CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 1847, 15 April 1887, Page 26

CRICKET.

NOTES BY SLIP. There wag a large attendance at the Wellington v. Hawke's Bay match, played at Napier on the 9fch. The bowling was indifferent on both sides and the scoring heavy. The following is the result:— Hawke's Bay, 162— Buck, 14; Patterson, 29; Wolstenholme, 56; White, 17; Martin, 15. Wellington 1 , 266 for eight wickets — Gore, 33; Salmon, 16; Blacklock, 31 ; Burns, 10 ; Heenan (not out), 110 ; Duret, 21 ; Morice, 10. ANGLO-ATSTRALIAN CRICKET. (Fbom Oub Home Correspondent.) The performances of the Shaw-Shrewsbury team in Australia are justly a matter of pride to English cricketers at Home, for the «uc«esß which

has, attended their tour has been something phenomenal, and certainly tends to bear out the. confession of Mr Scott, the captain of the Australian team- of last year, that the best Australian cricketers are not a match for the flower of English cricket. The meagre telegrams' which appear iv the papers giving the result of the various matches are scanned with the keenest interest, and the sporting newspapers are filled with comments upon the prowess of our men. In another respect, however,, the proceedings of the Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lilly white team* are not looked upon with bo much approval. It will be remembered that when the Australian Eleven was in England last summer Major Wardill, the manager, commenced to make arrangements to take back with him an English mixed amateur' and professional team; The English cricketers Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lilly-, white were then engaged in a similar endeavour, and complained very bitterly of the action of Major Wardill and the Melbourne Club, on whose behalf he was -acting, interfering with their arrangements.- Negotiations conducted with some degree of acerbity took place between Major Wardill and Messrs Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lilly white, which ultimately ended in Major Wardill withdrawing his scheme and leaving the ground clear for the rival team. It was, however, understood that in return for this concession the Melbourne Club should be at liberty to take out a team of their own at the end of this year without any opposition or rival action on the part of Shaw and Shrewsbury. It now appears that Shaw, Shrewsbury and Lilly white have broken through the spirit of this understanding and have contracted with the authorities of the Sydney Association ground to take out a professional and amateur eleven at the close of the present ■ English cricketing season' to play throughout New South Wales during the centennial celebration of the colony. At the same time Major Wardill has forwarded instructions to his agent, Mr G. F. Vernon, requesting him to' co-operate with Mr W. W. Head in making arrangements for a team of English amateurs and professionals to go out to Australia during the prrspnt autumn. If both arrangements are carried out, there will thus be two English teams playing in Australia at the same time, a state of things which will naturally be absurd. Of course the trustees of the Sydney Association ground have a perfect right to take out an English cricketing eleven of their own and run it in opposition to that of the Melbourne Club if they like. But what is objected to in this country is that Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lillywhite should break faith with' Major Wardill and thus lessen the reputation of English cricketers for honourable-mindedness. After they had pledged their word with Major Wardill not to take oat an eleven to Australia, during the present year, they ought to have abided by it and not have sought to shelter themselves behind the quibble that it is the Sydney Association and not they who are taking out the team. A more serious aspect of the question is that the frequency of cricketing disputes — of which the Shrewsbury- Wardill quarrel is a fair example —is producing a markedly unfavourable impression on the public mind and leading to the belief that cricket is becoming purely an affair of pounds, shillings, and pence. As soon as it comes to be recognised that the game is pursued for purposes of profit, public interest in' it will soon decrease, and this seems to be the end, for which those of the Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lillywhite type are working. In English cricketing circles there is much feeling shown on this point. With regard to the immediate question in dispute between the Sydney and Melbourne Clubs, it is hoped that they will unite. their forces so as to avoid having two English teams ' playing in Australia at the same time. .