James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1891

2 4 LILLYWHITE'SCRICKETERS' ANNUAL. and the three others nameddid have their days of success with the ball , but were not allowed to relieve Messrs . Turner and Ferris often enough to enhance their reputation greatly . At the same time, whenwerecall the brilliant doings of the Third Australian Team, which in Spofforth , Giffen , Palmer , Garrett , and Boyle possessed five bowlers of the first class , we cannot but think it a pity that the promoters of the seventh trip failed to secure the services of a third really formidable trundler. Butit wasin the batting that the chief weakness lay. Of the newchums, Mr. Burn-who by a singular error was included as a reserve wicket -keeper- and Mr. Walters were played for their batting alone , and both were comparative failures . The Tasmanian's colonial reputation rested mainly on a fine innings against Mr. Vernon's team, and several large scores in minor matches ; but it wasa long time before " Kenny" Burncould get a run at all on English grounds . Mr. Walters , of w h o mgreat things were expected , was a disappointment , his best effort being 53 (not out) against Surrey . For a first visit to England, Dr. J. E. Barrett -the stonewaller of the t e a m-w a sa r e m a r k a b l esuccess. H eis a left-h a n d e db a t s m a nof theScotton type, and though his style is by no means graceful , he is at all times a most difficult wicket to get. Atfirst he did not seem at homeon our slow grounds ; but once settled down, he played consistently well , his batting being quite one of the features of an unsuccessful tour. Dr. Barrett's principal performances will be found at the end of this review ; but his 96 against Oxford and Cambridge Past and Present , 67 (not out) against England, 61 (not out) against the Lyric Club, and especially his 170 for once out, at the wind-up of the season , cannot bepassed over without comment. In the first encounter with England, Barrett performed the uncommonfeat of carrying his bat through the innings- the first occurrence of the kind in International matches between England and Australia , and he repeated this performance in the game with the Lyrics . " TheDoctor " is not so quick in the field as he might be, buthe surprised every- body at Hastings by taking six wickets for 68 runs ,after the regular bowlers had been knocked off . Dr. Barrett stays in England for a while , pursuing his medical studies. Mr. Gregory, the " midget " of the team, was also its most youthful member, only completing his nineteenth year while on the wayto England . He bats steadily , in good style , but knowshowto place the ball , and he opened the season over here so successfully as to raise hopes that were not destined to be fulfilled . Butif his batting deteriorated , Mr. Gregory's brilliant fielding at cover -point-in whichposition herivals the far-famedAlick Bannerman-atoned for a gooddeal , and we think the young NewSouth Welshman has a great future before him . H ecomes of a cricketing stock , being a nephewof the well -knownDave Gregory, whocaptained the first Australian Team. Mr. HughTrumble, a younger brother of the J. W. Trumble who came to England in 1886, is the second tallest Australian cricketer who has visited our shores . H e bowls a mediumfast ball , with considerable break, and he did several big things in inter - Colonial matches last season . AsI have said , however , he failed to make muchimpression in this country. B a das the record was, there is no denying the fact that nine membersof the team were , at the time of leaving for England , in the best eleven of Australia . Andthis brings us to the admission that , in selecting a best eleven of English cricketers , we have many more good men to choose from than they have on the other side . Moreover, it has, w ethink , been well said that on harder wickets the results wouldhave beeneven moreunfavourableto the visitors . A sthe season advanced, they felt the wantof additional reserve men, seeing that at one time Messrs . Murdoch, Trott , Ferris , and Barrett were all more or less incapacitated , and with Mr. Jones practically out of the fight . Mr. R. J. Popewastried with the gloves once or twice , but with no great result ; and Mr. S. M. J. Woodswas asked to assist the team, as ona former occasion , in the International matches. This he was unable to do; but we do not think that the presence of the Cambridge captain would have made much difference .