2016
CLUBS (11) Continuation.
It was towards the close of 1892, when the Hongkong team was returning from Shanghai, that the lamentable tragedy of the P. and O. Bokhara occurred. Only two members of the entire Hongkong team - Dr. J. A. Lowson and Lieut. Frank D. Markham - were saved. The vessel left Shanghai on October 8 and was seen two days later labouring heavily in a tremendous sea. On the 14th a cruiser was sent out from Hongkong, to search for this missing liner, but no news came until three days later, when a telegram from the Captain of H.M.S. Porpoise, dispatched from Swatow, reported that the Bokhara had sunk in a typhoon off Sand Island Pescadores, with the loss of about 125 lives.
The first match of the Interport series was played in Hongkong in February 1896, and is described in the old scoring books as a match between Shanghai and the Civilians of the Hongkong Cricket Club. "The Civilians" had matters practically their own way; Hongkong only required to bat once, and compiled the colossal total of 430. Shanghai scored 107 and 59, aggregate of 166, leaving the Home team winners by an innings and 264.
Shortly after the middle of January in 1890 the first match between the Straits and Hongkong took place on the latter's ground. The game was played in cold and wet weather, twelve men aside. The wicket was slow when Hongkong batted, and by steady play a total of 280 was compiled. The visitors were handicapped by the weather, which gave some of them rheumatism and Dr. Fox, a really good bowler, had an injured knee which prevented him from doing himself justice. Eight bowlers were tried but only three were successful in taking wickets. The ground was in a better condition for the batsmen when the Straits opened their innings on the second day, but the team was dismissed twice for an aggregate of 133 runs. Hongkong thus winning by an innings and 147 runs.
The first match between Shanghai and the Straits was played in Hongkong in November 1897. The superiority of the Straits over Shanghai was pronounced; but the kudos rested with their bowlers. The Shanghai skipper won the toss and chose to bat and after a game of fluctuating fortunes, the Straits won by an innings and 11 runs.
Since then many a memorable match has been played between the three ports, and while the Hongkong-Shanghai fixture has long since become an annual affair, the Hongkong-Straits and Shanghai-Straits matches have not been so regular for obvious reasons. The last time we had a triangular interport here was in 1929 when Hongkong beat both Shanghai and Malaya while Shanghai beat Malaya by one wicket in a very exciting game.
CLUBS (12)
This being a time when the thoughts of so many of us are given to cricket, and the fortunes of the teams doing battle on the Hongkong Cricket Club ground, a little history about the Club, its ground and the Interports will not be out of place. To start with, we might recall one of the most tragic episodes of the series, when most of the members of the Hongkong team were drowned on their way back from Shanghai. I am able to publish on this page the reproduction of an old photograph showing the members of the ill-fated eleven who were wrecked when the P and O ss. Bokhara foundered in 1892.