Cricket 1901

9 j CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A p r i l 25, 1901 F r o m t h e Sydney Referee : — In referring to veteran George Gilbert’s striking a rough road in his old days, Cricket states that “ he had the honor of delivering the first ball ever bowled in an intercolonial match—New South Wales v. Victoria, at Melbourne, March 26th and 27th, 1856.” That is hardly so, for three inteicolonials, Victoria v. Tasmania, were played prior to 1856. T h e unsatisfactory state of the finances of some of the Melbourne cricket clubs has resulted in the appointment of a committee to consider the question of the future, a resolution being passed as follows at a meeting o f the Victorian Cricket Association:— That a sub-committee, consisting of the pennant committee (Messrs. Laver, Kmickey, and Lipscomb), together with the president of the association, be authorised to meet a sub-committee of the Melbourne Cricket Club, and discuss with them the conduct of Victorian cricket in the future, and report to the Victorian Cricket Association at a meeting to be called at a future date. The follow ing amendment was not carried:— That the various associated clubs should give their views on the matter, and that the association should then consider the matter fully. O n this question “ Felix ” says in the Am tralasian :— The question suggests itself, are the bad times going to last for ever ? Before Lord Sheffield’s team came here cricket was very poorly supported by the public, and calls as heavy as those now required had to be made to meet the deficit. But after Lord Sheffield’s team left these shores there was a marked revival of public interest, and the big matches between Victoria and New South Wales and South Australia were so splendidly supported by the public that associated clubs shared in quite a handsome dividend. Some of the clubs seem to forget that they ever had a dividend, but if they hark back a bit they will find that they fared very well indeed out of big cricket. This remark, however, does not apply to Hawksburn. I n an innings of 224 for nine wickets, made b y Wellington against Break o’ Day, at Hobart, Tasmania, on March 9th, two men were run out, while C. J. Eady had a hand in disposing of all the rest ; he caught fcur men and took three wickets. A f o o i b a l l player named F. C. Futter — a particularly suitable name— recently scored 145 in a cricket match at Ballarat. B is innings included four 6’s, the ball goin g over the trees on to the roofs of the houses in a neighbouring street each time, a 5, and twenty-two 4’s. F r o m New Zealand I hear that the New Zealand Cricket Council intends to ask the Marylebone C.C. to include New Zealand in the tour o f the next team which visits Australia. A c c o r d in g to the Adelaide Observer racing cyclists have been complaining of the fondness of certain cricketers for hitting the ball on to the track on the Adelaide cricket ground. It seems that several cyclists have had narrow escapes of being hit, and that they have expressed their intention of goiDg to law if an accident occurs to any of them, which is a lively look out for the cricketers. A SCRATCH match between members of the Melbourne and East Melbourne clubs who are not considered as “ playing members ” took place on the ground of the former club on March 14th, one of the rules of the game being that as soon as a batsman had made 35 he must retire. Am ong the players was Mr. J. B. Wardill, the manager of the last Australian team, who scored 34 not out. He did not wear pads, although some of the bow ling was pretty fast. V ic t o r T h u m p e r has followed the example set by R . A. Duff in playing an innings of over two hundred at the end of the Australian season in an Electorate match. His score was 213 not out for Paddington v. Glebe, and included twenty-eight 4’s and two 5’s. The innings lasted {oi three hours and a-half. Commenting upon it the Sydney Referee says:— He started well as far as defence was con­ cerned, that is, he was not once beaten by the ball. But for some time he was not able to time them with that exactness for which he has become famed. Of the first twelve halls delivered by Hogue (left hand), who opened the bowling with Buckle, five passed outside Trumper’ s legs, and one hit him on the pad—he thus in two overs missed six fours on the glance. But his cutting from the start was excellent, and the driving, after a while, beautifully timed. T r t jm p e r has already scored over two hundred for Paddington in Electorate cricket, viz., 260 not out against Waverley. The only other innings of two hundred made for the Paddington club was 214 by A. C. K . Mackenzie against University. D u f f ’ s record of a thousand runs for the season in Association matches in Sydney has now baen passed b y Trumper with 1,100 runs, of which 458 have been made in Inter-State matches. I t is announced that Hugh Trumble, the great Australian bowler, is engaged to a lady who went to England in the same boat as the last team which visited us. It is greatly to be hoped that there is no truth in the rumour which is current in Australia that Trumble has promised to give np cricket after his marriage. I n the book entitled “ Cricket and G olf,” compiled b y the Hon. B. H. Lyttelton, which w ill shortly be published by Messrs. Dent, there will be many coloured reproductions of old cricketers and cricket prints. O n Monday, the Yorkshire team began regular practice at the Leeds county ground, the only important absentee being Mr. T. L. Taylor. Several rising players were given a trial, including J. Walker, of Mirfield, a slow bowler, who was engaged last year at Peter­ borough; Sam Haigh, Meltham Mills, a promising batsman, who has an engagement at Uddingstone, near Glas­ g ow ; W . Bedford, of Morley, a fist bowler, who attrac‘ed much attention from the onlookers ; H . Myers, Y eadon; J. Hardron, L ockw ood ; H . Denton, Thornee; C. C. Clarkson, H alifax; and E. W . Ingleby and J. G. Glossop, Leeds. T i i e batsmen of the Holmworth C.C. (Yorkshire), had the privilege, on Satur­ day, of sampling the baw ling of Rhodes and Hirst, who were playing for Kirk- heaton, with a wicket much in their favour. Rhodes took five wickets for 32, and Hirst four for 8. The Holmworth C.C. bowlers then found that Hirst is in good batting form already, for he scored 77 not out. F. J. T r o t t , a younger brother of H airy and A. E. Trott, made his first public appearance in England on Monday at the Essex county ground. Like his brothers, he has an easy style, and the ball in his hands is lively. His pace is medium on the average, and his length seems to be good. T h e Nondescripts are trying Norfolk this season, instead of North Devon, as the scene of their annual tour. The ma'ches a re:— AUGUST. 5. v. Norwich 6. v. Fakenham 7. v. East Dereham 8. v. North Walaham 9. v. Qunton Park* 1 !. v. Overstrand* * Two-day match. The full programme will be found in another place. T h e match list of the Free Foresters will be found in another part of the paper. The arrangements for the Irish tour, which closes the season, have apparently not been completed as yet. T h r e e cricketers were mentioned favourably in Lord Roberts’ recent recognition of meritorious services in the South African war. Of the trio, Hamp­ shire claimed two in the persons of Major Poore, the bright particular batting star of 1899, and Major J. Spans, still considerably above the average of amateur players. The third was the late Prince Christian Victor. The Com­ mander - in - Chief’s tribute to his universal popularity in the A im y will be thoroughly understood b y all who recall his unvarying courtesy to cricketers of every class, as well as his enthusiastic interest in the game and everything belonging to it. T h e Surrey County C.C. is to open the season at the Oval on Tuesday next with the customary match between the First Eleven and the N ext Fourteen of the County. Under the influence of the genial weather of the last few days the