CRICKET. NOTES BY SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1898, 6 April 1888, Page 26

CRICKET.

NOTES BY SLIP.

The committee of the New South Wales Cricket Association has adopted the clause fixing the number of balls to an over to six, and has decided that no player other than a professional shall be allowed more than 10s per day as compensation for loss of time. During the present season the representatives of New South Wales have taken part in 12 matches. Of these matohes seven have been played by New South Wales men unassisted by those of other colonies, and of the seven five were won, including the first and third matches with Shaw's team, the first match with Vernon's teom, and both intercolonial. The two matches lost were the return match against Shaw's team in December and that against Vernon's team in February. In the remaining five matches the New South Wales players were associated with representatives from other colonies. Curiously enough, every one of these matches was lost. They were the three matches played by the sixth Australian Eleven, the match between the combined eleven of New South Wales and Victoria and Shaw's team, and All Australia against the two English teams. At the present time all sorts of wild conjectures are being indulged in as to how the sixth Australian Eleven is to be made up, and of course the newspapers are flooded with cheap advice to the promoters of the team. For in« stance, it is urged that Spofforth should be included, and there are rumours to the effect that he will be taken — if better men are not procurable. Anyone who has followed Spofforth's career must see that his day for cricket has gone by. There is no doubt he was in his prime in 1880. When he finished the season that year in England his bowling average in 11 a-side matches was B'6 per wicket, and his batting 211. He was then, in fact, as good a batsman as M'Donnell is now and a better bowler by. far than Turner. The 1882 season in England, however, told another tale. His bowling average fell to 12*1 and his batting average to B*2, or 13th in a team of 14. On that occasion Boyle headed him in bowling by about one run per wicket. In 1884 in England, Spofforth's bowling was about the same— 12*2 — and his batting had slightly improved to 122. In 1886 his batting fell to 77, and his bowling to 171. He never recovered his 1880 form ; it is not in the neture of things that he should ; and it may also be reasonably taken for granted that he has not improved since 1886. Men quote names that they are familiar with , recklessly and blindly, and heedleßsof the downfall which the silent years bring to all men, cricketers not excepted. " We (Sydney Mail) are glad to find that Moses still remains at the top of the tree in batting averages, his present average being 62*9, as against 58*12 credited to Shrewsbury, and 55*5 to Walter Bead in 11 a-side matches. The following is the summary of: Moses' career as a batsman this season : — His commencement was rather unfortunate, as in the first match against Shaw's team, in the only innings he played then, he was stumped by Filling off Briggs for 0, the total of the New South Wales innings being 94. In the second match against ' Shaw's team he made 78 (not out),' the total in the first innings being 149, and 68 (bowled Fougher) out of 165. In the third match he made 58 (thrown out) out of 153, and 109 (caught Briggs, bowled Lohniann) out of 216. In the intercolonial match played last December in Melbourne he made 20' (bowled H. Trumble) out of 102, and 12 (leg before wicket, bowled Brace) out of 200. In the match against Vernon's team he made 77 (bowled Stoddart) out of 408, and 15 (not out) out of 40, there being only one wicket down in the second innings. In" the intercolonial match played here in' January he made 297 (not out), the total of the only innings played by New South Wales being 576. In the match played in February by Shaw's team

against a Combined 11 of New South Wales and Victoria, he made 46 arid 2 out of 282 and 89. In a match between an 11 selected from the two English teams against a so-called All- , Australia Eleven he made 3 and 11 oat of 42 and 82. He did not play in the return match against Vernon's team, but on February 24 and- 25 he took part in the match between the sixth Aus- I tralian Eleven and Shaw's team. He had bad lack in this match, making only '2 and 8 out of 75 and 56. In the first inning? hi was caught by Smith off Lohmann, and in the second Lohmann bowled him outright. In the <16 * innings in which he has taken part New South Wales has scored 2669 runs, of which number he has made 815. The English Elevens have now practically finished their Australian, tour, and before long they will be on their homeward way. Financially both ventures will, it is supposed, be heavy failures, and it is asserted that Vernon's team will be short about £2400, and Shaw's team half that amount. The loss in the case of the former will fall upon the Melbourne Cricket Club. In the latter oase, Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lilly white will be the sufferers, unless there is a secret compact between the -promoters aud certain parties in Sydney. The season has been the heaviest known in the colonies, and it is hot going too far to say that the public are, for the' time being, thoroughly disgusted with cricket. Our own clubs have been practically debarred from the ground which belongs to them, in order to suit speculators ; and on all hands, if the losses which the English teams are said to have met with will be the means of keeping travelling cricket shows away from the colonies for the next five years it will be a very good job. Turn-ing-to the details of the tour, we find that Shaw's team has played 22 matches, winning 14, losing' 2, and drawing 6. Last season they played 29 matches, winning 12, drawing 15, and losing 2. This season they played seven matches, 11 a side, winning 5 and losing 2 ; and it is a curious fact that each season New South Wales has scored both wins. Vernon's team has played' 26 matches, winning 11, losing 1, and drawing 14. There were eight matches, 11 a side, played, and of these only one was lost, New South Wales' being again the winner. The best show made by ' a country team was in the drawn game by 22 of Goulburn' against Vernon's team, the Englishmen making only 31 against the bowling of Dennis and Knopp in the first innings, and being obliged to follow on. The largest score of the season was 624, made by Shaw's team against Victoria in December. The highest individual total was Shrewsbury's 232, made in the same match. Altogether the two teams have played 48 matches, winning 25, losing 3, and drawing 20. A complimentary dinner \ps tendered on Thursday night, March 15, at Eaton's Captain Cook Hotel, by the members of ' the Carlton Club, to Messrs P. M'Donnell, C. Turner, A. Baunerman, and C. W. Beal, members of the club, on the eve of their departure for England with the sixth Australian Eleven. Mr E.P. Woolcott occupied the chair, and Dr Brownless the vice-chair. Among the guests was Mr S. P. Jones, University CO., also a number of J>he team and a number of other representative cricketers, and after the usual loyal toasts the chairman proposed •• The, Sixth Australian Eleven." Mr'O. W. Beal, in reply, said there was no doubt the team was under a cloud at present, but he was certain that it would pass away when the eleven came to play in England. He could, however, assure them that, the team was a united one. With regard to the letters which had appeared in the press criticising the personnel of the team, he could only say that he' and those associated with him had done their best to induce the very best cricketers in the colonies to go with them. Newspaper correspondents had asked : Why were not such men included in the' team as Moses, Horan, and G. Giffen. In reply he could only say — ask those player's themselves. • The team had lately been strengthened by the inclusion of A. Bannerman and Midwinter, and he was sure the members of it would never forget they were playing for the honour of the colonies. Mr M'Donnell, in .reply, said that the ''pavilion cricketers,", who had run down the team, would, when it returned successful, be the first to turn round in the most barefaced manner and congratulate it, just as they had done other teams. The full Australian team is comprised as follows : — A. Bannerman, M'Donnell, Ferris, - Blackham, Boyle, Jones, Turner, Jarvis, Lyons, Trott, Edwards, and WorraU. There was a large assemblage of cricketers on the steamer by which the team sailed immediately before her de-. parture, and the team left amid their hearty cheers, and good wishes. Following are the batting and bowling averages of Shrewsbury's and Lillywhite's team in all matches played in Australia :— BATTING-.

LILLYWHITE'S TEAM v. CANTERBURY EIGHTEEN. is now fine. This match was resumed at Christohurch at noon on Thursday, the wicket being very dead. Bead and ( Ulyett faced the bowling of Wilding and Dunlop. Ulyett was caught by- W. P. Reeves off Wilding after increasing, his former score by 3. Newham joined Read, but after making 3 was clean bowled by Danlop. Briggs, who followed, was -caught by Wilding off his own bowling without scoring. Smith went in, but Wilding bowled him before he could score. Preston succeeded him, but after making a single was also bowled by Wilding. Braun followed, bufc was soon given out leg-before. Lohmann was caught by Garrard,off Wilding without scoring. Pougher.now joined Bead, and made 5 before ha f ell a victim to Wilding.- He was' succeeded by Charleson (sub.), who, was clean bowled, by Wilding without scoring. The innings (closed for 75; 11. Read carrying out his bat, having made 43 by steady and careful 'play. Wilding got eight wickets for 21 runs. Scores :— '

England.— First Innings. Shrewsbury, c Frith, b Halley ... 2 v Ulyett, cf W P Beeves, b Wilding ... 19 Newham, b Dunlop „. ... 3 Briggs, c and b Wilding ... ... 0 Smith (captain), b Wilding ... ... 0 Preston, b Wilding ... ... .1 Braun, lbw, b Wilding ... ... 0 Lohmann, o Garrard, b Wilding • ... 0 Bead, not out ... ... ... 43 Pougher, b Wilding ... ... 5 Uharleaon, b Wilding ... ... 0 Extras ... ... ... 2 Total ... ... ... 75 -The first innings of the English Eleven ; closed for 75, or 70 behind the qcore of their opponents. The Canterbury players in their second venture put together 80. # The Englishmen, with only half an hour at their disposal, went in for their second innings ; Newham and Pougher were the batsmen, and they kept up their wickets until time was called, the ' former having scored 18, and the latter 12. The game therefore ended in a draw. The following are the individual scores of the Canterbury players is their second innings : — Ouff, caught ... 12 Wilding, lbw ..; 11 Dunlop, bowled ... 4 Garrard, bowled ... 11 Studholme, bowled ... 2 W Frith, bowled ... 0 W Prawshaw, bowled ... 0 Fowke, bowled ... 13 Labatt, thrown out ... 1 M' Donald, bowled ... 0 Mathias, bowled ... 0 Halley, ciught ... 2 Barnes, caught ... 0 Ogier, caught ... 0 W P Beeves, caught ... 2 B B Mathias, run out 2 H Beeves, stumped ... 6 Extras,,. ... 5 Harman, bowled ... 0 — Total ... ... ... ... 80 Briggs secured seven wickets for 46 runs, and Lohmann seven for 82. To compensate the Englishmen for the small takings at their match a game was got up for Good Friday and Saturday. The Englishmen - put together 140. <M., Read (16), Briggs (10), , Olyett (48), Pougher (40), Shrewsbury (23), and Newham (14), all got into double figures. Halley took six wickets for 50 runs ; Wilding, three for 37 ; and W. Frith, one for 35. Crawshaw f W. P. Beeves, Dunlop, and R. B. Mathias did not play with the eighteen, who only made 64, Cuff with 16 and- Ogier with 14 being the only players to reach double figures. Briggs again took nine wickets, but this time only 26 runs were scored off him, Lohmann took seven for 32. Altogether the visjt of the English team to New Zealand has been anything but a finan? cial success, and the experiment is scarcely likely to be repeated for some time to come by any future teams which come to Australia. The complimentary match to Lillywhite's team was continued on Saturday at Christchurch, and though the result was a draw, yet ib was so much in favour of the visiting team that it might virtually be called a victory for the Englishmen, who left after the stumps were drawn at 4.15 to catch the Coptic on her homeward voyage amidst the congratulations of the numerous friends that they, have made in their short stay here. Never before (says the Press) has a mixed team created such a favourable impression as our late visitors did, and if the trip to New Zealand , has proved unremunerative, they will have the satisfaction of knowing that at least they have left heaps of friends in this far off colony.

& a 1 M a© Shrewsbury Ulyett ... Brig«s Read Newham ... Smith Brann Docker ... Lohmann ... Preston ... Pilling ... Pougher ... 28 27 34 34 30 28 23 27 27 32 27 26 1054 589 672 595 481 442 304 412 400 372 232 213 2 2 4 4 4 2 r> 2 l 5 8 6 40-53 23-56 22.40 1983 18-50 17 16-38 16-48 15 38 13-77 12-21 10-65 BOWLING. to a 3 a ■3 •3 n 2 I 6 I \. — - Shrewsbury Docker Smith ... rougher Read ... Nowliam Lohmann Preston Ulyett... 42 80 1708 4119 2028 288 51 5252 2221 547 7 15 370 1084 532 72 16 1423 649 205 7 9 218 528 259 29 3 650 253 66 2 4 80 176 78 10 2 168 73 18 3-50 375 463 6-15 682 720 8 8*47 8-89 11-38