CRICKET MAGAZINE

THE 1882 SEASON

Volume 1, Number 1.

The rest of the front page consists of advertisements, together with rates: a full-page advertisement was charged at £3 3s 0d. There is a large advertisement for John Wisden and Co, giving details of patronage (including the Queen) and stock they sell for rugby and association football, lawn tennis and other sports besides cricket. Publishers of "Wisden's Cricketer's Almanack" is mentioned at the bottom. There is also a smaller advertisement for Cricket Press, notably their Cricket Calendar, and very brief adverts of various books they produce: namely, James Lillywhite's Annual, John Lillywhite's Companion, Wisden's Almanack 1882 (all at one shilling), Marylebone Scores and Biographies (volumes 5 to 11 at 10 shillings per volume, 12 and 13 extending up to 1876 at 15 shillings per volume) and Oxford and Cambridge Scores (full scores of inter-university matches from 1826 to 1876, price one and sixpence).

Page 2. Most of the page consists of an article entitled Cricket Fifty Years Ago, but it is as much Editorial, with the writer unnamed but probably Alcock. The first part is relevant to the 1882 season and so will be quoted here. Most of the paragraph breaks in this and other articles do not appear in the original text, and have been inserted to make for more 'reader-friendly' reading.

CRICKET FIFTY YEARS AGO

In Australia large sums are betted on matches, as used to be the case in England sixty years ago. Indeed bookmakers seem to be among the chief patrons of the game, as is, perhaps, not unnatural where the line between gentlemen and professionals is almost invisible to the naked English eye. The Australians are excellent cricketers - our equals, though (as Shaw's and Shrewsbury's tour seems to demonstrate) not our masters.

But the colony does not possess the class of men from whom our Hornbys, Webbs and Harrises are drawn, the class of gentlemen of leisure who can afford to give time and trouble to organising the pastime, and keeping up its moral and social tone. Though few of the great Australian cricketers consider themselves professionals, they all make a pecuniary speculation of their English tours, and thus few of them can regard cricket in the disinterested English manner.

Cricket, therefore, in the colony is like what amateur athletic sports and amateur rowing would be in England, if University running and boating men added to their income by their strength and skill. The game is semi-professional and incurs the scandals which are common in professional running and rowing, and which were common in the Ring, when there was a Ring.

If the letters which have reached England lately do not contain false information, the Australian bookmakers succeeded in bribing two English professionals to sell a match, and were only frustrated by the honourable conduct of a third man, who refused to be bought, and disclosed the conspiracy. The sums for which the players were ready to sell their faith were, it is reported, very large; so large, that we suppose all the bets made on all the English cricket of the whole year would not cover them.

Thus it seems that betting on cricket matches in Australia is very prevalent, and we can only rejoice that the practice is nearly unknown at home. The fact probably is that the colonists have that provincial esprit de corps which only cares for the result of a match. One colony, or one town, sets its heart on beating another, and all are excessively anxious to beat strangers. Consequently men bet highly on that which interests them deeply.

At home we want to see good cricket, and are not overwhelmed with mortification when we lose, or puffed up with pride when we win. We play for play's sake far more than for victory; and it is only at University matches, where local patriotism is interested, that a few sovereigns change hands. The result is that it is worth no man's while to buy or sell a match; and we may trust that the colonial vice will never take firm root at Lord's or at the Oval.

What cricket is today, we all know; its chief fault is that there is too much of it, and that too many young fellows barter their most valuable time for the sake of the game. What cricket was fifty years ago, and many years before that, we learn from a small book - now, we presume rather rare - which has just come into our hands. The "Young Cricketer's Tutor," comprising full directions for playing the elegant and manly Game of Cricket.

Note: the rest of the article concerns this book and other information about cricket at Hambledon, which is obviously of great interest, but not concerned with the 1882 season, so it will not be included here.

Pages 2-3: ENGLISH & AUSTRALIAN CRICKET

Every one interested in the noble game knows, and if the fact needed confirmation we have it from the English team now in Australia, that cricket in Australia has made rapid strides during the past few years. And as Shaw's All-England Eleven, which has had such a successful tour in the colonies, and the third Australian Eleven are about to leave for England, where, no doubt, they will "fight their battles o'er again," it may be a fitting time to take a hasty glance at the All-England Eleven's performances in their first-class matches, and from them gauge an opinion as to the relative merits of English and Australian players.

Taking the first-class matches to be one against Sydney, two each against Victoria, the Combined team and the Australian Eleven, and another against South Australia [note: this last is not recognised as first-class by the ACS], we find that the Englishmen were victorious both times over Victoria, and in their one contest with Sydney, that they lost to the second Combined team, and once to the Australian Eleven, and that the other two engagements were drawn.

The team has well borne out its reputation as the best English Eleven that has ever visited Australia, and for the whole tour, so far, it has the very fine record of ten victories, eight drawn matches, and only three defeats. The batting and bowling averages for the eight first-class matches that have been mentioned are given below, and for the sake of comparison the averages of the Australian players in the same game are given as well.

In batting Ulyett stands at the head of the list with a total of 557 and an average of 37.2. His recent performance against the Australian Eleven, when he played such wonderful cricket for 149 - the only century of the tour - and 64, is fresh in the minds of the public; but, added to this, he has in his record 47 and 17 against Sydney, 87 and 23 against the first combined Team, and 26 and 67 in the return match.

Shrewsbury has been most consistent, but among his greatest achievements were his 80 not out in the second innings against Victoria, when the Englishmen followed on, 72 not out in the return match with the same colony, and 82 out of 188 in the first innings and 47 in the second against the Australian Eleven.

Bates has proved himself to be the most brilliant hitter in the team, but as a rule his performances have been marred by chances. In point of style he cannot be beaten, and among his best items were his 71 against South Australia, 58 and 47 against the first Combined Team, 84 against Victoria, and 23 and 52 not out in the last game with the Australian Eleven.

Barlow, in point of style the very opposite to Bates, is the safest batsman in the team. His 417 for an average of 31 is made up of 75 and 20 against Sydney, 12 and 42 against Victoria, 62 against South Australia, 31 and 62 against the Combined Team, and 16 and 56 against the Australian Eleven.

Selby's principal figures are 55 and 24 against Sydney, 55 and 70 in the first Combined match, 51 against South Australia, and 7 and 48 not out against the Australian Eleven. The rest of the men - if we except Scotton, who has scored consistently throughout - are not strong in batting, but they include some of the best English bowlers, and certainly the prince of English wicketkeepers.

Glancing for a moment at the Australian batting, we find that Jones stands first with an average of 63. He has been not out three times, and his performance is of course not as good as McDonnell's. Still he has proved himself to be in the front rank, and it is a matter for satisfaction that he is going home with the Australian Eleven.

McDonnell's figures are very good, and may very fairly be compared with Ulyett's. To his 147 for the Australian Eleven the popular young Victorian is mainly indebted for his high position, but he has made besides scores of 51, 52, 19 and 23 (not out), and 14 and 25.

Murdoch is, of course, well in front, and his 294 has been made up by a series of double-figure innings, his highest being his 85 last week for the Australian Eleven.

Alick Bannerman and Giffen are together. Alick's figures are 15 and 39 not out for Sydney, 38 and 8 for the Combined Teams, and 70, 14 and 37 for the Australian Eleven. Massie has lately fallen off considerably, but thanks to fine scores of 56 and 76 for Sydney, and 49 and 22 for the second Combined Team, he has the respectable average of 29. Giffen's 95 had a great deal to do with his large average, but his other innings were 30, 2 and 14, and he has played splendid cricket on every occasion.

Horan and Blackham, to the former of whom belongs the honour of having made one of the only two centuries against the visitors - both have over 20 averages; but Boyle, Garrett, Palmer and Evans have not displayed any very great form with the bat.

Looking at the players in the light of these figures, I should say that although the English team includes five batsmen that would be fit for almost the best team of England, the Australians are a little stronger in that department.

In bowling the Englishmen certainly have the advantage. Peate, favoured occasionally by damp wickets, has an average of 16; and Bates, who is the best all-round man in the team, at times proved very dangerous. Shaw did not work himself very much, but he sometimes proved useful in separating the batsmen when well set, and his analysis at Sydney of 116 balls 5 runs 25 maidens and 3 wickets is one of the curiosities of the tour.

Midwinter, Peate and Bates did the lion's share of the bowling, but Ulyett and Emmett, besides the others named, with Barlow, were always available, and were changed with great judgement by Shaw.

Palmer, Garrett, Evans and Boyle constituted the Australian bowlers, but although they all performed well on a thoroughly dry wicket, they could seldom prevent the Englishmen from reaching the third hundred. Spofforth only appeared in the last match, but he was then very severely handled, and it is pretty clear that on the hard dry Australian wickets he is perfectly harmless.

Looking at the chances of the Australian Eleven in England, I should say that the pick of Australia could defeat Shaw's Eleven five times out of six; but at the same time unless the English wickets are most favourite to the Australian bowling, the best eleven of England will probably inflict a similar defeat on the Australian Eleven to that recently administered by the Australians to that recently administered by the Australians to Shaw's Eleven in Sydney. The following are the averages referred to above:—

ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN

BATTING AVERAGES
(Headings under Matches, Innings, Runs, Most in an Innings, Times not out and Averages)
G Ulyett       8  15  557  149   -  37.2
A Shrewsbury   8  13  405   82   2  33.9
W Bates        8  14  420   84   1  32.4
R G Barlow     8  15  447   75   1  31.13
J Selby        8  14  363   70   -  27.12
W Scotton      8  13  245   50*  1  20.5
E Peate        8  14  111   33*  8  18.13
W Midwinter    8  13  169   48   -  13
A Shaw         8  13  141   49   -  10.11
T Emmett       8  13  128   27   -   9.11
R Pilling      8  14   96   23   4   9.6

BOWLING AVERAGES
              Balls Runs Mdns Wkts Avrg.
E Peate        2387  627  297  38  16.19
W Bates        1800  565  227  31  18.7
A Shaw          812  178  130   8  22.2
G Ulyett        649  293   55  12  24.5
W Midwinter    1467  477  160  16  29.13
T Emmett        668  290   71   9  32.2
R Barlow        478  175   52   3  58.1


AUSTRALIA 

BATTING AVERAGES
S Jones        2   4   63   37   3  63
P S McDonnell  6  11  383  147   1  38.3
W L Murdoch    5   9  294   85   1  36.6
A Bannerman    4   7  212   70   1  35.2
G Giffen       4   4  141   95   -  35.1
H Massie       5   8  233   76   -  29.1
T Horan        6  11  247  124   1  25.7
J M Blackham   6  10  201   66   -  20.1
G E Palmer     6   8  113   34   -  14.1
W H Cooper     3   5   29   22*  3  14.1
G J Bonnor     2   4   56   30   -  14
H F Boyle      6   8   97   43   1  13.6
T W Garrett    4   6   53   31*  -  10.3
E Evans        3   4   20   11   -   5
F R Spofforth  1   1    3    3*  -   3

The following played in one match only:- Edwards, 65 and 0; McShane, 22 and 4; Slight, 36;
Turner, 21 and 11 not out; Baker, 15 and 14; Minchin, 8 and 0; Allan, 2 and 8;
Coulthard, 6 not out; C Bannerman, 23 and 11; D Gregory, 15 and 0;
H Moses, 5 and 0; J Davis, 18 not out and 6; Hiddlestone, 3 and 0.

BOWLING AVERAGES
              Balls Runs Mdns Wkts Avrg.
A Bannerman     120   57   12   3  19
G E Palmer     2112  726  210  37  19.23
W H Cooper      594  340   37  15  22.10
T W Garrett    1327  518  137  23  22.12
H F Boyle       811  226  108   9  25.1
S Jones         136   51   16   2  25.1
E Evans        1565  391  219  15  26.4
G Giffen        276  108   29   3  36
F R Spofforth   304  128   17   1 128

The following bowled in only one match:- McShane, 3 wkts, for 53 runs; Allan, 3 for 76; and Hiddlestone, 3 for 75.

Page 4: THE THIRD AUSTRALIAN TEAM

The venture was a bold one; but there was enterprise enough on the other side, and fortunately, for many reasons, it proved a great success. The repetition of the experiment two years later, despite a certain grievance consequent on the disagreement at Sydney during Lord Harris's visit, did not prove to be the failure some predicted; on the contrary, it produced a complete reconciliation.

The excellent behaviour of the English professionals in the colonies during the tour just completed, has tended to strengthen the links that bind the cricketers of the two countries, and though it is said that the team over here will in all probability be the last to visit England for some years, it is more reasonable to suppose that the relations now existing will result in a constant interchange of visits between English and Australian players.

Particular interest has been directed to the chances of the thirteen who reached London on Wednesday last, under the charge of that grand cricketer, W L Murdoch, on many grounds. The supporters of the game in the colonies have never been quite satisfied with the result of the memorable match between England and Australia at The Oval. The excellent fight of their team - certainly not the best they could produce - made on that occasion, under great disadvantages, encouraged them to attempt to secure the full strength of Australian cricket with a view to a real test of the merits of the eleven best players there and here.

In this they have been thoroughly successful, and when England meets Australia at The Oval, in August, there will be no occasion, unless an accident should occur to any of those now here, for the plea that the eleven Murdoch will place in the field is not thoroughly representative.

It is true that Evans, whom the Australians regard, despite the many years he has been before the public, as still their best bowler, has for the second time disappointed them; but it would be difficult to see which one of those here could be removed to make room for him. The names of the thirteen constituting the team are -

W L Murdoch (New South Wales, captain), A C Bannerman, G J Bonnor, T W Garrett, S Jones, H H Massie and F R Spofforth, from New South Wales; J M Blackham, H F Boyle, T Horan, P M’Donnell and G E Palmer, from Victoria; and G Giffen from South Australia. With them as manager comes C W Beal, the Hon. Secretary of the New South Wales Association, so that the party will number fourteen.

Of these, ten have been in one or other of the two preceding teams; five of them have been over on each of the previous visits. Murdoch, Boyle, Bannerman, Blackham and Spofforth visit England now for the third time; Garrett, Horan, Bonnor, Palmer, McDonnell for the second; Jones, Giffen, Massie and the Manager for the first time.

Garrett and Horan were over with Gregory in 1878, but were not with Murdoch two years ago, when Palmer, Bonnor and McDonnell made their first appearance. Garrett in the team of 1878 was the first change after Spofforth, Allan and Boyle, and for a fastish bowler he had an excellent average of just under seven runs for 146 wickets. When the ground was at all queer his delivery was very effective, but he did not come off much as a batsman, though at times he hit with some freedom.

Horan, if he hardly came up to his colonial form as a batsman, none the less played good cricket, obtaining the third place in the batting averages. More than once he proved very useful too with the ball, and if he is only in good health this time he should be one of the best all-round cricketers on the side.

Murdoch's reputation is too well-known here to need any lengthy comment. It is enough to say that he has no superior either in England or Australia as a batsman, and his recent score of 321 for New South Wales is the greatest achievement ever recorded in a good match.

Blackham is the prince of wicketkeepers; Spofforth, on his form of 1880, quite the equal of, if not superior to, the best of our English bowlers, and both Palmer and Boyle, if the latter seems recently to have been less effective than two years ago, are above the average of English bowlers. Bannerman and McDonnell in different ways are sure run-getters; and Bonnor is a tremendous hitter if he gets a chance.

So much for the ten who are known to English cricketers. The three new players are H H Massie, S Jones and G Giffen, and each of them comes across with very high credentials. Massie is a free bat, with great punishing powers, and should the wickets be fast is sure to be successful. He has not been so consistent as usual during the past season, but should he not come up to his home reputation, as some of the team think is not unlikely on our generally slow wickets, he will still be worth playing for his brilliant fielding.

Jones and Giffen are both young cricketers, and of great promise. The former, who is just twenty, hails from Sydney University, and has great defence, besides being a dangerous bowler (medium with a good break) at times. Alfred Shaw is said to have been very much pleased with Giffen’s score of 95 against his team at Adelaide, and in addition to his undeniable ability with the bat, he is a bowler with great work and a brilliant field.

The first match of the team is against Oxford, on the 15th, and on Saturday last they had their first day's practice. They had been very desirous of meeting Shaw's team before the Oxford fixture, but the delay in the arrival of the latter, the majority of whom are just due at Plymouth by the Orient steamer Chimborazo, has prevented this.

Everyone will be pleased to hear that the difficulty with regard to the match with the Marylebone Club and Ground has been solved by the acceptance of the terms offered by the M.C.C., and consequently the match will come off as proposed, on July 10th and two following days.

Beyond a doubt they will be a very strong team, particularly in batting, and fielding is so thoroughly appreciated in the colonies that they are sure to be reliable to a man in this department. Whether their bowling is likely to be so effective as heretofore remains to be seen. Murdoch is confident that they are quite as good even in this department, and it is quite possible that they may be better.

All round they are sure to prove themselves a formidable lot, but there is no reason for assuming that any of the three representative English elevens they will have to meet will not be able to gain a victory. Their complete programme is given below.

Page 4: SHAW'S TEAM IN AUSTRALIA

In looking back at the doings of the team, it is very satisfactory to think that none of the forebodings which were generally expressed at the time of their departure have in any way realised. They left England, it must be admitted, without any very great confidence on the part of the public. The absence of such players as Barnes and Lockwood prevented them from being thoroughly representative of the professional batting of the country, and it was thought that they would suffer severely from the want of a really good fast bowler like Allan, Hill or Morley.

Their prospects financially it was argued, too, were anything but brilliant, and the very scanty support they received in the few matches they played in America certainly seemed to justify the belief that the trip would not be a great monetary success.

In justice to the whole of the team, particularly to Shaw, Shrewsbury and Lillywhite, who it is generally understood bore the risk and were responsible for the management of affairs, it must be said that throughout the whole tour there was not a hitch in any way. The alleged scandal is dealt with in another place, and until it is proved we prefer to believe the statements of Mr Beal and the whole of the colonial players just arrived in England, that none of the six English teams that have visited Australia has ever so deservedly gained popularity in the new country.

The testimony of such an independent and reliable witness as Mr Beal, who is Hon. Secretary of the New South Association, and a man of considerable influence in the cricket world of Australia should be entitled to the highest respect, and it is thoroughly due to Shaw and Shrewsbury to give his statement that from first to last their men, one and all, bore themselves in a way that did credit to the reputation of our professional cricket.

That they proved themselves to be a better team in the field than was generally expected here it was also a pleasing duty to acknowledge. Indeed, the summary of the tour is in every way satisfactory.

In all, thirty matches were played; five in America, seven in New Zealand, and eighteen in Australia. In fifteen of these the Englishmen were successful, twelve matches were drawn, and only on three occasions were they beaten. Seven of the thirty engagements were eleven a side, and in the rest Shaw and his men were opposed to fifteens, eighteens and twenty-twos. Of the seven first-class matches three were won, two drawn and two lost.

The two defeats were, one by a combined eleven of Australia, and the other the first match against the team just arrived in England; and the only reverse they suffered in a match against odds was when they were beaten by twenty-two at Paramatta, in one of the earlier engagements in Australia.

Shrewsbury, owing to good health, did not leave England till after the rest of the party, but he reached there in time to take part in the third match, and his play was consistently fine throughout. The highest score of the whole tour was their 313 for the loss of only two wickets against twenty-two of San Francisco; their best performances in Australia were 327 against 20 of Ballarat, 309 and 243 for two wickets in the last eleven-a-side match against the Australian team.

Ulyett's not out 167 at San Francisco and 149 at Melbourne in the return match with the Australian eleven were the best individual innings. The tables of batting and bowling averages show some very creditable figures, and without exception the team, one and all, played quite up to, some of them decidedly above, their English form.

Ulyett's average of 1424 for 46 innings, without the advantage of one not out, is a great performance, averaging as he does 33.5 per innings. Bates and Barlow also scored over a thousand runs, and Shrewsbury runs the Lancashire Stonewall very close. His play was consistent throughout.

In the bowling Peate thoroughly upheld his reputation as the best of English bowlers, and considering the wickets on which he had usually to perform, his average of 5224 for 264 wickets is an exceptionally fine one. Midwinter was one of the most useful members of the team, as the figures show, and as a bowler he certainly advanced considerably the reputation he had previously gained in England.

Bates hit with great vigour, but he had very bad luck at times with the bat, and the high opinion generally held of him as an all-round cricketer was shown by the numerous offers he received of engagements in the colonies. Shaw did not bowl himself very much, but his average is very good, and more than once he proved beyond a doubt that he has even yet no superior as a bowler.

Financially the trip was a great success, and after paying each member of the team the sum agreed on, besides a bonus, it is believed that the three promoters will each clear about £1,500. Shaw's sportsmanlike conduct on one occasion in agreeing to play out the matches when things were not looking well for him, will, we feel sure, not be forgotten; and as it is stated that he has made the only amend required to re-establish himself with the Committee of the Notts County Club, it is to be hoped that the disagreement of last year has now been healed for ever.

Each of the team was presented by the managers with a gold medal in recognition of the excellent cricket shown, and a special presentation was made by the principal Lancastrians in the colonies to Barlow and Pilling, who made themselves very popular on the other side.

Page 5: Cricket at Oxford, including scores of the Freshman's match.

Page 6: OURSELVES

But to be frank such plea is none of ours. It seems singular that while bicycling and yachting can each claim organs devoted to the advocacy of their particular interest, cricket, which is truly our national game, should have been for so many years without a paper in any sense representative. We are not ambitious enough to arrogate to ourselves that we are going to supply a national want. Perish the thought of such pretensions.

At the same time we claim that we have had the consideration of the best interests of the game mainly before us in deciding on the production of a paper which shall study to represent every class of cricketers. It was in response to the express wish of the secretaries of a large number of the principal clubs that the conception of "CRICKET" was first due. It will be our aim to justify in every way the generous expressions of sympathy and confidence that have reached us from all quarters since the first intimation of our intention was made known.

We shall spare no pains to make "CRICKET” interesting as well as useful for reference, and with confidence we solicit the co-operation of everyone who takes interest in the development of the game. The short time that has elapsed since it was finally decided to appeal to the cricket public will, it is hoped, be a full excuse for any shortcomings of our opening number. To quote from Mathew Prior -

"Be to our virtues very kind
Be to our faults a little blind."

Page 6: THE CRICKET SCANDAL

How it arose or whence it came it is not easy to tell. At the Nottingham Colts' match there were vague reports of the misbehaviour of some prominent members of that team in respect of one of the more important matches of that trip.

For some time they did not get beyond the mark of private circulation, but at last they assumed a tangible shape. A carefully worded paragraph in a Yorkshire paper was, we believe, the first public intimation of the 'scandal' which, we regret to say, solely on the word of an unknown pressman has been in many cases accepted as true.

"Evil news," as one reads in the Samson Agonistes of Milton, "rides past while good news baits." It is certainly little to the credit of our English ideas of justice or to the good feeling we claim to exist among cricketers that the discreditable story circulated with reference to two of our professionals should have gained such general credence.

At presence in the absence of Shaw and Shrewsbury, who had, it is stated, to take direct notice of the occurrence, we are still awaiting the result of the official repudiation of a rumour which everyone hopes - as we thoroughly believe it will prove to be - altogether untrue.

It is said that two of Shaw's Eleven were distinctly bribed by the offer of a large sum of money from one of the betting fraternity, which seems to play such an influential part at the cricket matches in Australia, to sell the game. In trying to secure the assistance of another companion they, as we are told, reckoned so far without their host that he threatened to disclose the whole matter to the English managers. High words arose, eventually blows were exchanged, and two of the three parties concerned were roughly handled.

The affair, to continue the newspaper version, was duly reported to Shaw and Shrewsbury, and it was further alleged that they, as they would have been quite justified in such a case, sent in an official communication to the Secretary of the Marylebone Club.

We have no intention at present to offer an opinion on the case. It is not the usage of our English laws, certainly not the accepted idea of English fairness to adjudge the men, who have been charged, guilty of the most heinous offence without even the show of a trial, and on such ridiculously unreliable testimony. Names have been mentioned so indiscriminately in the desire of many to affix the blame on somebody that several members of the team have been identified at different times as the culprits.

The generally accepted version with regard to the man who, to use a vulgar 'split', seems so absurd to many that it should at least have been received with the greatest caution. An hysterical daily which would think twice before opening branding any one on his trial as guilty, has already had the bad taste to adopt 'the scandal' as true, but we prefer to think that such a course will meet with universal reprobation. The names of the three parties implicated have been mentioned but we shall not give any publicity to them as long as the charge rests on such an unsubstantial foundation.

The Australian players, now in England, ridicule the whole affair, and bring any amount of substantial evidence to prove the utterly improbable character of the story. No doubt the influence of the betting class does not have a favourable effect on cricket and cricketers in the Colonies, but it is altogether unfair to accept the imputation case on English professionals until it has been proved beyond a doubt.

In any case it is in the interests of the game that the rumour should be traced to its source, and it is the duty, we hold, of the Marylebone Club to see that the matter is thoroughly sifted as well for the reputation of English cricket as for the protection of English cricketers.

Page 7: PAVILION GOSSIP

If what I hear is correct, Bonnor, the infant prodigy of the Australian team, has no reason to be dissatisfied with his first day's experience on English soil on this his second visit. In a weak moment one of his fellow passengers on board the Assam was venturesome enough to wager a considerable sum that the Thornton of the Colonial team would not throw a cricket ball 115 yards on reaching shore.

No sooner was Plymouth reached than Bonnor was at work, and with a fairly strong wind behind he covered 119 yards the only throw he had. His last heave, I am told, was two years ago when he won a small wager from the 'demon bowler' by throwing 124 yards. His best performance in this way is three yards beyond that mark.

Charles Bannerman has not as yet reached England. His passage was taken and he intended to sail in the Assam which brought the Australians home, but he did not join the steamer after all. It was then thought that he was on board the Orient liner Chimborazo which brought Shaw and his men, but still there are no tidings of him. He has been in bad health since he was in England in 1878 and believes that the voyage and change of climate will bring him round. He was born at Woolwich, and in anything like his form of four years ago would be a decided acquisition to the Kentish eleven.

Everybody will be truly sorry to hear that Mr W G Grace is laid up with that extreme unsatisfactory complaint, the mumps. He has been kept up in the house for some days, but it is hoped that he will soon be in the field again and in his form. We cannot afford to lose his help, particularly just now. In all likelihood we shall want another 152 when the Australians are to be met, and cricketers everywhere will heartily join in the wish for his speedy recovery.

I learn from good authority that in all probability Sussex will be able to count on the help of most of its best amateurs during the greater part, if not the whole, of the season. At any rate the County will be as well represented as it can be in its opening match against the Australians on the 18th. The Eleven, barring accidents, will be Messrs C J Lucas (who will be Captain on this occasion), M P Lucas, A H Trevor, H Whitfeld, R T Ellis, Rev F J Greenfield, A Blackman, S H Bettesworth, Charlwood, H Phillips and Lillywhite.

The Surrey Colts are certainly improving in quality. A few years ago the young players were little more than young in name, at times almost as motley a lot as Falstaff’s recruits. Now at least they shape like cricketers, and more than one of those being tried will this year with care develop into useful men for the County. Dible of Guildford is a very fair bowler (fast round), though rather inclined to be short, and Jackson and Haden, besides being likely to train on as bats, would pass F.G.'s standard of fielding, especially the former who is a really good long field, and a sure catch.

This is the disrespectful way in which the leading sporting player of the Colonies speaks of the Australian bowling in the last match of the Combined team, against Shaw's Eleven. "In the second innings the bowling with the solitary exception of Boyle's was simply 'rubbish'. Garrett seemed to have hardly strength enough to send down a decent ball; and Palmer, if that were possible, was worse than in the first innings. Boyle did fairly well, but Spofforth and Giffen were without length, break or variety of pace." Take comfort, oh my children.

The good folk of Sussex are still rankling under their grievance with respect to the dates originally given them at the conference for their second match with the Australians. As the matter stands, Somersetshire is able to claim the days (August 21, 22 & 23) first announced for the return between Sussex and the Australians at Brighton and London Super Mare will have to be content with only one visit of Murdoch and his merry men.

If you have not read the published correspondence on this subject, take Punch's advice to those about to marry; don't. Life is too short for such a colossal task. Seriously speaking, what a pity it is that some mutual arrangement could not have been discovered to prevent such a disagreement. It recalls to my mind the quotation from the Rivals, "The quarrel is a very pretty quarrel as it stands, we should only spoil it by trying to explain it."

"Success it is that makes the man - the want of it the villain." The bowling of the Australians got so terribly punished in the last match before their departure that the sporting press was bound to be severe. But it is a little strange to those who remember how Gregory was lauded over here in 1878 for his tact in placing his field to find that the generalship of the Colonial captain was called to account.

Listen to the captious critic of the 'Australasian'. "I never saw a field worse placed than it was to Spofforth and Garrett. There were men in the slips who were not wanted, and no men on the off side to save the fourers which were hit there so often that one grew tired of counting them. Of all the Australian bowlers Boyle was the only one who placed his field properly, and thus it is that he invariably succeeds in keeping the runs down, even if he be not otherwise successful.

"Murdoch and his astute lieutenant, Blackham, should without delay consult with the various bowlers and see if they cannot devise a sound system of stationing the field. At present, simply through the glaring defect in this respect, they are heavily handicapped, and any observant looker-on might have noticed as much in the present match. It was principally owing to this that the Englishmen scored at a much more rapid rate than the Australians."

"Wait till we get Spofforth" was the general remark out at the Antipodes, when Shaw's men in the first match with the combined team knocked their bowling about all over the place. And when Spofforth did come, what a falling off! His one wicket in the last match cost 128 runs.

The reports of some of the matches of Shaw's Eleven told of an arrangement a little curious according to our notions of cricket. Some of the games it may be remembered were said to have been played on fibre matting, and from what the Australians say it is the custom in up-country places where the ground is very uneven to bat on material of this description.

At Cootamundra, where Murdoch resides, he has prepared a regular cricket pitch on this principle; on a solid foundation is placed concrete, and over a covering of felt, the matting is stretched by means of iron pegs, as taut as it can be drawn. This comes up to the front of each wicket, just escaping the batsman who is clear of the matting, the object being merely to affect the pitch. In some places the covering is dyed green, so as to resemble the grass, and there is little reason to doubt that the wickets formed of this material are exceedingly fast and true.

In some of the Australian districts where grounds are rough and uncared for, it is probably necessary in the interests of the public safety, where batting would be really dangerous to prepare these artificial wickets. In one respect there is a real advantage anywhere, in that a batsman can irrespective of weather count on a true pitch for practice. On the other hand, to bat always on a perfect wicket unfits any one for any other condition of ground, and in England the weather is so uncertain, that it is the cricketer who can accommodate himself the best to different circumstances who succeeds.

What an eye the captain of the Surrey Colts has for colours. In the match against Malden and District, at The Oval on Wednesday, the Surrey bowling was begun by Pink and Green.

Toujours perdrix. Against the Australians. It would be well for those who have the selection of the English Elevens to consider the advisability of having a good lob bowler on the side. I am one of those who remember the feeble show Murdoch's Eleven made against Walter Humphrey's very moderate underhand bowling at Brighton two years ago. Rightly or wrongly, it is my belief that a good 'lobster' would be more destructive than any other kind of bowler against the team just arrived in England.

I have not yet seen any Cricket at Cambridge, but a few notes on the principal executants in the recent trials at Oxford may be of interest. Of the Seniors, J G Walker, who was prevented by ill health from playing last year, is decidedly the best bat. He got his fifty-five in the Seniors match in very good form. Besides being a remarkable safe and painstaking bat, he is an excellent field.

The eighty-nine of D H Barry of Brasenose makes him a likely candidate for the team, but he will in all likelihood have to be tried several times before any definite conclusion can be come to as to his capabilities against Oxford bowling; his fielding too is also hardly up to the mark.

E D Shaw (Oriel) scored thirty runs in the same match in fairly good form, but he has a tendency to put the ball up on the off side, and seems to lose patience after scoring twenty or thirty runs. He is a very smart field, however, at point, and can bowl overhand with great break, and a fair command of pitch.

T R Hine-Haycock, an Old Wellingtonian, though he only scored fourteen for the Seniors, is a useful bat, and takes the wicket very fairly. G G Gutterez, an Old Wykehamist, if he practised his lob bowling, might be very useful as he has great batting powers, and is one of the best fields at cover point at Oxford. C G Mallam's slow bowling may probably be of service, but at present he is not well.

The batting of C P Wilson (Rossall) was the best in the Freshmen's match; in fact it was the only display of any merit throughout the game. A L Stewart's bowling (fast) was the best on that occasion. E W Bastard, of Sherborne, and C L Hickley (Winchester), who both bowl slow left, did fairly well, especially the former, but they are both moderate bats, and only poor in the field.

Page 8: Cricket at Cambridge. Two trial matches, including Freshmen's match.

Pages 8-11: The Scorebook. M.C.C. and Ground v Twenty-Two Colts of Middlesex, Eleven of Sussex v Fifteen Young Players, and various club matches, scorecards and brief comments.

Page 11: Principal fixtures for the week. Matches at all levels, from 10 to 16 May.

Page 12: Full-page advertisement for Benjamin Edgington.