CRICKET.

Evening Star, Issue 7406, 29 December 1887, Page 3

CRICKET.

SHAW’S TEAM v. VICTORIA. Under ordinary circumstances this mate! might have been expected to attract no smal amount of interest on account of the bril liant victory of the Englishmen over Ncv South Wales, whom they defeated the wcel previous by ten wickets, but though thi weather was perfect the attendance w» miserably meagre. This was in no smal measure, doubtless, owing to the want o spirit shown by several of the leading Vic torian players, who declined to take part it the match, the Colony thus being repre sented by a weak team. A universal hopi was expressed that some of the new met tried might do well enough to justifj their inclusion in future mutches, and thin effect the permanent dismissal of playen who have no feeling of patriotism, and who do the game more harm than good. This hope, however, was nof realised, the first innings closing for a total of 6S. No excuse can be made for such a pronounced failure, for though Lehmann bumped a little at first the wicket played splendidly, the light was perfect, and the out-fielding ground very fast. As will be seen by the scores, M‘Shane was the highest, with 20, in which were three fours. It was a remarkable feature of the play that the wickets fell to fast bowling, which is supposed to bo Jess destructive on a perfect wicket than slower pace with work on. It was unfortunate for those who (though really fond of the game) have become disgusted with the way in which cricket is played in Victoria, that they remained away on the second day, for a grander exhibition of batting has never been seen on the ground. At the conclusion of the first day s play the Victorians’ small score of 68 had been responded to by the Englishmen making 178 for the loss of two wickets. The not-out batsmen, Shrewsbury and Lohmann, only added 19 to the total when the latter was bowled by Turner for a wellplayed 25. Then followed a magnificent display of batting by Shrewsbury and Braun, who put on no fewer than 217 runs before being separated. Braun signalised his first public appearance in Victoria by a fine exhibition of vigorous play. During tho compilation of his 118 he was let off three times, but in the intervals his play Was very fine, and he certainly lost no opportunity of punishing on cither side. His principal hits were one five and sixteen fours. Briggs next joined Shrewsbury, and these two were together when the stumps were drawn, the total thou being four wickets for 500. On resuming next day the Notts champion only managed to add 11 to his over-night total of 221, when he was bowled by Trumblc. It is doubtful whether such a perfect innings as Shrewsbury’s has ever before been played in Australia, as with tho exception of a barely possible chance of stumping on the first day, he never made the semblance of a mistake. He made innumerable drives on both sides, always along the turf, and the precision with which he timed every stroke on the leg side was simply perfect and well worthy of last season’s champion English batsman. It was a terrible time for the bowlers, who were all treated alike. Tho innings finally closed for 624, Briggs (75), Docker (48), and Preston (22) hitting hard for their runs. The second innings of the Victorians was about as miserable a display as the first, the only creditable innings being that of Horan, who carried out his bat for 49. Scores:— Suaw's Elp.vbn—First innings. Shrewsbury, b TrumbU .. .. •• 232 Ulyctt, o Robertson, b Trumblo .. .. 29 Read, o Hastings, bTrumble .. .. -.38 Lohmann, b Turner .. .. .. ..25 Krann, c Boyle, b M'Sbano .. .. .. 118 Briggs, bR ibcrlson .. .. .. .. 75 Djckcr, o Harry, b Worrall .. .. ... 48 ,-uiiih, l) Worrall .. .. .. .. 0 I’rcston, e M'Shans, by Worrall .. .. 22 Pongher, b Robertson .. .. .. 0 Piling, notout .. .. .. 1 Extras .. .. •• ..33 Total 62 i o; the eight bowlers tiieti Worrall (with three wickets lor 73 runs) comes out with the best average. Victoria Elkvkn. First Innings. Second Innings. Trumbie, run out . .. (i b Briggs .. .. 2 llirry, bßriggs ..5 bSmith ..8 M‘Shane, run out.. .. 20 b Biggs .. .. 0 Horan, c Pilling, b l’n ston 12 notout .. .. 49 Coyle, o Smith, b Pougher 12 c Ulyett, b Lohmann .. ..4 Worraß, hj Preston .. 1 bLohmann.. ~ 11 Hostings, st Pilling, b Preston 4, b Briggs .. 10 Turner, o Braun, b Pougher.. .. -. 1 bSmith .. 0 Freeman, ibw, b Preston o Shrewsbury, b 2 Briggs .. 6 Robertson, not out . 1 c Lohmaun, hj Smith 0 Logan, c Head, bPougher 0 runout .. • • « Ex'ns .. .. 4 Extras .. .. 10 Total .. ..68 Total.. ..100

Preston and Rougher also bowled. The Englishmen won by an innings and 456 runs. The following remarks by “ Mid-on ” in the Melbourne ‘ Leader,’ with reference to the paltry excuses cricketers offer for not turning up to play, apply with equal force to at least one other place, which shall bo nameless He says:—“ Truly in Victoria we are becoming a nice lot of feather-bed cricketers, and as we are progressing (?) we may expect the day to arrive when portable warming-pans will be as necessary to the fieldsmen as sawdust to the bowlers. Nothing short of a billiard tabic will do to bat on nowadays, whilst the dreadful possibility of a spectator cutting up a pipeful of tobacco in a line with the bowler’s arm, and thus distracting the strikers vision has rendered necessary that modern abomination, the screen, which in the course of a long match is moved to and fro to the annoyance of those sitting in its vicinity. Add to these fads the adjournment at four o’clock for a period sufficiently long for the enjoyment of afternoon tea, and tell me, for pity’s sake, what we are coming to ?”

In a late number of the ‘ Sydney Mail ’ is an article which those in our midst who clamor fora selection committee of three would do well to read. Tho writer referred to is firmly convinced that the recent match against Shaw’s team was lost by the selec tion of men whoso only claim to a place in the team appears to be the fact that they cannot play cricket. He also points out that any new players—unless they belong to the Warwick, Belviderc, Carlton, or University Clubs, tho three first of which are represented on the selection committee—are sure to be rejected. After quoting averages to prove that certain players who arc continually picked should now be replaced by others, the article concludes: “In reality Turner, Ferris, Moses, Jones, and M’Donncll play all our matches themselves, and when a pinch comes the tail of the team is found to be mere dead weight. The selection should l>c left in the hands oi one. man. In no other way will strong teams be picked, free from old identities and club friends, and calculated to bring forward new players either in town or country.” The most prominent feature in tho match between Vernon’s Eleven and New South Wales was the batting of M'Donnell, who made 112 by a display of slashing cricket. He was at the wickets about two hours and a quarter, during which time he made fiftyfour hits, classed as follows:—Eleven fours, five threes, fifteen twos, and twenty-three singles. In his first five hits he made 17 runs—4, 4, 2, 4, 3—and he put together no loss than 33 before Bannerman, his first partner, had scored even a single. Truly, some of his hits were rather uppish, but most of his play was quite in his old style, the ball travelling like lightning to the boundary. The last wicket of Shaw’s team in the match against Victoria fell in a somewhat peculiar manner. Preston drove a ball from Worrall hard back, and striking Filling’s bat it glanced into the air, and was easily taken by M ‘Shane at mid-on.

Shaw’s Team v. Victoria.—During the afternoon of the second day an incident occurred which afforded further proof of the utter lack of spirit displayed by some socalled players at the present time. The North Melbourne and Fitzroy Clubs had been allowed by the Association to continue their match for the second-class Challenge Cup, and M‘Shane, apparently under the conviction that his Club came before his Colony, left at lunch time to take part in it. M'Shane being aware that Hastings was too ill to continue in the field, acted very inconsiderately after having agreed to take part in the match, and Boyle should not have permitted his retirement. In vain was the pavilion searched high and low for a couple of substitutes, but although several prominent players were present each one positively refused his assistance, and Boyle in despair was compelled to make an apologetic application to the English captain, who, although evidently astonished at what he had witnessed on his first experience of Victorian cricket, went out Into tpe field

himself, accompanied by Maurice Read. A more humiliating circumstance has never been recorded. An Australian paper, in discussing the relative merits of the two great colonial bowlers, says:—“ We do not participate equally with Turner’s most sanguine admirers in making comparisons between him and Spofforth, to the detriment of the latter. We hold that at present Turner is better than Spofforth, but after a long and severe trial Spofforth maintained a reputation unaffected, unabated, and unquestioned, and for this reason we feel compelled to go so far as to maintain that Turner has a long wa y jq g 0 yet before he can outshine the Demon Bowler. Turner’s style and accomplishments may bo less ostentatious than were the Demon’s, and unlike most adepts, Turner has not so far given way to any laughable idiosyncracies and affectations, and for this he has gained the esteem of every cricketer, be he opponent or friend. Spofforth, on the other hand, delighted at times in harassing people, and indulged in some queer antics; but, so far, Turner has never played the selection the same pranks as Spofforth was proverbial for. If Turner is asked to play he plays, and heart, soul, and body go to bind the bargain.”

Bowling Analtsis.— First Innings. Balls. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Pouglnr .. .. 75 n 11 3 Preston .. ..64 2 16 1 Lohnnin and Briggs also bowled. Second Innimrs. L'liaiann .. 96 16 18 2 niiggs .. ,. 120 15 32 4 Smith ..60 8 11 3