THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETING TEAM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1341, 11 August 1877, Page 17

THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETING TEAM.

[By Telegraph.]

{jROM OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Auckland, August 2nd.

. Mr E. J. Gregory, the well-known Australian cricketer, sends to a friend in Auckland the following particulars of the Australian* who intend making a tour of the Colonies :— " It is true that an Australian team is going te travel through the Colonies, starting early ia December, and, after play» ing a series of matches in them, it is their intention to go to England. Mr Conway is agent for all matches in the Colonies, and Mr James Lilly white agent for matches in England. I do not think there will be the ■lightest difficulty in getting players, as there are so many anxious to travel. You are right about it being imperative for each member to be a speculator in the venture. I believe that provision was made ia order to ensure unanimity and improvement, for if there is anything to be made ont of the trip besides honour and glory, the players are most entitled to it, bat don't think the trip Trill be Bach a grand success in a mosey point of view as most of j the players imagine. That don't matter much, so long as the boys enjoy themselves, and do good for cricket. There ia not the slightest doubt that you will find them a jolly lot of fellows, and capital cricketers. Their fielding is not up to the English, with the Cw^fbon of the wicket-keeper — Murdoch — who is Al behind the sticks. Their batting bos more dash in it than the majority of the A.E.E., if I except Charlwood and Kelly, while- Kendall, Spofforth, and Evans are great bowlers, and are harder to play than the English bowling. Certainly Shaw is a great bowler, bat he does not rap you about the knuckles like Evans, who, by the way, can keep wicket, field well, and is a fine batsman. The two Bannerman's and my brother Dave are likely to trouble the majority of trnndlers, and it requires very good fielding to stop them making runs. The rest of the players mentioned in your letter are good, if I except your humble servant, J. Gregory, . Military Ground, Moore Park, Sydney."

' Mr John Conway, writing te a member of the New Zealand Times staff respecting the contemplated visit of an Australian team to New Zealand, says: — Yon may calculate we shall be in New Zealand, if the negotiations end successfully, early in January. The Australian tewn will, you may rest assured, make heaps of friends in your Colony by their good behaviour and good cricket playing. The matter is all in shape now. Nothing remains but to get leave of absence for three of the team for 12 months. I expect the articles to be signed in the course of a week, and then I will send you the names of the full team. The Twelve, you m%y state, will be choven from the following : — Bannerman, Blackham, D. Gregory, Allan, N. Kendall, Horan, [Boyle, Sleigh, Garratt, Murdoch, Kelly, Spoffnrtb, Campbell, and G. H. Bailley (Tasmania). You can imagine what a team can be selected from the above. It has not yet been decided whether a start will be made from Sydney or from Melbourne.