THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS AT HOME.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1381, 19 July 1878, Page 3

THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS AT HOME.

[Per Alhambra via Hokitika.] The Australian Eleven commenced their first match in England at Notts, on the 29th May. They lost the match by one innings and six runs. Their next match was at Lord’s, on the 27th, with the Marylebone Club. This match, which created an immense sensation, was the most extraordinary event seen. The Australians had shown in their contest with Notts, when quite out of practice, and on a wicket most unfavorable to their style of playing, that they were fully justified in coming to England, and that they would do themselves no discredit as representatives of cricket at the Antipodes. Still no one anticipated that they would defeat such a powerful team, as that brought against them, by nine wickets. From first to last they took full advantage of their good fortune, and allowed no chance to slip by. Special praise wa s also bestowed on the excellent fielding of the Australians, which was quick, active, and really very smart in the return. The Morylebone players, in their second innings, cut a deplorable figure. Mr Grace was perhaps a little unlucky in the first innings, but in the second he had only two balls, neither of which did he touch, and the last took his bails, Mr Hornby alone in the first innings seemed to have any idea of how to play to the bowling of Messrs Boyle and Spofforth. The rest went in and out one after the other as if there was something too terrible in the bowling to face. In the second innings, on a good though dead wicket, nine out of ton of the Marylebone side were clean bowled, and they got altogether only 19 runs to add to the almost equally insignificant score of 33 which they had previously obtained, six men contributed nothing at their first effort, and seven followed suit the second time. Spofforth, whose action and change of pace seemed to puzzle the batsmen, bowled in all 49 balls for 20 runs and ten wickets ; Boyle, 98 balls for 17 runs and nine wickets. The former getting six wickets for 4 runs in the first, and the latter six wickets for 3 runs in the second. As to the Australian batting, Midwinter showed good form in both innings, and Murdoch and Horan likewise did better than any of the English side, except Hornby and Flowers. The game began at twelve, and notwit, 1 istanding the interval for lunch, ended a little after five. At the subsequent match on the 30th May, with the Yorkshire County team of eleven, the Australians won by six wickets. They were next victorious in the great match with the Surrey eleven at Kennington Oval, winning by five wickets. This contest, owing to the interest excited by the extraordinary success of the Australians, brought the largest crowd to Kennington Oval ever seen on a cricket field. The victory was welcomed with overwhelming enthusiasm.