The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-07
The Cricket Week.

Inc tfICkct week.
During the past week popular interest in
cricket has revived to an extent unknown
since the visit of MIR. W. g. GRACE's team in
1872. Since that date the base ball mania
has carried to perfection the art of fielding
fast running. and catching, picking up,
and throwing in the ball at long distances
with extraordinary speed and accuracy.
This alcrtncss in base ball fielding has had
a great influence also on the Improvement
OF American fielding in cricket. and the
results have been shown in the great
matches at llobokCn and Germantown.
If we compare the scores Of the Australian
matches In England with those of the past
week, the result will be striking. Against
the Eighteen Of New York the Australian
Eleven made ~ In their first innings, and %
with five wickets down in their second. But
against the Eighteen of stockport they had
made 100 and 22j; against the Twenty-Five
Of birmingham they made los and I'D for six
wickcts; against the Eighteen Of Swansea,
they made 2l9 in both innings; against the
Eighteen Of Wcrneth and oldham, 1913 and
ii2 for -iN wickcts; against the Eighteen Of
Hull, 3oj in one inning their largest score;
against the Twenty-Five Of Crcwc $50 and
1O2, against the Eighteen Of Kcighly. BOB in
one inning; against the Eighteen Of Roch-
dale, y and lj9; against the Twenty-Five Of
Buxton, ~ and II for only one wicket down;
against the eighteen Of Dudley, 2s9 for both
innings; against the Eighteen Of Hastings.
go FOR both. OF course, We cannot compare
at all the scores made against English
Elcvcns; but there is proof enough hero in
the scores against Eightcens. how much
less was made of the Eighteen Of New
York. Surprising the batting of the Eleven
to be equally good in both countries. the
result noted must have been due to better
average bowling and fielding in America
than they encountered on the cricket fields
of England; and those who watched the
frequency with which at Hobokcn runs
Were saved simply by alortncss In stopping
and returning the ball from excellent hits.
would not doubt the Inherent probability Of
what the foregoing figures seem to demon
stratc.
1t may be said, however. that perhaps the
Eighteen Of New York were simply better
all-round players than their brethren Of
England. and not merely better fedcr-
Let us take the same matches for COM
parison on this point. The Eighteen Of
New York against the Australian Eleven
made CD in their first inning and 9s in their
second total, l6l. The Eighteen Of Stock
port, against the same Eleven. made l05 and
l4 the Twenty-Five Of Birmingham, 123 in
one inning; the Eighteen of Swansea, "a and
ss-total, 1922 the Eighteen Of Wcrncth and
oldham. 13s and III: the Eighteen Of Hull.
a total Of 3ls; the Twenty-Five II Crcwc 70
and 81 the Eighteen Of Rochdale, l24 and 80
c.. 10. . 10.
total Of III the Eighteen Of Hastings. 2l3.
Thus, with one or two exceptions, these
Eightecns and Twcnty-twos made more at
the hat than the New York Eighteen, while
the New York Eighteen surpassed them all
in keeping down the Australian score. The
testimony to the superiority Of the average
bowling and fielding II New York crck-
eters over their average batting j. thus
completed.
The admirable crickcting Of the Phlladel-
phia Eleven was Of course the theme 81
comment for the latter half Of the week.
Naturally the score Of the Australians
against them was much higher. With sharp
fielding, the odds between Eleven and Eigh-
teen cannot Ice rcckoncd accurately from the
mere figures, for the addition of seven more
batsmcn to increase the number Of runs is
the smallest part 81 the advantage. The
great difference Is in having seven more
players In the field, whereby every point is
SO well guarded that II is vastly more Diff
cult TO find a spot sufficiently unprotected
to get ball 10y them, and SO to make n run.
But II 80 in the first Australian innings at
Philadelphia was what might have been ex-
pected, the 1876 Of the Philadelphia Eleven in
their first innings. being a total Of 80 more
than the New York Eighteen got in both
their innings, showed that with the bowling
and fielding for which they have long been
famous the Phiadclphians combined batting
Of the highest order.
Taken altogether tho week TO which the
crickct-playiug and cricket-loving public
looked forward with SO much interest can
be- reviewed with satisfaction by them 1t
has shown, in view of thc previous English
triumphs Of our Australian guests that
cricket has not pncd away here under the
ovcrshadowing growth Of base ball. but has
itself grown stronger than ever. This week
the Colonals will play in Toronto and Mon
trcal, and probably IRE counting ON an
easier task than they have had in New York
and Philadelphia