THE ENGLISH CRICKET TEAM.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9396, 24 March 1898, Page 2

THE ENGLISH CRICKET TEAM.

Tnr team of cricketers selected by Stoddart to visit Australia finished their last match yesterday in Adelaide, when they wound up a not too successful tour by making a draw with South Australia, in a match which if finished would probably have ended in a victory for tho colonials. The team leave to-day for Home, and, contrary to expectations formed when they started the tour, they return vanquished, having suffered decisivo defeats in four out of the five test matches played. Great things wore expected of them when they left the Old Country, and such journals of repute as the London Morning Post, Standard, Graphic and Daily News made no secret of their belief that it was one of the finest teams that ever went into the field to battle for England. It was reasonably expected that they would make a good stand, as they were in excellent form when they left Home, it being the end of the cricket season. To the great delight of patriotic Britons in the Old Land, the visitors worthily upheld their reputation by defeating the Australian Eleven in the first test match by eight wickets. The English Press were naturally very much elated over the victory, and it is rather amusing now to note the criticisms then made by various papers on thesubject. The Graphic gravely stated that the Australians lost tho match because they had no bowlers ; the Standard contended that they were beaten by good cricket and nothing else ; the Morning Port attributed the defeat in a measuro to the absenoe of Giffen, who they trusted would bo induced to play in subsequent matches ; and tho Daily Chronicle held that if England could not defeat Australia with Mr Stoddart's team sho certainly never should. A very different complexion was put on the state of affairs by tho time tho last tost match was decided, for in tho next four tho Englishmen wera badly beaten, and the reverse inflicted on the colonists in the first test match fully avenged. In tho second match Australia won by an innings and 55 runs ; in the third they were victoiiousby an innings and 13 runs; in tho foui th another big victory was secured by eight wickets, aud in the fifth and last the Australians won with bix wickets to spare. And so the best team that ever left England has been compelled to accept defeat at the hands of a better team in the Australian colonies, the English Press having to admit that the colonials were superior in all points of the game, and that tho tour of Stoddart's team was a dismal failure. As stated above the Englishmon return Homo vanquished on tho fast and poifect wickots of Austiaha, and tho lotiun vibit of tho colonials will decide whether they can maintain their superiority on tho moist and uncertain wickets of England. The various matches were remaikable for the very great interest displayed in them by both tho colonials and their brethren across the wator. And who can say that there is not ground for popular interest ; for, strange as it may seem, it cannot bo gainsaid that these oontosts have done more than the efforts of statesmen to bring the Mother Country and the colonies into closer touch wih ono another. Englishmon have perhaps gained more from them than tho colonists. In Australia they do at least know something of " Home," but till recent years Victoria, New South Wales, and the other colonies were practically unknown to the mass of workingBritons. Sinco the visits of the cricket teams, however, tho Australian portion of the British Empire is more than a name to the multitude at Home.