CRICKET.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4953, 6 February 1877, Page 3

CRICKET.

ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN v. WELLINGTON TWENTY-TWO. This long-looked for event commenced yesterday afternoon under circumstances anything hut favorable. The rain of Saturday and Sunday continued to fall more or less heavily during Sunday night and yesterday ; indeed so gloomy were appearances about nine or ten o’clock that it was generally supposed the match would be postponed. There were insuperable difficulties in the way of postponement. Firstly, it is necessary in order to the team fulfilling" engagements made elsewhere that Wellington province should be disposed,of before the end of the week ; and it must be remembered that at the conclusion of the Wellington match Wanganui is to be visited. Therefore it was decided to commence after lunch, about two or three o’clock. The ground was wet and sloppy enough, but considering the heavy rainfall, the wicket was surprisingly good, and if no more rain had fallen would have been tolerably playable late in the afternoon. The attendance was not large. Cricket, however good, is not sufficiently attractive to induce many to stand about the Basin Reserve on a wet and cold day. There could not have been more than two or three hundred within the gates at any time, and the grand stand wore a most desolate appearance. His Excellency the Governor, however, kept his word in spite of the unfavorable feather, and about 3 o’clock drove to the ground, accompanied by one or, two members of his staff. He was received at " the gate by E. Pearce, Esq., and Thomas Buchanan, Esq., and conducted to the place specially set apart for him. The band struck up the National Anthem, the cricketers (who were at this time in the field) and other persons cheered, and there was a general attempt to shake off the depressing feeling induced by the miserable weather ; but all in vain ; the water came down steadily, and people, after the departure of the Governor, 4 o’clock, soon began to leave the ground. After lunch the interesting process of shying the copper was gone through, the result being that Lillywhite secured choice of innings, not an inconsiderable advantage seeing the dead state of the ground, and the twenty-two were sent to the wickets. Russell (who by the way had been taken into the team in place of Bell, who at the last moment found himself unable to-play) and W. J. Salmon were the first to represent Wellington at the wickets, Southerton going on bowling at the north end and Shaw at ■ the • opposite end.- The field was changed about so frequently that it is impossible to set any man down as having occupied a particular place for any considerable time. Pooley, of course, was stationed behind the sticks. Emmett stood at point, and Ulyett at coverpoint, and the bowlers when off filled the slips. At the .first ball Salmon slogged hard, missed it, and lost his wicket. A melancholy commencement. Kennedy filled the breach, and safely negotiated the rest of the over. Off Shaw’s first ball a by was run, and another, one was got off the last ball of the over. Kennedy next hit Southerton to leg for 2, and carefully played the rest of the over. A maiden by Shaw followed, and then Kennedy placed 2 more to his credit for a forward drive, and 1 for a cut off the next ball. Russell received the next ball; but the gingerly way in which he poked at it induced the field to cluster round his wicket. Emmett took him off his bat next ball. 7—2—o. I. J. Salmon then joined Kennedy. A maiden was bowled by Shaw, Kennedy playing remarkably steadily, but after another maiden by Southerton, Kennedy had to yield to a regular shooter from Shaw. Telegraph : 7—3—5. Kaye took the vacant bat. Salmon drove Southerton for 1, but the partnership was short, for off the next ball Kaye was caught by Ulyett at cover point. Telegraph ; B—4—o._ Barrington and Salmon now occupied the wickets, and it was hoped that these, two of the best bats of the team, would make a little stand. Alas ! vain was the hope. Salmon drove Shaw for 2, and followed this up by a poke, for which _ 1 was scored at the imminent risk of Farrington’s wicket. The run was short, but the ball was fumbled by Southerton at the wicket, and Barrington escaped. Off the next ball Salmon was caught prettily by Emmett. I. J. played steadily at first and kept the ball down, but a couple of hits made him rather venturesome, and the moment he tossed it up the field was too smart to let him off. 13—5—5. Cross, one of the erstwhile great guns of Nelson. now joined Barrington, and Wanganui possessed the wickets to herself. He opened his account quickly by a drive for 2, and off the next ball a bye was run. This was succeeded by another 2 for a drive, this time by Barrington, and then another single for a bye. In Southerton’s next over, however, Barrington received his quietus. Telegraph: 19—6—2; and from Shaw in the succeeding over Cross received notice to quit. 19—7 2. Anson (a Marton man) and Knapp were now at the wickets. The latter scored a single for a forward tap, but in Shaw’s next over lost his wicket, being neatly taken" in the slips by Southerton. 20—9—0. This was the first ball of the most disastrous over of the day. By the second ball Edmunds was clean bowled, and ditto. Garwood and Blacklock by the third and- fourth balls respectively. Four of our best wickets in one over I and the telegraph presenting the dismal Spectacle: 20—11—0. The fielders,_in accordance with custom, dub. tip their shilling each for a new hat for the bowler, and then rush away for refreshments. Half the team had been disposed of in less than 40 minutes. After a short adjournment play was resumed. Anson and J. A. Salmon were now vis-a-vis. The former negotiated an over from Southerton, defending his stumps in good style, and off Shaw’s next over Salmon got a single, getting another off Southerton’s next; but his life was short, for he was immediately ’ caught and bowled by Shaw. 22—12—2. The rain, which had been drizzling for some time, now came down in good earnest, and operations had to be suspended. The shower having passed over, Armitage and - Anson faced tho bowlers. The latter had seen nearly half a dozen men out, and though he troubled the scorers much, still he had managed to parry the bowling. He now began to hit out a little more freely, and cut Southerton very neatly for a single, when the ram again stopped tho game. On resuming Shaw sent in a perfect trimmer to Anson, driving his off wicket a yard or two. 23—13—1. Skipper Mace next came forward to do battle. Annitago broke his duck by a cut which under ordinary circumstances would have been a double, but the heaviness of the ground prevented much travelling. Mace was caught in the slips by Emmett off Southerton’s next. Norwood was tho next man. Armitage then yielded to a shooter from Shaw, and the rain coming on very heavily it was decided to draw stumps. The game will bo resumed at noon to-day. The bowling of both Shaw and Southerton evidently is quite beyond Wellington

batting. The average pace is medium, but is varied greatly, by Shaw particularly, and the rapid changes in this respect, as also in respect of pitch and break, are exceedingly puzzling and only to be met by free wristy play, which is seldom seen in Wellington; still the sloppy state of the ground was much against the batsmen. Major Campbell officiated as umpire for Wellington, and Mr. Bennett for the Eleven, while the Messrs. Humphries acted its scorers. Annexed are the scores and bowling analysis ;

THE TWENTY-TWO —FIRST INNINGS Salmon, \V. J., b Soutlierton 0 Kussell, c Emmett, b Soutlierton .. 0 Kennedy, 2, 2,1, b Shaw 5 Kaye, c Ulyett, b Soutlierton • .. 0 Salmon, I. J., 1, 2,1,1, cEmmett, b Southerton 5 Farrington, 2, b Southerton 2 Cross, 2, b Shaw 2 Knapp, 1, c Southerton, b Shaw .. 1 Edmunds, b Shaw 0 Garwood, b Shaw 0 • Blacklock, l.b.w., b Shaw .. 0 Salmon, J. A., 1, 1, c and b Shaw .. 2 Anson, 1, b Shaw 1 Mace, c Emmett, b Southerton 0 Arimtage, 1, b Shaw 1 Horwood, not out 0 Byes, 4; leg byes, 1 5 Total 24 BOWLING ANALYSIS. Balls M ckts Runs Maidens Southexlon 68 5 11 9 Shaw 68 9 8 12