Cricket 1900

A ug . 9, 1900. CBICKIT : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 331 THE EVE OF THE NEW CEECY. [According to a prospectus of the Concours internationaux d’exercises physiques et de sports , three international cricket matches will he played this month in Paris under the auspices of the authorities of the International Exhibition. A French equipe, or team, will oppose equipes from England, Holland, and Belgium. The prizes will consist of an Object d’cirt and souvenirs for each player.] Gold in her hand, and tongue in her cheek— The gold she spends on the Object I seek, And golden souvenir* unique,— A h ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! I he Object of Art is fair to see— For I don’t suppose it would common be ; The Object of Art would, I think, suit me; A h ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! If I were Grace I would have the cheek, I would have the nerve the object to seek, And the golden souvenirs unique,— A h ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! Ah me ! I can never make a run. When the closure’s called I’ve just begun My innings—the captain thinks it’s fun ; Ah ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! And many an one grins under his nose : “ Sir Hobble-de-Hoy, for all his new clothes, Can neither bat nor trundle slows,”— Ah ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! If I were Grace 1 would have the cheek The golden souvenirs unique, And likewise the Object of Art to seek,— ■Ah ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! Yet even now it is good to think, While my few poor runs make my heart to sink, And my bowling average makes me blink, Ah ! qu’elle e$t belle la Republique ! Of the Object lying glorious here In glory of gold, filled with “ glorious beer,” And glory of glorious souvenir ;— Ah ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! Likewise to-night I give a cheer Because the match is drawing near ; For what have I to lose or fear ?— Ah ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! For, look you, my bat would like a chance To make the cut, the drive, the glance, Before the eyes of the beauty of France,— Ah ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! And some time it may hap, perdie, When my score towers up by three and three, And my bowling baffles “ W.G.” — Ah ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! That folks may say : “ Times change, good sakes! For Hobble-de-Hoy a record makes, Gets heaps of runs, and wickets takes. A h ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! “ And a wonderful Object of Art he owns, An Object of gold and precious stones ; St. Grace for Hobble-de-Hoy de Jones ! ”— Ah ! qu’elle est belle la Republique ! W. A. B. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. A n O ld H arbovian .— Y ou particularly wished lhat it should be printed without the slightest alteration. You wiote the two words as they appeared. If you would send your address an answer could be sent. NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By a well-known Cricketer in the Antipodes.) There is no doubt that with only three days set apart for a match, as in England at present, between strong batting sides, the game is hardly likely to be finished and the unsatisfactory draw is the result, but out here the games are played out, i.e., the inter-colonials and internationals, even if they take a week. Ordinary club matches are decided on the first innings if the match is not finished in the time allotted. My own opinion is that— especially in Australia on the plumb wickets—the batting is much too strong for the bowling. As a bowler (p) I speak feelingly, and why an additional wicket cannot be added to the present three I can’t see. No difference need be made in the bat, ball, bowler, or anything else, but the bowler would have a better chance, the batsmen could not let a lot of off balls alone as he often does now, the scoring would be decreased, and matches would have a better chance of reaching finality. This is my opinion of the best way to make matches end. Out here it would be a boon at any rate. Instead of standing in a sweltering hot sun for a day and a-half or two days bowling your heart out against a strong side, a day ought to see them all out under the four wicket rule. Possibly it would make a difference to the coffers of the various associations in decreasing the time taken to play the match, but I daresay it would be recom­ pensed by the people who would attend regularly if a match could be fought out and ended in a reasonable time. You will be pleased to hear that Harry Trott has quite recovered from his illness according to a Victorian paper. I hav’nt heard directly and am surprised as well as pleased at the news. I could not see him last time I was in Victoria as I was unable to get an order on any day I had available, but 12 months previously 1 saw him several times at his own cottage, and Graham and I took him for a swim. He seemed to be unable to sustain a conversa­ tion for any length of time, but recognised me after an absence of 12 months, and knew where I came from, but his mind seemed very weak, and I never thought he would get over it. However, he has done so by all reports and has gone to Phillip Island, which is on the Victorian coast, for a holiday, and is then to resume his work at the S. Melbourne Post Office. In Tasmania we have finished our sea­ son, and Bum has come with a wet sail and smothered all the batting, winding up with an average of 133, I think. He did not play in two representative matches or in all probability he would have made a greater aggregate, although possibly his great average would have dropped. Burn is the first Tasmanian to exceed the 1,000 runs. He is a fine bat, and the tri^ to England made him. Of course, his average is the highest on record there. Eady was second, after starting in great style, but as Harry Graham would say in his characteristic way, “ his light went out.” All the same, his batting average is higher than any other previous one, and if Burn had been behind instead of in front of him it would have been the record. Burn’s, however, will stand unshaken for a long time I fancy. Eady was also second in the bowling, so for the first time, I think, for the last six j ears, he is put down. But the trophy has gone to a good man, who has been playing honestly and sturdily for a long time now, and is a great favourite with all the players, and whose success was most popular. Windsor, at the northern end of the island, was in great form, and it is a great pity he cannot get into good cricket company. We are terribly isolated here, and I expect the chaps on the other side often smile at our conceit when we tell them what we can do. They took us at our word once, and put in a red-hot team—New South Wales- against us and made nearly 900 runs against us. You remember the match—so do we—but as they treated South Australia in the same manner shortly after, this was salve for our feelings, although the unmerciful chaffing we received for about a month after put our temper sorely to the test. They had great fun here, in Hobart, while the match was in progress in Sydney. One wag said Eady was seriously injured. When asked for particulars, he said that he (Eady) had worn his leg down from bis foot to his knee, bowling at Trumper, and would never get over it. Savigny is another capital batsman in the north, who only wants opportunity. I haven’t seen any of the Victoria, New South Wales, or South Australia fellows lately. Graham, I saw, on his way home from New Zealand. He is in great form and is looking after himself. He will be in good heart next season. I am sorry the Englishmen are not coming out this season, although, of course, I quite see why they are not. Every year makes a difference to Jones now, and he, in his proper form, is our mainstay. He did not bowl too well after his return from England, but, pos­ sibly, he was stale, and the spell might do him good. Old Bill Howell I never hear of. They have a very promising left- handed bowler in Victoria named Saun­ ders. He will make a good bowler, I think, if his health will allow him to stand the strain. I don’t think he is too strong. Young Collins I have not seen, but I hear he is very accurate. LONDON SCOTTISH v. HAMPSTEAD.—Played at Brondesbury on August 4. L ondon F cottish . W . Cooke, c Stevens, b Bobinson................... 1 8.F .Denniston ,cBobin- son, b Wheater ... 74 8. Lienard,b J. Qreig 25 E.A.Bennett, b Bobin­ son ...........................16 F.J.Was-jStMcMillan, b "Wheater ........... 1 H. J. B. Pope, lbw, b W h ea te r...................17 C.A rgyles, b Robinson 0 A. Kinross, st McMil­ lan, b "Wheater ... 10 B. A . Bennett, not out 7 P. Child, c Bobinson, b W heater ...........11 W. E ‘Whitehorn, b "Wheater................... 0 B 13, lb 2, w 2 ... 17 Total ...179 H.C. Preston, c Cooke, b Lienard...................8 C.D.McMillan, b Lien­ ard 4 H.Greig, c & b Lienard 0 J.Stevens.c R.Bennett, b Pope ...................11 K.Bobinson, b Lienard 11 8 .8 .^ heater,c Dennis­ ton, b Lienard ... 3 H ampstead . G. R. Girdlestone, c Pope, b Lienard ... J. C. Toller, c Child, b Lienard .................. A. 8. Dornton, bPope 8.M .Figgis, b Lienard J. Greig, not out B 5, lb 1 .......... Total 49