CRICKET MAGAZINE

THE 1882 SEASON

Volume 1, Number II Wednesday, May 17, 1882

Page 2: CRICKET & FOOTBALL CHALLENGE CUPS

It is only of late years that amateurs have in many cases added the occupation of what is known as 'pot hunting' to that of athletics; and, happily for the welfare of sport in general, this mania has not gone much beyond running and rowing. Valuable prizes are offered for competition at lawn tennis, but as yet the professional amateur is not to be met with in this branch of sport.

The desire to carry off these lasting proofs of athletic superiority is a very natural one, and we cannot blame those who are actuated by it. It is rather on the abuses to which it gives rise that we would anim-advert. The reforms that have taken place in the athletic world in the last two years prove how much unscrupulous runners have taken advantage of the somewhat loose manner in which things were managed, making profit out of what was merely intended to be the recognition of merit.

It was found that good runners could only be induced to come to athletic meetings by the offer of valuable prizes, and so large sums were expended at provincial meetings; and this had the desired effect of attracting first-class runners, many of whom are only too ready to sacrifice the love of sport to simple greed, while, at the same time, it made it worth the while of the professional runner to attempt sub rosa to enter the lists against the amateur.

The recent legislation of the Amateur Athletic Association has put an end to all this; and, in forbidding certain forms of prizes and limiting the value of all, the members of that body have shown how they appreciate the mischief done to sport by everything which encourages pot-hunting.

At the first glance it is not very easy to see why the managers of athletics meetings should be so anxious to expend their funds on valuable cups to be carried off by strangers. Those, however, who are at all behind the scenes in these matters know, in the first place, that the success of a meeting is measured not so much by the quality of the sport shown, as by the amount of money received for admission at the gate; and in the second place, that, unless some well-known stars in the running world are among the competitors, the spectators will not flock to the ground as freely as the managers could wish. In fact, the largeness of the receipts depends on the amount of the expenditure.

This fact has gradually become apparent to managers of cricket and football clubs, and by the establishment of challenge cups they have discovered a means of attracting to their grounds not only good clubs, but also great crowds of spectators, each of whom pays a shilling or sixpence for admission.

It would be unjust, as well as untrue, to say that all the challenge cup competitions which now take place annually were started with this object. The Association Cup football matches have done an immense deal of good to the game, by encouraging young clubs and extending the influence of the Association; while the proceeds of the matches do much to enable that body to carry out its useful work.

The Hospitals' Challenge Cup causes a great deal of friendly and healthy rivalry between the various institutions who compete for it; and though, as those who have watched the matches must admit, it does not do much for the improvement of Rugby football, there is no reason why the strongest hospital during the season should not have something more than mere honour and glory to mark its success. There are plenty of similar competitions with which no fault can be found, the object of which is the encouragement of genuine sport, and which have nothing of the gate money speculation about them.

In London - where football flourished while as yet the game was hardly spoken of in the north of England - hundreds of football matches take place every Saturday during the winter, in which the players have no inducement beyond the pleasure of the game. Very few clubs even possess an inclosed ground, and gate money is only charged as an exception. The rivalry that exists between the various teams lends quite sufficient interest to the match; and, where nothing is at stake, disputes are almost unknown, and the presence of umpires, who have only made their appearance on the football field within the last few years, is almost unnecessary.

In the north of England, as well as in a few other districts, notably in South Wales, the game is often played in a very different spirit, and at times the anxiety to win leads to much unpleasantness. Both the Rugby Union and the Football Association have had recently to make laws which, as far as London players are concerned, were quite needless. The existence of deliberate unfair play had to be recognised, while playing for money has been prohibited by the latter body. If such things occur in friendly games, it may be imagined how likely they are to be encouraged in matches where prizes are offered to the winners, as in the case of the challenge cup competitions which are now so common in the north.

Some of the disclosures made during the past season, as well as the disputes that have occurred over matches, shows to what extent clubs will go to get together a strong team. Several complaints have been made by Scotch clubs that their leading players have been induced to cross the border and accept situations in England, that they might be qualified to play for north of England clubs.

The excitement over some matches has been astonishing, and the betting - that greatest curse to all forms of athletics - high in proportion. Under such circumstances the game becomes very different from what it was a few years ago, and from what it ought to be. Rough and unfair play must come in, and disputes, in which there are plenty of interested spectators always ready to take part, are sure to be of frequent occurrence.

The clubs, it is true, become rich; but it is sometimes hinted that a good deal of this wealth finds its way into the pockets of the players under the head of expenses. There is no doubt the game, as played in the north, is a profitable one; and to what an extent it is so may be gathered from the fact that we know of one leading club that has been invited to play a match next season against a Yorkshire team, the latter offering to pay the expenses of the visitors' journey to the north, and provide a dinner after the match, in return for which the Yorkshiremen will play them on their ground in London, and not even expect a dinner!

It must be clear to most people that these competitions do little actual good to sport, while their ill effects are apparent. They are so successful, however, from a pecuniary point of view, that they are increasing in number rapidly, while in the cricket world similar incitements are becoming common.

As yet, neither the Football Association nor the Rugby Union have recognized their evil consequences, though they have been obliged to legislate for the abuses they do so much to encourage. There are indeed plenty of supporters, both of cricket and football, who countenance such contests, and who never consider the mischief they may do.

It is not long since it was proposed to establish a challenge cup to be played for at cricket among the counties - a suggestion which few of our leading cricketers viewed with any favour. The Surrey County Club offer a cup to be competed for among the clubs in the county; but, as yet, little of the good effects that were expected from the competition have been shown, as it rewards combined strength rather than individual merit, and that much-wanted good bowler has not yet been unearthed.

That much money has been made by holding competitions for charity cups must be admitted, and in these cases the end may justify the means: still, there can be no doubt that where prizes are offered, either in cricket or football, the spirit in which these games should be played is changed; and, therefore, every effort should be made by those who have influence or authority to discourage such competitions. - Field

Also on page 2: Amongst the Public Schools

Pages 3-4: The Cricketers of my time (by John Nyren of the Hambledon Club)

MR W.L. MURDOCH, THE AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN
(From the Melbourne Leader)

His memorable behaviour in the great international cricketing tournament at Kennington Oval in September, 1880, was sufficiently meritorious, but it will readily be admitted that the lustre of his achievements upon that auspicious occasion pales before the sparkling brilliancy of his later efforts with the willow on the New South Wales convincing ground in Moore Park.

A few remarks on the career of such an eminent cricketer will prove interesting. A Victorian by birth, born at Sandhurst in 1855, William Lloyd Murdoch migrated with his parents to Sydney when only three years old, and there it was that the subject of our sketch became initiated in the rudiments of the game in which he was destined to become such an accomplished exponent.

Graduating with honours in the ranks of a junior club, he eventually joined the Alberts, his promotion to the first eleven being more attributable to his efficiency as a wicketkeeper than to any special qualifications as a batsman. His hidden talent with the bat had not then even been suspected, and was consequently in a backward state of development. On the contrary, it was his smartness behind the sticks which first recommended him to a place in a representative eleven of his adopted colony, and in December 1875, Mr Murdoch made his debut as an inter-colonial player on the Melbourne Club ground, upon the occasion of the nineteenth match between Victoria and New South Wales, which will long remain memorable for the sad havoc created among the Victorian wickets by the famous bowler Evans, who was chiefly instrumental in inflicting the scathing one-innings defeat suffered by the representatives of the younger colony.

Although Murdoch failed to make a double figure in either of his first two inter-colonial matches, he made his mark as a wicketkeeper; and as there was little or nothing to choose between him and Blackham at the time of the formation of the pioneer Australian eleven in 1877, he was regarded as a most eligible candidate for a place in the first representative team which left these shores for England and America.

Although there were for a time contentions as to whether Murdoch or Blackham was the better 'guardian of the sticks,' the latter gradually asserted his superiority, whereupon Murdoch, Othello-like, found his occupation gone. When the New South Welshman decided finally to relinquish the gloves in favour of Blackham, he did so with a determination to devote his entire energies to the improvement of his batting, which up to this period of his career was not of a very high standard of excellence.

His progress as a batsman soon became manifest. During the preliminary tour of the Australian eleven in the colonies his average was but 12 runs for 30 innings, while in England he increased it to 30 runs for 62 innings. In America he still further improved his record to 21 runs per innings, and on his return to the colonies he attained the height of his ambition by getting to the top of the list with the splendid average of 29.10 for 12 innings, obtained in matches against odds representing the remaining cricketing crème of the several colonies, and against Lord Harris's eleven.

On his return Mr Murdoch forced the admission of his superiority as a batsman. His masterly contribution of 153 against fifteen of Victoria was pronounced on all hands to be the most perfect exhibition of cricket ever witnessed on a Victorian cricket field, and the performance has never since been emulated on point of merit on the southern side of the Murray.

Horan, Massie, M'Donnell, Gregory and the brothers Bannerman have at various times been credited with highly meritorious performances in important contests, but each of their individual efforts have in turn lacked that brilliancy of execution, that elegance of style, that accurate timing, that impregnable defence and, beyond all, the superb cutting which characterised Murdoch's magnificent innings on the East Melbourne ground.

It was a batting triumph in every sense of the word, and with the decline of the elder Bannerman Mr Murdoch became worthily recognised as Australia's premier batsman - the W.G. Grace of the southern hemisphere. This title he has heroically maintained to the present day.

Mr Murdoch's popularity led to his selection as captain of the second Australian eleven, a post for which he was admirably qualified, and the duties of which he fulfilled with credit to himself, his team, and the colonies at large.

His second pilgrimage on the green swards of England afforded additional proof of his prowess with the bat, though in a measure his previous performances were obscured by his famous unfinished innings of 153, at Kennington Oval, in the great match England v Australia. For two consecutive days he withstood the attacks of Shaw, Morley, A G Steel, W G Grace and Barnes, which represented the combined strength of English bowling, amateur and professional; and in the end the redoubtable Australian retired, the hero of one of the greatest matches ever decided within the environs of the United Kingdom.

So enraptured were the Australian residents in London with the praiseworthy doings of the New South Welshmen, under exceptionally trying circumstances, and when nothing but inevitable defeat stared him and his confreres straight in the face, that they instituted a testimonial which resulted in the Australian captain being presented with a massive silver loving cup, weighing 65 oz., suitably inscribed. From the same source was raised a 50-guinea cup for presentation to the highest individual scorer in the intercolonial matches of the present season, and by means of his mammoth score of 321 in the match just terminated, Mr Murdoch has also become the recipient of that coveted trophy - a strange but particularly happy coincidence, deserving to a degree.

His last performance takes precedence as the highest individual score ever made in the Australian colonies, and taking into consideration the unquestionable quality of the opposing bowling, as well as the efficiency of the fielding, the innings is entitled to take foremost rank in the cricketing records, English and Australian, of the past. It was in every respect a most accomplished display, entailing not only the necessary skill, nerve and patience, but an amount of physical power and endurance not possessed by every cricketer.

Take him all for all, Mr Murdoch may be held up as the most scientific batsman of modern times, and electrifying as is his most recent performance, his presence in the third Australian team now in course of formation is calculated to enhance our chances of success when we throw down the gauntlet to John Bull at Kennington Oval in July. Popular among cricketers, and respected by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance, Mr Murdoch is of an unassuming and retiring disposition, and eminently qualified to pose as the champion cricketer of the period.

Latterly Mr Murdoch has taken up his abode in the flourishing township of Cootamundra, the so-called 'city of the plains,' where he follows his profession as attorney to the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

CRICKET AT CAMBRIDGE

MARYLEBONE AND GROUND v CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

Messrs C T Studd and Roe, the hero of the big score last year, both played good cricket for the University, but with the exception of C E Chapman, who seems likely to be an acquisition, by reason of his bowling as well as his batting, and C W Wright, of Charterhouse, no one else did much. Of the batting of M.C.C., the less said perhaps the better. R C Ramsay (slow round), one of the Harrow eleven of 1880, was the most successful bowler for the University. In the first innings he took seven wickets for 22 runs, in the second six for 27. The result was a win for the University by 189 runs.

SHAW'S ELEVEN FROM AUSTRALIA

AN AUSTRALIAN CRITIC ON THE YORKSHIRE CAPTAIN

I was slightly puzzled at one stage of the game. I was puzzled all the time, but at this time in particular; it was when Emmett - the jocose Emmett - caught the ball and deftly concealed it in his bosom. I say I was puzzled, because just at first I thought that that was part of the game; but when I saw that the hilarious Emmett was as much astonished as I was, I began to have a glimmering of the truth that this piece of jugglery was merely the result of accident. The people laughed, and so did 'Nat,' and so did I, of course.

Nathaniel turned to me, and asked me if that wasn't a funny thing. I instantly admitted that I had never witnessed anything so droll in all my cricketing experience. Mr Emmett did two or three cat-hops, expressive of his enjoyment of the accident. This exuberant young Yorkshireman appears to be the recognised 'funnyman' of the team; full of spirits - animal spirits, I mean - and altogether like a little kitten.

THE SCOREBOOK

M.C.C. AND GROUND v SUSSEX
Thursday and Friday, May 11th and 12th

Sussex won the toss, and went in first. The innings commenced at ten minutes past twelve o'clock, with Messrs Ellis and M P Lucas, to the bowling of Morley and Woof, the latter of whom made his debut for the Marylebone Club on the occasion. The County began badly with four wickets down for 31, but Charlwood and Humphreys put a different complexion on the game, and the total was 101. The innings lasted just an hour and a half, Morley and Woof bowling unchanged throughout.

Marylebone began batting with Hornby and Barnes, and for a time they made things very warm for the Sussex bowlers, Skinner and Mitchell, a Colt. Fifty runs were made in twenty minutes, the two batsmen scoring very evenly. No change of bowlers was tried till close on 60, when Mr Greenfield relieved Mitchell, and from his bowling Mr Hornby was stumped, having made 34 out of 69 in 40 minutes. The rest of the batsmen with the exception of Mr Russel did little, and the total only reached 154.

In a minority of 43 runs, Sussex began their second innings, and a bad start they made. Humphreys and Tester were both out for 6, but the brothers Phillips were not so easily dismissed, and when play ceased, the score was 40 for two wickets, or 13 behind.

The completion of the match on Friday only required a little over three hours. H Phillips had injured his knee so severely that he was obliged to continue his innings with a substitute to run for him. Despite this disadvantage he played very pluckily, but no one else except Mr Greenfield, who showed perhaps the best cricket, could make any long stay, and the innings was over for 136.

Marylebone had only 84 to win, and at one time there seemed quite a chance of their not getting them. At luncheon time Messrs Hornby, Vernon and Barnes, the only dangerous batsmen on the side, with Mr Lancashire, were all out for fifteen. Had Mr C J Lucas not missed Mr Robertson, the County might have had a good look-in, but after this the Middlesex bowler hit away with vigour, and he finally won the match for M.C.C. by five wickets. Morley again bowling with great effect; his twelve wickets cost 80 runs.

NOTICES

"I think it highly desirable that a Cricket paper should be published weekly under responsible authority. I consider no one more qualified than yourself, and you shall have my hearty support."

'Land and Water' of May 13th says relative to "CRICKET" -

"We have been favoured with a copy of the first number of this journal, and we are glad to find that it fulfils in all particulars the expectations that were entertained when the name of the Editor was first mentioned in connection with it."

"CRICKET" can be had at W H Smith and Son's, Book Stalls. The first number is out of print.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION

"CRICKET" is registered for transmission abroad, and can be sent, post free, at the regular newspaper rates of postage to ANY part of the world.

OURSELVES

That our fears were groundless has been proved by an amount of appreciation that has far exceeded our most sanguine expectations. Without any appeal except the bare announcement in one sporting paper, the success of "CRICKET" on its introduction to an, at times, exacting public has been so marked that not one copy of the first issue is now left for sale.

The extreme cordiality with which our first effort has been received, it is needless to add, has filled us with unmixed satisfaction. It proves that there is an evident want for a journal which will properly represent the thousands who recognise in cricket the national game. We may be pardoned if we take to ourselves the small consolation that the interest taken in "CRICKET" is due in some small measure to the efforts of those who have launched it into the troubled waters of journalism, and who have to bear all the risks of keeping it afloat.

To be brief, we are most deeply sensible of the very great consideration that has been shown to our initial number, the more so as we are painfully conscious of the many errors which in the hurry of publication were allowed to go uncorrected. To the kind friends, many of them previously strangers, who have voluntarily written in terms of cheery encouragement, our very best thanks. With one exception we have met with universal sympathy and good feeling, far more than we had ever thought of in our most hopeful moments.

That there is room for a representative journal in connection with cricket, the exhaustion of our first issue conclusively proves. That we can fairly claim to be representative requires no other evidence than the already large number of our subscribers, amongst whom we are proud to own most of the leading cricketers of the day.

"CRICKET" will continue as it has begun, to study the welfare of every class of players. We are thoroughly sensible of the high trust that has already been bestowed on us, and in our keeping the highest interests of the game will, we assert with confidence, in no way suffer.

WHAT'S IN A NAME.- The funny contributor of the Sydney Mail seems to have been greatly exercised about the exact pronunciation of Ulyett's name. Now there's another trouble, he writes. Is the lightning bowler's name Ulyett, or U-lett? I appealed to Nat. He didn't know. He had asked the owner of the doubtful patronymic (again I quote Nathaniel's own words); had conversed with him for several hours on the subject, or rather, did the talking, but the result was unsatisfactory, probably owing to the circumstances that Nathaniel didn't understand the Yorkshire language.

PAVILION GOSSIP

What I should like to ask is "Why there should only be one match between England and Australia? Is there any valid reason why we should not have a second?" I think not. The Australians would have preferred three as a more conclusive test of the cricket of the two countries. There might be difficulties in the way of three fixtures, but two could be easily managed if a real effort were made.

The Australians, as all the cricket world knows, have arranged their differences with the Marylebone authorities, and are to appear at Lord's on June 10 and two following days. Why should not the Australians meet England there instead of M.C.C. and Ground, and let the match at The Oval on August 28 be the return?

I pause for a reply. I don't believe for a moment that either Surrey or Yorkshire would obstruct the way.

***A few Shakespearean mottoes for the Australian team -

"They have measured many a mile to tread a measure with you on the grass." - Love's Labour Lost.

BANNERMAN AND BONNOR
"This is the short and the long of it." - Merry Wives of Windsor.

MURDOCH - Oval, Sept. 8, 1880
"If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there that, like an eagle in a dovecote, I fluttered your Volscians in Corioli. Alone I did it - boy!" - Coriolanus.

M'DONNELL
"I bear a charmed life." - Macbeth.

HORAN
"I will be correspondent to command, and do my spiriting gently." - The Tempest.

SPOFFORTH
"I have touched the highest point of all my greatness." - Richard INDIA.

BLACKHAM
"A snapper-up of unconsidered trifles." - The Winter's Tale.

JONES
"A Corinthian, a lad of mettle, a good boy." - King Henry IV.

***Until Lord Mayor Truscott in 1880 set a worthy example in inviting the Australian players to the Mansion House, cricket had as a sport not received any official recognition from the chief magistracy of the City of London. It will be strange though if the game does not meet with a little more direct encouragement presently. There is more than one alderman among the candidates for the civic chair whom cricketers may fairly claim as one of themselves.

It was Alderman Hadley who founded the Melbourne Club, in conjunction with Mr J C M'Arthur, and I am told that an inscription testifying to this fact is to be seen on the ground of that Society in what poor old James Southerton was wont to describe as the perfection of a pavilion. Alderman Hanson is also a keen supporter of the game, and it is only a fortnight ago that he joined the Committee of the Surrey County Club, with which he has been associated for years. Murdoch may yet live to see cricket practised on a wicket of his favourite fibre matting in the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion House.

***Those who remember - and there are many who will never forget it - the gallant fight made by the last Australian's wickets at the historical encounter at The Oval in 1880, may possibly be glad to learn that W H Moule, who helped entirely to change the aspect of the memorable game on September 8 of that year, has not altogether lost his form.

It was Moule who came in as the last batsman to join Murdoch when thirty-two runs were still wanting to avert defeat in one innings. It was Moule who stuck at the wicket with the Australian captain while eighty-eight runs were added to the score, and it was his pluck at a most crucial point of the game that very nearly turned the scale against the English Eleven.

The last Colonial advices report an excellent innings of fifty-one to his name for the Melbourne Club against South Melbourne in one of the final matches for the Cleeland Challenge Cup in the Victorian capital. There are many over here who will be pleased to hear cheery news of one of the most popular members of the Australian team of 1880.

***There seems good reason for the belief that the unwearying efforts of the Surrey Committee have this year been in some measure rewarded in the discovery of one or more Colts likely to be of permanent use to the County. Since last week, Haden, of Dulwich, has confirmed the expectations formed from the style he showed on the first day's practice at The Oval by two very creditable innings. On Thursday he carried out his bat for 114 against a team of Reigate at The Oval, and on Saturday against some very fair local bowling of Mitcham and District, he was credited with forty-one on Mitcham Green.

With a view to get a better test to the young players' capabilities, the Committee have arranged to oppose to them on Friday a strong eleven, including Messrs Shuter, Read, Roller, and if possible Mr Lucas, with M Read, Barratt and Jones. Most of the Surrey players are working to get into practice for the match with the Australians next week, and I shall expect to see at least two young players in the team.

In all probability, the eleven will be as under:- Messrs J Shuter (captain), Lucas, Read, Roller, Parfitt, and Barratt, Jones, M Read, Abel, Jackson, Haden and Pooley. Mr Lucas is a certainty for this match at least.

***An unusual incident occurred recently in a match in Australia, between the Melbourne and South Melbourne Clubs. A batsman named Trott hit the ball twice, attempted to run, and was very properly given out by the umpire as the law directs. In the score he is recorded as 'hitting the ball twice', and the Australasian, in commenting on the fact, can only trace one similar case in the Colonies. This was in 1878, in a match between Gregory's Australian Eleven & Fifteen of Melbourne, when C G Allee was given out on this ground by Allan, facetiously termed by the Australians, 'the bounding Kangaroo'.

In our records there are few, very few, precedents certainly of late years. Still there are some, and I can remember well the dissatisfaction created on the Brighton ground in the match between Surrey and Sussex, in 1872, when Julius Caesar gave Charlwood out on an appeal of this kind.

***What possible chance the Marylebone Eleven sent down to Cambridge on Thursday could have expected to possess against the University it would have been very difficult to tell. Public opinion has certainly not been impressed with any great belief in the strength of the Cantabs this season, but to entrust the reputation of the first club in the world to an eleven which contained as many as six players of inferior pretensions, and only three batsmen who would have been backed to get ten runs, was simply to court defeat. Midwinter, too, the most dangerous batsman on the side, had suffered so much from the effects of his long voyage home as to be almost useless, and in fact George Hearne and Flowers were the only likely run-getters.

Under the circumstances it was hardly a surprise that M.C.C. should have only scored 80 and 46, or that Cambridge should have won by 189 runs. The chief features of promise in the play of the University eleven was the bowling (slow round) of R C Ramsay, one of the Harrow eleven of 1880. In all he was credited with thirteen wickets for 54 runs, but it would be absurd to estimate this performance at a very high rate, considering the less than mediocrity of the majority of the opposite batsmen.

***The report of a rather remarkable bowling feat comes to us from the other side of the border. On Saturday, May 6, in a match between the Carlton and Loretto Clubs, at Edinburgh, H McNeill, for the former, took six wickets for no runs. The best feat of this kind in a contest of any importance was in 1875, in the match between Gentlemen and Players, at The Oval, when Mr George Strachan, then captain of the Surrey eleven, got the five last wickets of the Professionals, those of Emmett, Pooley, Martin, McIntyre, Shaw and Hill, in the first innings without a run.

***The absence of a professional cricketer from one match would hardly be regarded as so exceptional an event as to require special notice. But the non-appearance of James Lillywhite in the Sussex eleven at Lord's, on Thursday, was a fact really deserving of perpetuation. It was the first match that he had missed for his county since he joined the team in 1862. Twenty years of county cricket without a break. As Dominie Sampson would have said, Prodigious!!!

***It is very satisfactory to find that the differences between Shaw and Shrewsbury and the Notts Committee have, as I ventured to foreshadow last week, been finally healed. A letter received from a prominent member of the County executive contains the following extract:-

"Since their return from Australia, Alfred Shaw and Shrewsbury have each sent a letter of apology to the Committee expressing their regret for their conduct last year, and their willingness to serve the County when required in future in accordance with the rules of the Club. The Committee met on Saturday last, and decided to accept these apologies. Shaw and Shrewsbury's names will therefore appear in the list for the Notts v Yorkshire match to be begun on the Trent Bridge ground tomorrow."

***Another testimonial for Shaw's Australian Eleven and a well-deserved one. This is from the Cricket Gossip in the Melbourne Leader on April 1:- I am able to bear testimony to the excellent conduct of the team, publicly and socially. A thorough good lot of fellows, they have gone through a six-months' trip, happily without illness or accident, leaving behind them individually and collectively a good name and many friends. It is needless to add that Alfred Shaw has, as we foretold, indignantly repudiated the scandal referred to last week. The person who originated that report would have a bad quarter of an hour of it at Bramall Lane or Trent Bridge if his identity were discovered.

***James Lillywhite, in a letter to a contemporary of yesterday, writes:-

"All the English papers seem to think that Shaw and Shrewsbury were the only two in the speculation of the English team to Australia."

If he refers to the first number of "CRICKET," page 4, "Shaw's Team in Australia," he will see that there was one exception. It appears, though, that report I exaggerated the profit to the promoters when I gave them £1,500 each. It was only £600.

THE SCORE BOOK

MARYLEBONE CLUB AND GROUND v LANCASHIRE

Marylebone won the toss, but with the exception of Barnes, who made the first innings of three figures this year in a first-class match, there was nothing worthy of note. Barnes's display was the more creditable, considering that he has been in very bad health during the winter, and hardly yet recovered. He went in first, and was three hours and twenty minutes, having given only two chances, one when he had got 74 to Nash at short-slip, another - a very hard one - to Barlow at point. His chief hits were two fives, five fours, eleven threes and eleven twos, and it will be seen that he contributed more than one half of the runs made from the bat. Crossland was very expensive with the ball, as will be seen, and Watson's analysis (six wickets for 70 runs) was by far the best on the side.

Lancashire began badly, losing Mr Hornby, who was caught at slip, at three. Barlow and Mr Roper, however, by good cricket, improved matters considerably, and when play ceased, 44 had been got without another wicket falling. Yesterday the first innings of the County quickly collapsed, and the total only reached 99, Flowers taking six wickets for thirty-three runs.

Following on with 132 runs to the bad, Lancashire again made a bad start, losing four wickets, including that of Mr Hornby, for 44. A well-played 57 by Mr Porter, however, enabled them to avert an innings defeat, and finally M.C.C. won by eight wickets.

MR THORNTON'S ELEVEN v CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

Mr C I Thornton, who opened the batting for his side with Mr A P Lucas, scored twenty-three out of the first thirty-four and was then bowled. The Winchester captain of 1881, Hon J W Mansfield, was caught at the wicket before he had a chance of showing any form, but Messrs Steel and Webbe scored freely, and Mr Lucas had successfully resisted all the efforts of the University bowlers, having by his very best cricket contributed fifty-six not out to the total of 135 for four wickets when play ceased.

The chief feature of yesterday's cricket was the brilliant batting of Mr A P Lucas, who scored freely from the by no means deadly bowling of the Cantabs. At luncheon time he was not out with 100 out of 259 for five wickets, and continuing to play the most precise cricket, was not dismissed till e had scored 145. The Cambridge fielding was very loose at times and Messrs Vernon and Schultz were let off, the former having three lives.

CRICKET AT OXFORD

AUSTRALIANS v UNIVERSITY

THE AUSTRALIANS AT OXFORD
(from our Special Correspondent)

The two great exceptions from the general rule, accountable doubtless by want of practice, were Massie and Giffen. Of these, the latter had a short life, but until dismissed he batted in really good form, and played ball after ball in really fine style. He timed the bowling perfectly, and got on it always very hard indeed, so vigorously indeed that, with the action producing in weak wielders of the bat a block, he in one instance sent the ball to the boundary.

Of course, by comparison with the grand achievement of Massie, his performance is entirely dwarfed, but it is a question whether he did not show quite as good form. Massie made a poor start, and seemed cramped almost to awkwardness. He was at the outset of his innings favoured with two sorts of bowling, fully easy to punish, viz., balls dropping just wide of the off stump, with a little work from the wicket, but not enough to get them up much, and which would, I thought, have been yorkers but a good foot or more off the leg stump. There he time after time failed to touch though he went for them with intent to swipe. His failure to time them was the more noticeable on the off side, as he played to take them almost at the pitch.

When only a dozen had been put to his credit, he gave a hard chance, and twice subsequently was in great risk of being run out; but barring the first and a subsequent dangerous snick that went perilously near being held by slip, he placed his hits safely. When he got into play his driving was grand. His off hitting - his favourite stroke is a very hard one in front of cover-point - was splendid, and with success his general play improved.

The harder he hit, and the rate at which he scored, deposes to the power he got on, the better his style became, and not only did he hit freely but with free action. His defence was sure and easy, and managed without hesitation. He scored 100 out of the first 143, 200 out of 259, and when he was caught right on the ropes he had in three hours made 206 out of 265.

Murdoch, Boyle and McDonnell did not give any taste of their quality. Blackham is occasionally a greatly improved bat, and can at times shake off the old cramped-up attitude and action, but when playing back is the same as ever. He cuts about as well as any of the team who did any, and at his best could be a rattling fast scorer. Garrett seems about the same as ever, and Spofforth, who has only been engaged in two matches since he left England, made one or two clean hits on the off side.

Jones was a considerable disappointment, and after seeing pretty nearly all who made any stay score freely, his safety was tiresome. He carried the forward play to an excess, and seemed to be just the mistake represented by a natural hitter going for wearing out a bowler and neglecting his opportunities of scoring meanwhile. Now and again he let out in a fine fashion, but it is quite likely that nervousness had as much to do with an indifferent show as anything else.

Bannerman has not often played more indifferently, and is evidently out of form. Palmer's stay was not long enough to show any great alteration in style.