THE DEPARTURE OF THE ALLENGLAND ELEVEN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5026, 3 May 1877, Page 3

THE DEPARTURE OF THE ALLENGLAND ELEVEN.

After a four months’; tour through the Australian colonies, the 'All-Ehgland Eleven took ■ their departure this Week in the mail steamer Bangalore, arid-are fiojV'iba/their way back to , theold-.coun try..—They -hav-e-had-some hard work to go through, and have played a good many and 1 we trust they have both been pleased with their visit, and have found it ; a remunerative one , also. As ah; eleven representing j, ,the cricket talent; of the old country, they, are,,decidedly the weakest by a long : way 'that has , ever played ' here,' notwithstanding i'the ~ prekence , among them of Shaw, who-is' termed “ the premier bowler of England.” r Tf TJlyett, Emmett, and Hill are lair specimens of-the best fast bowling in all we fCanVsay is, either they haye ; never, been, in their,.i proper form- in this colony, or British bpiyling has sadly: deteriorated. Kendall is aagood, if not • better,"'than either. J “Southerton and Lillywhite are both very well in their way, but they/ are both rather paasi '; : and we need hardly refer to Armitage’s slows) 1 which remind us of a shocking bad sample of the Sydney grubbers ’-20years I ago! i In batting the Eleven were very weak. —Jupp never was in proper health all the' time he was here. Ulyett is a 1 brilliant hitter,, and ' Greenwood,, Selby, and Charlwood are ;all : ,; good .'average batsmen ; but after. them there is a long yreak tail, unless we 'except Hill, wild how and then'proves himself of some use. Howi Lilly white could ever have expected to beat; Fifteen of Australia, with such a team is past comprehension, as. he should .have been able to form a pretty correct estimate of colonial play.'.- They were opposed to players many of whom were superior to themselves, and were always, it must be allowed, in ■better condition to .play. An eleven representing the full strength of Australia, could have played a Fifteen of England; if !the other four were, no better;On the average thanthe Eleven; for, it,must,be remembered,, .we played, a,, combined team',' which’ comprised neither Evans -nor Allan. We have a wicket-keeper better than Pooley, and in Baunerman we have a batsman than any in the . England Eleven. " -Thoinpson and D. Gregory and Kelly are quite equal to the - best .' .of I the, - , Englishmen, I Whilst': a 1 dozen’ others oquld be seleqted-from this; colony -and Now South' Wales a long way superior to the other members of the’English Eleven. The Englishmen played better 1 together, and'fielded merer like a well-drilled:-corps.than the, colonials, and’to this fact their limited success is to be attributed. However, as far as this colony is concerned, some very enjoyable - matches were played,'and tome good cricket was shown, and perhaps it was more relished by the public,; owing to the sides being more equally balanced than on previous occasions, when the England ’ Elevens played against longer odds. - u i jK ' -’ |We would counsel whoever may enter-into/ future speculations: for. importing an England Eleven,to/bear in mind the great improvement of colonial cricket,.and; not to imagine 'that-anything will-do for-Australia. -It wouldrequire the-two Graces with tt very strong te'anL to stand much chance" against a combined Fifteen' of Australia.*' 'ln"- another-point,y top,’ the -colonials* have greally'Wproved; ■ They jhave learnt patience from ’their adversaries," afid-they can face' a crowd ! better than;in the 1 olden time, when-eight out bfoverylca players, who emerged ‘from* the l< pkiviUon ’ to' test-the’ British bowling either-'left* their hearts behind’ i th'ern, or allowed that necessary organ to sUb-j' iaiae* into their boots. hWO ’Thore nefw nqw, and have leamt to play the game'better;'" iHbwever, the Englishmen; will’no- doufet report nial cricket, and explain-,why they were so otpen_ beaten ;.and if they-speak -from their--5 hearts, no doubt the : next' .Elfeveri'that visits Australia w/U bo. .yery.'differently; constitute!! 'tolthatwhioq has jnsVdepartedH'fir!’'!! .T. .0