Cricket 1901

A u g . 8 , 1 9 0 1 . CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 3 3 1 showed in their first innings. Our visitors were, however, greatly enamoured with the Nondescripts’ ground. They thought it beautiful, and one more enthusiastic than the rest expressed a desire to sleep on it. But that is neither here nor there. Suffice it to say that the Boers are keen on all forms of sport, especially cricket and the two sections of football, and they play Rugby a great deal better than they do Association, which is news to most of us and may probably lead to a challenge to try con­ clusions with the C. H . and F. 0., several members of whom were interested onlookers of the play in the earlier part of the day. “ O f the Boer X I . perhaps the most interesting personality is that of Mr. De Villiers, as keen a cricketer as one could possibly meet in a day’s m atch; a man whose connection with the game has made his name a household word throughout South Africa, and who, but for circumstances which had better be forgotten, would be representing that part of the continent with the team which is giving such a good account of itself in England at the present moment. Mention has been made of Mr. De Villiers figuring in representative matches at the time Lord Hawke’s Team was touring in South Africa. That is perfectly true, but the experience of Mr. De Villiers dates farther back than that. He took part in representative matches against the English teams which Major Wharton visited South Africa with, the first time in 1889 and the second time in 1892, teams which included such well-known names as Briggs, Ulyett, Abel and M . Bowden on the first occasion and Walter Reed, Peel, Murdoch and Ferris on the second. Mr. de Villiers was a prominent member of the Western Provinces Cricket Club and also belonged to the Electrical C.C., Kimberley. Mr. Kotze, another member of the Selection Committee, has the repu­ tation of being a regular stone-waller and it is recorded of his cricketing achieve­ ments that he once kept his wicket up for five hours in a local match played against Lord Hawke’s team in Pretoria. A l­ though he hardly lived up to his reputa­ tion as as a sticker, yesterday he gave one of the most brilliant expositions of field­ ing that has been seen locally for a con­ siderable time past. Amongst yesterday’s players who are deserving of more than a passing reference is Mr. C. Otto, who with his captain bowled so well for the Boers. Otto has seen a good deal of cricket in South Africa and was formerly a member of the Jamestown Railway C.C., and subsequently the City and Suburban Club, Johannesburg. Altogether the Boers were strongly represented and only their batting was weak, but this may be corrected on the resumption of the match this (Saturday) afternoon when the weather may be more favourable and the visitors better familiarised with the action of a turf wicket. “ The ground presented quite a gala appearance yesterday, and the excellent arrangements reflected credit upon Mr. W . Parys, the Hon. Secretary ot the Colts C.C., who personally superintended the bringing of things to maturity. There were four large stands in all, a specially constructed Pavilion for the accommodation of H . E . the Governor and f-uite; carpeted and artistically decorated with foliage plants from the nursery gardens of Mr. P. D . Siebel; there was a spacious marque erected for players only, whilst there was a sufficiency of space allotted free gratis and for nothing to enable those to see to whom a price of admission was a serious consideration. In no particular had the arrangements been overlooked and the crowd which was present yester­ day amply repaid the promoters for all the pains, trouble and expense they had been put to. The weather yesterday was of the variety which can by no possible stretch of the imagination be included in the category of charming. The morning was hot and steamy, the glare imposed a strain upon the eyesight which was scarcely conducive to com fort, and in the afternoon the weather was dull and over­ cast, rain falling heavily in the interval between the first innings of the Colts and that of the Boers, necessitating a length­ ened extension of the prescribed period, during which the Boers were to be driven to the Galle Face H otel and hospitably entertained by the ColtR at luncheon. And then the crowd. Its size and extent exceeded all anticipations. It would be difficult to accurately estimate how many people assembled to witness a match around which so much of interest centred. The open spaces were filled five or six deep, and the majority stuck to their places through sweltering heat and heavy rain rather than relinquish coigns of vantage which had not been procured without trouble. The stands were also largely filled, and it is to be hoped that the Club will be fully re­ couped for the outlay b y the proceeds realised by the gate yesterday and to-day. The reception accorded to the Boers was of the most cordial descrip­ tion. For once it seemed as if the Colts had to take second place in the estima­ tion of the onlookers. The Boers were the “ lions ” of the day. Every piece of smart play of theirs was applauded, and the keenest interest was displayed to see them arrive on and leave the ground. They were easily distinguishable by their green and orange puggarees, and quite repaid the intelligent interest evinced in their movements. “ Upon the players com ing in, H .E ., the Governor, who was supported by H .E ., the Major-General and the Hon. Mr. H . H . Cameron, stepped down from his stand into the field, and members of the Boer team were introduced to H .E ., who complimented them upon their playing. In addition to the Captain, Commandant Van Z y l and Mr. Otto ex­ changed words with both the Governor and Major-General Hobson, and the crowd stood around, a dense, compact mass, keenly enjoying the scene. Upon their Excellences making a move for departure, Commandant Von Z yl took off his hat and called for three cheers for the Governor, which were immediately given, Sir West acknowledging it b y turning and lifting his Panama ! A native crowd is always interesting, but chiefly so when the event which has brought them together is over and neces­ sity no longer exists in the opinion of the native himself for placing a restraint upon his action. H e then prepares him­ self for a skurry and a stampede, and enjoys the fun all the more if it brings him into collision with his natural enemy, the policeman. Before the players were off the field the crowd broke its bounds, and came surging round the players, and it was with difficulty, and a fierce appli­ cation of the cane, that a semicircle was kept in front of the players’ tent. Here, after a brief interval Commandant Van Zyl collected his men, and, when he had got them together, called for three cheers for the victorious eleven. These were heartily given, with a great waving of hats and a display of the utmost cordiality. The Colts returned the compliment with equal enthusiasm, and then not to be out­ done the crowd cheered both. The Boers returned to Mount Lavinia in the evening, and will leave for Diyatalawa to-day, having, we have it from the mouths of several, enjoyed their outing, their game, and the reception accorded them by all classes of the community hugely. “ The Boers are very anxious to play the return match upon their own ground in the Diyatalawa camp, and an effort will be made to have the fixture arranged accordingly. O f course, it is premature to speak about this with any certainity, but if such a match could be arranged it would be productive of a great deal of public interest, and it is scarcely likely that the authorities will put any obstacles in the way. T hk C o lt s , First innings. J. C. Heyzer, run o u t........ 2 A. T. Pollocks, c Du Toit, b Otto ... ........................... i b Otto . J. Ludovici, c Coetzer, b De Villiers........................ 19 Second innings, c Smuts, b de Villiers ... 3 C. E. Perera, not ou t......... 90 L. Thomasz, c and b Otto .. 6 J. Kelaart, c Hilder, b Otto 2 Dr. A. Raffel, b O tto.......... 0 W . de Fransz, c Bennett, b Coetzer............................... 2 E. A. Joseph, b O tto.......... 3 T. Kelaart, b Otto .......... 1 J. Forsyth, c Van Zyl, b Otto ............................... 8 Extras .......... 12 c Kotze, b De Vil iers .......... 1 c Kotze, b De Villiers .......... 0 c Du Plessis, b Scheeper.......... 20 st Sennett, b De Villiers .......... 2 c Kotze, b Otto... 4 c Kotze, b De Villiers .......... 19 b Otto................. 7 c Scheeper, b De Villiers ..........u notout................. 0 Extras... 7 Total.................146 Total .......... 114 T h b B o e r s . n ir * ^ . . Second innings. G. Kotze, lbw, b Ludovici... 1 b Perera oq C. van Zyl, c De Fransz, b .......... Lud0™ i ........................ 10 c De Fransz, b T. Hilder, c Ludovici, b Joseph ... ... 0 Kelaart .......... .......... 0 b Joseph ... 5 J. Scheeper, run out .......... 4 0 T. Kelaart, b (h Sennett, bLudovici ... 0 c a n .? ? J o s e p h 3 A. Smuts, b Thomasz ... 0 b Joseph a D. du Toit, c De Fransz, b ......... Joseph............................... o b Joseph .. n P.H. de Villiers, b Thomaez 7 c and b Perera a P. du Plessis, c J. Kelaart, b Joseph .......... J. Coetzer, not out C. Otto, b Thomasz Extras 25 cHeyzer,b Joseph 4 ... 3 not out................. g ... 0 b Joseph .." i 3 Extras ... 6 Total... , 53 Total 6*