James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1892

2 4 LILLYWHITE'SCRICKETERS' ANNUAL. C H A P T E RI V, L O R DH A W K E ' ST E A MIN A M E R I C A . B yO N EOF T H ET E A M. ALTHOUGHthe team which Lord Hawkehad under his commandcould b yno stretch of imagination be considered representative of the full strength of English amateur cricket , yet it was one that would in all probability have been able to hold its own against any county eleven composed only of gentlemen players , and onewhich, as it turned out, was quite good enough to meet any combination in America, where our national pastime has not yet reached its full development. Mr. C. W . Alcock , of Surrey fame, had originally intended to take out the team, but after he had successfully negotiated a part of the arrangements , busi- ness of a private character rendered it extremely difficult for him to proceed with t h etour. U n d e rthe circumstancesh eh a dn o alternativeb u tto find s o m e successor , and Lord Hawke, with that keenness for the gamewhich has always characterized him, readily expressed his willingness to take over the whole management. Forvarious reasons the Yorkshirecaptain w a snot able to get together such a strong side as he wished. The inclusion of S. M. J. Woodsat the last hour, however, was a source of great satisfaction , as it was universally recognized that the bowling without himwould have been terribly weak. As everybody knows, the youngAustralian is a host in himself , and, whilst there had never been a doubt of the tour being a social success , no fears were nowenter- tained of its failure from a cricket point of view. It should be mentioned that the trip was conducted on purely amateur lines . W ewere to take no share in the gate, but during our stay in the States were to be the guests of the Com- mittee of the well -known Germantown Cricket Club , who, it is satisfactory to note, thanks to the big attendances at Philadelphia , were by no means losers b y the undertaking . Leaving Liverpool on the 16th of September , we successfully achieved that miserable performance termed a sea voyage, and after a right royal reception at N e wYorkon landing there on the evening of the 23rd, hurried off to Philadelphia , the scene of our first week's cricket , with a view to getting a half -day's practice before tackling the players of the Quaker city . W eEnglish- m e nare not a little proud of our cricket grounds : we look on Lord's as peerless for the excellence of its wickets , the imagnificence of its stands and pavilion , and its wealth of beauty and fashion whenone of the great society matches is in pro- gress . Or perchance scorning such accessories as these , weregard the Oval as our ideal ground, where, on payment of the modest sixpence , we can see as fine agameas the world can produce without any scruples as to dress or feelings of being unfashionable in having brought a luncheon of bread and cheese and a bottle of beer . But fine as these grounds, and others too numerous to mention, undoubtedly are, it is by no meanscertain that the newground of the German- town Cricket Club yields to any of them . Though at first sight it would perhaps seem small , owing probably to its being surrounded by so manybuildings , this illusion is soon dispelled on getting to the middle and trying to put the ball over the ropes . In addition to an enormous grand stand , there is a splendid pavilion andclub -house , which has just been erected , a ladies ' pavilion , a boys' pavilion , and a smaller building , also fitted with bath and dressing -rooms . In spite , though , ofthese manyerections , all are in such excellent taste that the appearance of the ground is, if anything , enhanced by them ; and when I add that the wicket in a year or two's time will be as near perfection as possible , it will be understood that it is difficult to nameany ground which could for beauty , excellence , and convenience alike surpass the one in question . It boots not to enter into par- țiculars of the cricket , inasmuch as the scores will sufficiently describe the play .