VISITS OF AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

Evening Star, Issue 12439, 28 February 1905, Page 3

VISITS OF AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

A SHORT RETROSPECT. On the ere of the visit of the Australian cricketers to this City, it may be of interest to refer shortly to'the results of the games with teams which have previously played in Dunedin either on their way to the Home Ccflrntry or on their return after the fight for the ashes. * ■ The pioneer Australian team were captained by D. Gregory, and played their first match in the colony against a Twenty-two of Southland in January, 1878. The Twenty-two scored 89 (Spofforth fourteen wickets for 25; and 39. Australia's «ole -venture produced 267. C. Bannerman carried his bat right through the innings for 125, and the writer recoflcctß his lifting the ball right out of the ground—a regular eye-opener to the Invercargillites. The Australian team comprised the two Ban-, nermans, Horan, Spofforth, Murdoch, D. Gregory, Blackham, Garrett, Boyle, Bailey, and Kendall. The match against Twentytwo of Otago was played on the Caledonian Ground on January 12. Otago, batting first, scored 124, H. MacNeil being top scorer with 28. Spofforth captured seven wickets for 17 runs, and Garrett seven for 25. The Australians were all disposed of for 92 (Millington five wickets for 33, and A. Glen three for 16). Otago's second venture realised 93 (G. H Clark 15, H. Rhodes' 14, Oscar Haskell 10). The game was abandoned owing to rain, Australia requiring 126 to win. Playing Fifteen of Canterbury, the visitors we're defeated by six wickets. The Australians were disposed of in their first venture for 46, W. Frith taking three wickets for 2) runs, C. Frith three for 21, and Ashby two for 19; while in their second effort they put together 143 (Fuller eight wickets for 35 ruas). Canterbury made 135 and 57 for eight wickets. At the conclusion of their New Zealand tour the Australians visited England, and in their second match met a" powerfid team representing the Marylebone Club and Ground. This proved to be the most sensational match on record, and it was all over in a day, the wicket, of course, assisting the bowlers. The home team scored 33 and 19, and the Australians 41 and 12 for one wicket.. W. G. Grace made 4 and 0. This game proved the making of the Australian team, whose advent up to then had not caused much excitement in cricketing circles in the Old,' Country, but afterwards the public flocked in thousands to see thorn play. The second team plaved in Dunedin on January 20, 21, and 22, 1881. Australia scored 112 and 105, while tho local Twentytwo could only put together 83 (G. H. Clark 20, MacNeil 16, and W. Crawsluw 15) and 90 (MacNeil 44), the visitors winning by 44 runs. The team included Spofforth, Jarvis, Murdoch, P. S. M'Donnell, Boyle. Palmer, Blackham. It was an open secret that the real object of touring the colony was to avenge the defeat of the previous team at the hands of Canterbury. Referring to this, Murdoch, (who captained the 1881 team) said he would take long odds that he scored more runs oft' his own bat than would the entire Canterbury Fifteen. Of coutso tho remark (which was made in this Citv in the presence of a few enthusiasts) caused a; smile at the time, but fortunately' no oik' was tempted to offer the' odds'. The Australians batted first, and made the fine score of 323, Murdoch being responsible for 111. Canterbury could only reply with 90 and 133. Spofforth and Palmer bowled unchanged through both inmiigs. the hitter' taking fourteen wickets for 90 runs, and the "Demon" twelve for 103. This team were great nap players. On one occasion while on the train journey between here and Christeb.nrch Murdoch observed to Spofforth: " Well, you are L.8.W." Being asked for an explanation of the use of the well-known cricketing term, Murdoch pleasantly replied: " Oh, he takes more naps than anyone in the team, I meant 'He's a living blooming wonder.'" By way of illustration of the "Demon's" marvellous luck: At Timaru he d«ilt a " eunny-kmickled " deal—-i.e., lob-sided—-end offered to take 20 to 1 in sovereigns that he would get the "kitty," which was a very fat one, as thev played for large stakes in those days. The manager of the team, a well-known ■Dunedinito (long since deceased), offered the odds. Sure' enough "Spoff" called nap with a strong hand, but went down, as one player held four to the jack of trumps against him! The third team, on their .return from England, toured this colony, commencing their campaign against an Otago Twentv-fwo .*i the Carif-brook Ground "on November 22, 1886. They were captained by H. j'. Scott. Otago wero disposed of for 46, though the team included Dribble, W. G. Dixon, J. Baker, F. Harper, Vallange, and J. P. Spring. Evans got sixteen wickets for 25 runs. Palmer and J. W. Trumble also bowled. The Australians, batting only nine men (Spofforth and Garrett being absent) replied with 60 (Trumble 30, Bruce 10). C. Frith captured four wickets at a cost of} 33 runs, and Hewatt four for 34, Otago's eecond innings realised 158, and Australia obtained the requisite run* for the loss of four wickets (J. W. Trumble 52, 45, Bruce 32, and A. H. Jarvis not cut 20). No less than eight bowlers were tried, and the fielding of Otago's Twenty-two was described in the Press at the time as execrable. The fourth team began a match against Otago at Carisbroo-k on November 21, 1896. The visitors (amongst whom were Darling, Iredale, G. Giffen, Hill, G H. S. Trofct, H. Trumble, Kelly, and H. Graham, now playing for Otago), batting first, only put together 130. Fisher bowled splendidly, bagging six wickets at a cost of 39 runs. Otago replied with 144. The Australians' second venture produced 112, and Otago were dismissed for 64 (Trumble nine wickets for 30), leaving the Australians winners, after an exciting finish, by 17 runs. A Coincidence.—Yesterday's sensational finish at Christchurch, when the Australians won almost on the call of time, recalls tlie test match at Lancaster Park against the fourth team on November 29, 1896, when a New Zealand Fifteen were the opponents. On the Australians going in to bat they required 73 runs to win and an hour left for play. The runs, however, were just got, and m-iuJy, at the finish, through the agency of riity singles. Fifteen runs were wanted to win in fourteen minutes when J rumble joined Gregory. Good bowling on the part of Pearce and Upham, and brilliant fielding, kept the scoring in eheck and at Tlireo minutes to six o'clock 5 runs >vere wanted to win. The Australians woa by fivo wickets.