Cricket 1902

78 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A p r i l 17, 1902. THE ENGLISH CRICKETERS IN AUSTRALIA. The English Cricketers under A. C. Maclaren’s captaincy were the guests of the committee of the Melbourne C.C. at a farewell dinner on March 6th. The Governor’s speech on the occasion is worth reproduction, he said:— 111 amvery grateful to the committee of the Melbourne Cricket Club for asking me to be present here to-night to meet the two teams whose fine play and sportsmanlike spirit we have been admiring so long. (Cheers.) Coming as I do from the old country, my aspirations naturally centred on the English team. But Australia is now my home, and my experiences have been so pleasant up to the present that I am not certain that if Mr. Maclaren comes here next year he will not find my allegiance transferred to Aus­ tralia. (Cheers and laughter.) There are a great many chances in cricket, but I think we must admit that in a series of matches the team which shows the best all-round form will generally win. If that is the case, we Englishmen must frankly admit that we have been beaten. At the same time the feeling is tempered with pride that we have been beaten by our brothers across the sea. If our teamwins, we say, “ Hurrah, we win.” If it loses, we say, “ Bravo, our brothers, under the Southern Cross.” (Loud cheers.) Whether fighting Boers in South Africa or cricketing in Australia, themother country is proud of Australia. (Cheers.) It is some twenty-one years ago since I captained the cricket team of the Royal Engineers in the Bermudas. It was a very hot sort of cricket, and most of you would, I expect, think we played rather a poor game. But anyone who has once played cricket will always appreciate its fine points. (Cheers.) There is a recent effusion of an English poetwith which I must entirely disagree. (Laughter.) The man who plays cricket must necessarily wear flannels, but it does not at all follow that he is a flannelled fool. (Loud cheers.) My experience is entirely the other wa;. The best men around me in my company in the Royal Engineers were those who were cricketers. (Loud cheering.) My experience is that there is something in the game of cricket that conduces to the best qualities in a soldier. To play cricket there must be physical fitness, self restraint, and an intelli­ gent sense of discipline. (Cheers.) I don’t think we have enough cricket and football in England. There seems to be a tendency in England not to play cricket, but to look on ; not to play football, but to go and look on and bet on the game. (Hear, hear.) The more people there are who play cricket and football, the better it is for the country. Poets are very extraordinary people, and express themselves sometimes in extraor­ dinary language. (Laughter and cheers.) Whether it is owing to the exigencies of rhyme or rhythm I do not know, Ibut they very often seem to say things which they don’t mean in the least. (Laughter.) It may be that Mr. Kipling means something quite different from what we imagine. (Laughter.) If he means that few play the game and many look on and do not play I think there is a great deal in what he says. (Cheers.) But to talk about “ flannelled fools at the wicket and muddied oafs at the goals ” is to misuse our fine language. (Cheers.) A man who can hold his own at cricket i» no fool—(cheers)—and the man who plays in front at football is not an oaf. (Cheers.) To produce good cricketers and good foot­ ballers means to produce, good soldiers. I should like to say that the Australian team has given us some wonderful examples of pulling a losing game out of the fire. They have shown the greatest determination in what must have been discouraging circum­ stances. The English team has given us about as fine an exhibition of fielding as we could see. (Cheers.) Lastly, I think Mr. Maclaren has shown the best attributes of a captain of a cricket team. I will venture to prophesy that the old country will come out rather better in the matches to be played in England this year. (Laughter.) There is a saying in India that “ one’s best friend is the man you would like to go out tiger-shooting with.” Thatmeansthemanwiththebestnerve, the best eyeandthe best courage. I think the South African war has shown us who these sort of friends are. (Cheers.) If ever the Empire is in a tight place, the old country will look to Australia—(cheers)—and New Zealand, whose men have lately given us a fine specimen of their quality—(loud cheer- ing)—and Canadians—(cheers)—and I am certain she will not be disappointed. (Loud cheering.) I hope I may be present with you on some future occasion, and that we shall then triumph over you, having given you a good beating. (Laughter, and prolonged cheering.” ) The amateurs of the English team were madeHon. Life Members of the Melbourne Club, and the professionals each received a bonus of £25, besides sharing a sum of £140 for talent money. PICKERING’S BLANCO For Cleaning and Whitening White Buckskin and Canyas Shoes, Cricket Pads, and all other articles of a similar nature. I t is p r e p a r e d in a v e r y c a r e f u l m a n e x t r a p r e c a u t io n s a r e t a k e n t o e n s u r e a o f c o lo u r . I t c o n t a in s n o t h in g t h a t w i l way injure t h e a r t ic l e t o w hic h i t is a p i f u s e d a s d ir e c t e d , a S p le n d id W hi te o s a tin - lik e a p p e a r a n c e a n d s o f t , s ilk y s e n s u r e d , w hi c h w i l l n o t rea d ily ru b U sed in all th e County and Lead ing Cricke t and Tenn is Clubs, e tc . 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