CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 32

CRICKET.

NOTES BY SLIP. A nobable incidenb in the match recently played at Manchester between the Australians and Lancashire was the re- appearance of A. G. Steel, who has no'j played for the cjunty for several seasons past. Lawton has arranged to remain in Dunedin for another year. That famous pair, Shrewsbury and Gann, have been ab ifc again. The cable informs U3 that they scored 161 and 156 respectively and that Barnes chipped in with 102, playing for their county against Sussex. The score of 674- put up by Notts against Sussex last week is, with one exception, the highest that has been made in a county match, the record innings being one of 693 scored in August 1888 ab the Oval by Surrey ngainsb Sussex— unfortunate Sussex, sgainst whom co many heavy totals have been compiled. H. S. Ranjitbiuhji, bhe youug ludian, who made the highest score in each innings of Cambridge University against the Australians, was frequently in evidence with the bat last season. On no fe wer than eleven occasions did he succeed in topping the century, his final three-figure score of the year being compiled in the final tie for the Cambridgeshire Association Cup, in which he played tor the Cassandra Club, the holders. A. E. Stoddart last week placed what is practically another record to his name. As cricketers know, to the Middlesex amateur belongs the distinction of having made the highest individual score on record— an innings of 485, played by him in 1886 for Hampsfcead against the Stoics. Though his achievement of scoring a double certury last week in the match between Middlesex and Notts is nob exceptional, the totals of his two innirjgs exceed the totals scored on any of the five other occasions on which a double century has been recorded in first-class cricket. The earliest' occurrence of the kind was in 1817 at Lord'c , when Lambert, playing for Sussex agate sb Epsom, made 107 aud 157 (nob out). Last year G. Brann scored 105 and 101 for Su?si x againbb Kenb, and the other three double ceuturies which have been compiled in firstclass matches stand to the credit of W. G. Grace. The firsb of these occasions was ab Canterbury in 1868, when he made 130 and 102 (not out) for the South of the Thames against the North ; the second was in August 1887, when, for Gloucestershire against Kent, he was responsible for 101 and 103 (nob out) ; and the third was for his county against Yorkshire iv 1888, when he compiled 148 and 153 — a total of 301 in the double effort. In his bwo innings lasb week, A. E. Stoddarb put together 319, which is tho highest total which has been scored under such circumstances. The Surrey team which met and defeated the Australians included three new players — Hay ward, Richardson, and Marshal. Tho former is a nephew of the fa-noas cricket r, Tom Hay ward, of Cambridgeshire fame, and is qualified by residence to play for Surrey, his natal place being Cambridge. Marshall is a Leicestershire man, a wicket - keeper, aud Richardson ia a bowler who wrought considerable havoc among the Cornstalks' wick eta. There is no previous record of three centuries having been scored in a tingle ianirgs for Notts, such as were made last week by Shrewsbury, Gunn, and Barnes, though, of course, there has been mire than one instance or. Shrewsbury and Gunn each leaching the century in an innings. Walter Giffen played against Oxford University, but only scored 0 and 4. He has certainly been an egregious failure, so far. The new Blais tt o k a prominenb part in the match between Cambridge University and the Australians. Ranjitsinhji, bhough in residence lasb year, did nob abtain hi 3 colours ; A. O. Jones, though reckoned good enough for a place in the Notts County Eleven, was passed over in the selection of bhe Universiby team ; and Perkins is a Freshman. Commenting upon the defeat of the Australian? by Surrey, the Daily News remarks that the match shows that Lyons, who played with such brilliance in the Marylebone match, cannot be relied upon when calltd upon to play under difficult conditions. Young Graham, of Melbourne, has been playing in England in a style which has upset all preconceived notions as to his form. It was assumed from what was known of his Australian performances that be would be brilliant and uncertain, but he is now regirded as the most consistent and reliable of the Australian batsmen. A correspondent writing from Sydney to the Field gives < xpressiou to an opinion that the heavy calls upon Australian cricket teams visiting England is prejudicial to the exhibition of their best form, and that in the representabive matches they are, therefore, ab a disadvantage. Gate money is, he thinks, the reason for so long a programme, and he hopes that, before long, a team may be organised to play three test matches in England, and no more. " Felix" pleasantly discourses thus :— " Australians like the Oval and the Oval crowd likea

them. A big change has taken place in the appointments of the Oval since the first Australian team played there in 1878, and the executive officers of that famous county club candidJy acknowledge that the prowess of Australian cricketers has had much to do in bringing in the funds which have enabled the club to effect improvements of so extensive a character that those who have not seen the ground since 1878 would hardly know it now, so thorough is the transformation effected. The village green at Mitcham, where our men practised before going down to play Lord Sheffield's team, has been the nursery for some good Surrey men, and none were prouder of that green than old Jim Southerton, the famous slow bowler, who came out with Grace's team in 18734. In driving to the Derby Australian teams made it a special point to etop at Southerton's pub«, over-looking tho Mitcham green, and I know that in passing by there once or twice towards evening I thought of those lines in Tom Pinch's ride to London— • Yoho, beside the village green, where cricket players linger yet, and every little indentation made in the fresh grass by bat or wicket, ball or player's foot, sheds out its perfume on the night.' Poor old Jim Southerton, how we used to punish his beef after practice ! When Southerton was gliding into the real veteran stage of his cricket career, he said to Jim Lillywhite. 'Jim, I've been awake for two or three nights— can't sleep a bit.' 'How's that ? ' queried Lillywhite. ' Well, you know we're going to play the Gentlemen, and I am kept awake wondering how I will get out of the way of the ball if Thornton hits one straight back at me.' Thornton could hit, and no mistake. I saw him hit Harry Boyle 152 yds from start to pitch on the Orleans Club ground, at Twickenham, and he bit a head ball from another bowler named Horan on that same Orleans ground— well, I can't tell you how far he hit Horan, for the ball never turned up again, and may be going yet for all I know."