Melbourne after the Carnival.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1266, 3 February 1883, Page 2

Melbourne after the Carnival.

(from a voluntary contributor). MELBOURNE, Jan., 16. A certain fringe of the Christmas carnival is still attracting its votaries—that is, 0 R I 0 K X T. The Englishmen ate at Hobarton, knocking spots out of the Tasmanians, and the Colonial Team are doing ditto at Sandhurts and Ballarat. The reports to hand of the play at the latter place, record that a couple of balls delivered by “The Demon,” struck Blackham—who is considered to be the premier wicket-keeper in the world—in such a man tier as to necessitate temporary suspension of play. The first ball caused him to roll on the ground in agony, but hie pluck sustained him, and he lost no unreasonable time in resuming his place. Spofforth’s bowling is said to have been of that Armstrong gun force, and curling twisters withal, that it was simply impossible to plav his overs, and their "effect upon the system,” instead of the bat may be easily imagined. Poor Blackham knew this to his sorrow, for in a very short time he received another ball, missed by the batsman, full on the temple, and would have fallen prostrate but for the timely assistance of his friends. The Australian-Britisher, however, soon revived, but took up a less dangerous position, a little further from the wicket. I wor der there are not more accidents arising from the present style of roundarm bowling, particularly when the leather is delivered by sui ha" Demon ” as Spofforth decidedly is. He is a wiry, lightly built man, standing 6ft. in his hose, possessing the agility of a cat, the endurance of a camel, and the long-suffering patience of the feline species which waits for its opportunity. He seems never to tire of his work, and if lie is removed by the Captain to make way for a bowler whose style may be more annoying to the wicket, it is not that he is " blown,” or that the lion spirit within him is subdued. It is a study to watch him, as in the play against the English team lately. On the occasion 1 refer to he was bowling at one end, and Palmer (an equally destructive enemy) at the other. For about half an hour, all, or most of the runs, were oft’ his bowling, failing to touch the stumps : while Palmer was correspondingly successful in keeping the ball from the field, and scattering tlie sticks several times. This had its effect on the “ demon” and the chagrin he felt wa

the keener on aooovnt of certain, unmerited exclamations from the spectators, not W complimentary uhe would have liked, At hit own “Over,” he doubled from “coverpoint,” or "mid-off,” with an almost spiteful glee perceivable in his bearing, and clutched the ball, after trolling it in .the .--jid, with a vengeful spirit. As he takes his long paces—l fancy about 25 feet—to tho , ear, so as to impart more speed to his delivery, every eye is strained to see the effect, which, in most cases resulted in a mere touch, and away spent the ball, skipping through the fielders, with a swiftness, hardly to be intercepted, so as to avoid runs, and certainly not to be overtaken. Again and again does this athlete deliver his deadly missiles, throw after throw appears to ba aecompanied with more human steam, making the batsman more funky, who sees an uplifted arm, and a human form towering towards him, exulting in a friendly animosity. The ontline of a small, dark circle, reflected on the white field-board in the distance, comes whirring through the short space that divides them, but it is on to him before he has time to decide the nature of his defence : he momentarily hesitates—and is lost. If he had " blocked,” he might have got a chance run, but he struck at the ball, and away flew the timber, to the great joy ot 26,000 witnesses who rend the air with acclamations well, but hard earned. Whether this swift bowling is the more successful to the "in,” or the "outs,” I don’t profess to determine; but I have an opinion that if batsmen can stand it, without fear and trembling, it is much better for them, particularly, on what is known as a " batsman’s wicket.’’ Most of the days during the All England and Australian matches, were essentially such. The pitch was rarely “ lumpy,” as Spofforth likes it, and the field was like glass, so that the swifter the delivery, the more the ball travelled, especi-. ally if it only “snicked” the bat, and, unless it went exactly in line with one of the fielders, a score of 4 to the chains was made, without the players running at all, thus saving their wind, and giving them courage. Of course there are other swift bowlers besides Spofforth, and on the whole equally, if not more, successful, but there are none that enjoy the reputation of being such thorough " demons” at their work as Spofforth of the Australian Eleven. lam looking forward to tho return match, to commence on the 19th, with anticipations of the greatest pleasure, for much as I enter con a more, into some of the more diverting, and reasonable exoitement that about here, I have enjoyed none so much as these cricketing contests. I am quite impartial, and shall give equal praise to the side that wins ; but it would be insincere for me to say, that, in view of the conquests the colonials have already made y m sympathies are not with them. lam a true cosmopolitan, never-the-less; and in the spirit of fair play, I like to "Give the palm,” where merit “points its due.” While on this subject I may mention one or two rather good thing, in connection with it, although, probably, you have heard something about them. The London “ Sportsman ’’ of the 22nd November (a month before che teams played), contains the sensational announcement of “The Hon. Ivo Bligh’s teams in Australia victory over the Australian Eleven.” How so stupid a blunder could have been made by a leading sporting paper is inexplicable, more especially in the opening words of the telegram hence are :— "The first Match with an Australian team, has just been completed,” and, further on, "We played on the Melbourne cricket ground, against the Eleven of Victoria.” I’lie correspondent—evidently one of the English team, goes on to say :—“Anything like what we were led to expect, however, taking all matters into consideration, we have made a good stand, especially as the English c«am have secured such an easy victory, flic result has greatly exhilirated our inen, and I can state without fear, that they will be held in much higher estimation in future." And then he adds, with anti-prophetic emphasis“ You will see that in all the succeeding 'matches, we shall be ranked as of much higher calibre.” I cannot believe that Che English captain wired such a misleading statement to cause a momentary triumph amongst his friends in England. Although the intelligent observer would not fail to see that the meeting was not a "match” at all, but a friendly game with a scratch team, still, in the absence of the Eleven, the best that could be found. Therefore, to dub it a representative "match ” in any sense, dignified it with an import never intended; nor, do I believe, accepted here. I thought it a mistake at the time to seriously pit the remaining tyros—the minnows among the Tritons—against the visiting team; but that mere preliminary play could have been so inanely utilised exhibits a dishonesty which has since been adequately rewarded. But my astonishment laud, probably, that of your readers) is intensified on reading a cable message from London, published in the “Argus,” congratulating the Hon. Ivo Bligh on his victory □ver the Australian Eleven ? This is in reference to the Match, the result of which caused so much sensation, and which was won by the Colonial boys by nine wickets! Reuter's Agency|here is quite confident that the mistake is not on this side, the message sent being merely, “Australia won by nine wickets. ” I have not heard of any rectification of the error, and shall look with interest for what the English press has to say when the absolute fact of defeat had been fully realised. I feel that I should not do justice to the cause of Truth were I not to make the following extract from the London “ Times ” of the 10th January, a portion of my letter. It requires no comment; but it excites our pity to think that the “ blowing” (of which the Australians are accused) has been the useless expenditure of so much wind, in the gathering together of lanrels, for so “ glorious and crushing victory, ” which had not been achieved. This is what the “ Times ” says ,

“ Zonnington Oval Avaaged.— The cablegrams from Melbourne have brought precisely the intelligence we expected. The Hon. Ivo Bligh’s English Eleven of cricketers have defeated the Australian Eleven, on the Melbourne Crioket ground, by nine wickets. Our readers will be aware that we confidently predicted this outcome whenever the teams should meet. It demonstrates that the victory of Australia on Kennington Oval was a fluke. Doubtless our Australian fellow countrymen of fireater Britain feel very sore at the discomfiture. Far be it from us to indulge in triumph over them. We are not surprised to Icara that enthusiastic telegrams have been sent to the Hex Ivo Bligh, by the cricketing circles of England, for his glorious and crushing victory. Nine wickets ! This is so decisive as to indicate that no chance entered into the game, but that it was won by our sheer superiority of skill. In Cambridge a subscription has been launched for a service of silver plate to be presented to the Hon. Ivo Bligh, who has so splendidly retrieved the laurels of England, and recovered our “ashes.” We understand that, like Lord Wolseley, he confidently laid his finger beforehand on the very day ami place where the enemy would be beaten. All this will be a very severe lesson to Australians. It will certainly tend to limit that unfortunate tendency to “ blow," which was exposed by the late Anthony Trollope. Bligh, and Steel, and Tylecote, and Studd have come come down like wolves on the fold, upon Murdoch, and Spofforth, and Bannerman, 1 and Blackham. All the bowling prowess of | Boyle has been unavailing. Shortly before I the match, the Hon. Ivo Bligh w’as so confi. |

Amt of the melt that he «U*Umi>e4 the Auotrallan Eleren to rneir their weak placet with »uch piayeri m Mldwiator, Evaiu, and Allan. It & hopeltoe now, however, for Anatrain to think of h taring the Engliah team. Doubtleu, we will hear next that they have defeated the Anetralian Eleven, with the addition «f the best other Australunplavtn. making the total up to eighteen. Emphatically they deserve well of their country, and the news of this victory thrills England to the core.”