CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 1900, 3 July 1890, Page 29

CRICKET.

NOTES BY SLIP.

Tbere was a remarkable result to a matoh played on May 3 between St. Pancra3 United and Harrow Constitutional. Successful with the toss, the St. Panoras United elected to bat, and ran up the soore of 209 for the loss of only one wicket. They then deolared their innings at an end, and dismissed their opponents in seven overs without a run being floored.

English files give particulars of the opening of the season of intercounty cricket, As usual, Hampshire furnished the opposition for the first fixture of the Surrey eleven, the latter winning by an inninga and 120 rune. Sharpe captured five wickets for two runs only m the first inninga of Hampshire, which realised 75 (H W Forster 43). For Surrey W W Read hit up 102 at the rate of a run a minute, and Henderson (45) and Maurice Read (42) aIBO scored well towards a total of 281. Hants got 86 at the second banda (R Benoraft 24), Lohmann being the most successful trundler. The unfinished match was played on May 8 and following days between Kent and the Marylebone Club at Lord's. Kent scored 177 (F Marchant 66, L A Hamilton 45, O J M Fox, not out, 38) and 141 (F Marchant £1) ; M.0.0., 164 (Ohatterton 46, Bean 41, T S Pearson 25, A N Hornby 23) and 137 for three wickets (A N Hornby 75, J Shuter 47). At the finish the M.0.0. wanted 18 to win with seven wickets to fall. The Sussex Eleven Btarted with a creditable victory in a email scoring matob over a Btrongish Bide of M.O.C. The scores were :— M.0.0., 57 (A N Hornby 45) and 36 ; Sussex, 41 and 53 for six wicketa (Bean 33). The bowlers it will be seen had all the best of it. In the first innings of the M.0.0. Jesse Hide got seven wickets for 22, and in the second innings C A Smith, who made his first appearance in an important match since bis return from South Africa, disposed of seven for 16. Attewell took altogether nine of the Sussex wickots at an expense of 35 runs. The Cambridge University Eleven opened their season auspiciously by defeating a strong Bide collected by Mr O I Thornton. The University team got 130 (G M'Gregor 36, R A A Beresford 20) and 73 for six wickets (R A A Bereaford 22) ; while Mr Thornton^ eleven scored 68 (G F Vernon 21) and 133 (P J de Paravicini 44, A J Webbe 3S). The second innings of Mr Thornton's team waa remarkable for the extraordinary bowling of the young Australian S M J Woods, who had captured five wickata for 19 in the first innings. He was credited with all 10 wickets, a feat very rarely chronicled, and only recorded in an important fixture to nine other crioketeia since 1870. , . The Yorkshire Eleven bade fair in their opening match, which was against Gloucestershire, to have Borne compensation for their ill-success of last year. Three players new to county cricket figured in the Gloucestershire Eleven, ono of whom, H H Francis, a likely young amateur, made a creditable debut. The Booreß were :— Gloucestershire, 194 (J Cranßton 101, H H Francis 33) and 178 (O G Radoliffe 61, Painter 29) ; Yorkshire, 330 (Ulyett 107, Lee 67, Wainright 31, Peel 29, Browne 25, Whitehead, not out, 25) and 43 for two wiokets (R W Frank 21, Hall, not out, 20). Surrey put its full strength into the field against Leicestershire on May 12, and the reBult was a unique experience on the Surrey ground— a match completed in one day, Leicestershire could only get 55 and 48, while Surrey Bcored 183 (Abel 49, X J Key 37, Wood 20). Sharpe, who played for Surrey instead of Bowley, was decidedly the hero of the match. In the second innings of Leicestershire he got nine of the 10 wiokets, and altogether in the match 12 wickets at a cost of lesa than three runs apiece. Particulars are to hand regarding the large score made by Nottingham against Sussex. The first wicket fell for 26 rune, and then Shrewsbury and Gunn got together and Btayed on till the total had been raised to 428, Gunn at that time being caught low down at mid-on for 196. This breakß the previous record for the number of runs put on by a single wicket, 340 being the total up till that date. At the time the mail left Nottingham had lost nine wicketa for 580 runs, Shrewsbury being out for 267.

It is not often that the first interoounty fixture of the year gives rise to two innings of over 100, as was the case in the matoh between Gloucestershire and Yorkshire at Bristol recorded above. The most recent instance was aj few years ago, and there, too, GloucQstershire was in it. It was in the memorable match with Surrey, played at the Oval, and on that occasion Abel and Mr Townsend were the batsmen who got into three figures, The following colloquy, whioh appeared in the Bird o' Freedom lately, is said to be a true bill -.—Scene : Rustic matoh in Subsox Team being photographed. Captain (to crack village bowler): " Look 'ere, mate," if ypu wants that tbere ball to come out in your right hand, put it in your left, 'cos everythink's reversed in a photogrue." Turning to the photographer: 11 Ain't that so, Muster Shootem ?" Writing of the Sheffield Park matoh, the Athletic Newß, whioh has always manifested an unfriendly spirit towards the Australian cricketers, contained the following :— -" It is evident that the Australian team is much stronger than some people imagined, and with Murdoch in form they will not be easily got rid of by any team. The veteran's batting in the first first- class matoh he has played for five yeara was something marvellous. It was nnothar instance of a good man Beldom losing bis form." Probably by this time the Athletic News will — and not perbapß unwarrantably — have resumed playing upon the old string of adverse criticism.

" Mid-off," writing in Landjand Wuter after the Australians' opening match, said :— " Ab a general rule, the chief interest in the opening match of a tour centres in the men new to this country, but at Sheffield Park, although there was a desire to Bee Walters and Barrett bat, Charltoa bowl, and Gregory field, I am inclined to think that there was more anxiety to Bee how Murdooh played, The Australian captain did not long leave the orowd in doubt ; indeed, speaking from memory, I should say that be had never before opened a season in England with such excellent cricket. Certainly be did not on the occasion of his last visit, when he had three or four innings before he showed any form. Murdoch displayed all his old stubborn defence, and that perfect wrist play which, apart from his big ecorea, makes him ctand out above all other Australian batsmen. When he hit out there was no mistake either in his intention or execution, and though ho slowed down to a remarkable degree during the last hour, the falling off in tho pace of his ecoring waa due, I believe, to a slight niuscuiar affec lion of the arm, and not to fatigue. Had he known the weather which was in stora hs would no doubt have made a big offcrt to get bio Ivirsdrßd, which I am very sorry ho mißsod. There was something particularly pleasing m eeiag this great cricketer come back to the garnn, iv which six years ' ago he occupied ho roroinent a position, apparently in as good

form as if he had never been out of praotioe. Murdoch's batting of course dwarfed everything else on the opening day, but in any oase there would not have been much to say about the new men. Barrett, upon whom it iB olaimed by his friends the mantle of Aleo Bannerman has fallen, may have a defence equally as Bfcrong aB that possessed by the little ' stonewaller,' but he is certainly a very tireBorne batßman to watoh. His style is ugly, and bo far he does not appear to have any other hit than that to leg, but perhapß it would be fairer to wait until be has done something before criticising hia method." Cricketers will regret to learn (says a Sandhurst telegram in the Melbourne Argus) that the well-known exponent of the game, William Midwinter, is now an inmate of the lunacy ward at the Bendigo Hospital, and that slight hopes are entertained of his ever recovering from his derangement. Midwinter sold oat of his hotel in Melbourne some two months ago, and has since been residing with a married sister at California Gully. He has been suffering from an incurable complaint, and he recently lost his wife and child. These misfortunes preyed on his mind, and probably led to the aberration of his intellect. On Friday night he became very violent, and threw candlesticks at his sister and her husband. He also triad to set fire to his head with a candle. He was arrested by the police, and Drs Thorn and M'Kee (of Eaglehawk) pronounced him to be insane, and not in a fit state to go to Melbourne. He was therefore taken to the hospital. The constables found two revolvers and ammunition in Midwinter's possession.