The All-England Eleven.

Cromwell Argus, Volume VII, Issue 369, 5 December 1876, Page 7

The All-England Eleven.

As the time is close at hand when our chosen cricketers will have to face England's champions, it will perhaps be interesting to give a brief sketch of each player. In order to avoid making any invidious distinction we take the names in alphabetical order. Thomas Armitage is a native of Yorkshire, and about 31 years of age. He has played for his county, and is described as being a very serviceable man in all departments of the game. He can bowl round-arm, medium pace, and with that style of delivery is very straight, but of late years he has devoted his attention to slows or " lobs," as they are called in England, and at the present time he is the best trundler of slows in the Old Country. Against Surrey he recently secured six wickets for 20 runs in the first innings, and seven for 26 in the second. He is. also a splendid batsman, and an excellent field anywhere. . Henry Charlwood, born at Horsham, Sussex, about 30 years of age, is one of the freest and most dashing professional players in England. He hits well on both on and. off sides and has a wonderfully strong defence all round. He has never been in better form than during the past two seasons. He is also a good field. Thomas Emmett, aged 34, is a native of Yorkshire, and one of the most effective all-round cricketers in England. His "forte," however, lies in the bowling department. He is a very fast left-handed bowler, at times a little off the wicket, but when on the spot he is almost unplayable. He is also a grand field and a determined hitter. The result of the past two or three seasons has shown that Emmett is one of the best batsmen of his county. Andrew Greenwood, who will be remembered as one of Grace's eleven, who visited Australia about three years ago, has lost none of that fine batting form he exhibited here. " Lilly white's Annual" says of him :—" One of the best professional batsmen in England, plays thorough cricket, and is a good field ; had the best batting average of the professionals of 1875." Allen Hill, about 30 years of age, a Yorkshiremau, and the best fast bowler at Home. He bowls very straight and has an easy delivery, with a good break. He can also bat well, and is very smart in the Held. Altogether, he is one of the most serviceable players that has donned flannel for his county. Henry Jupp, of Surrey, who came out to Australia with Grace's eleven, is still reckoned one of the best batsmen of the day. He is possessed of an unlimited supply of patience, and has a wonderful stubborn defence. Of late years he has obtained more freedom in hitting and cutting. He is a sure field, a safe catch, can either longstop or keep wicket, and, in fact, cannot be put out of his place anywhere iu the field.

James Lilly white, jun., another of those players who came out with W. G. Grace, is too well known to need any special mention. He is a very fine left-hand, round, medium-pace bowler, who never tires. He is in grand bowling form now. He hits well, and generally comes out with a score.

Edward Pooley, a native of Surrey, aged about 34 years, is one of the chief attractions of the eleven. He is acknowledged, on all hands, to be at the present momant the finest wicketkeeper of the day, being particularly effeotive in taking the leg ball». He is as active as a cat behind the wickets. He is also a splendid batsman, with tremendous hitting powers, being able to score from any bowling. Alfred Shaw, of Nottingham, about 34 years of age, is the best bowler of the day. Lillywhite says Alfred Shaw has no equal. To quote from " Lilly white's Annual" of 1876 :—" In the first place, his accuracy of pitch is surprising, even when one recalls the wonderful certainty of pitch possessed by many of his rivals. Secondly, he possesses to perfection the art of delirering the dropping ball, by which, of course, I mean a ball tossed higher in the air and eminently deceptive to the batsmen ; in the case of the majority of bowlers, a most dangerous ball to give to a player quick on his legs, though generally a successful manoeuvre when Alfred Shaw is the operator. Thirdly, and what contributes mostly to his success, is the extraordinary facility with which be adapts his bowling to every new batsman he has to meet, discovering almost intuitively the weak points in his defence. In addition, he has, of course, great break and continual variety of pace, but these are arts common to all good bowlers, though not possessed by others in such a marked degree. , . One of the very best cricketers of the day gives it as his opinion that ' Shaw on a wet day is unplayable, and on a dry day one ought to play very carefully, and try and tire him out with singles, waiting for the hit till the loose ball comes, though such luxuries are few and far between.'" As a fieldsman he is at times brilliant, and always sure and reliable. He is a wonderful safe catch, and is, perhaps, the best short-slip of the day ; his return of the ball being as quick as lightning. As a batsman he is a resolute hard-hitter, and as a judge of the game he has no equal. Alfred Shaw, outside the cricket-field, by his urbanity of manner, is a wonderful favorite.

James Southerton, another who came to the colonies with Grace, is still one of the best bowlers of his style in England, and can get runs when they are most wanted. John Selby, of Nottingham, the youngest mail of the 12, is a very improving player, being a fine bat against all kinds of bowling, and an excellent field. He showed fine cricket in 1875, and proved himself one of the best professional cricketers of the day.

G. Ulyett is one of the best all-round professional players in the United Kingdom, and a very valuable acquisition to his county, Yorkshire. He is a very good bowler with a high delivery, a sterling batsman, and a splendid field.

It will be seen from the above team that its principal strength rests in the bowling department, but taking the Eleven all round it is universally acknowledged to be one of the finest professional elevens ever got together in England. There is plenty of batting in it, and it cannot be surpassed, for fielding.— A ustralasian.