James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1886

1 6 LILLYWHITE'SCRICKETERS' A N N U A L. Maitland . This also ended in a draw, England getting 141, and 118 for eight wickets , against the twenty-two's only innings of 91. Scotton 49, Shrewsbury 32, and Briggs 22 in the first innings , and Briggs 36, and Attewell 33 in second, wereprincipal scorers . Every kindness was shown us at both Maitland and Singleton . W en o wreturned to Sydneyto play the return match against Combined Australia , commencing on Friday, February 20th . A. Bannerman and Bonnor took part in this fixture , having probably seen their folly . Spofforth also was able to play in this and all the other big matches of ours in Australia , and w e have to thank him for the trouble he took to come and play at great incon- venience. Massie having wonthe toss sent in Jones and Bannermanon a beautiful wicket. Forty runs had been made without the loss of a wicket at lunch time, very slow scoring . Abouttwo o'clock a thunderstorm of unusual severity , even for Sydney, broke over the ground , which was soon like a field of snow, through the terrific fall of hail . O n ceasing , it quickly changed to a sheet of water, and it was hardly thought likely that any more play would take place . About half-past four , however, on examining the pitch , the umpires decided it fit for play. TheColonials had a bad time of it during the hour and a half that remained , andat six o'clock had lost eight wickets for 97 runs . Thestorm coming so early ofcourse greatly reduced the company, about 2,000 , who had arrived bynoon, being there . OnSaturday , after Spofforth had been stumped, Garrett and Evansmadea grand stand , adding no less than 80 runs for the last wicket . This performance , too, could hardly be estimated in value , as it was on a false wicket , and it no doubt wonthe match for the Combined Team. Evanswas at last caught at the wicket for 33, Garrett being not out 51, total 181. The English innings closed for 133, Flowers being top scorer with 24. Horanwas the most successful bowler, taking six wickets for 40 runs . Tenthousand persons witnessed the play. On Monday, in lovely weather , with 48 runs in hand, the CombinedTeam began their second innin s. This closed at five o'clock for 165 ; Horan 36, Trumble32, Bonnor 29, Jones 22, and Massie 21 , getting the runs. The English bowling was excellent all day, and their fielding perfection . With 214 to win, Shrewsbury and Scotton opened England's second innings . Spofforth soon bowled the left -hander , and Ulyett was unfortunately run out, two wickets being down for 29 runs at the call of time. O n Tuesday a bad start by the Englishmen made the match at lunch time look a certainty for Australia , as much as 8 to 1 being laid on them. Barnes , Shrewsbury , and Briggs soon went, and five wickets were down for 61. Bates hit away merrily for 31, when he was caught at the wicket . Flowers and Read nowgot together , and hit the Colonial bowling all over the field , Spofforth especially being heavily punished . The score was taken from 92 to 194, or within 20 of winning, and 5 to 1 was was nowlaid on England. Another change, though , was at hand . Spofforth bowled Read, who hit round to leg at a straight one; Attewell was run out, and Peel caught at the wicket , making nine downfor 199. Hunter joined Flowers to get fifteen , eight of which they made, whenFlowers was caught at point from a bumperof Spofforth's , and one of the finest finishes ever seen at Sydney ended in favour of Australia by six runs. ReadandFlowers were of course the lions of the hour. Each scored 56, and so completely had they mastered the Colonial bowling that at one time it looked almost certain that they would wipe the runs off themselves . FromSydney to Narrabri was the next journey , a distance of ninety miles bysteamer to Newcastle , and 250 miles by rail . This match was played in the hottest weather experienced during the tour, the barometer showing over 100 in the shade onboth days. Theeleven made 187 , the scoring being pretty equally divided between half a dozen of them. The twenty-two could only manageto get 74 and 69. A fine reception met us here, a banquet being given in honour of the first visit of an English team to this district . Every one exerted themselves for our enjoyment, Mr. Moseley, of Tibbereenah , an old Rugbyboy, who was first and foremost , actually coming downthe line 100 miles