NOTES BY SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1957, 27 August 1891, Page 29

NOTES BY SLIP.

I have had forwarded to me by a friend in Wellington the " Cricket Annual for 1890-91," published by tbe Wellington Cricketers' Association. It ia a very creditable production, and the editor, Mr F. E. Brittain, has, in collecting and collating his information, evidently taken a great deal of trouble, which I hope will ba repaid by a considerable demand for the work. Of course it deals principally with cricket in Wellington, bat it also contains particulars regarding cricket in Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago, full scores of the principal matches in Australia, and some notes upon English cricket. The work would have been more saleable outside Wellington had a little more space been given to cricket in other parts of the colony. The veteran aboriginal cricketer, Johnny Mullagb, was found dead at Harrow, in the western district of Victoria, on the 14th inst. Mullagh was the principal bat in the famous team of blacks that visited England some years ago, and his cricketing powers were known all' over Australia. Mullagh had been tbe mainstay of tbe Harrow Cricket Club for many years, and of late, though weak and stiff from age and exposure, he was a keen batsman and lover of the game up to the last. Although he had been ' ailing for some weeks nothing serious was anticipated. F. R. Spofforth and W. L. Murdooh have been playing a good deal, with a fair amount of success, in unimportant cricket in England. On June 26, Spofforth, playing for the Lyrio Club '. against the 93rd Highlanders, took six wickets ,fqr two runs. Murdoch also trundled in the 'same match, securing two wickets, but he failed •completely with the bat. A week later, playing .for the Lyrio Club against the Free Foresters, Murdooh and Spofforth contributed 31 and 14 respectively to a total of 253, and tbe latter claimed five wickets. . The first of the two matches of the season between the Gentlemen and Players resulted in |the amateurs winning for the first time in 10 years at the Oval. To this successful issue the play of two Australians—J. J. Ferris and S. M. J. Woods— powerfully contributed. Ulyett having won the toss, the professionals batted first, but their innings only realised 165 (Abel 27, Read 27, Peel not out 22, Ulyett 22). The bulk of the bowling was done by Woods and W. G. Grace, tbe former taking six wickets for 69 runs. The Gentlemen had a long innings, the last wicket not falling till 278 runs were registered (E. Smith 76, W. W. Read 50, A. B. Stoddart 39, R. N. Douglas 30, J. A. Dixon 20). On a difficult; wicket the Players went in for their second innings, but they could only make a poor show against the bowling of Ferris and Woods, the innings closing for 59. Ferris had the remarkable figures of 21 overs (10 maidens) for 28 runs and seven wickets.

The return match, played at Lord's on the days following the Oval matoh, had to be abandoned before completion owing to the unfavourable weather. It was noticeable, if for nothing else, for the signs of a return to his eld form of Shrewsbury, who had previously been a conspicuous failure this year in important cricket. The Players again won the toss but their innings only realised 167. Shrewsbury, who went in first, saw the whole Bide oat, and scored 81 by a masterly display of batting, against which one chance has to be urged. The Gentlemen had lost five wickets for 89 when play was discontinued (T. C. O'Brien 21, W.W. Read 21). The greatly improved form exhibited by Sussex this year received illustration in the matohes against both universities, and was further exemplified in the matoh, began on July 2, against Kent. In this Sussex won the toss, and went in first on a splendid wicket, which they utilised so well that they were not disposed of till a total of 431 was reached (W. Newhatn 105, Bean 97, Humphreys not oat 63, G. Brann 51, Butt 43). When the game had to be abandoned, on account of wet weather, Kent had floored 192 for five wickets (F. Marchant 123, A. Hearne 34, C. J. M. Pox not out 20).

In their next match the Sussex Eleven were pitted against Notts. This match was not completed when the mail left, but in the first two days' play there was some interesting and even sensational cricket. Notts went in first on one of those true, fast wickets that bave made the Brighton ground so famous for tall scoring, and in four hours and forty minutes, daring which the innings lasted, 301 runs were scored (including only two extras). Gunn contributed 69, 0. W. Wright 61, Attewell 56, Barnes 53. To this large total Sussex responded with 246, of whioh number 145 were credited to Bean, who carried his bat right through the innings and hit grandly for his soore. In the second innings of Notts the first wicket fell for 20, and then Gunn and Shrewsbury became associated in a remarkable partnership, which was not terminated at the close of the seoond day's 'play, at whioh time, after three hoars and twenty minutes' batting, they had increased the score by 266 runs, tbe telegraph board showing 286 for one wicket. Gunn's share was 141, and Shrewsbury, who batted with far more freedom than usual, was responsible for 136.

Lancashire, after obtaining an advantage of 38 only on the first innings, defeated Leicestershire by 207 runs— a result that wa=. largely due to the bowling of Briggs and Moid, and the batting of Albert Ward. In the first innings, against the bowling of Woodcock (sevea for 44)

and Pougher, the County Palatine only scored 97 (Barlow 29), to which Leicestershire replied with 59 (C. E. de Trafford 29), Brig&ggtaking three wickets for one run and Mold fivffxor 39. In their second innings Lancashire scored 270 (Ward 105, A. N. Hornby 37, Yates 35), and Leicestershire's second venture produced 101 (Tomlin 34), Briggs capturing six wickets for 49 and Watson two for 12.

"Mid-off," in Land and Water, considers that tbe claims of S. M. J. Woods to rank ss the best university fast bowler of the present generation admit of no dispute. " The present season " (says that writer) "is the fourth in which he has been regularly before the public in first-class matches, and his success has been far more consistent than that of such bowlers as Mr S. E. Butler— whose reputation rests on his one sensational achievement in tbe university match of 1871— Mr Walter Powys, Mr C. E. Francis, Mr H. T. Luddington, Mr H. O. Whitby, or even Mr P. H. Morton. To my thinking, Mr Morton came nearer to Woods 7 form than anyone else, and his bowling for Cambridge against the first Australian Eleven at Lord's in 1878 has rarely been equalled on a perfect wicket. Good as he was, however, he did not, daring the time he was at Cambridge, prove himself such a tower of strength on a side as Woods. There is one university bowler whose name I have not mentioned, but who perhaps on pulormances would rank even higher than Morton ; that bowler is Mr A. H. Evans, of Oxford, but I have left him out of tha comparison for the simple reason that I was one of those who, without any disrespect to a keen and enthusiastic cricketer, thought that his delivery was not strictly fair. There is no need at this distance of time to stir up an old controversy, but I know that the view I held was shared at the time by Lord Harris, Alfred Shaw, and other famous cricketers." It may be mentioned ia this connection that Woods' performances as a bowler challenge comparison with the very best record of the past at Cambridge— that of A, G. Steel. WooJs leaves university cricket with a bowling average of 8 8 rans pet wicket, while Steel's average was exactly 9 runs per wicket.

The name of W. G. Grace was not included in the principal batting averages, calculated up till the 4th of July. W. Newham, the Sussex captain, was at the head of the list with an average of 55 runs for 11 innings (once not oat). Included in his scores were three of 100 and over : 109 (not out) against the Marylebone Club, 134 (not oat) against Oxford University, and 105 against Kent.- Abel was next on the li>t with 34*12 as his average ; and E. Smith, of Oxford University, and Gunn also had averages of 30 runs and over.