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Otago Witness, Issue 181, 6 August 1886, Page 26

NOTES BY SLIP.

Playing in a match at Highbridge on June 5, S. Mcade, for Dr Morgan's School, Bridgwater, in the second inning of Highbridge took 7 wickets in 6 overs without a run being scored from him.

It is rarely, indeed, that a cricketer who has got into the sixties in years is able to bring off the " century," and keep up his wicket for hours without giving a single chance. Mr John Francis, for Suffolk against the Incogniti, ab Bury St. Edmunds scored 101 not out, and by really excellent cricket, his leg-hitting, driving, and cutting were particularly hard and well timed. The batsman is 51 years of age. He was carried shoulder high to the pavilion. Mr A. B. Fernie ou five successive Saturdays took thirty-two wickets for the Tedding ton Club at a cost of only 59 runs, or an average of 1.84 runs per wicket. —

How oddly history repeats itself in cricket ! I have seen (says the writer of Pavilion Gossip in " Cricket,") few instances of this repetition more noteworthy than have recently been recorded this season in connection with the Cambridge University eleven. On May 20 aud two following d.i 3's, the Canfcabs, playing Mr C. I. Thornton's Eleven, followed on in a minority of exactly eighty runs— just failing to avert •the follow by one run. In spite of this disadvantago they were able, chief! v through a very fine hco-'e of 174 by Mr J. A. Turner, to win the match by 108 ru?is. Exactly a fortnight later, in their content with Yorkshire, the course of the previous match was repeated almost to a nicety. Yorkshire went in first, and their score, 154 (another coincidence), was identical with the _ second total of Mr Thornton's- Eleven. Again the University were exactly eighty runs behind, as before, just failing to save the follow by a single run. And as in the previous match it was mainly to a score of three figures in the second innings by one batsman, this time Mr G. Kemp's 125, that they were indebted for a creditable victory. A team of West Indian cricketers .ire to visit Canada and the United States. Several former English cricketers of note will be among the team.

Two sensational perfiorrnanees are recorded in the exchanged to hand by the last mail:— ln a match between Bryn-y-neundd and the Caernarvon Clubs, plnvort at Mr fivdney PIaHV ground at LUnfcrirfechan, Mr A. S. Gr'ipps of Rhyl, was in rare form for Bryn-y-neuadd, going in first and carrying out his bat for 231 out of a total of 303. On the same day at Cambridge in a mal_ch against Clave, Trinity College completed .their innings begun on the previous day for a luifre total of "593, the highest as yet recorded this season. Four batsmen got over ninety runs, oueofihem— Mr F.Thomas, theEfcon Captain of 1885— over 100, The last three wickets, it is worthy of remark, put on 193 runs,

A peculiar incident occurred in a recent match at Woolwich. Capt, Johnstone of the 50th Regfc, who was playing for the latter, cut a ball. tor two runs. His bat was bound at the bottom with string, which became unravelled to the length of about a yard when he was making his two runs. The batsman in ignorance that the string was loose, cut at tho next ball, and the cud of the string removed the leg bail. He was given out hit wicket. If. I remember rightly, (says a writer in Cricket) I had occasion to notice two cases of the same kind during the summer of ISSS.

" Cricket " in a report of the match Australia v. Gentlemen of England has the following : — So poor was the resistance offered by the early batsman of the Gentlemen, that four wickets were down for 50 runs. At this period a very unfortunate accident befell the Australians, who had had the worst of luck in every respect, it must be owned, since the commencement of the tour. Spofforth, in trying to catch a ball hit back very hard by Lord Harris, had the third finger of his right hand so badly fractured that he was unable to take auy further part in the game, aud, it is said, will be uuable to play again for some little time to come. Strangely enough he was disabled in a similar way in the same match two years ago, in stopping a return of Mr W. W. Read, though in that case the injnry was only of brief duration. After his retirement, though, Palmer and Garrett bowled so well that he was not missed, and the Gentlemen were all out for 99. The chief feature of the first innings of the Colonists was the stand of Messrs Scott and Bonnor for the fourth wicket. These two batsmen were the highest scorers on the side, and their partnership was productive of fifty-five runs. The wicket contiuued to improvo on the second day, and the Australians had the best of it in going in last. The batting of the Gentlemen iv their second innings was again disappointing. The chief contributors were the two Middlesex amateurs, Messrs. Vernon and Studd, and the latter's 29 was the highest score on the side of the Gentlemen. Giffen and Garret both bowled well, but though the ground never played very easy the display of the English team was much below expectations. The Australians when they went in a second time had ouly 8G to get, and Blackham and Jones began so well that 47 of them had been got before the former was out. This stand settled the match, and the Australians won with seven wickets still in hand. Their success was the more creditable considering that they were without SpofEorth's bowling for the greater part of the game, and in consequence of his accident had only ten men to bat. On the first day 7397 persons paid at the gates, on the second 8054.

Of the eighth match the same paper says: — Though they had all the worst of the first hands the Derbyshire eleven made a creditable fight in the match played at Derby on Monday and Tuesday, and were only beaten by 6 wickets, Giffen bowled with such success that none of the County team, who went in first, offered a lengthy resistance, with the exception of Coupe and Chatterton, and the tenth wicket fell at 95. Jones aud M'llwraith scored freely for the Australians, and 83 runs were added for the second wicket. Later on Bonncr hit vigorously, and his 46 included three big heaves from Mr Cochrane over the ring for six. Though in a minority of 96, the County eleven played up pluckily, aud Chatterton and the colt Davidson, in particular, showed to great advantage, the latter taking out his bat for a well made 33. The Australians had only 49 to win, but this number cost them four of their best batsmen, all of whom fell to Cropper. Giffen's bowling was the best feature of the match. In the second innings he got all the nine wickets which fell to the bowler, and altogether was credited with sixteen of the eighteen Derbyshire wickets out to the bowlers, at a cost of 101 runs. On the other side, Cropper's figures were also very noteworthy. ll is eight wickets were obtained at an expense of only 43 ruus. Spofforth, owing to the injury he received at Lord's was unable to play, aud Evans was the other lef fc out of the Australian team.

Surrey won their sixth county match playing against Lancashire in the early part of June by nino wickets. Mr W. W. Read's 62 was the highest score.

The Parsees are having a bad time of it on the English cricket fields. So far they seem to have lost every match. Essex beat them by an innings and 339 runs. Essex scored 514 in their one innings, of which Davies made 115.

Sussex easily beat Gloucester. Bean for the former scored 108.

Land and Water reviewing the week's cricket on June 5, says : — Match after match has been abandoned, and in the cases where play has been possible, run getting, which, to the majority, is half the fun, has been an arduous task. Spofforth revels in the sticky or caked wickets ; but the fall of rain has been so continuous that his opportunities of bowling have been few and far between, which is lucky for his or other bowlers' intended victims. It is quite depressing to have to record day after day, No play ! No play ! If the rain which fell at Manchester on Tuesday had been moderate, no finer finish to a match could have been anticipated, so far as the score is concerned ; but the ground was so saturated that the match between North of England and the Australians was abandoned. If cricketers had ever, or hardly ever, been known to swear they might, under the present circumstances, be allowed a little license.

The match at Manchester is almost a cricket curiosity, for we have a strong North of England eleven dismissed for 34 runs (no double figures), aud the Australians all out twice for 88 ;in all, 122 runs in one day ; and although three days were set apart for the pompletion of the match, it was unfinished. Cambridge University met a moderate M.C.C. team, and defeated the visitors, after a good match, by four wickets. Very little rain fell, and the wicket was nearly perfect, but no large scores were made on either side. This is accounted for by the excellence of the bowling and wicket-keeping. For Cambridge Messrs Rock, Toppin, and Buxton bowled well, while for the club, Emraett and Fothergill were on the spot— so much so that tbe strong batting side which the 'Varsity has this year were not sure of victory until lunch time on the third clay. The feature of this match, however, without detracting in any way from tho merit of some of the batting, was the wicket-keeping of Mr F. T. Welrnan. A finer display has not been seen for a long time. He took nearly every ball (" wides"from Tom Emmett included), and made mx catches, some of which were most difficult, both on the off and let; side. In the same department Mr Knatchbull-Huges-seu showed gond form, besides batting well.

Melbourne Punch publishes a diary of the doings of the Australian cricketers at Home, from which I mnke the following extracts: — May Ist.— L. L. Smith and myself lunched with H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. L.L. got him into a corner after the feed and asked him if he didu't suffer with symptoms akin to the following. He said he did at times, but he generally took a hair of the dog that bit him. L.L, presented him. with two bottles of medicine (se«

cured at the ends), which H.R.H. gracious].? accepted. May 2nd.— Went to Oxford, all of us. They made us D.C.L.'s, and charged us £5 a piece for it. We can't make out what a D.C.L. is, but Sir William says it's all right ; something to do with J.D.K.Z.

May 3rd. — Mr Gladstone invited us to "Hawarden" to see him knock down a tree. He made an awful mess of it, and Jimmy Thompson took the axe away from him aud felled it in quick sticks. L. L. got off a quart of medicine on the G.O.M. After, dinner he gave us a lecture on the Irish Question, and asked if any of us had votes. He took a great interest in hoarmg about Mr Mirams, and promised to come out and open his new cofleo palace, provided ib was made worth his while

o W'y/fcli.— Had tea with her Majesty to-day, tone didn t wear her crown, which we think was not quite respectful to us. She had on only a black dress and white cap, and as to jewellery why anyone of us conld have shown more, and better. Her Majesty took a great fancy to Jimmy, and said he was very like Brown, if he only wore kilts.

May 4th. — Jimmy Thompson was measured for kilts to-day, and ordered them short — very short. Dr Maloney thinks he will look like a ballet girl.

May sth. — Introduced to Battenburg to-day. He said : " Vot a sdrange ting. I thought ail Ausdralians vas plack." He wore kilts, which were they the envy of Jimmy Thompson and the pride of Her Majesty. May 6th. — Had a general knock round tonight, turned London upside down, and put a brick on it. Got looked up. Had to get the Agent-General to bail us out. Mustn't do thia again. | May 7th. — High tea with the Duke of Cambridge. Jolly old cock. Sung us a song or two and danced a hornpipe. No mistake about the Duke. Wanted to keep it up all night. L. L. got off five packets of his medicine on him, and got the money. Frank Grey Smith is learning French. He said to me to-day Vous avez 1$ canif de uon oncle without once referring to the book. He goes to the French cafes and talks to the waiters, who are all expelled princes in disguise. London is just now overrun with them. They are mostly in the haircutting business. I was shampooed by the Count de Paris and his son yesterday— quite skilfully, too; just as if they had been brought up to the business.

May 7th.— Sir William Clarke has been presented with the freedom of the Ragpickers' Company in a tin box, and the Worshipful Company of Sugarboilers have elected Mr Burrows an honorary member. Mr Frank Grey Smith is getting on fast. Two more phrases today — La canif de me tante est trouve, and Est ct qua le canif de votre mere, est dans le table ? He is nearly ready to proceed to France. He thinks of making a koo-de-tar as he says. L' empire a'est Smeetk. The Worshipful Company of Grinders have elected Mr Berry, and Jimmy Thompson has got his kilts home. F. G. Smith declares that he looks tres distanyay in them, but L. L. declares that it makes him feel as if he "suffered with symptoms akin to the following."

Yesterday we visited Stratford-on-Avon, and put Shakespeare's tomb in order; also cleared up several points about the bard's plays, and decided on Hamlet's madness. Went to see Irving. Not half as good as old Coppin in. " Milky White." Bosisto is to be offered something big, 1 hear. Went for a trip down Old Jewry. Saw George Collins Levey. He is doing very well. Bought a suit off him. Said it fitted me like a glove. He is not coming out to the colony auy more. He is rich now and wears three hats, one on top of the other. Asked to be remembered to all " the boys." Sir William Clarke has been presented with the freedom of the Pawnbroker's Guild, and can now, if he wishes it, bear their sign on his hat. The following are the principal batting averages in matches for and against the nine principal counties, universities, M.C.C., and other important matches: —