Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 557, 6 March 1858, Page 4

Colonial.

CRICKET TN AUSTRALIA. -«RAND MATCH BETWEEN NEW SOTOH WALES AND -VICTORIA. We copy from the ' Melbourne Herald' the following particulars of the above match, which excited such great interest in Melbourne :-— The third annual cricket match, between eleven of New South Wales and eleven of Victoria; was commenced on Tuesday, Jan. 12, on the Melbourne ground, Richmond Park. The weather was most favourable for players and spectators, as, between a slightly clouded sky and a fresh breeze from the south, .a mild and equal temperature prevailed during the day. From about half-past ten o'clock parties began to arrive on the ground, and were rewarded for their early attendance by witnessing some good I practice by the two elevens. A number of tents for accommodation and j •refreshment were erected on the ground, and, j being gaily decorated with flags, added consi- j derably to the picturesque appearance of the 1 locality. Among the other erections on the I ground was a temporary printing office, where scoring cards were thrown off at brief intervals during the day. A few minutes after twelve o'clock his Exceliescy arrived on horseback, accompanied by his military secretary and one orderly. He was received by General M'Arthur, Mr. Haines, Mr. Sladen, and several other gentlemen, and by theni conducted to the vice-regal marquee. His Excellency subsequently witnessed the playing from the circular stand. At about a quarter-past twelve the band --.of the 40th Regiment arrived, and took up a position on the right of the Reserved Promenade, and filled up the intervals in the fall of the wickets by playing lively selections. The wickets were not pitched till about halfpast twelve o'clock, when the bell rang for the cricketers to take the field. The choice of first innings was left to the Sydney men, andthev ! decided on placing Victoria first atthe wickets. The Sydney men on leaving their booth for the field were loudly cheered by the assemblage, which at this time numbered about 2000. Wray and Bryant shortly followed with their bats in hand, and were welcomed with cheers by their In a few minutes afterwards a general cheer by the cricketers announced the commencement of the game. The playing of both parties throughout the day was generally good. Elliot, Wills, Morres, and Gilbert, in bowling; Marshall in wicket keepingand B. Butterworth as long stop, frequently attracted attention, and elicited well merited applause from the spectators. At two o'clock the bell rang for luncheon, on three-quarters of an honr was consumed .A very short space of time after the recommencement of play the the tenth Victorian wicket went down, the score being 59. The only double figures were—Bryant, 11; Wray 12*Wills, 12; and Morres, 10. .» » H. Billiard and J. L. Beeston were the first of the Sydney men to go to the wickets. Billiard who took the first ball, made only one run, and' in his second was stumped out by Marshall, He was succeeded by Howell, who was I caught out on his first ball. Beeston at : at first appeared likely to run up a good score, snaking two threes in succession, but with his 1 third ball he was bowled out by Wills. G. Gil- ' ■bert, the Sydney captain, from whom great play was expected, next went in. Though he did not make aHy very remarkable hits, with rthe exception of three 'threes,' he kept in so long and so well, that he scored altogether fifteen runs. The greatest hit on this side was by Murray, who from a ball by Elliott scored a 'five.' Unfortunately'he then sustained an injury from an old wound on the hand, which rendered it necessary for him to leave the field till the iast wicket. Lewis also scored a 'three/ and Vaughan two 'threes:' The rest of the score was made up by a few 'twos' and singleruns. Murray, on going in a second time, was bowled out by Bryant without adding to his previous score. The Sydney men finished their first innings at '• twenty minutes to six o'clock, R, Vaughan carrying out his bat after scoring thirteen runs. The total of this innings was 57 runs, of which Gilbert's 15 and Vaughan's 13 were the only two-figured items. SECOND DAY. From the closeness of the scores on Tuesday and the Victorians being the winners, an unusual degree of interest was excited in respect to the playing on Wednesday. There was not a very numerous assemblage, however, at the com-

, mencement, but after 2 o'clock visitors streamed , in from every quarter, and it was'computed that between four and five -o'clock tha're could not have been fewer than 10,00' D present. '*fhe large ' play ground Was completely etfcircled by spectators. The numerous arrivals in the afternoon were doubtless from an expectation in many , cases that the match would be played out. His Excellency arrived between two and three , o'clock, and remained on the ground till the fall of the ninth wicket, at nearly half-past five o'clock, when he left the circular stand which he had occupied during the greater part of the day, and. proceeded to the gate of the pavillion, accompanied by Mr. Haines, Mr. D. S. Campbell, and other gentlemen. The whole of the way he was enthusiastically cheered, and the crowd that , followed him was so great before he'reached the '■ gate that it was some time before he succeeded ■ in getting out. His Excellency acknowledged the demonstration by frequently raising his hat as he passed along. His departure was signalised by a general cheer all round the field. There was a large number .©f ladies present during the afternoon, and many of our most distinguished citizens. Every class of society, in- ' deed, was largely represented. The playing of the Victorians to-day exceeded' all their previous efforts. They kept the field till half-past six o'clock, when the tenth vricket fell on a total score of 238. Wills carried out his bat with a sc.ore of 49—the highest of the ■ day. Jn leaving the field he was met by a party , of friends, who, in their enthusiasm, almost carried himtothe tent amidst vociferous cheering. The other high scores were—Morres, 47; Haramersley, 31.; Wray, 26. The greatest hit of the day was by Morres ofi* Hilliard, when he sent , i the ball beyond the fence, and made a "six." i He also scored a " five." Wills made two "fives," ] and Wray, Pickering, and Hammersley had each 1 a "five," ''Threes'™ and "fours'" were pretty ( common. The total score for Victoria on the j two innings amounts to 297. i

THIRD DAT,

I The match was brought to a close on ThursI day, with the triumphant victory for Victoria of 171 runs in excess of New South Wales. It is only fair to state, however, that this number would in all likelihood have been less, but for a severe accident sustained by Gilbert from a ball by Wills, and which it was at one time thought would totally disable him from again entering the field. He recovered so far, however, as to l be able to go to the wickets, but owing to a misunderstanding between him and Vaughan, who was sent in to run for him, he was stumped out in the first balL A great deal of sympathy was expressed for Gilbert in consequence of this misfortune, but the laws of the game would not permit of that indulgence being shown him which every one individually would have gladly conceded. The Victorians "were well up to the Sydney batting, and fielded so remarkably well tbatthe only runs higherthansingleswere limited to two "fours," three "threes," and seven "twos." The total score made by New South Wales in their second innings amounted to only 69. The total innings by Victoria amounts to 297, and of New South Wales to 126. At the conclusion of the play the sum of £63 10s. was raised amongst the Victoria cricketers and presented by Mr. Dalmahoy Campbell to Mr. Murray, Sydney, who had been disabled in the hand during the match, and unfitted for following his usual occupation on his return home. Before leaving the pavilion the health of Mr. Gilbert and the Sydney Eleven was proposed by Mr. D. S. Campbell, and drunk with all the honours in Champagne. The compliment was briefly acknowledged by Mr. Gilbert. During the afternoon, there were about 10,000 persons present, notwithstanding that the weather was almost insufferably hot, and the whole assemblage, on the fall of the tenth wicket, hailed the victory of the Victorians with three cheers. In the evening a grand dinner was given to the New South Wales Eleven, at the Criterion Hotel. About a hundred persons were present, the chair being occupied by the Hon. W. C. Haines, MX.A.; and the vice chairs by Messrs. Ireland and Aspinwall, M.L.A ; and amongst other notabilities, in addition to the two Elevens, were Messrs. Moore, Fellows, Evans, and D. S. Campbell ML.A. From first to last the greatest enthusiasm was displayed -, and the assemblage did not break up till a very late hour.

NATIVES AGAINST THE WORLD. A match between Australia and All England was commenced the next afternoon. The weather was very unfavourable, owing to a strong southerly wind bringing along clouds of dust over the field. The play was notwithstanding very superior. England went in first, and showed good batting; and had Australia proved as good at the wickets as it was in tlie field, the match would have been a close one, though England with only five wickets down had run up a score of 140. The wickets were drawn at half-past six o'clock, with Bryant and Beeston in. There were only between 500 and 1000 persons present in the afternoon, but a considerable number who came in the early part of the day left in the belief that the match would not come off.

In consequence of the players in this match not being up to the mark on Saturday at the time appointed for resuming the play, the game lapsed However, this did not prevent some good sport being shown, for two elevens were soon picked from out the various clubs to play a scratch match. One side took their first 'innings; but after 2 wickets were knocked over on the other side, the stumps were drawn, about half past 5 o'clock. The chief feature in the play was the manner in which Mr. G. Black, of'Ballaarat signalized himself as a batsman, he having seen 7 bats carried out before a shot from Wills shivered his timbers; he made 24 runs, which was nearly half the total score.