James Lillywhte's Cricketers' Annual 1884

4 L L L L Y W H T E ' SCRICKETERS' A N N U A L. wickets , as usual, played very fast and true, but the outfielding groundwas very rough-a condition which continued the same throughout the season- contrasting in this respect most unfavourably with the beautifully -kept turf of the Association Groundat Sydney. The new scoring board, by which the whole score as taken down in the book, with the exception of the analyses of the bowling , is presented to the spectators , was made use of in this match, and in all the other great matches of the tour . The attendance on the Saturday was estimated at 12,000 . Third match (v. Twenty-two of Sandhurst ), November 23 and 24.- Heavy rains had made the wicket rather treacherous on the Back Creek ground, and a somewhat low scoring match was the result . Morley was still unable to play , so that at this early stage in the tour a substitute had to be found in the person of G. Alexander, a memberof the second Australian Eleven, who on several occasions materially assisted the team with his excellent fielding . Tylecote again wonthe toss , but very wisely taking into consideration the fact that the morning had been spent by the English eleven in the sombre light of a gold mine, sent our opponents first to the wickets . N overy great resistance was offered to the bowling of Steel and C. T. Studd, these two proving themselves a thorn in the side of their opponents in the matches against odds, and a moderate score of 100 seemed an easy task for our men. Before the day was over six of our best wickets downfor 30 made matters assume a very different complexion , and, but for another ûne hard-hit innings of 48 by Leslie , a very small total must have represented the score . As it was, the second innings was entered uponwith 17 to the good, and our opponents , reaching 119 , left us 103 to win, and only half an hour's more play, in which time G. B. Studd and Bates succeeded in placing 28 to their credit , G. B. Studd's 19 including some tall hits . Fourth match (v. Twenty-two of Castlemaine ), November 24 and 25.- This match was commencedthe next day at Castlemaine on a fast and fairly true wicket . The twenty -two, winning the toss , madea capital start with their first few batsmen, G. Smith playing , perhaps , the best innings madeagainst the team in any of the handicapped matches . Morley. Barlow, and Bates were rather too muchfor the others , and the innings fell short of its early promise , reaching 136 only. This time, in spite of gold mines, and the fact that certain adventurous individuals had been dancing the night before , more than a hundred miles away from Castlemaine , plenty of good form was shown, the brothers Studd, Bates, Tylecote , and Vernon all topping the 30, the largest and perhaps best innings being C. T. Studd's 52. A total of 238 left us with 102 in hand, and at the rate the first eight wickets of our advesaries fell for 22 runs, a single innings victory would have been merely a question of another hour's play . Thewant of another hour, however, produced another unsatisfactory draw. Fifth match (v. Eleven of N e wSouth Wales), December 12, 13, and 14, Sydney. This was the first appearance of the eleven on the splendid Association ground at Sydney , certainly the best ground in the Colonies in every respect except one, though that, unfortunately , is rather an important one, viz.-the turf wearing rather badly , a failing , however , which is gradually disappearing year by year . The excellent light for batting a very important feature to cricketers from the old country , unaccustomed to the bright Australian sun- must always , ceteris paribus , give to it the superiority over the Melbourne ground, where the writer has heard a memberof the Australian eleven even aver it to be the worst light hehad ever played in. The out-fielding , too, is always simply perfection . Our opponents ' list included the far-famedEvans, whosenamehas been so often impressed on us at home as that of the best all -round m a nin Australia , a title to which, at the present time , he is most certainly in no way entitled . Indeed , we rather question whether he would find aplace nowin their best eleven . Magnificent fieldsman , though he undoubtedly is, his batting powers seem to have almost deserted him, and his bowling is hardly up to the high standard of excellence in that strongest of bowling elevens . The toss resulting in favour of the enemy, a rather tedious day's play produced an innings of 152 , Davis and Powell shaping well , though the