, 1898-01-15
CRICKET.
England '. Australia.

Not even the most enthusiastic admirers of
Mr.. StoddArt's eleven could nave been pre-
pared for what happonel yesterday at
Sydney. Everyone expected q substantial
addition to the over nigh SEQ g OF 337 for
five wicketS, but a total Of SOL exceeded all
anticipation.
The triumph of the team. however did MT
end with their own innings, RauiitsinhiiIs
wonderful batting being followed up in such
n style by Richardson, Hearne. and Briggs
that IN the latter part of afternoon tive Of
the best Australian wickets went down for Sc
runs.
1t was altogether y day of SENSATIONS.
Apart from the closing Stage OF the match.
OH the same ground. against New South
Wales, when the Euglishmen went in to get
more than 230 runs and won hy eight wickets.
there has, as yet, been nothing in the tour
half 50 startling.
For the failure OF the Australian batsmen
there is a good deal TO be SAID. Tired by
more than q day and 4 half in the field. and
probably not a little dispirited by a JotnI of
ojI, they were scarcely likely to be seen At
then best. Allowing for all tkis, howeyeA.
and admitting the quality of the bowling,
it was q dreadful business to lose Darling.
Lyons, lredale, Hill, and 1rott for 81 runs.
Frum the way 5toddmts team scored there
could not have been anything the matter with
the ground.
The outlook for Australia is gloomy in the
extreme. The only good batsmen left 10 A.
sist Sidney Gregory are Mcleod and Trum.
Bile, anIo these two Mcleod must be at dis.
advantage, one Of his fingers having been in
jured yesterday in an attempt to stop g bali
driven back by Ranjitsinhji. A folIow-ou
against ahnge IN ,iority seems as certain ~
anything can be at cricket and it will be- mar.
v%eIlous indeed if the Australians escape da.
feat.
As everyone knows, Stoddart's previous
team three Years ago, at Syduey-faced a
total IF 5SG. and yet, with the rain to helm
them, won in the end by 10 runs; but such a
cricket miracle as that can scarcely happen
twice in one generation.
For Ranjitsiuhji yesterday was a day Of
days. BY makingl77 he beat the best midi
vldual score ever before lit for England
against Australia in a test match. The high.
est efforts up to yesterday were l73 by Stod-
dart at Melbourne and l7O by We. Grace at
Remington Oval. In this matter Of indivi-
dual scores III tess matches Australia holds
the records, both at nome and in this country
Gregory made 20I in the 10-runs match
gust referred TO, aud III 1854, al the Oval, w.
H.. Murdoch scored I'll. The Inst is the all.
solute best in Eng and and AustraIia matches.
KSnjtsinbji seems, from the cabled report.
to have played q superb innings, his
III not being married by chance If any
kind. Towards the close Of Lis innings he
gave The Australian public q very fair idea of
what, under certain circumstances, lie can do
III the way of rapid hitting. After Richard.
son joined HIM he scored in half an hour So
runs out of "a.
The feat recalls Mr.. Grace's so in the last
halt.hour one day at Lord S for the Gentle
me" OF England against the Australian team
OF lSSS, Mr. Grace made 100 in that match
aud asSuredly he never played finer innings
against Anstrslian bowling.
Wainwright failed yesterday, only getting
To after a bad let-off, and 1t was due to Hearp
and Richardson tRat Ranjitsinhji was able to
make such a splendid score. From the purely
physical point of view, this innings of ~
was Il remarkable effort, for there can he mo
doubt that RaDjitsinhii, when he went in on
Monday afternoon, was feeling the effects
of his recent illnees. It il TO be boped -