390
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND could not have had their nerves wrought to a the last ball he scored a single, also on higher tension, and it is rare indeed that the the leg side. Smith then gave way to Val- last wicket, upon which depended the verdict. lings, and Farbridge drove his fourth ball has produced such a magnificent display of to the boundary, and 110 was registered by hard, true hitting. Curiously, too, this
means of a square leg hit by Mann off Hastings. exceptionally powerful batting exhibition was Wood smartly fielded a bit from Farbridge and given by the very two men who were omitted | Campbell was also applauded for saring a square from the team which was defeated by the Straits leg hit from reaching the boundary. At length | Settlements. The ninth wicket fell when Hong- a separation was effected. Farbridge being well kong required twenty-one runs to secure the taken by Arthur behind the wickets off Vallings, victory and no doubt most people then looked (114.5.32.). The fifth wicket had pnt on 4 upon the game as virtually lost by Hongkong. runs, and Farbridge must be congratulated upon But what a sensational reversal of public opinion: his sound innings; his score included six fours. The way Arthur and Cox let out at the balls When Lanuing went in Wood took the ball with all their might and skill was from Hostings. Another disaster quickly befell something to be seen and remombered: Shanghai, as with only three runs added Mann, and when Cox, whose fine dashing strokes sent; who had played well all through his innings, was the public wild with joy, made the winning hit ont leg before wicket. (117.625) Cumming and at 4.20 p.m.. the Shanghai players scarcely Stewart were now together, and after making | credited the fact that their score had been two singles the latter finely placed Vallings to topped, so rapid had the figures increased with the leg boundary, but he put the next ball into so very few balls, Sercombe Smith, who was slip's hands. (126.7.6). S. Wallace partnered waiting anxiously near the scorers' box for the Cumming and for a time all the runs cime from eagerly looked for hit to be recorded, bounded. Howard, who had gone on in place of Hastings. into the field when 201 was called and told the The new bowler was sent to the leg boundary twice batsmen they need not continue. Players and by Wallace. 150 being telegraphed at 12.15. spectators ran after Cox and Arthur to give As Howard's bowling was too expensive he was them a hearty greeting, and Cox was carried replaced by Wood and then a separation was by numbers of enthusiastic players and specta- effected, Cumming, who was playing very well tors shoulder high into the pavilion: then the indeed, getting run out in attempting to get a Shanghai men raised ringing cheers for Hong-run from a hit off the new bowler. (1528.11). kong, and Hongkong raised ringing cheers for Bell, who went ju next, drove the first ball he Shanghai, the spectators winding up with received from Wood to the boundary and cheers for Cox.
Wallace then made a good square leg hit to the pavilion off Vallings, and a fine eut to the boundary, Bell made a drive for a single off Wood and Wallace got the same bowler away to leg for four. At 169 Smith took the bail from Vallings, the result being that another wicket fell. Bell getting caught at slip off the Hongkong captain's third ball. (169,9.5). Moller was the last man in. Wallace pulled Wood round to the leg boundary, and Moller drove Smith to the on for n comple; his next stroke was very fluky and almost resulted in his being caught in the slips. He also drove Smith to the long field, some bad fielding by Campbell result ing in a four instead of a one being notelied. Cox then missed the same batsman at long off, but the miss made no difference to the score, as Smith next put up a slow bell which Moler was tempted to slog.' He lefties the ball, and got stumped, the innings closin at 12-15 for 189. The last wicket had thus pat | on twenty runs thanks to steady, hard bitting by both batsmen. Wallace carried out his bat for a very well played 32. which included six fours.
We question whether a keener fought match has ever been played on the Hongkong cricket ground, but many mistakes were made in the field. Hongkong showed a vast improvement on their previous day's form, but a few minutes before the fiual Shanghai wicket fell the field- ing was very slack indeed, although, fortunately for Hongkong, not much difference was made to the score. The visitors batting was on the whole very good indeed, and their bowling, too, was superior to the form they showed on Thurs- day. But their fielding was most execrable and it is possible they would have won comfortably if they had not made such glaring mistakes, Several of the Hongkong men, it should be mentioned, found fault with the umpiring, alleg- ing that some of the decisions were rediculous. We will not express any definite opinion on that point, but on two occasions it did appear from the scorers' box that the umpire had erred. However, be that as it may, Hongkong won and we heartily congratulate them: but Shang. hai was by no means disgraced, for towards the last they were most energetic in the field, bnt as it happened their energy was displayed too late in the gaine.
i
At 10.35 the overnight not outs, O. V. 'Lanning (9) and T. Wallace (13) resumed their innings, the bowlers being Sercombe Smith and Howard. Wallace made an on drive for a single off Smith's second ball, but he met with misfortune in Howard's first over, the ball hopping from his glove to short slip. where Smith brought off દી right-handed catch, (30.1.14). The brothers Launing had a very short partnership. Each made a boundary hit and a single, and then O. V. Lanning was smartly taken at the wickets off Smith. (40.2.14). Farbridge, the captain, followed, and the half century was soon reached by the aid of a square leg hit to the boundary by Lanning off Howard and a drive to the pavilion by the new comer off Smith, Lanning following these up by a pretty on drive for a couple. Both batsmen added a few singles and then Far- bridge hit smith first to the leg boundary and then to square leg to the pavilion, bringing 70 up. Without any alteration in the score Lansing made a very tame hit right into Howard's hands, being easily caught, (70.3.12). Tyack, who played so well on the previous day, did not distinguish himself on this occasion, as he had made only a single when he got his leg before a ball from Smith and the appeal was successful. (73.4.1). Mann soon got to work, being particularly strong on the leg side, despatching Smith twice in that direction, once to the boundary and the next time for a couple, while later he brought Howard round to square leg for four and in the next over drove Smith to the off for a bracel Hastings then went on in place of Howard, but Farbridge hit his first ball to leg for a couple and then for four, bringing 100 up, while off
-
;
i
!
Wanting 201 runs to win Hongkong entered upon their second innings at 1.45. Campbell and Maitland were the batsmen and they faced the bowling of Mann (barracks end) and O.V. Lan- ning (City Hall end). Mann's first over was a maiden, and Maitland hit Lanning's first ball to the leg boun dary, but the score had reached only ten when Maitland was cl an bowled by Lanning. (10.1.5). The fall of the first wicket at such an early period did not promise well for the local team and matters looked very gloomy indeed for them when Campbell fell a victim to a beauty from Mann when only two points had been addent. (12.2.6); Anton, who followed. scored a single and then Wood made a fine hit to square leg for four. Each man made a good single hit in Lanning's Lext over and later Anton graudly drove Mann to the pavilion and hit his next ball to the leg bonndary: both hits were very spirited and tended to infuse some enthusiasm into the spectators. In Mann's next over Auton attempted another drive, but the ball came too bigh off his bat and only a single was score.l. Wood then earned applause by prettily driving Lanning to the off for four and cutting him for a single, and after a few additional singles had been added Anton drove Lanning to the on for a couple, while in Mann's next over Wood made a straight drive to the on for a single. Then Anton. who had made 15, put the next ball high up, but the bowler, although he had ample time, let the ball slip through his hands. So over-joyed was the lucky batsman that he jumped gaily over the wickets and further celebrated the ereat by driving | Lanning in magnificent style clean out of the field near the City Hall. Wool drove Mann to mid-off aud a bad throw in resulted in what should have been only a single being converted into a three run. Anton prettily placed Lanning
¡November 18, 1897.
Then
what
to the square leg boundary, bringing up 60 after fifty minutes' play. Auton again had a life, being this time indebted to Farbridge, who failed to hold a ball which was driven straight to long on. and a single was ran. Wood. who had scored 26.
gave appeared to be a chance to Bell at mid- on. The batsman then brought Tanning ronnd to square leg for four, and later Antoù made a like stroke for six, the ball going over the rails. The bowling change came at 83, Tyack going on in place of Lanning. Anton placed his first ball to square leg for four, while he drove the third for a single. Не then sent Mann straight to the boundary and was again let off when he had made 47. He made a tame stroke right into the hands of Tyack at mid off, and when the ball dropped to the ground everybody smiled. The single which was run brought the batsman to face Tyack and he made a big drive to the off. This time S. Wallace brought off the catch, which was exceedingly well done-quite a contrast to the very weak fielding since the com- mencement of the game. (97.3.48). A. G. Ward again failed to score, being caught at the wicket off Mann. (98.4.0). T. N. Howard partnered Wood, and the game was half won when Wood beautifully cut Tyack to the boundary. Howard commenced scoring with a hit to the leg boundary and after making a couple finely ent Tyack to the pavilion. At 115 Stewart took the ball from Maun. The change effected a separation Wood being caught and bowled with the fourth ball of the over. (115.5.42). The outgoing batsman received a warm reception on his return. to the pavilion. T. Sercombe Smith was next in and he nicely placed the last ball of the over to the leg bound- ary. Bell grandly fielded a sharp cut by Ho- ward, who then prettily cut the bowler for four. At 125 Mann was tried at the City Hall end in place of Tyack. Runs came apace, Howard – continning to make his favourite boundary strokes, while Smith played a very patient game, At 141, however, the captain in attempting a swing round to square leg from Stewart got caught by Bell at short square leg. (141.6.8). Cox partnered Howard, who made a fine ent to the pavilion, and later Cox tried a dangerons run after cutting Stewart. At 149 Howard was taken at the wickets off Stewart for a brilliantly layed 31, (148.7.31). With Vallings in Lanning resumed his position at the City Hall end, and off his first ball Cox was almost caught by point. The game became somewhat slow, the batsmen treating the bowling with the utmost respect. Nothing of consequence was done until Vallings hit Stewart to square leg for four. Mann then took up the bowling at the barracks end, and a curious incident occurred in his first over. When the ball was dead it was returned to the bowler, but he failed to stop it and it went rolling through the slips. Vallings ran and was three-quarters of the way up the pitch before Cox moved from his ground. The ball was thrown in at the other end and the bails were removed before Cox got to the opposite wicket. The umpire gare him out but at once reversed his decision when Cox pointed out that the ball was dead at the time, and the batsmen thereupon changed places again. It was a foolish run on the part of Vallings and it would have been entirely his fault if Cox had actually been run ont. good play was then witnessed, both batsmen making some good strokes, one of them being a very fine square leg hit by Cox off Mann. In the next over Vallings gave a diffienlt chance to point, and the next ball he tipped into the hands of the wicket keeper. (171.8.8.) The excitement increased with the fall of this wicket, Hong- kong still wanting 30 runs to save defeat with only two wickets to fall Hastings partnered Cox and two rather risky strokes were made. When, at 180, Hastings was given out as being caught by the wicket keeper the hopes of the Hongkong supporters drooped co Mlerably, but when Arthur came in there followed a series of magnificent bits which put the spectators in a frenzy of delight. Arthur drove Mann to the off for four, then made a splendid leg hit, also to the boundary. Cox, in Launing's next over, drove him to the boundary and then Arthur's turn came to face Mann. The batsman made a pretty hit to leg for a single, giving Cox the batting. Cox, with a determination which did him honour, opened
Some