not last longer, as we had a perfect day with a blazing hot sun and delightful cooling breezes, but the tennis tournament had to be played off, and we therefore made a start in this direction, the matches being arranged on the American system, and each side being represented b y three pairs. Ours were B . N. Douglas and A. 0 . Taylor; E. A. Feild and F. W . Westray; Tom Westray, junr., and 8. A. P . Kitcat. The courts were excellent, and we had some splendid sets, but our friends proved too good for us and won easily. In the evening Mr. and Mrs. Boger Coverley gave a most successful dance at the house, the “ Bunn y” dance (a great feature of the last trip) being once more prominent. Friday brought us another fine day for our match v. Portugal, our opponents having secured the services of three men from Lisbon, who certainly strengthened the side. Tom Westray won the toss, and, putting Portugal in, they made 79, a great improvement on the previous match, while Douglas brought off two grand one-handed catches—one running iu the deep field and the other in the slips. Warner and Douglas again went in first, but Douglas fell to an easy catch at mid-on. Kite it followed and soon began hitting all round the wicket, off- driving Cobb (who was prevented playing in the first match through a sprained ankle) out of the ground. After com­ piling 36 he fell to a good catch at third man. Warner continued to play dashing cricket, until at 46 he too succumbed. Then Tom Westray gave us a splendid exhibition of batting, his cutting being especially fine, and it was unfortunate he found no one who could stay long enough to enable him to secure the three figures. His 79, not out, was with Douglas’s 105, the finest display on our side, and the Oporto cricketers should learn a good deal from both innings, while several of them expresed the plea­ sure they found in fielding under such circumstances. In their second innings, Portugal made 109, Dr. Colclough playing a fine innings of 25, and setting the example of much freer cricket than had hitherto been adventured. Cobb, also, hit well for a similar score, while Hardwick gave us a somewhat slow, but meritorious perfor­ mance. We won this, our second and last match, by an innings and 75 runs. With reference to the form shown in both matches, it will be seen how that of our opponents improved considerably in their later innings. This can be accounted for b y their gaining greater confidence, and a confidence probably lacking in the commencement ow ing to a natural, but perhaps too great, respect for our bowlers, whose reputation is well known to them. Their fielding was excellent throughout, often brilliant, and with a little more practice against good bow ling and oppor­ tunities of studying first-class cricket generally, they would undoubtedly show to better advantage. There was a great improvement since our last visit in 1895, and the special coaching they had recently received from the professional sent out a few weeks before our arrival, had worked wonders. The wicket was good, especially when one considers the many difficulties of soil, etc., which have to be contended with. On Sunday we paid a visit to the golf links, at Ejpinho, but it blew a gale and rained in torrents, so that our match was spoilt. However, we managed to play one round of nine holes, and finished up “ all square.” They are good sporting links, and with plenty of hazards in the shape of a rail­ way and stream, both of which must be crossed several times, but, owing to the want of appreciation and respect for the greens shown b y the local urchins, these latter cannot be kept up so well as might be wished. Monday was again hopelessly wet, but the day being a “ blank ” day, the rain in no way interfered with our arrangements. In the evening, Mr. Cabel Boope and Mr. Arthur Gonne gave a magnificent ball at The Factory (the English club), where everything was in the very best style, and some 200 guests were present. The ball was kept g "in g until about 4.30 a.m., and after “ God save the Queen ” had been sung, we all linked hands and joined in “ Auld Lang Syne,” finishing up with “ Musical Honours ” to our generous hosts. It may prove interesting to record that just as the guests were arriving for this ball, a terrific cyclone burst over the town, carrying away several of the curious cone-shaped skylights which are fitted to most of the houses in Oporto, and also sweeping off a sentry box or two and a kiosk which stood upon the quay, the occupants of the latter escaping therefrom barely in time to avoid an untimely plunge into the river. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ooverley had arranged a large picnic up the Douro for Tuesday, and the weather proving fine, we started about m id-day in a large tug, towiDg behind us a few river boats, with some of the guests. We arrived at the Cintra d’Oliveira to find a splendid lunch ready laid—a lunch to which we all did ample jus*ice. It is impossible to paint in words this charmingly quaint and almost deserted old house, with its wild, but beautiful garden full of roses, wisteiia, camelias and.azaleas, and commanding a beautiful view of the Douro and the surrounding country. On Wednesday, Mr. Tom and Mr. Fred Westray arranged to take us all to Vall- onga to see their slate quarries, and there we enjoyed perhaps, the most interesting day during our whole trip. These quar­ ries are situated in a long valley, from which the place derives its name, situated some 10 miles from Oporto, and the drive took us through several villages (where, as we passed, we saw the inhabitants weaving native cloth in their houses), and by rather rough roads, over most picturesque hill country, covered with pine trees and heather. After lunch we were taken to in­ spect the works, and most of us descended one of the quarries from which huge slabs of slate are excavated, to be even­ tually sawn, planed, and split into slabs for billiard tables, for house tiles, and for many other purposes. It was a wonder­ ful thing to see the slate split into any size required, and apparently without any risk of a cross grain. In the evening—our last evening—Mr. and Mrs. Blake gave a most delightful dance, and, the night being fine, with a bright moon, we were able to enjoy many a stroll between the dances, in their charming garden. Here again, as at the factory, we finished up the evening with “ Auld L in g S yn e” and the popular “ Musical Honours.” Thursday was a day of farewell, when we had to leave our kind and most hospitable friends, who came down in large numbers to see us off at Leixoes, the men accompanying us on board the Elbe to bid us bon voyage, while the ladies remained stationed on the extreme end of the North Wall to wave us a last good­ bye. A sad moment to many ! The voyage home was more or less uneventful. We were favoured with good weather iu the Bay, and a sea like a lake of glass; therefore, most of us proved good sailors, even off the coast of Portugal. The Elbe put in at Portsmouth, where we parted with the captain and the good ship which conveyed us on such a perfect and enjoyable trip — a trip that, alas! like all delightful things, must