ENGLISH CRICKETING TEAM.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3072, 19 December 1878, Page 1

ENGLISH CRICKETING TEAM.

I -An English cricketing team left England for Australia by last mail. It consists of ten gentlemen and two professionals, and no doubt a very, formidable party might be thus composed. To the Graces, the lijtteltons, Mr Steel, and Mr Appleby, our cricketing honour might safely be entrusted, while such members of the actual eleven as Mr Webbe, Mr Hornby,* and Lord Harris deserve all confidence. It is plainly impossible, however, for the best team of gentlemen in England to leare their usual life for half-a-year it a given moment. BminemTstoifyT pleasure keep many of them in England. Thu« the team which has just departed takes really no. gentleman bowler of any fame except Mr Lucas, and Mr Lucas attains not unto the rank of Mr Steel, or even, we think, of Mr Evans. The others Have been known, to bowl," as the discreet compiler of "Lilly white's Guide " is wont to say.' Emmett and Dlyetfc cannot bowllfor ever, and the only comfort to be found is that the English Eleven will not always be contending with players quite as good as the Bannermans and Mr Spofforth. i Many a time, the timid patriot may fear, they will lose their wickets for scores of no great importance; for Australia,, in Mr Evans and others, has, bowlers quite as good as the very steady and brilliant performers who visited us last season. On the fielding, however, of the English team we may rely with certainty. Mr Hornby and Mr Boyle are to be beaten by no mortal in that department of the game. Mr Webbe's catchers when he was in the Harrow and the Oxford Elevens are yet remembered as one remembers masterpieces of art, once .seen and never forgotten. As to the wicket-keeper, his laurels are yet; to win; but we presume he has distinguished himself, though fame says little of him. Whatever success the Eleven meets with, it ought, Cricketers will allow, to be popular with ■the colonists,,and so add in its degree to [the good feeling between the new and the old country. The Australian public knows who our paragons are, and knows that they cannot' all leave home at once. The ;more it sees of the adventurous players the more it is sure to like them and make their tour a happy memory. This sort of tuccessirbetter than a round of unbroireir ▼ietories, which, after all, no mortal eleven could command among the improved players of the colony.