Cricket 1900

THE FINEST BAT THE WORLD 'PRODUCES. Aua. 16, 1900. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 339 BUSSEY’S II c o 53 p e r * 0 9 BUSSEY’S AT TH E SIGN OF TH E W IC K E T . B y F. S. Ashley-Cooper. The following letter, referring to a noteworthy match played two years ago in Australia, will explain itself:— South Brighton, Victoria. 30th June, 1900. Dear Sir,—My attention has been drawn to an item under the heading ‘ ‘ At the Sign of the Wicket,” contributed by you, in Cricket of the 17th Slay last, in which it is stated that your attention had been drawn by Mr. J. C. Davis, editor of the “ Australian Cricket Annual” to “ the match between Middle Brighton (Sydney) and Cheltenham (Victoria) which was supposed to have taken place early in 1898, and to have resulted in a victory for the last-named by an innings and 606 runs.” The paragraph then goes on to say that Mr. Davis stated that the match was a myth. Allow me to state the facts. A competition was inaugurated, called the Brighton-Moor- abbin Competition, for gold medals presented by the Melbourne Sports Depot Co. Amongst the clubs entered were the Cheltenham and Middle Brighton, both of Victoria, and the respective districts being only about five miles apart. These teams met on 15th January, 1898, at Middle Brighton, and continued play on January 22nd and 29th, and February 5th, resulting in a win for the Cheltenham team by an innings and 606 runs. Herewith I give you the details of the play :— At Middle Brighton, in Victoria. January 15th, 22nd, 29th, and February 5th, 1898. C heltenham . A . Beulke, c Whitby, b Staples.......................14 F. Chandler, b Rich­ mond ... .................... 0 R. W off, o Whitby, b Robinson.......................94 A. Hewett, c Whitby, b Blackham ...........105 S. Chandley (capt.), lbw, b Whitby .. 194 Total ... . f82 W . Robinson 1 for 120, Staples 1 for 65, Whitby 1 for 63, Bltckham 2 for 66, J. Robinson, 0 for 25, A. Beulke, 0 for 68, Richmond 2 for 98. A. Organ, b Moulton 50 8. Cullin. b Richmond 35 C. Judd, not out ... 66 C. Wawn, c sub, b Moulton ........... ..1 0 F. Groves, o and b Blackham ................30 A.Chandler.bHickling 54 E xtras................. BO M iddle B eiohton . First innings. Blackham,c & b F. Chandler 2 J. Robinson, b Hewett ... 0 Moulton, c —, b Hewett 2 W . Robinson, c —,b Hewett 4 Richmond, c —, b H ew ett.. 5 Whitby, c —, b F. Chandler 5 Smith, c —,b F. Chandler .. 9 A. Beulke, b F. Chandler . 0 Hickling, not o u t ................. 3 Henricheen, b F. Chandler 1 Staples, absent ................... 0 E xtras..........................10 Second innings. run out.................. 0 b S. Chandler ... 0 runout................... 6 c —, b S. Chandler 6 lbw, b Hewett ... lbw, b S.Chandler not out................... c —,b S.Chandler c —, b S.Chandler b S. Chandler ... absent................... Extras ........... Total ...................41 T o ta l............. 35 Hewett 5 for 34, F. Clundler 5 for 14, S. Chandler 6 for 11. Cheltenham winning by an innings and 6C6 runs. These particulars I have taken from a presen­ tation that was made to me by the members of the winning team, which took the form of a handsomely engraved certificate, suitably framed, containing the full particulars of the match, as taken from the score-book. As a lover of cricket I prize this present above all others, and you can understand my feelings when I saw, in print, that the whole thing was a myth. The Melbourne Evening Herald having suggested that a member of the Cheltenham Cricket Club should write to you on the matter, I have taken the liberty of doing so. In order to remove any possible doubt about the matter I also attach a sworn affidavit that the particulars herein given are correct. Yours faithfully, E w en M c S w a in . (Scorer to the Cheltenham team.) It gives me great pleasure to make Mr. McSwain’s letter public, as it clears up once for all the uncertainty which existed about the genuineness of the match. I may add that it was at my request that Mr. Davis gave his opinion on the matter, and that he declared the match to be a myth on the understanding that the Middle Brighton was a Sydney club. It is many years since rain so sadly in­ terfered with the Canterbury Week as it did this season. By thousands of enthu­ siasts the Festival is always looked forward to as a holiday, and to these especially the weather must have proved a keen disappointment. The Ladies’ D ay—Thursday— was completely ruined through rain, only seventeen runs being scored during the whole day. Owing to the wet, Mr. Burnup’s score of 49 lasted part of each of the three days. It was fortunate for Martin that arrangements had been made whereby he was to receive the average takings of the second match during tbe last five Festivals instead of taking the receipts of the match for his benefit in the usual way. Had it not beeu so, it is to be feared that a most deserving player would have received a most inadequate return for the excellent services he had rendered to his county for many years. Neither match during the Week was completed, whilst it is to be feared that from the Kentish authori­ ties’ outlook the Festival has proved a failure. It was pleasing to see the “ Old Buffer,” the guide, philosopher and friend of a goodly number of us from our early days, present at the matches. His annual contribution to the Globe last week on cricket in general and the Canterbury Week in particular was as interesting as ever, which is saying a good deal. The Yorkshire team has accomplished many wonderful performances during the season, but it is doubtful whether it had been seen to such advantage as on Saturday last against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. No play was possible on the first two days, owing to rain, the match being commenced (and nearly finished) on the Saturday. Although the home team was lucky enough to go in first, the whole side was out for 84. Yorkshire lost a wicket as soon as their innings commenced, but a fine stand by Denton and Mr. Taylor enabled the venture to be closed with the score 158 for the loss of only two wickets. War­ wickshire, who required 75 runs to save the innings defeat, had eighty minutes’ batting and had to play for a draw. Kinneir and Willie Quaife played a very slow though correct game under the cir­ cumstances, remaining together half-an- hour before the latter was dismissed before he had made a run, the score then being one, and that a bye ! The players who followed in appeared quite helpless against the strong Yorkshire attack, and when time had expired the score was 43 for seven wickets, leaving the game all in favour of the visitors. Had the champions been able to pull off the match it would have been a most remarkable feat. A match in which similar scoring was witnessed was that between Lanca-