CRICKET IN ENGLAND.

Press, Volume VIII, Issue 930, 31 October 1865, Page 3

CRICKET IN ENGLAND.

[From the " Field."] FORTH V. SOUTH. As the interest in the old stock match, viz., Kent v. England had of late years been sensibly declining, it was deemed politic to play the return North and South at Canterbury, and with it to commence the practical cricket of the season. The city had been well posted, as well as the leading thoroughfares from it to the metropolis itself. Some surprise was ex-' pressed, in consequence ,of Beveral highly popular players not answering to their names; but in well-informed

i circles it was understood that Par b had not been invited to take part ii t the match ; that Daft was unable, an< t Atkinson probably unwilling. Th< c "subs" were Tbewlis, Jackson, anc b Tinley. The engagement of Hearu< t to play for his own county on th< r same days, rendered his appearance ) impossible, and Mr. E. M. Grace ofli . ciated for him. Beyond these changes J the names announced and the persons b appearing corresponded. Much dihx-r-I ence of opinion existed with reference , to the state of the ground; one p rty . asserting what the other party denied. i Of this, however, it is certain the North ' who won the toss, thought it advisable s to put the South in, aud at 12.45 Hum- , phrey and Jupp went to the wickets, i Grundy bowled from the city wicket, • and Tarrant contra. Jupp had most of i the hitting, and put togetherfifteen, by a ► four (drive), a four (square leg), a '■ two (cut), and singles. Clean bowled » by Grundy. Mr. Grace came next, ! and with him great expectations. His '■ deeds of bygone days on the same ground were freely ventilated! but, alas! " 'tis not in mortals to command success." Caught off the first hit. Stephenson soon grew busy, and made i himself master of eleven runs, while Humphrey, his partner, moved on but slowly. Stephenson, by a very awkward hit, sent the ball into the province of long stop, which its presiding genius most eagerly seized. Lilly white appeared, but ere he had an opportunity to co-operate with Humphrey, the latter received his mittimus. Caught by third man. With Bennett the liberal hitting of the day began. Lilly white made a fine forward drive for four, a square leg for two, and three singles — b Grundy. Before Mortlock got " set," the suspicious clouds, which had been hovering about for some time, let fall their contents so liberally, that play was discontinued for nearly two hours. At four o'clock Mortlock and Bennett were again at the wickets. Owing to the treacherous state of the ground, the bowling lost much of its power and truthfulness. Both batsmen made capital out of Grundy and Tarrant. When the score had risen to 75 for five wickets, Wootton went on at Tarrant's end, and in the second subsequent over Jackson relieved Grundy. The change did not produce any advantage to the North, and as 118 were now got, Tinley's slows were, tried, and from the third ba.l of his first over Mortlock was caught m the long field. Griffith began with singles. Bennett was for rapping out, and in two | instances punished Tinley after this fashion. He was at length cajoled by a deceiver, and Biddulph scattered the | stumps and threw up the ball ere one could say "it lightens!" The South innings was now virtually over. Neither Sewell nor Lockyer added an iota to the score, and Willshire but six—caught at point. Griffith brought out his bat. The long innings *of Bennett —viz., 48 —was made by three fours, three threes, four twos, and singles. First wicket, 21; second, 23 ; third and fourth, 36; fifth, 53 ; sixth, 119 ; seventh, 133; eighth and ninth, 139 ; tenth, 148. Time, 6.15. Stumps drawn for the day. Second Day.—Play commenced shortly after eleven. The appearance of the ground was in every way far in advance of that of the day previous. By means of hot sunshine and a genial breeze the ground had got into condition, and the fla^s—which on the previous afternoon clung with tenacity to their staffs —now floating gaily, sent forth their respective melodies on the wings of the wind. Smith and Rowbotham appeared .first at the North wickets. Neither of them made a stay: Lillywhite and Bennett were the bowlers. Smith was run out by a sideway shy at the wicket before he could get home, and Bowbotham immediately after was caught by cover-point. Thewlis appeared, though to no beneficial purpose. Three men were, in fact, fully disposed of in fifteen minutes for _ runs. This unlooked-for beginning followed by other bits of bad luck. Hay ward was in, but scored slowly ; Carpenter was taken at point for 0, and Tarrant, after making a two and a single, struck a ball towards ' Humphrey, which tbafcexcellent fielder managed to secure. (Five wickets, 8 runs.) Jackson then joined Hayward. The new comer was favored by a more than ordinary precedent — let 'off four times in an innings of seven runs. Jackson was himself more astonished than any one at the merciful kindness evinced by the South in the hour of need. Caught eventually at cover point. To preserve a continuity of story, it ought to be observed that Hayward " went" just before Jackson, with a score of ten. Bowled by a splendid bail ball. (Six wickets, 24 ; seventh, ditto.) Wootton, not counted upon for runs, got a third 6*f the gross amount of the North innings. He brought on two changes of bowling, but he defied it until he had scored six-and-thirty runs, when he was caught off a slow Bennett. It rested with Wootton to determine whether the Northerners would have to " follow on," at so low an ebb were they at this stage of the play. Fortunately, Wootton lifted them from the contemplated humbling position. His score was made by two fours, three threes, four twos, and singles. Biddulph played with boldness and success, and at the fall of his wicket 105 runs signified the result of the North first innings. Time, 2-10. The South . started their second innings with Mr. Grace and Jupp. The former made one hit for four and another for a single. Here his " little game" ended. (One wicket, 7 runs.) Humphrey joined his old companion, and was obliged to return to his tent before he could impress the spectators with a sense of superior batting powers. (Two wickets, 8 ) Stephenson came next, but the bowling and field- j ing kept him for a time in check. When j it got *in the least queer he dosed it j heartily. When the score had reached 40, and only three wickets down, Vinley went on Grundy's end and Hayward relieved Tarrant. Lillywhite played a good innings of two-and-twenty, and when he retired the score

I had advanced to 61. Bennett ran | after a very stupid fashion, and his punishment was deserved. (Four ! wickets, 68.) Mortlock and Stephenson worked for awhile very steadily against the changes, but the last comer was not correspondingly successful —• caught in slip oft' Hayward for six. (74 runs for seven wickets.) Griffith, rattled together twelve in quick time but was then caught. Sewell did nothing, but Loekyer, the " last man" came out in slashing style; going,howcver, for once a step too far, Biddulph prostrated the stumps,and the innings closed for 141. Stephenson made fiftythree (and not out), by three fours, five threes, three twos, and singles. This finished the second day's play. j

Third Day. — Play commenced rather earlier. Thewlis and Bowbotham began the batting, and for the first half-hour runs came freely. Rowbotham was the first to go, when the telegraph exhibited 18. Smith then appeared, and was bowled by a slow, evideutly to his astonishment. This mishap neutralised the efforts of the leading men. Hayward, more fortunate, got his runs, and a large number too, iv capital style, and when Thewles —bowled by a slow—ceased to act with him, Carpenter stept forward to his help. The bowling was changed for the second time; but Loekyer manipulated very delicately, and Carpenter had to leave his wicket. (Four wickets, 57.) Tarrant came next, and | the hitting increased in earnestness. I 100 runs had been posted before Hayward struck a ball into the long-field-on, where Griffith waited upon it. (Five wickets, 101.) Grundy came forward, scored six and was caught by Wi Usher off his own ball. (Six wickets. 117.) Wootton'sstay with Tarrant proved to be a short one—bowled by a slow for six. (Seven men out for 124.) Jackson brought up the eight wicket to 135. Biddulph did nothing ; but Tinley, the last man kept bis wicket up until Tarrant had scored 53, the same number as Stephenson. Tinley, then struck into long field, and Griffith again signalised himself by a brilliant catch, which brought the North and South match a conclusion, leaving the South winners by 27 runs. A finer match has never been played since the Canterbury #week has been instituted.