ABORIGINAL CRICKETERS.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 52, 30 December 1867, Page 324

ABORIGINAL CRICKETERS.

prom the Sydney 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 has 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 terms, 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 lime previously had been thought of as a possibility, has been matured. Some lew months since Mr 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 Geelong, where they played two matches, both of which were drawn on terms honorable to the black players. They now passed into New South Wales, aod 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 of great service in the way of score-mak-ing, as it. appears from the records that lie never made more than 15 runs in any match. But to his tutorship and judicious management of them in the field, where he holds them in perfect : control, and guides their movements so well that they would form a good example for some of even our crack elevens, may properly 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 Mullagh, Cuzens, Dick-a-Dick, Rose, and Bullocky display in. all departments. ■ It"is : fortunate; that they i have,’been’ accustomed by their, trainers to temperate habits. ; so that sobriety need not be maintained by jconstraint. The intercourse of \ these men with tlieir white brethren seems to baye evoked their atnbitioh, andnotcontentw

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 Hay man, 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 ball, as well as in running, jumping, &c. Two of them, Dick and Twopenny, are married, and Tarpot, who is a great favorite wherever he goes, has recently entered into the matrimonial state, which will account for liis absence from some, of this season’s matches. Mr Ilayman 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 and comforts will be attended to satisfactorily. They are to leave this port for China in November, intending to play at Hong Kong, and hoping to arrive in Loudon early in May, in time for the cricket season. They propose to return in August, 1868. 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 has a separate colored cap. It is intended to exclude professionals from any matches in 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.