The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1878. CRICKET.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 361, 2 October 1878, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1878. CRICKET.

Cricket is the prince of ont-of-door games. It combines muscular, mental, and mural discipline. The man also can hit a ‘ sixer,’ or bowl fifty overs is not a weakling, 1m who can calculate Ids distance and time well is nut a fool, and he who can stand being given out Ibw. without swearing is perhaps as good as his neighbours. As our season is just opening a few notes on the English season now just closing may be of interest. An English paper says that the three most striking features of the season have been—the visit of the Australians; the victorious career of Cambridge University; and the fact that W. G. Grace has not reduced all bowlers to one level, by making an average of about 70. As our space is not unlimited, we will coniine ourselves to the first of these, which will be most acceptable to Colonial cricketers. No one now needs to be told that the Australians lost their first match by more than an innings; this was certainly not encouraging, and yet their next venture was to be against “ the Parliament of cricket” —the Marylebone Club. A few small posters announced that there would be a match, but did not take the trouble to soy with whom. Six or seven hundred people were on the ground in the morning when the match began. They appeared to think they were going to see some school boys knocked about by the leviathans. W. G. G. received the first ball, which he put to the off for four. The strolling spectators looked over their shoulders to see where the ball was going, and then laughed a short laugh as who would say, “ that’s the first one.” At the next hall the strollers fairly came to a half, faced about to the fallen wicket that but a moment before, they thought would have stood against the world, and were hoard to say “Well ! well! look at that.” “By Jove he’s out ! what luck !” and more to that effect. Even after Spofforth had got three wickets in an over and the whole team had been dismissed for 33, the only explanation was “ extraordinary luck.” “ What a run of flukes,” &c. The Colonial team then Went in and made 4-1. With only eleven to the good they did not feel at all safe. “ Spofforth and Gregory said to me,” says our informant, “ if we could only get them out next time for as many, wouldn’t it bo glorious!” We would like to have been Spofforth and Gregory an hour or so later in the day when the enemy’s tenth wicket fell for a total of 19. The 12 required to win, were made with the loss of a wicket. The news spread during the day, and before evening there was an immense crowd, who, like true Englishmen, gave the visitors tremendous applause. When the game was over, the crowd flocked round them clapping and cheering, and little boys with open mouths stared straight up into their faces. This was the beginning of a new lire to these Australians. They awoke next morning and found themselves famous. The astonishment of Englishmen and Colonials was intense. Punch eased his mind with a parody “ The Australians came down like a wolf on the fold,” &c. Marylebone offered to play a return match next day, but the Australians had discretion as well as valour. The new honors did not sit firmly yet, and they refused the risk of turning their laurels to willows. The . next venture was against the powerful County of Yorkshire. There they won with six wickets to spare. Surrey was next defeated on the famous Kensington Oval, the victors having five wickels to fall. This looked so serious that no stone was left unturned to put together the strongest Eleven in the Universe, to represent the Gentlemen of England. It is admitted that tins was done. No such array of cricketing talent had ever been on one side before. It is not, therefore, surprising, that the Australians were beaten by an innings and one run. Some English papers try to impress on their readers that the Australians could not win against the pick of England. Certainly, no one ever dreamed they could. It would be little short of a miracle, if the pick of a million and a half, in a new Country, could defeat the pick of thirty millions in a country where cricketing is a profession. After this severe defeat they played Middlesex, at Lord’s, the scene of their first tiiumph. Here arose a rather amusing quarrel with W. G. Grace. Midwinter, an old Australian player, but for the last year or two a professional in his native County —Gloucester —was the bone of contention. He was playing with the Australians, and they counted on him against Middlesex. But on that very day Gloucester was to play Surrey, on a ground hard by. Just before play began, W, G. G. came up in a cab, and with many a threat and language more forcible than polite, hurried Midwinter into the cab, and carried him off to play Surrey. The Australians vowed they would not play against W. G. G. again. There was perhaps a salt of malicious triumph in their hearts, when they beat Middlesex gloriously without Midwinter, and Gloucester was defeated shamefully with him. This may have helped the Australians to break their vow, and play W. G. G. in his own County afterwards. We cannot mention all the matches played, but must refer to one or two more. The most severe defeat the Australians have met was from Cambridge University. This match they lost by an innings and 73 runs; but as they bad fared better with a stronger team than the Cantabs, and with several teams at least equal to them, we cannot suppose that the result of this match is a true index to the cricketing power of the two teams. The Australians had been playing every day except Sunday for nearly two months, and we rather fear they made longer journeys than Moses allowed even on that day—they were, in fact, quite knocked up. Here is a sample of their work condensed —“ Finish match in evening—in train from 9.30 to 4;30—t0 bed at s—ups—up at 9, begin match at 1T.30, play till 6,30 —banquet—bed at IT—train again at 2, till 9.3o—play till night—too tired to sleep.” In the light' of this it becomes a wonder that they did not lose 1 every match. . . After a long list of eighteens and twentytwos, the Colonials defeated Sussex by seven wickets. Then the Players (professionals) of England, by 8 runs. Then came the match against Gloucestershire,, or

- Graceshire.” The papers confidently predicted victory for the county, as all the Graces were in the team. The disputed Midwinter did not play on either side. The Colonials won by ten wickets, and probably indulged in more malicious triumph. After this, they played a return match with the Gentlemen, who had beaten them so badly. It seems to us that if the weather, or tin; time had not compelled a draw, the visitors would have had their revenge. The seore stood thus—Australians, Ist innings, 167, 2nd innings, 276 for 8 wickets ; Gentlemen, Ist inmiings, 109. The} 7 had thus 322 runs and two wickets to put against the second innings of the Gentlemen. The return match with the Players was also drawn, only one innings being played. The seore was—Australians 236, Players 160. It is a remarkable thing, that almost without exception, the numerous drawn matches seemed safe wins for the Colonials, if they could have, been finished.

To sum up. we may say that out of sixteen first-class matches, the Colonials have won eight, (just half) lost four, and drawn four. Out of the total of thirty-six mutches, they have won eighteen, (just half again) lost seven, and drawn eleven. It must be allowed, then, that the first team from the Colonies has not disgraced itself in England. And if it has not disgraced itself, it certainly has not impoverished itself, We hear that they have netted £1,500 per man, which we hope is true, especially as money-making was not their object. A few days may bring us soma tidings of their doings in America. The season just opening, will exceed all its predecessors in the southern hemisphere in interest. Its four groat events will be : The return of the Australian Eleven ; the visit of a team of gentlemen from England; the visit of a Canterbury team to Melbourne; and the match between Married and Single, on the Patea ground next Sat Urdu v.