James Lillywhte's Cricketers' Annual 1884

T H ES E V E N T HE N G L I S HT E A MI N A U S T R A L I A . 5 latter played in a style more useful than ornamental . Our innings , the largest of the tour, commencedbadly, G. B. Studd retiring for six . The next day however, Leslie and Barlow completely mastered the bowling , which was mostly indifferent , and, with the exception of Evans, of a very erratic description . Leslie's 144 was an example of that player's very best style , his cutting and off- driving being alike , masterly , Barlow's 80 an innings of great duration and patience . After these two had retired the tired -out bowling continued to receive unmitigated punishment at the hands of Read, Steel , and Bates ; and it was not till Monday, at one o'clock , that the innings concluded for 461. Evans bowled steadily , but without much" devil ," and also madea couple of very fine catches . 'The second innings of N e wSouth Wales was again remarkable for the good play of Davis and Powell, the former showing some capital defence and cutting powers in an innings of 85. These two being indifferently supported , thematchended in a victory of an innings and 144 runs . In the first innings Steel , and the second , Barlow and C. T. Studd, did some good bowling , and our ground fielding throughout was both brilliant and effective , Steel and G. B. Studd particularly distinguishing themselves . The catching , alas , showed a tendency towards that uncertainty which was brought to so fatal a perfection later o n in the tour. Sixth match (v. Eighteen of Maitland ), December 6 and 7.-- Wretched wet weatherand a rough wicket were the most noteworthyfeatures of this match, and the whole play only occupied about an hour more than one day. Alexander, who was still playing as a substitute , made a useful 24, which, with Barnes (25) and Barlow (24) headed the score list . The opposition withstood our slow bowlers with small success , and in their two innings only got within 14 of our single score -155 . Our evening at the hotel was enlivened by anelectioneering meeting , held to support the candidature of a Mr. Cohen, and addressed from the balcony of our sitting room, at which we were regaled with a good specimen of rough and ready mob oratory by some noted ultra radical , whosen a m ehas been forgotten. Seventh match (v. Eighteen of Newcastle ), December 8 and 9. Played in splendid weather , and on one of the best provincial grounds in the Colonies . Theeighteen included the veteran , C. Lawrence, who, though he came to the Colonies with the first English team, still retained his batting powers to some extent . The eighteen , batting first , were disposed of for 67, Tylecote at the wicket disposing of no less than six in this innings and seven in the second . In the first innings he actually performed the hat trick of three consecutive balls from Steel , the only instance the writer can call to mind of such a feat by awicket-keeper . Steel and C. T. Studd shared the bowling honours . All but two of the eleven scored double figures , Leslie and Read again to the fore with 51 and 64, in a long innings of 339 , and at the end our opponents were left with two wickets to fall , and 218 runs still wantingto save the innings-a typical instance of a match ending in a " draw," when the four minutes , allowed for the walk to and from the wickets of the last two men, would have probably sufficed to finish the match. Eighth match (v. Eighteen of Tamworth).-Persistent rain throughout the two days put an end to all hopes of any play in this match, thereby destroying our only chance of making a trial of the cocoa-nut matting wickets , whichhad been prepared on this occasion . The spare time was accordingly given up to kangaroo hunting , feasting , and speech -making, every memberof the team, with the exception of the captain (who had gone back to Sydney), having an opportunity of airing his powers of eloquence . Some amusement wascaused by the thoughtfulness of an impecunious curator , who consigned several of the cricket bags to the tender mercies of a pawnbroker, from w h o m, however, our hosts speedily rescued them: Ninth match (v. Eighteen of Ballarat ), December 26, 27, and 28.- Christmas festivities had the effect of causing the team to arrive in Ballarat one short , the delinquent turning up in the course of the afternoon , with the novel excuse that he h a dnot been called that morning at the hotel in