James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1879

4 . (at Sheffield), and Cambridge Universityv, and their triumphs include wins over M.C.C., Hull, Surrey, Yorkshire (at Huddersfield), LCICCSlCrSlHl’e, SUSSEX, Glolicestcrsliire, and an Eleveir of the Players (at_0val). In matches against odds they were only thrice beaten, at Longsrght, Ycadon, and Sunderland, and out of thirty-seven matches played they can sh9\v a very fine summary ofeighteen wins, twelve draws, and only ECVCll 10550-5- 1 her“ are still plenty' of critics, and many of then\ good Judges (yr the E“f“?x "91 disinclined to underrate the performairces of Gregor’y and his fellows in this country There are still some. no doubt, who will tell you that Spoilorth was not anything like such a good howler as he would appear to he oil papei, that the skill attributctl to Gregory as a Captain w ‘ more the result of goatl tor-- tune than of ability, that, in fact, the Austi.| us were sceri at their best over here. There will always be, ofcotrrsc, a coterie , lf-satrslred enough to place their own opinions abor’e cvcii the strong evidence of facts, but for“ ourselves wewould rather argiie that the Colonials could hardly have shown their real form after a long sea voyage, under atmospheric influences altogether tliflerent to those to which they wore Used, Oil ground much slower than. those “ at home,” and that the wear and tearofsix days’ rickct in the week, with the hasty rushing from one place to another, coultl not have beeri bcnehcial to them. That they were only commencing to show the full'strengtli of their hands when they left this couirtry' is only' a reasonable supposition, and wewoultl rather overrate than depreciate the merits of men who have shown lsnghsli cricketers what a real love of sport, coupled with an amount ol enterprise that is uucxampled in the history of the game can accomplish. it is certainithat in more than one respect they set us an example that we might well iniitatc to advantage. ch have no wish to extol them at the expense of our own players, but the discipliiic they showed throughout, the readiness dis- played in coming up to time, lllelt‘ consistent punctuality, and their‘ won- derful smartness in the field, represent a combination of small virtues that ought to go a long way towards their canonism in cricket. They were on the other hand as a rule much too rcfltly to imprite motives to the umpires, antl in more than one cas* notably at S arhorough, aliLtlc too anxious to assume themselves the duties of the amp es ; but generally they hehaved iii a manner that reflected the highest credit on Colonial sport, and Englishmen have to thank them, as we ours‘clves do most heartily, not only for the grand cricket they showed us, but fOl‘ the pl rnt intercourse we had during their stay with Us, and the hearty goatl feeling they evidenced as representatives of the Nc\v Dominion to the cricketers of thc oltl cotiiitr)’. Ot' their play itself we shall endeavour to write as fully s our hricl’spacc will admit. Their great strength was unduuhtcdly in th rhowling, which was superior to any that we caii show, even in the licst'tif our‘ County lilcvcns, liver)' individual member ortlre Elm-cu able to bowl more oi'lcss, but then.- \\ at least five —- Allan, Boyle, Liairctt, Spoilbrtlr and Jlorair, ol' rcal ability', while of these the lirst four were all Well litter] to com- mcnce the attaclr in any match. \Vith such an amount ot’ change, and gootl change, in the bowling, no doubt Gregory>’s position in the llcltl was not a particularly difficult one; but he proved himself none the less a very able captain—one who knew his own men, who could act decisively without having to consult anyone, and certainly one of the clever-est lncliciillls that we have ever seeir in lacing a ficltl. Allaii, the howler of a century, at times showed howdifficult his slow left hand arm delivery coulrl be, as the ball had any amount of work on it, and some of the best English cricketers were higlrly impressed with his bowling, though he appeared to want the stamina requisite for the hard work he had to undergo. At first Spofl‘orth's success was regarded as something ofa fitlkc, but he proved himself to be quilt: ”It: