NOTES BY SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 17 August 1893, Page 33

NOTES BY SLIP.

By his score of 66 in the match between the South of England and the Australians on June 15, W. G. Grace completed his 40,000 runs in strictly first-class matches for less than 1000 completed innings. His record, covering 30 jeasons (1864-1893), stands at present : 40,060 runs for 967 innings, or an average of nearly 41£ ! The correspondent who points this out in Cricket adds that the marvellous character of the feat may be easily seen when one remembers that an average of 40 for one season is still considered a great performance, and this record extends over 30 years in a variable climate !

The batting averages in first-class cricket in England up to June 17 were headed by A. E. Stoddart with 56"06 for 17 innings. Gunn came next with 53 88, and Dr W. G. Grace and W. W. Read were third and fourth respectively with 46-88 and 44*58. W. L. Murdoch came thirteenth with 32*23 and next on the list was J. J. Ferris with 31 87. In the bowling department Richardson, the Surrey colt, was at the head of tbe list with an average of 1260 for 76 wickets, and then came the Yorkshire pair, Wainwrightand Hirst, with 1398 and 14 51 respectively. Preliminary negotiations have already commenced for the visit of an Australian Eleven to England in 1895-. Mr Creswell, secretary of the South Australian Cricketing Association, was nominated as manager some time ago ; and Mr J. Portus, hon. secretary to the Australian Cricket Council, in accepting the nomination, informed Mr Creswell that he (Mt Portus) intended to come forward to contest the position. Mr Portus has lately written to England making inquiries as to what support the English authorities would give to an 1895 team, but has not yet received an answer. Somerset shire had not a representative team in the field in their home match with Yorkshire on June 15, and suffered defeat by an innings and 89 runs. So level was the run-getting of tho losing eleven in their first inniogs that ten of them reached double figures, the total being 227 (Nicholls 45. W. Trask not out 37, H. T. Hewett 31), against which, however, the Tykes put together 469 (Brown 84, Wainwright 78, Ulyett 73, Peel 69, Tunnioliffe 65, A. Sellars 50). In their second innings Somersetshire made 191 (W. Trask 43, G. Fowler 38). The Lancashire Eleven obtained their first success of the season at Trent Bridge on June 17, when they gained a very creditable victory over Notts with four wickets to spare. Notts opened with an innings of 318, Shrewsbury, whose play as a whole was in every way up to his best standard, claiming 148, -while Daft assisted him with a useful 60. Thanks to the generally good batting of the Lancashire team, they responded with 322, Sugg- giving a fine display of offensive and defensive cricket for 127, while Briggs subscribed 40, Albert Ward 37, and Smith 34. When Notts went in agaiu it was found that the wicket at one end had worn a bit, aad Briggs utilised the spot so successfully that the team were all out for 92 (Shacklock 32). Lancashire lost six wickets in getting the 89 runs required to win. In Notts' second effort Briggs captured six wickets for 35 runs.

The Sussex Eleven were seen to disadvantage at all points in their match with Middlesex at Brighton. The metropolitan, county scored 264 (A. E. Stoddart 95, W. S. Hale 33, A. J. Webbe 32), after which they disposed of Sussex for 76, Hearne (six for 32) and Rawlin being unchanged. Following on Sussex scored 215 (W. L. Murdoch 50, Bean 42, G. Brann 40), and Middlesex obtained the 28 runs required to win without losing a wicket. The Kent executive were only able to collect a weak eleven lor their match with Middlesex, which formed the openiDg fixture of the Gravesend week, but in the end they only suffered defeat by 84 runs. Middlesex scored 288 (A. E. Stoddart 51, A. J. Webbe 46, Rawlin 46, W. S. Hale 36) and 98 (F. G. J. Ford 48), while Kent made 227 (F. Marchant 57, W. L. Knowles 43, Martin nob out 32) and 75. Iv the second innings of Middlesex Alec. Hearne captured five wickets for 44, and George Hearne three for 23 ; while in Kent's second venture J. T. Hearne disposed of five batsmen at a cost of 35 runs and Rawlin of five for 40 runs.

The Yorkshire "Eleven received on June 20 their first defeat of the season, this beinginflicted on them at Leeds by Lancashire, who were chiefly indebted for their success to the bowling of Briggs. Yorkshire got in first on a wicket that was not of the best and scored 107 (A. Sellers 37), Mold capturing six wickets frj| 40. Lancashire replied with 169 ' (A. C. , M'Laren 54, Baker 37). In their second innings ' the Tykes could only make 53, Briggs coming out with the remarkable average of eight wickets for 19 runs.

A curious incident occurred on June f 2 in the match between Notts and Gloucestershire, C. W. Wright, of the former team, who played the ball into the top of his pad, removing it and being given out for handling the ball.

George Lohmano, the popular Surrey professional, has unfortunately had a relapse, and he will consequently return to South Africa.

Burns, of the Essex County team, was given out for obstructing the Bold in a match between Dublin University and Essex in the month of June. Instances of a batsman being given out for this reason are happily so rare as to be noteworthy. Considerable comment has been caused at Home by an incident which occurred in the Oxford and Cambridge match on July 3. Cambridge had scored 182, and Oxford were 98 for nine wickets, so that five runs were wanted to save the follow on. At this stage tho Oxonians who were batting had a brief conversation, the object of which was taken by Cambridge to bs to arrive at an understanding to bring the innings to a close so that Oxford might get in a second^ time. In return, presumably, C. M. Wel(s,%hose trundling was the feature of the innings, bowled a no4>all which went to tte boundary and a wide also- to the boundary succeeded, thus saving the follow-on. The occurrence gave rise to a strong expression of feeling from a portion of the spectators, and though the procedure was no doubt quite legitimate it was none the less regrettable. It was not the sort of procedure to be expected in the match between the universities.

Playing for Staffordshire on July 3 and 4 against Cheshire, W. Brown, going in first for his county, carried his bat through each innings, scoring 96 and 55 respectively and thus making 151 without being once out. This performance recalls (says Cricket) the greatest achievement of the kind ever recorded in an important

match,— namely, the late Henry Jupp's memorable feat for Surrey against Yorkshire at the Oval in August 1874. Jupp's scores on that occasion were 43 and 109, and as Surrey had to follow on he actually saw 20 batsmen in succession dismissed without losing his wicket.

Referring to Graham's scare of 219 made for tbe Australians against; Derbyshire on July 4, Crickefc says that better or more attractive cricket had not been seen thia season. From the first he hit with confidence as well as judgment, and as he made bis 219 in less than four hours it will be seen that he kept up his scoring at a uniformly high rate throughout. In the innings of 273 and 159 (for five wickets) played by Notts against Gloucestershire in the end of June there was not a single bye. This is striking proof of the excellence of Board's wicket-keeping. In the very next match played by Notts, tteir opponents bang Yorkshire, they scored 321, and this number did not include a solitary extra, Hunter's wicket-keoping being splendid. The fiffcy-ninth annual Inter-University match was played at Lord's on July 3 and 4, and the result showed that public opinion, which had pointed to Cambridge as the probable winner, was for once strictly correct. The Light Blues won the toss and their total of 182 was under the circumstances much smaller than was expected. F. S. Jackson was the highest contributor with 38, and E. C. Streatfeild 30, J. Douglas 25, P. H. Latham 21, and T. N. Perkins 18 also claimed double figures. G. F. H. Berkeley (five for 38) bowled with great judgment for the Dark Blues. Oxford fared badly at the wickets and were all out for 106, of which L. C. H. Palairet was responsible for 32, G. F. H. Berkeley for 14, H. D. G. Leveson-Gower for 12. and W. H. Brain (not out.) for 10. C. M. Wells, who got a great deal of work on the ball, was ths principal agent in the downfall of the Oxonians, five wickets falling to him at the ccsb of 39 runs, exclusive of four wides and four no-balls. In their second innings the Cantabs made 254, F. S. Jackson subscribing 57, P. H. Latham 54, T. N. Perkins 37, L. H. Gay 31, and A. O. Jones (not out) 16. Oxford were left with 337 runs to geh, bub they collapsed ignominiously for 64, of which C. B. Fry claimed 31 and R. W. Rice 12. H. R. Brownley-Davenporb secured three wickets for two runs, E. C. Streatfeild two for nine, and F. S. Jackson three for 22. The Middlesex Eleven had a long outing at Lord's on June 22, when Surrey, getting first hit, remained at the wickets till they had scored 287. Maurice Read hit with freedom and confidence for 75, and X J. Key and Abel played well for 53 and 45 respectively. The metropolitans responded with 108 only (A. E. Stoddarb 31), bat, when they followed on, a splendid performance by the first two batsmen, A. E. Stoddarb and T. C. O'Brien, who were n#t parted until 228 runs had been made, changed the whole aspect of the game. The former played ia his most attractive style for 125, and the latter showed his old punishing power in compiling 113 F. G. J. Ford, 74, and Rawlin, 32. also scored well, and the innings closed for 377. Then, Rawlin (five for 47) and Hearne (four for 64) bowled with such effect that Surrey were all disposed of in their second innings for 119, and Middlesex were lefb with a most creditable victory with 76 runs to spare. Oxford University fared badly in both their last trial matches before their engagement with the Light Blues. On June 22 they met-Lanca-shire.by whom they were defeated by an innings and 113 runs. The County Palatino scored 296 (Baker 73, C H. Benton 68, Ward 31), while Oxford made 113 and 70, Mold capturing in all twelve wickets at a cost of only 83 runs and Oakley eight for 76. By Sussex, the Dark Blues were defeated on June 28 by 10 wickets. The University scored 134 (W. H. Brain 37, J. B. Wood 31) and 247 (C. B. Fry 50, J. B. Wood 40, L. C. V. Bathurst 38), while Sussex in their first innings made 341 for nine wickets, when the closure was applied, W. G. Heasman claiming 66, W. Newham 60, Marlow 58, Guttridge 32, Tate (not out) 32, and W. L. Murdoch 30, and, having 41 runs to get to win, these were obtained without the loss of a wicket.

Cambridge University also suffered defeat at the hands of Sussex, who had, however, "only two wicket 3to spare. The Cantabs opened with 232 (J Douglas 49, H. Brownley-Davenport 42), to which Sussex replied with 291 (Bean 82, Marlow 82, W. Newham 42). la their second inningp the Light Blues made 215, J. Douglas scoring 71, and receiving effective assistance from K. S. Ranjitsinbji (called " Smith" at the University) 40, F. S. Jackson 34, and C. M. Wells 33, and Sussex scored 158 for the loss of eight wickets (G. Brann not out 57, W. Newham 56). In their final trial match, the Cantabs decisively beat a fairly good side of the Marylebone Club and Ground. Th? University remained at the wickets for more than a day, scoring the fine total of 503. J. Douglas showed praiseworthy form for 102, and good bitting was exhibited also by T. N. Perkins 90, E. C. Streatfeild 64, K. S. Ranjitsinhji 54, F. S. Jackson 37, A. J. L. Hill 36, and A. O. Jones 32. The M.C C. made 165 and 183 (T. C. O'Brien 60, W. C. Hedley 42), and were thus beaten by an innings and 155 runs.