James Lillywhite's Cricketers' Companion 1884

11 » 1 1 « J the game, as they should be at this stage of their cricket education. For the tours of A ustralian Elevens-extend over an entire year, whilst those of our cricketers are limited to some six months. The outcry that would be raised in L ancashire if B arlow were absent from the ranks of the County Eleven for nearly an entire season may easily be imagined. One can therefore understand that the absence of, not one only, but the three or four best cricketers of a Colony has occasioned a vast amount of adverse comment. In England we suffer in a far less degree, though, as we have attempted to show at the commencement of this article, the frequent visits of A ustralian Elevens can hardly be looked upon as unmixed blessings. The G entlemen had decidedly the best of their two annual matches against the P layers , although the Oval match resulted, curiously enough, in a tie. Their Eleven, however, were without the services of Messrs. W . G. G race , A. L yttelton , W . W . B ead , A. W . E idley , and E. F. S. T ylecote , so that they were severely handicapped. But at Lord’s both Elevens were really representative, and great was the run­ getting on an absolutely perfect wicket, 1,098 runs being scored for the loss of thirty-three wickets only. Mr. T ylecote attained the height of a batsman’s ambition with a score of 107, and Messrs. A. P. L ucas , S teel , and E idley played fine innings. B arnes , U lyett , and S hrewsbury scored heavily in both innings, but the batting beat the bowling on a perfectly true wicket, and the amateurs naturally went to the fore, and you easily by seven wickets. Three N orth v. S outh matches were played, t Lord’s, the Oval, and Tunbridge Wells— the last-mentioned by no neans representative. The want of howling talent in the South was ilainly demonstrated, the Northerners winning on each occasion, but he reverse would have been the case at the Oval had the Southerners lelding been up to the mark. It was remarkable in this match that, lota single Northern batsman was bowled in either innings, and as many :s eighteen wickets fell to catches. ; The-University match resulted, m ccordance with general anticipation, in an easy victory for C ambr idge ^. O xford had the worst of the wicket, and in the first innings could not °°k at Mr. C. T. S tudd ’ s bowling; Mr. J. G. W alker and Mr. P ag e,: lowever, played fine second innings, but their bowling vas decidedly *low the standard of an -University Eleven. Mr. W right ’ s 102 for " ambri D ge was a fine display of cool, steady batting, and pi'ovec is Jest performance during the season. .