COSTUME CRICKET MATCH.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 249, 30 March 1875, Page 3

COSTUME CRICKET MATCH.

The event of the Easter holidays, so far as Christchurch was concerned, was the costume cricket match, and attendant athletic sports, which took place yesterday on the U.O.C.C. ground. The arrangements throughout were very good, and reflected credit upon the efforts of Mr G. W. Collier, under whose superintendence the match was got up. Taken as a whole, also, the characters were well selected and appropriately dressed, and the effect of course in the cricket field was proportionately funny. The Softy, forgetting for the time his murderous instincts, might be seen partaking of social refreshment with the gallant Romeo, the noblest Roman of them all, Coriolanus, and last but not least, the bold William, whose love for his Sue has formed so touching a domestic drama. In another direction Wormwood, leaving aside his amiable disposition to set people by the ears, fraternised with Eccles, whose attire certainly was not that ticketed in shop windows “ The style,” and Salem Scudder, who reflectively “chawed,” and who strange to say neither guessed nor calculated. The funny trio, Pierrot, Clown, and Pantaloon, afforded no end of amusement to the juveniles during the day, and the well-directed efforts of the Policeman to “run in” any unsuccessful candidate for cricketing honors also received well-deserved plaudits. Of the match itself what can be said ; how Macbeth, Myles na Coppaleen, Rip Van Winkle, and others of a select coterie seemed to consider it their mission in life to muff every catch that came their way ; how Wormwood and Eccles, laboring under the delusion that the best way to stop a ball was to sit down right in front of it, and thus arrest its playful gambols, only discovered the error of their ways when beaten almost to a mummy ; how Coriolanus, advancing wi'h true Roman dignity to strike the ball, missed, and ignominiously went out by a base mechanical slave knocking off his bails, would fill too much space to relate ; suffice it to say that the very large assemblage of persons were kept thoroughly amused during the entire afternoon. Mr Collier’s dress as Touchstone may be remarked as being one of the best on the ground, but generally when the motley group were in the field the effect was very good. During ihe afternoon photographs of the two teams were taken. A capital luncheon, provided by Mr Maples of the Garrick Hotel, was done ample justice to by the cricketers. As will be seen by the scores the match was won by Comedy by two runs only, which shows how close a contest it was. We append the scores : COMEDY. Terence O’Moore, b Don Jose 18 Salem Scudder, b Don Jose 6 Lancelot Gobbo, b Don Jose 2 Clown, b Don Jose 4 Pantaloon, c Hamlet, b Don Jose ... 1 French Clown, run out 18 Policeman, b Coriolanus 6 Touchstone, c Macbeth, b Don Jose ... 8 Myles na Coppaleen, b Coriolanus ... 0 Wormwood, run out 0 Eccles, b Don Jose 0 Rip Van Winkle, not out 9 Extras 4 75 TRAGEDY. Macbeth, c and b L. Gobbo 2 Romeo, b Touchstone 0 Coriolanus, st Policeman, b Touchstone... 5 Softy, st Policeman, b Gobbo 4 Hamlet, b Touchstone 0 Don Jose, b Gobbo 31 William, b Gobbo 9 Crown Prince, b Gobbo 5 Friar Laurence, st Policeman, b Touchstone 7 Riel du Bourg, at Policeman, b Touchstone 0 Ishmael the Wolf, not out 4 Substitute (Hamlet), run out 3 Extras 3 73 At the conclusion of the cricket match the following events were got off, being won as follows; Handicap Foot Race, 150 yards; prize, silver cup, value £2. Touchstone (6 yds) 1 Lancelot Gobbo (scratch) ... 2 Eccles (10 yds) f Hamlet (scratch) f Touchstone made the running pretty warm from the start; closely followed by Gobbo, Eccles, and Hamlet, ultimately finishing as above. Handicap Hurdle Race, 120 yards. Softy (scratch) 1 Hamlet (15 yds) 2 Don Jose (scratch) 3 To call this a hurdle race was somewhat of a misnomer, as the only timber to be negotiated comprised a wooden table, on to which the competitors vaulted and so over. Softy made the running from the start, and won cleverly. Three-legged Race, 150 yards. Myles and Gobbo 1 Softy and Pierrot 2 Handicap Flat Race, 100 yards. Softy (scratch) 1 Touchstone (6 yds) 2 Hamlet (6 yds) 3 This was a very good race, Softy gradually drawing on his leaders, and ultimately winning a very fast race capitally. Thus ended the afternoon’s sport, which wa« enjoyed thoroughly by all present,