AUSTRALIANS v. M.C.C.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5410, 30 July 1878, Page 3

AUSTRALIANS v. M.C.C.

(By the special correspondent of th o.Sdyney ‘ Mail.) ■ The 27th of May of the present year will be a rather memorable one in the history of Lord’s Cricket Ground, as on that day cne of the 'most extraordinary matches commenced and terminated that has ever been decided in London. The Australian cricketers, as your readers are aware,'played their first match in England on the Trent Ground, at Nottingham, against a very good county team, and were defeated m one innings by the Notts with 14 runs to spare. The result of the contest tended to give that part of the English public who take an interest in cricket but a very poor opinion of the antipodean team, though it was generally admitted that the Australians had shown some good play. Their appearance in Loudon, where they were to meet a picked eleven of the greatest club in the world—the Marylebone—was not: looked forward to with any unusual excitement, and indeed was very little spoken of up to the morning of the 27th May! The arrival of the team at the Horse Shoe, in Tottenham Court-road, was announced in a couple of the morning journals, and a few small posters in St. John’s Wood-roadannonnced that a “grand match ” was to come off on the 27th, without, however, naming the teams who were .to’engage in.it. People began to straggle on to Lord's Ground about 11 o’clock on the 27th, up to which time showers of rain Had fallen at intervals, and at a quarter to 12 there might have been 800 or 1000 persons present 7 there was no evidence of excitement—people strolled round the. ground, of rested themselves on the benches bounding the match reserve, quite apathetically. The pavilion was comparatively empty, the grand-stand completely so, and to a visitor there was nothing whatever to indicate that anything beyond an. ordinary match between second-rate players was about to commence. The rain ceased for the day between 11 and 12 o’clock ; the grass was wet and tho ground spongy, the wickets no better then the field. Marylebone having won the toss, sent ‘ the Australians into the field, and punctually at 12 o'clock the hell rang to clear tho ground, and Gregory led his men forth, who were received with a general (hut by no means enthusiastic) cheer from the spectators. I had not seen the Australians since the matches ■ on the Albert Ground in November last, and I was much struck with their improved appearance as a team, their buoyancy of spirits, and activity of body. Their “ points ” were criticised during the interval of their taking the field and the Marylebone batsmen going to the wicket, and the general impression was favorable, so far as the pavilion occupants and those in front of it were concerned, among whom were several Australians, including two cricketers of the olden time—Col. Ward and Mr. W. Sima. Mr. W. O. Grace (who is much more robust then when in Australia) and Mr. Hornby (a renowned batsman) were the first to go to the wickets, and when they emerged from the pavilion a very warm reception was given to them. Mr. Grace took the pavilion end, and Mr. Hornby the nursery wicket, with Allan and Boyle as bowlers, the former delivering the first over to Grace. Even at tins time there was a drowsiness over the spectators, who seemed as if they had made up their minds that Grace and Hornby would knock the ball about for an hour or two ; and the only amusement, if any, would bo that of ** leather-hunting” by the Australians, who wero disposed round the wickets as follows :—Murdoch, wicket-keeper, Midwinter short-leg and square-leg forward, Bailey deep behind the bowler and mid-on, C. Bannerman point, A. Banner-man mid-off, Gregory short-slip, Garrett cover-point, and Horan long-on and mid-off. Grace looked round the field, took his block, and Allan sent him the first ball of the match, which the great batsman put to leg for four ; this hit caused a laugh only from the assemblage, as much as to say “ This kind of thing will continue for some time.” Midwinter, however, had shifted from short towards square-leg ; and Allan, pitched another ball on the same spot, which. Grace treated in a like manner to the first, but it went into the hands of Midwinter. The ring, which at that time numbered about 1500 to 1800 persons, woke up, and n shout of credulous surprise followed the fall of Grace’s wicket. The next over another wicket fell, and some good fielding was shown off Hornby’s batting; some excitement began to manifest itself in the pavilion, and gradually spread round the circle. The fielding of tho Australians was considered pretty good, then very good. Hornby kept the field well' employed till the score had reached 25, when Spofforth relieved Allan. At this time Booth had been bowled by Boyle, and Eidky was Hornby’s companion ; the latter made two off tho first bill he reoeivod from Spofforth, but the next sent his log stump clean out of the ground. Ou Mr, Hornby coming into the pavilion, I asked him what kind of a ball took his wicket, and a good-humored smilo overspread liia handsome face as ho said, “ Aregular Yoricahireman—shot right under the bat,” Nows had got outside that tho Australians wore making play, and tho crowd rapidly increased, and so did the excitement—of enthusiasm there was very little. Eidley was well caught by A, Bannerman, and Wild had re,' coived his conyc from Boyle, when Ilearne came to tho wloJcet, whom Spofforth despatched by the first ball delivered to the now batsman.' The colonials on tho ground wero elated and the Britishers still incredulous When Shaw took the wicket, went out to a short-pitched hall by Spofforth, missed it, and was splendidly stumped by. Murdoch. A shout of derision greeted Shaw's diaster as ho left tho ground, and his place was immediately taken by Mr. Vernon, and in less than two minutes after that gentleman had left tho pavilion ho was on his way back again, having been also stumped by Murdoch’ oft Spofforth’s bowling. Again tho derisive “ Oh,”. long drawn out, rose into tho air. Blowers tried to keep his ground, but was soon caught by the Sydney truudlor off his own bowling, and tho' innings closed for 33 runs. Tho various papers described tho innings ns “ sensational,” and it certainly was. It is next to impossible to give an idea of tho peculiar look old cricketers and admirers of tho game (who had scon many a battle on Lord's)'gave each other. “They oould’nt make it out I”—“ Why, a lot of hoys would hnvo done bettor I”—“ Never was there such an exhibition!”—nud remarks of a like complimentary kind, When tho innings was

over, the crowd rushed to see the Australians, of whom Spofforth was of course the “ lion. 1 * Lads peered up into his face, men looked up and down at him, cheering lustily all the while, and pushing him into the pavilion, when they cheered and cheered again; after which a general rush was made to all places where beer and other drinks were sold. Spofforth and Boyle were warmly congratulated by the members of the Marylebone Club', who had somewhat recovered their surprise, and put down the small score more to the “ chapter of accidents’* than' good play on one side or had on the other. “Big scores were impossible on such ground,** said they—and so said W. G-. Grace—and gradually the Englishmen wore comforted. It is scarcely necessary to go in detail through the innings of .the Australian team, as I have extracted the very excellent account given by the London Standard (Die same account appearing almost word* for word in the Daily News, Telegraph, -Advertiser, and -Morning Post’, The Times devoting about forty or fifty lines to it.) The colonials went to the wickets about half-past 1 to the bowling of A. Shaw and Morley. It was soon evident that the Marylebohe team intended to keep down the score by close fielding. The bowling was really superb, and it seemed as if the Australians would fail even to tie their opponents ; the two Baunermans (caught)' and Gregory (bowled) retired for 0, and it was not until Murdoch and Allan got together that the Marylebone score was topped, the two making 15 between them, Midwinter having scored 10 by careful play. The innings closed for 41. With only eight runs to tho good, and with one of the best teams in England to oppose them, the' chance of the Australians Was regarded—indeed, by friends ns well as foes—as very slender ; there was, however, the satisfaction of knowing that, if defeated, it would not be in one innings. “It,” said Spofforth and. Gregory privately to me, “we could only get them out in the second innings for the same score, wouldn’t it be glorious ?” X thought so too, but neither of the three of ns had the faintest idea that such a result was possible. It is of course known in Sydney that the Marylebone second innings produced only 19 runs ; 500 to 1 would have been laid against such ah occurrence. Grace and Hornby went to the wickets 'jubilant—the crowd had recovered from its astonishment. A hundred runs would certainly be got; and, as far as could be judged, the Australians were not equal to eighty on the soft wicket. It would be a good game after all. The Aus-‘ tralians bowl well, and their fielding was really equal to that of the University (considered tho best in England). Play begins. Spofforth commences to Grace, and the first ball is stopped by him, of which little notice is taken by the crowd. Tho second scatters his stumps. An instant of perfect silence, and •then a tremendous shout is given all round—a shout with no distinct meaning, it neither applauding the bowler nor deriding the batsman. Spofforth had delivered a very fast ball to the renowned cricketer, and coming up as if to deliver another at the same pace, sent in a rather slow one, which broke in from the leg, and clean bowled the leviathan, who retired to the pavilion, and frankly stated that ho was completely deceived by it. There was a look of bewilderment on the faces of all we met, and, to use a colonial term, people seemed “ knocked ' over,” as Boyle sent Hornby, Booth, and Ridley back to the pavilion in succession—4 wickets for !■ run. Spofforth afterwards dismissed Webb, Hearne, and Vernon for 0 each, and Boyle did as much for Morley, the only scorers being Hornby 1, Wild 5, Flowers 11, and Shaw 2. The close of the innings was the signal for a general rush over the ground to see the two redoubtable bowlers of the Australian team. If they had been objects of curiosity in the. first innings, they seemed to be now regarded as bowlers from another world. “ What I put out Marylebone first eleven for 19, and bowled nine -of them clean. Let’s have a look at these men I” and all the spectators tried to do so. The front of the pavilion was besieged in the same manner as an excited crowd have often besieged the Albert Ground on the conclusion of a match, cheering and chaffing alternately. A very warm expression of admiration was unanimously given to the Australians by the crowd in the pavilion, and Spofforth and Boyle were congratulated on all sides. The team shortly after left the. ground, but it was past 7 o’clock before the various bars were cleared of people, all vigors oualy discussing therms and cons of the game just ended, and which was to be tho talk of London next day.