A CRICKET MATCH IN STAGE COSTUME.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1421, 19 February 1873, Page 4

A CRICKET MATCH IN STAGE COSTUME.

Ou Saturday week members of the Dramatic and Operatic professions played a Costume Cricket Match on the South Dunedin Cricket Ground, in aid of the Otago Benevolent Institution. It was intended, from the first, that the whole affair should be a burlesque upon the national game of cricket, and right well the players succeeded in their al fresco theatre in showing bow much honest mirtb may be derived from the field sports of modern times. Description fails I to convey a correct idea of the laughterprovoking comicalities of the — for the moment — mountebanks as the match proceeded. What merriment ran through the crowd as the Clown sprang into the circle, and greeted the company with the old familiar "Heire yie are again ! how are you V And then what a face he made, and how be walked upon bis calves, as Pantaloon doubled up, and of course tumbled over him. The ludicrous contortions of face and body be indulged in when the ball hit his bat, the denial that he was out when the wicket fell, the refusal to leave when the umpire declared against him, and the arrival of the stage policemen to remove him caused loud laughter. The bowling, batting, and fielding were alike grotesque and provo cative of mirtb. The attitude assumed by Mick Feeney as he rested bis bat in front of the wicket, and manifested surprise because a well-intended but futile ball did not strike it, was immense, and was ocly surpassed by the drollery of Widow Twankey, as Bbc was received in the most gallant manner by the retiring batsman, uncovered. Romeo made him^ self an object of interest by his listlessness ; while the Student of Padua amused by the manner in which he inveigled a fast-running ball, as his canoe-shapei hat came into contact with the dignified personage of O'Callaghan. Dundreary was seen bopping about the ground, looking very much as if he would " rather not," while William showed that lie waa not only a triumph in the eyes of Susan,.but a good representative of the part he played. At the conclusion, the Operatic team grouped themselves round the pavilion, and sang three choruses from different operas, concluding with the National Anthem.