CRICKET.

Evening Star, Issue 7449, 18 February 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

VICTORIA v. NEW SOUTH WALES. Amongst the many events connected with the Centenary celebrations, judging from the unusually large attendance, the fortieth intercolonial match between the above two colonies was one of great interest. Owing to a strained arm Ferris, one of New South Wales’s principal bowlers, was unable to play. The Victorian captain having -won the toss, elected to bat first. Bruce and Walters were the first representatives, Turner and Donuan opening the attack. Things began merrily, Bruce being especially smart, driving both bowlers to the fence several times, 30 runs being scored off seven overs. Garrett, Jones, and Wood all tiied their bauds with the leather, but still the runs came ; Bruce, without discrimination, sending them to all quarters of the ground. Finally he was dismissed with a score of 55, made in about fifty minutes, by a splendid one-handed catch by Garrett at mid-ofi'. Undoubtedly, Bruce’s was the best batting shown on the first day. His hitting on botli sides of the wicket was very free and full of wristy power. It would be hard to say which were the most effective, his cuts or leg strokes. In two overs from Docnan he hit four balls to the boundary, and he also punished Turner severely. A great defence was made by Blackham and Horan. The former in particular went to work with a will, punishing every bowler opposed to him with characteristic dash, grand boundary hits following in quick succession. Horan, as usual, played steady cricket, although his score of 63 was very acceptable. The partnership between him and Blackham raised the total from 130 for four wickets to 218 for five. With the exception of Worrall’s innings the batting broke down after Horan’s departure, Boyle only making 4, and Trott, Robertson, and Trumble none. No fewer than seven bowlers were tried, and of these Richardson was by far the most successful, as he secured four wickets for 18 runs, all of which were clean bowled, thus obtaining, on a batsman’s wicket, the wonderfully good average of 4J runs per wicket. Tbe commencement of New South Wales’s innings on the second day was not of a very promising nature, as three wickets—those of Rannerman, M'Uomicll, and Massie—fell for 90 runs, as against 129 made for the same number by Victoria. At this stage, however, a memorable stand was made by Moses and Burton, who throughout the afternoon knocked the Victorian bowling to pieces, and, despite change after change, kept up their wickets till call of time, Burton being 47 and Moses 14G. After the fall of the three wickets mentioned Blackham was permitted to exercise his ingenuity in discovering how many bowling combinations his team would allow. No less than nine of the eleven had a try with the ball, Houston and Blackham being the only abstainers. With a chance here and there Moses did much as he liked with the bowling. It followed as a matter of reasonable expectation that such a lengthy and by no means cramped innings was not free from chances. In fact, he gave a chance to M'Shane first ball. On resuming on the third day Burton was clean bowled before he had added to his score. Moses had then in succession as partners Jones, Turner, Donnan, and Wood, Jones, after making 27, was given out Ibw. The ball struck his foot and bis bat also, and Houston, at slip, caught the ball and threw it in the air—the usual symbol for a catch. Blackham appealed for Ibw, and the New South Wales umpire allowed the appeal on the ground that Jones’s foot and-leg covered the leg and middle stumps when the ball struck it. Wood’s cricket, after two lucky escapes at the commencement, was undeniably good. The day was, however, rendered memorable in the annals of cricket by the wonderful innings played by Moses. From noon till the close of the day he withstood the attacks of no fewer than ten bowlers, and not the shadow of a chance could be urged

against him, Off theory, full on the wicket, and leg deliveries seemed all alike to him, his forward cuts and mid-off strokes along the turf being remarkably telling. Wood was dismissed shortly after the game was resumed on the fourth day. Along with Moses he had added 100 to the total. Garrett, after making 21, was smartly taken by Blaokham, Richardson, the last man, only made a single, and Moses was left not out with a score of 297. His hits were One five, twenty-four fours, fifteen threes, thirtyfive twos, and eighty-one singles. He travelled over six miles and a half between the wickets. When the Victorians went in a second time, being 309 behind, they had the somewhat cold comfort of knowing that they might avert a single-innings defeat, but had very little hope of scoring a victory. Blackham and Bruce were the first in, and both commenced to attack the bowling vigorously. At 32, however, the former was bowled for 17, while at 58 the left-hander met a similar fate for 24, Houston (36) and Horan (68) revived the drooping spirits of the Victorian partisans, taking the total to 136 before being separated. Walters put together 44, but his play was quite unattractive, and Trott made his 16 while Walters added a single to the total. Robertson played excellent cricket for 32 not out. The innings finally dosed for 274, New South Wales winning the fortieth intercolonial match-making their record of wins a tie with that of Victoria—by an innings and 35 runs. The following are the scores : Victoria. First Innings. Second Innings. Bruce, o Garrett, b Wood 55 b Garrett „ .. 24 Walters, c Jones, b Wood 18 b Turner .. „ 44 Horan, c Burton, b Garrett 03 b Turner .. .. 08 Houston, c and b Wood 31 Ibw, b Richardson 3C M'Shane, b Turner 0 c Richards .in, b Turner .. .. 2 Blaokham, b Richardson H4 hj Richardson ~ 17 VVorral, b Richardson .. 31 c M'Donnell, b Turner .. 2 Trctt, b Riohardsan 0 b Turner .. .. 10 Robertson, ti Richardson 0 notout .. .. 32 Boyle, c Burton, b Garrett ... .. ..4 b Wood .. .. 3 Ttmnble, not out .. 0 runout .. .. 12 Kx'ras ~ ..11 Extras .. .. 18 Total .. .. 2G7 Total .. ..274 Bowling Analysts, First Innings. Balls. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Turner .. ..184 10 70 1 Garrett .. .. IC4 18 M 2 Wood .. ..170 17 OH 3 Kichardseu ..50 4 18 4 Domian, Jones, and Moses also howled. Second Innings. Turner .. 284 25 102 5 Garrett .. .. 242 5 41 1 Richardson .. 120 7 73 2 Wood ... .. 128 17 3i 1 Donnan ~ ..24 2 S Nbw South Walks.—First Innings. M ‘ Donnell, c Bruce, by Robertson .. ..42 Brnnerman, st Blackham, b Trott .. ..19 Moses, not cut .. .. .. .. 297 Massie, b Bruce .. .. 1 Barton, b Trott .. .. ..47 Jones, Ibw, b U'Shane .. .. ..27 Turner, o Boyle, b M'Shane .. .. 5 Donnan, b M'Shane .. .. .. ..2 Woed.b Trott 81 Garrett, c B'ackhani, b Trunible .. 21 Richardson, st Blackham, b Bruce .. .. 5 Extras ~ .. .. .. .. £9 Total 570 Of the ten bowlers, Bruce with two wickets for 83 runs, and M'Shane with three for 64, were the most successful.