The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 1899. THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 130, 3 June 1899, Page 4

The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 1899. THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

For the cause that lacia assistance, For the ■wrong that needs resistance, For the futaro in the distance, And tho good that we can do.

The talk of the day is the first test match between the Australian cricketers and their English opponents. On no other topic could we tit present venture to discourse with a greater certainty of enlisting- the interest of the vast majority of our readers. Compared with the battle now being waged at Nottingham, political matters, which, of late, have had greater prominence than usual, are somewhat stale and flat, and other questions of public interest are, for the time, put in the background. Although we are not Australians, but New Zealanders, and are always prepared to emphasize the distinction, we' feel entirely identified with the team that has gone Home. We regard these doughty champions of the willow as representatives of Australasia, and as doing battle for the honour of Australasian athletics as a whole. If these are our feelings, how much more pronounced must be the interest with which Australia, the home proper of the team, watches its progress over the cricket fields of Old England. It is most probable that no other event, not even federation, appeals to the general public more eloquently to-day than the news of the. first test match. The 20th of this month will be a great day in the Mother Colony, for then the referendum on the Amended Convention Bill is to be taken in New South Wales, but if we do not greatly mistake the results of the present and the following matches will be as keenly looked forward to as the decision of the New South Wales people in the matter of Federation.

The contest now going on is, of course, much the most important that has yet been played during the tour, and the finish of it will be awaited with a corresponding degree of interest in cricket circles and by the general public. So far, the news to hand gives us on this side of the world thebest reasons for self-con-gratulation. Our boys have done excellently well in the field. The first innings concluded with a large majority of runs to the credit of the Australians, the actual figures being 252 for the visitors and 193 for the Home team. Of course, cricket is proverbially uncertain; in no other game does the unexpected happen more frequently; so it is far-from an impossibility that the fortune which has favoured the Australians in the first half of the fight may forsake them for their opponents later on. But, even should the match be quite different in its close from what it lias been up to the middle, Australia will still have good cause to pat itself on the back. Be it remembered that the Cornstalks are trying conclusions with practically the strongest combination that England, the5 home of the glorious game, can pit against it.Glance at the names of the eleven, names of men known and honoured beyond the field where they have won glory and fame; a phalanx of champions, tried and chosen for conspicuous ability; versed in every branch of the game; consummate masters of their art; and led by the veteran Grace. Well might the ' enthusiastic cricketer here deplore those leagues of weary 'ocean that separate him from the scene of a struggle that, in its whole characteristics, distinctly suggests,the heroic. Happily the cable comes to ou.r aid most generously, and in the papers we can read an excellent precis of the game. By piec.ing1 out the telegraphic imperfections with his thoughts, as the chorus in Henry the Fifth advises the audience to do, the enthusiastic cricketer, may, in imagination, translate himself to the field of Nottingham, and watch the champions, of Australia uphold the honour of their 'far countrie.'

If the matches that have been played previous to the first test one are' to be taken as any indication of how the tour will result we should feel very pleased with ourselves indeed. The opening1 battle of the season was played against a particularly good South of England representative team. When the first innings concluded the visitors had made 375 runsagainst the Englishmen's 246. In the second innings the latter were all disposed of for 223, leaving only .94 for Australia to make. It is as certain as anything can be certain in cricket that the visitors could not have failed to score the necessary number of ftns had they been permitted, but the three days, the limit allowed for each match, expired before they got the chance, and the match was consequently declared a draw. That the contest wan virtually a victory for Australia no one would question, especially in view of the fact that Gregory and Noble by their magnificent batting in the first innings individually exceeded the number of runs necessary to win the game. Noble carried his bat for 116 and Gregory made 124. In the second match, that against Essex, the Australians showed a great falling off. They only made 217, while the score of Essex was 343. This was the first county

match, and the result proved rather dampening- to the ardour of the visitors when they called to mind that in I the "90 tonr every one of. these matches 'had fallen to them. But a few days i later our boys gloriously retrieved I their honour by a magnificent victory. I The defeat at Deyton was entirely 1 wiped out by the victory of Kennington Oval when the flowei of Surrey retired from the field beaten by an : innings and 71 runs. It was in this i match that Howell, the New South ; Wales bowler, took every wicket ot '' the opposing eleven in the second innings, while' they only managed to make 2S runs off him. On May IStli ; the victors met the South of England for the second time, and this time managed within the three days I limit to attest their unquestionable I superiority. The Englishmen made ' a gallant stand but Trumble's bowljin"- was too much for them, and the > visitors carried off the honours of the I day, winning the match by 171 runs. I The Yorkshire match had to be abanidoned after two attempts to carry it ! on, the weather proving too unfavourable. Lancashire's was the next team to meet the Australians, and to be beaten by the colonials. The latter won by an innings and 84 runs. In the Oxford match which followed soon after the Australians made 303 in their first innings, and Oxford 341; but as time was called soon after the Australians went to the wickets for a second time the match resulted in a draw. Here we have hastily outlined the history of the present tour, but as we have already said, the chief interest. iin the campaign has only really comi menced with the first test match.