James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1888

T H ET E N T HE N G L I S HT E A MI N A U S T R A L I A . 1 9 weremuchabove the average , and the speculation of the firm, whonot only personally conducted the team through the Colonies , but treated themin the most liberal fashion , in every way resulted , as it deserved , in a great financial success . Since then Englishmenhave comeandEnglishmen have gone, and the cricket public of Australia is , in fact , at the present time, almost as well acquainted with the form of our chief exponents of the gameas we are at home. During the last few years , until this winter , Shaw, Shrewsbury , and Lillywhite have enjoyed a monopoly of the introduction of English cricketers to the Colonies , and it was under their auspices and management that the Tenth Team set sail from Plymouthfor Adelaide on the 18th of September , 1886. Omitting Lillywhite , who wentas manager, there were in all twelve professionals , as the following list will show:- A. Shrewsbury (Captain ), Notts A .S h a w D A W .B a r n e s W .G u n n W .Scotton W .F l o w e r s M. Sherwin , Notts " J. Briggs, Lancashire R .G .B a r l o w G.A. Lohmann , Surrey J. M .R e a d W .Bates , Yorkshire و د و د د و و د James Lillywhite , Manager. و د Thefirst match, against Fifteen of South Australia , at Adelaide , was com- menced on Saturday , October 30th , 1886 , and their last begun on the same ground, against the same opponents , on March 24th , 1887. The Englishmen wereconsequently just five months in the Colonies , and their tour, though the weather waswet and altogether unlike the typical Australian summer, on the wholewas a successful one-at least , from a cricket standpoint . In all they took part in twenty-nine engagements , and of these , twelve were won, and only two lost . The proportion of drawngameswas unusually large , but almost every one of the fifteen unfinished matches would haveended in their favour. Owing to circumstances over which they had no control they did not once meet the full strength of Australia , although they were pitted twice against a combined team; and this was a great disappointment , as can readily be understood . Still , in spite of their two defeats , which wereboth at the handsof N e w South Wales, they upheld the credit of English cricket . Their play , indeed , was highly appreciated by the Australian critics . One of the very best of them, Felix , of the Australasian newspaper , of Melbourne , wrote in the following eulogistic terms : - " That they are a great team every one will admit. Inm yjudgment they are the finest all-round team that ever visited Australia . Asa fielding team they are simply perfect , the best we have ever seen in these parts . Briggs and Shrewsbury showedperfect form at cover and at point , and Sherwin kept wicket exceedingly well. Lohmann, Gunn, and Maurice Readalso appeared to great advantage , no matter what position in the field they filled . Inbatting there was not a weakm a n. Sherwin, whowas set downas by no meansa strong batsman, cametime after time just whenhe was wanted." Altogether the team, beyond a doubt, displayed excellent all -round form. Shrewsbury headed the batting list in eleven -a-side matches with 34.64 for 18innings , and in all matches with 33.65 for 36 innings . In matches against odds, Readwas first with 33.71 for 21 innings . Inbowling Barnes was first in eleven -a-side matches with 13.32 runs per wicket , and against odds and in all matches Briggs headed the list . Lohmann, though at times very effective , washardly so successful on the whole with the ball as was expected , but his batting was generally of use , at times brilliant . His innings of a hundred against Fifteen of East Melbourne was avery fine display , andon several occasions he was of the greatest help towards the end of the innings , whenthings were not going well for his side . A t the sametime, he did an immense amountof workwith the ball , bowling over five thousand balls . In addition , his fielding wasthroughout of the finest kind, and