Cricket 1901

M arch 28, 1901. CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 43 marked and was a new ball that after­ noon, and moreover, one with which both umpires were quite satisfied. The North Bnsbane m?n walked off the field, and asked that the match should be awarded to them. The point was referred to the delegates of the Queensland Association, who referred it to the executive, who in their turn referred it back to the delegates, and there the matter has apparently ended. B y scoring 230 for New South Wales against Victoria Victor Trumpet has now brought his total of innings of .over a hundred in big matches up to eight, as follows :— 292* ... N S. Wales v. Tasmania, 1898. 253 ... N.8. W alts v. New Zealand, 1£99. 135* ... Australia v. Eoglat d, 1899. 104 ... Australia v. Gloucester. 1899. 300* ... Australia v. Sussex, 1899. 208 ... N.8. Wales v. Queensland, 1899. 165 ... N.S. Wales v.Souih Australia, 1899. 230 ... N.S. Wales v. Victoria, 1901. As showing how impossible it is to find anything approaching unanimity on the question of whether such and such a m in throws, the follow ing reference to Marsh’s bow ling may be quoted from the Sydney M a il :— “ Some of the Victorians held the opinion that it was Marsh’s slow and medium balls that were shies, while I believe that umpire Curran, who left his post during the colt’s match because Marsh had his arm strapped, held that it was the very fast one that should be called. Others, whose opinions are entitled to respect, say that he 1chucks ’ all the time, while there are some who claim that he is always above suspicion.” C. J. E a d y still holds his place as the best all-round cricketer in Tasmania. In the match between the colony and Victoria he scored 9 and 104, his second innings including four 5’s and fourteen 4’s, his hard hitting necessitating the presence of three men in the outfield, even against the fast bow ling. It is a pity that he could not play this sort of cricket while he was in England, but unfortunately he suffered severely from rheumatism throughout his visit. In addition to his big seere, he took 9 wickets in the match for 137 runs. T h e sixth wicket partnership of 173 b y Trumper and Duff yesterday is the biggest ever made in any first-class match in Australia, with the one excep­ tion of the 258 by Trumper and Iiedale against Tasmania in 1898. In conn ec1 ion with the decline and decay of the game of cricket which is prophesied by so m m y people, the following extract from “ N yren” (1833) is of particular interest:— If the present system (round arm bowling helow the elbow) be continued a few years longer, the elegant and scientific game of cricket will decline into a mere exhibition of rough, coarse horse-play. I do not speak from prejudice or from the partiality of one who has been educated in a particular school, hut I can use my eyes, and I can compare notes and points in the two styles of playing, and they who have known me will bear testimony that I have never been accustomed to express myself rashly. I have, therefore, no hesitation in declaring that none of the players who have risen with the new system can compare for a moment in the standard of excellence (clever though they undoubtedly are) with such eminent men as Old Small, Aylward, the two Walkers, Beldham, and Lord Frederick Beauclerc. In the matches for the Sheffield Shield, says the Sydney Referee , the wickets taken by Victoria average nearly 7)t runs less than those of New South Wales, whose averages in turn excel those of South Australia by nearly 11 runs per wicket. With the bat, New South Wales is an easy first, with Victoria well up, and South Australia, as in bow ling, last. The particulars are :— Batting Batting Difference for. against. per wkt. W . R. Avsr. W . R. Avg. Victoria ... 66 188>?8*48 80 6'9 2073 775 N.S. W. ... 70 2-t*831-82 64 18 >' 28*12 5 70 S. Australia 70 16362V37 6 1 2445 39' 13 16’06 THE SHEFFIELD SHIELD. Season. W on by Season. Wen by 1892 3—Vic'oria. ]897 8—Victoria. '89<-4—Souih Austra’i*. 1898-9—Vic‘orit. 1891-5—Victoria. 189°-0—New South Wales. 1-95-6 —New Sou h Wal^s 1900-1—Victoria. 1896-7—New 'outh Wale?. THE NINE YE 1R S’ RESULTS. Matches. Shield. W on. Lost. Won. Victona ... ................... 23 13 5 New South Wales ........... 18 18 3 South Australia ........... 13 23 1 B. A. D u f f , in his six innings opposed to Victorian bowling, has made three 70’s—75, 75, and 76. For a beginner in these matches, be has about the best record. He averages 46 50 for six innings. JonN W is d e n ’ s C r ic k e t e r s ’ N o t e B o o k f o r 1901 has just made its appear­ ance. It contains a diary, the laws and fixtures for the vear, new articles on Mr. G. L . Jessop, Robert Thoms, War and Cricket, and varicus useful statistics. It is of a convenient size to fit into the pocket. B y next month Lancashire will have qualified two likely colts in the persons of Arthur Sladen and J. J. Broughton. The former, who is a Yorkshireman by birth, had considerable success as a fast bowler in the two matches in which be took part for the L on dm County C.C. last summer. These were agtiinst War­ wickshire at Birmingham and Derbyshire at Derby, and his full record showed ten wickets at a little over twelve runs apiece. Broughtcn’s all-round cricket was of great use to the Manchester Club in 19C0. In twenty-seven completed innings he scored 854 runs, besides taking sixty-nine wickets at an average cost of eight and a-half runs. V ic t o r ia had won the Challenge Shield given by the E u l of Sheffield lor com­ petition among the Australian colonies before it commenced the return match with New South Wales at the commence­ ment of last month. Had the premiership hung on the result of that contest the agony would have been piled up, and no mistake. As it was, Victoria had to make 344 to win when it entered on the fourth innings. Of these 334 had been made when Saunders, the last man, came in, and N*w South Wales werennable to get the wicket before their score was passed. Victoria won a splendid match with only one wicket in hand. T h e forthcoming anniversary meeting of the Mar) lebone Club which is to beheld as usual on the first Wednesday in May bids fair to b« one of the largest in the history of the club, if ir. should fall below the attendance on Mr. Lacey’s appointmeut to the secretaryship. The proposed alteration of the l.b.w . rule has provoked a considerable difference of opinion, and the two parties are already working hard to ensure the success of their respective views. I know of one very well known amateur cricketer of the sixties, who is making a vigorous canvas in favour of the alteration. All the same, I should like to repeat my earnest hope that the members of the M.C.C. will carefully consider the many and serious objections to a change which may mean a vital injury to the game. Recent cricket legislation has tended to produce a feeling of distrust rather than of confidence in the minds of a large number of cricketers. One is grieved to say so, but the interests of oricket require it. In the last issue of Cricket occasion was taken to congratulate Sussex on the recovery of Mr. Arthur Collins, one of the cou n t)’s most useful players. He had then only just got over a severe attack of typhoid fever; so severe, indeed, that for some time his life hung on the balance. As it is, it is doubtful even now whether he will be able to take bis place in the Sussex eleven till late in the ci ming season. “ C r ic k e t S t o r ie s , wise and other­ wise, gathered by C. W. Alcock,” is to be published shortly hy Mr. J. W. Arrow- smith, Bristol. Rumour is also busy with another cricket book as on the eve of publication. It is from the pen of C ipt. P. C. W. Trevor, one of the most readable of the modern writers on the game. The title is “ The Light Side of Cricket,” or something like it. V ic t o r T r u m p e r ’ s latest performance in intercolonial cricket will give universal satisfaction to all over here who had the pleasure of watching one of, if not quite, the most attractive batsmen Australia has sent to the old country. His second score of 230 for N tw South Wales agaiost Victoria, in the return match played at Sydney in the first week of February, turned the whole course of the game, which had been in its earlier sta ges going all in favour of Victoria, though it did not prevent the latter winning. He was batting in all four hours and forty-three minutes. This gives an average of about forty-eight runs an hour, a sufficient proof of tbe high level of his rungetting throughout. A brilliant