ABORIGINAL CRICKETERS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 537, 26 December 1867, Page 1

ABORIGINAL CRICKETERS.

[From tho Syduej Morning Herald. A Team of aboriginal cricketers made their debut before the Australian public last season, and created a great sensation by their proficiency in the noble game which hitherto lias been exclusively regarded as essentially English. After engaging in many contests in Victoria and New South Wales, fre quently with first-class clubs, with whom they at least played on equal terras, and frequently came off victorious, they retired for the winter season to their homes at Lake Wallace, Victoria. Since then, the project of giving the darkies a tour in Europe, which some time previously had been thought of as a possibility, has been matured. Some lew months since Air Charles Lawrence (once of the AllEngland Eleven) left Sydney for Lake Wallace to re-organize the band of aboriginal players, and after spending two months in tutoring them, again brought them out at the beginning of this season. There was a marked improvement in their play, and in their engagements they have reaped a large share of the laurels. They started by defeating sixteen of Warrnarabool in one innings by 94 runs. The next engagement, against sixteen of the Mortlake district, terminated in a draw. Thence they proceeded to Gee-

long, where they played two matches, both of which were drawn on terms honorable to the black players. They now passed into New South Wales, and the first event after their arrival took place at Wollongong, where they obtained a victory over the local players by eight wickets. At Maitland, where last season they were defeated, they now proved victorious, winning a match in which some firstrate players took part, by eight wickets. At Singleton and Newcastle they also won their matches with many wickets to spare. Although they have the aid of Lawrence it has not been oi great sendee in the way of score-mak-ing, as it appears from the record; that ha never mails more than 15 runs in any match. But to his tutorship and judicious management of them ir the field, where be, holds them in ner-

feet control, and guides their move-' ments so well that they would form a good example for some of even our crack elevens, may nronerly be admitted much of their success, although in saying so it is not intended to ignore the great capacity for the game that such men as Mullagb, Cuzens, Dick-a-Dick, Rose, and Bullocky display in all departments. It is fortu-

nate that they have been accustomed by their trainers to temperate habits, so that sobriety need.not be maintained by constraint. The intercourse of these men with their white brethren seems to have evoked their ambition, and not content with speaking thorougtay iniciiigiuis Huigiiaii, arc very anxious to read and write, and disposed to attend a place of worship regularly. They are well disposed to pay a visit to England under the care of Mr Lawrence, to whom they are much attached, and of Mr Hayman, who proceeds to Europe to assist in all matters of arrangement. If the blacks do not succeed in beating English cricketers they will certainly astonish the Britons in other games, such as throwing the boomerang, spears, and cricket bull, as well as in running, jumping, &c. Two of them, Dick and Twopenny, are married, aud Tarpot, who is a great favorite wherever he goes, has recently entered into the matrimonial state, which will account for his absence from some of this season’s matches. Mr Hayman has known these blacks for years, and his ordinary urbanity of manner, and the kindness he has always exhibited to these men, are a guarantee that their

wants ami comforts will lo attended to satisfactorily. They are to leave this port for China in November, intending to play at (long Kong, ami hoping to arrive in London early in May, in time for the cricket season. They propose to return in August, 1888. Their cricketing dress consists of white flannel trousers, military red shirts, with a blue flannel sash sewn on from the right shoulder to the left hip. They have blue elastic belts, neckties of the same color, white linen collars, and French Merino undershirts. This is their uniform, but each man lias a separate colored can. It is intended to exclude professionals from, any matches ia which they may engage, Mr George Smith, a gentleman well known in this community, leaves a month before the aborigines, in order to make the preliminary arrangements for this novel and spirited enterprise.