DEFEATED, NOT DISGRACED.

Manawatu Times, Volume IV, Issue 71, 15 September 1880, Page 2

DEFEATED, NOT DISGRACED.

The fjrteat tost match between the Australians and the pick and flower of all England, has been played, and Fortune has given the vicloi'y to the Islanders. There can be no doubt that the team which was pitted against the visitors was the very strongest which could be got together between the length and breadth of the land. The Englishmen went to tbe wickets first, and made the maguificent score of 420 before the last man retired. This was an earaest of what th» Australians might expect, and next day matters vr«re ;by no mean« improved when they faced tbe bowling of Morley and Sliaw. A kiud of panic sec m, and when the last wicket fell, the Australians had only 149 to their credit, or rery little more than a third of their opponents' score. Of course, this state of affairs made tha Englishmen very jubilant, and bets were freely offered on a one-innings victory. The Australians, however, were put upon their mettle, of course following ftheir o vru innings, and when the stumps were drawn the day, had succeeded m putting 170 runs together with the loss of six, Bonner, not out, 13, and Murdoch, not out, 79, oM'Donncll scoring 43, when he was unfortunately given out leg before wicket. The third day l-he contest was resumed, and the second innings closed for 327, of which Murdoch, the captain, contributed the magnificent score of 158, not out, beating that obtained by the renowned Grace, and securing the honor of being the highest scorer m both teams. As we have before said, there eau la no doubt that the Eleven brought into the field to do battle for England was the strongest which could be picked between Berwick and the Isle of Wight, but the same cannot be said for the visitors, as it must be remembr _d that the " Demon Bowlei 1 ," SpoUar '„ was not m the match, and th:.« ar« not a few who maintain that bad ho been, the result would have bee-^ 7 different. While deeply regretli.. o that the !"; 11 power and strength of the Ausfcrs•'ans had not been brought into the ilold, so that the two countries conk) be pitted against each other upon tlie'r bona fide merits, we hold that the absence of Spofforth should not be made the handle for an excuse to account for the defeat by the Australians or their sympathisers. Murdoch ivas very well awar« that the Englishmen had called the fraternity to play m the match, and gentleman and players had united for the one common object of upholding the national honor and prestige ; if, then, he had felt his team weakened— as it undoubtedly was — by th« absence of Spofforth, lie should havf appealed !;o the sympathy of the Home team to delay the match, and we feel quite convinced th«y would have acceded to the request, m order to m»et their opponents at their best, and decide the contest upon its genuine merits. Th,e_ battle is now over, and the combined team of (Srentlemen and Players have won the day, but the Australians have nothing to be ashamed of. DuHng their present tour their matches have been a series of brilliant successes, and many of their victories have been obtained against Eigh teens m which veteran Cricketers took p&rt. Since they first landed m England, they have competed m 30 matches, 20 of which they hare won, seven -were drawn — and always when long odds were iv their favor — and three times they have had to sucrumb. There first defeat was sustained on their twenty-seventh match, wh.ei» they played a Scarborough. Eighteen, losing the game by 90 runs ; Stock port followed suit with a victory by 118 runs ; and lastly All-England ha« scored a victory by five wickets.