Lives in Cricket No 11 - CP Lewis

CRICKET MATCH THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS AT SWANSEA THE COLONIAL XI v XVIII OF SOUTH WALES The Australian cricketers have created an almost unprecedented stir among the leading exponents of the National Game of England, as they have borne off the laurels from so many well-contested fields, that their advent to South Wales was looked forward to with a very great deal of the most lively interest which was not confined to the notaries of the game, but extending itself to the general population. The Marylebone Club, ruling the roost at the headquarters of cricket in England (Lord’s Ground, London) no doubt has as high an opinion of their own prowess as the country generally; and when they and other of the principal home clubs had been beaten on their own grounds by the Colonial team, the newspapers teemed with criticisms on their play, and the public mind was seized with a natural curiosity to see these men whom Australia had sent forth to put the old country through its facings in the exposition of excellent cricket. For some years past Swansea and South Wales generally have been awakened to the life of cricket, and praiseworthy efforts have been made by public men, notably by Mr J.T.D. Llewelyn, the High Sheriff of the County, to train up a lot of cricketers who shall uphold he honour of the Principality in the friendly rivalry of bat and ball. The men of South Wales have felt themselves sufficiently strong to challenge competition with severable notable teams, and they wisely determined to measure their prowess against that of the Australians. The match came off on Wednesday and yesterday on St. Helen’s ground. It was at one time thought that we should be disappointed – that the Colonists could not reach us after the game at Twickenham in time to keep their appointment, but by dint of travelling all night they arrived at Swansea at 4.30am on Wednesday morning, and came to the field as fresh as if they had enjoyed a full night’s rest. Schoolmaster at Llandovery College 51