James Lillywhte's Cricketers' Annual 1884

6 LILLYWHITE'SCRICKETERS' A N N U A L. Melbourne. The eighteen were about the best that we met in the Colonies , and gave us considerable trouble to dislodge from the wickets , during their innings of 226 and 171 , Lawler and Lewis, both young cricketers , playing in really capital style . The second day found most of the team in good form, and the hitting towards the end became fast and furious ,Read(55), the captain (45), and Tylecote (40 not out), being the principal scorers . With 126 to win, and the wicket still unimpaired , a pretty certain winwas lost from want of time, and possibly , as the three days were uncommonly hot ones , with the great match impending, this was as well for the team. The ground, which was well kept, played easily , but was rather slow considering the dry weather . Tenth match (v. Murdoch's Australian Eleven), Melbourne, December 30, and January 1 and 2.- The first of the three matches that had been arranged previous to leaving England , in order that a fair trial of strength might be. ensured with the eleven , that had been doing such great things in England Morley being still ill in bed, the team can hardly be said to have played its full strength , though, as when he did play afterwards , it was with a broken rib (then undiscovered ), perhaps the eleven , as above constituted , was none the worse for his omission . The Australians were at their fuli strength , Poyle and Jones being the two selected to stand out ; and as both elevens were reputed to be in good form, the excitement of the public reached a high pitch , as shownby the attendance -computed at the enormous number of 54,000 in the three days. The Australians , winning the toss , commencedbatting on a perfect wicket, which was utilised by Bannerman, Murdoch, and Macdonnell to such good purpose , that the telegraph board showed 162 for five wickets . So far, however, no serious damage had been done, and the fielding and bowling had both beenwell up to the mark, an extraordinary performance in the latter de- partment having marked the debut of our new fast bowler, Leslie , who secured the three best wickets in Australia for a small total of runs. Bonnor, whowas the next comer, soon began hitting in that truly terrific manner that has demoralised so manysides , though some three or four times in the early part of his innings he gave chances that ought to have sent himback to the pavilion . Hishitting wonthe match for his side without question , as it did again in the match v. the Combined Eleven at Sydney-hitting that , in both matches, even moderate certainty in catching would have brought to an early conclusion . Our ground fielding was, as usual , well on the spot, and G. B. Studd did some really splendid work. A heavy total of 291 to face , and a wicket marred by a heavy rain in the night , seemed altogether too muchfor the powers of our eleven ; and, though several made moderate innings , no great stand was madeagainst the splendid bowling of Palmer, whose enforced rest seemed to have restored himto the team a giant refreshed . In the second innings , though the wicket had improved somewhat, the total (169 ) fell short of the first innings (177), Tylecote topping the score with two capital innings of 33 and 38 ; Read, 29 and 19 ; Steel , 27 and 29. The performance of the second innings , even allowing for the rain , was a very disappointing one, most of the execution being done by Giffen , whose day, though it comes but seldom, whenit does appear leaves its mark. With 58 to win, the Australians lost Massie before a run had been scored , Barnes securing him from a tremendous skyer with one hand, theother being used as a sunshade , thereby showing a presence of mind-or, more strictly speaking , of hand-that did him credit . Murdoch and Bannerman between them slowly and surely made up the required number, and the first of the three matches ended in a win for Murdoch's eleven by nine wickets , As was to be expected , the joy of the Australian cricketing population knew no bounds at this apparent confirmation of the Oval victory , great fun being madeat our expense when it leaked out that a telegram hadbeen received from Englandof congratulation on a supposed victory , a mistake caused by the con- fusion of some telegraph clerk . Our eleven , though allowed to be a fair one, wasevidently -so the critics said not up to the form of the Australians , andwe started off to Tasmania, hiding our diminished heads , although some of us still cherished the hope that our turn was yet to come. W emust notice , with