THE ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN IN AUSTRALIA.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2010, 14 October 1869, Page 3

THE ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN IN AUSTRALIA.

{From the Australasias.) Prom the following extract from a letter irhich arrived by the last mail, it will be seen that there is every reason to believe that the engagement of the eleven of England for a third visit to these colonies has by this time been effected. The gentleman to whom the negotiation has been entrusted is Mr G. J. Shoosmitb, as we intimated some time ago, and it appears from his letter that the celebrated gentleman player, Mr W. G. Grace, brother of Mr E. M. Grace, will form ene of the eleven, which will be a mixed team, amateurs and professionals. Mr V. E. Walker, who has been captain of the gentlemen’s eleven for the last ten years against the players, willalso most probably accompany Mr Grace. With regard tothe remaining members of the eleven, MrShoosmith, with his own colonial experience to gu'de him, and the assistance of Messrs Grace, "Walker, and Carter, will have no difficulty in engaging a team worthy of representing the old country, and by the next mail we shall, no doubt, be in a position to announce the names of the whole eleven. Mr Carter’s letter will be read with much interest by all our cricketing readers, and the kindly manner in which he expresses himself respecting the colony must be very gratifying to those who made his acquaintance during his short visit here. When Mr Carter thus modestly alludes to his cricketing abilities in comparison with those of Messrs Grace, Walker, &c,, and it is remembered that he was chiefly instrumental in winning the last Sydney match, onr cricketers, especially the younger ones, may well learn to imitate Mr Carter in that respect, and they may also anticipate a rare treat in the play of the eleven whose presence amongst us we may once more almost regard as a certainty “London, August 13, 1869. “ I received your letter of 19th June, with full powers for me to act, on Monday afternoon last, and on Tuesday morning I went to Canterbury, where the time-honoured •week’ is now on, and where, of course, most of the cricketing talent is congregated. I saw Mr W. G. Grace again, who said he had spoken to several gentlemen about the trip, and advised me to speak to Mr V. E. Walker, who is the oracle amongst the gentlemen cricketers, and has more influence with them than any man in England ; so the next morning I waited upon him at his hotel and had a long conversation with him. He seemed thoroughly to enter into the spirit of the thing at once, and said that if I had spoken to him a month earlier, he had no doubt that a first-rate team might have been got together. He thought the terms offered were liberal, and would enjoy the trip immensely himself, if he could spare the time, which I shall strongly press him to do, as if lie were to go as captain, the gentlemen would flock in scores, and my difficulty would lie whom to refuse, instead of whom to induce to go. He kindly promised to ventilate the matter at Canterbury, and I am to see Vdm at the Oval on Monday next, when Surrey plays Middlesex. Thus far I think I have made as much progress as can reasonbly bo expected in the short time at my disposal, as I consider the enlistment of Mr V. E. Walker’s sympathies and influence in the undertaking an immense pull. I may safely say that I have also secured Mr W. G. Grace, without whom no team would be complete ; he is the Admirable Crichton of cricket, and by far the finest batsman who ever lived. The general opinion of the professional players is summed up in a remark I heard one of them make at Canterbury, “ The worst of Mr Grace is, he won’t led nobody bowl; give him a ball that would take any other man all he knows to pjay, apd be gets her away for three and four, and does it so well that you can’t grumble.” . . . . I think I told you in my last that the people who were in the field for a professional eleven have abandoned the idea, as they were unprepared to put any money down. . . With regard to the pedestrians, I have been fortunate enough to meet with a Melbourne man who has been trying to get some to go out, bat unsuccessfully from want of funds. He will assist me in pointing out the best men for tho distances you require, and bo i? also well up la tho time of the men, and says that both times quoted by you can be beaten by many here, the long distance especially, Most of these running men live up in the north ; so, after seeing MrY. E. Walker on Monday, I shall take a run down to Sheffield and Liverpool to eoe Vfb*t cap be dope in the matter. J shall also •00 3, C, Shaw and Freeman, tho great northern bowlers, with a view to their joining the team as the gentlemen are weak in that department, and these are the sensational bowlers among the professionals. “ Hoping by the next mail to give you tho satisfactory intelligence that the team are on the way, and with kind regards. “ I am, yours very truly, “G. J. Shoosmith. *’ I enclose a copy of a letter received from

Mr E. S. Carter, which will much please you from its kindly tone.” “ Mr G. J. Shoosmith, London. “ Dear Sir, —I am afraid I shall not he in time for yon to write by the July mail, that is, if you have waited for my reply to your letter. All I can say with respect to the subject of your ietter is, shat there would be I am certain, no difficulty in raising a firstrate eleven of gentlemen (fairly representing English (gentlemen’s cricket) to go to Australia on such terms as you have mentioned. And it would satisfy the Australian cricketeis that our gentlemen’s cricket is not so inferior to theirs as some of the young colonials would like to make out. If I were one of those who were honoured with an invitat'on to go, I can only say that if circumstances would allow I should jump at the chance. But, of course, with such men as Mr W. G. Grace, kc. , I should never dream of presuming to hope for a chance of go : ng to represent English cricket, although I was lucky during my late visit. I know of no outing that eleven English gentlemen would enjoy more than two or three months’ cricketing in the colonies, for more hospitable people 1 could not imagine, and I can only say that I never enjoyed eight weeks more in my life than I did during my stay out there. With many thanks for giving me this opportunity of saying what I have said, “I am, dear sir, yours very truly, “E. S. Carter.”