THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1882. THE ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2430, 19 January 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1882. THE ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN.

“ Club-ball” was probably played in the old days, when onr forefathers were struggling with slippery King John respecting the signing of the Great Charter. Consequently, if club-ball is to be looked upon as the nucleus of the game of cricket, the latter may be said to have grown and developed with the British Constitution. Indeed, cricket and the British Constitution are equal enigmas to foreigners, who always admire them, but cannot understand them. It is the unwritten law of the Constitution that puzzles —the numberless safeguards that have been provided and improved upon, in order that the individual may have the freest scope for action consistently with a general plan of government. So in cricket, the foreigner cannot understand the unwritten code, without which the game would be a mere scramble. The amount of self-restraint and obedience to orders that is required does not chime in with his idea of amusement. Discipline is all very well on the battle field or in the counting-house, but it is only those eccentric islanders who can delight in passing a holiday under martial law and uneheered by the smiles of Marie and Bibi. Englishmen, however, are proud of their game and proud of the special qualities that it calls forth. They have made the Duke of Wellington declare that the battles of the Peninsula were won on the playing fields of Eton, and they have introduced into the mouths of other heroes sentiments of a like nature. Englishmen recognise that the manly qualities specially called forth by the game of [ cricket are appreciable factors in the national prosperity, quite apart from the special fascinations of the game. And those fascinations are very strong. A hunting man is not more devoted to the hunting field, or a racing man to the turf, than is a cricketer to the cricket field. As many old men are found at a first-class match at “ Lords ” as are seen on Newmarket Heath, showing that the love of the game is not a mere passing whim, dependent on the personal exercise of thews and sinews. Indeed, the hardest cynic would be compelled to confess that there is a good deal in the game, if he saw the enthusiasm with which travelling teams of eminent exponents of the game are met

in all considerable centres of population. English cricketers, when they come out to the Australias, are welcomed becanse the colonials expect to see a really fine exhibition of their favourite pastime. Australians and New Zealanders do not always welcome eminent singers or tragedians with effusion. They take the advent of violin players of note with a horrible sangfroid, and often think but too little of the numerous “ spankers on the grand pianer ” that pass through their territories. But cricketers ars alwas received open-armed They appeal to the multitude, and the multitude give them the warmest of receptions. The match that is to take place to-morrow will be the third All England match that has come off in Canterbury. The first match was as far back as the beginning of 1864. In those early days of the colony the appliances at hand to-day were not available. The ground, nearer to Biccarton than the Hagley Park ground, could not be compared with the present one, and the players were much up country, and had less time for practice. However, they rallied at the call of duty, and, although they were beaten in one innings, they went back to their pastoral pursuits with the proud consciousness that they had done their best in a good cause, and with a firm conviction on the part of every individual that the “ curly one ” that took him was a diabolically peculiar ball that none of the other players had to face. An interval of thirteen years occurred before another All England team visited us, and then the material progress the Province had made was very noticeable. An excellent ground was ready, and the number of players from whom to chose the Eighteen was something considerable. Consequently the game was a much closer one, and at one time it looked as if the local team were going to pull the match out of the fire. To be only beaten by 24 runs by such a crack English team as appeared in 1877 was a really creditable performance, and showed that cricket had gone steadily ahead along with our public works and our public debt. And now, after an interval of but five years, a third English Eleven puts in an appearance. It brings in its ranks four or five familiar faces, and the rest of them are known far and wide as deep professors of the game. Whether we shall be able to make as good a fight of it as in 1877 is perhaps doubtful, but at all events our cricketers intend to do their duty with an undivided enthusiasm. Several good cricketers have of late left ns, so that our ranks may bo a little weak, but the glorious uncertainty of the noble game is proverbial, and it lies well within the bounds of possibility that we may pull the event off. But, whether Canterbury iq successful or not, we may be sure that the game will be enjoyed by thousands of spectators, who will welcome our visitors heartily and freely as exponents of a manly and charming amusement which is equally the delight of youth, middle life, and age.