First Cricket Match.
"Pleasure and recreation are absolutely necessary to relieve our minds and bodies from too constant attention and labour. With truly gratified feelings therefore, did w e witness the gentlemen of the district assemble last Saturday week, on the beautiful pleasure grounds around this fast rising town, to bring into practice one of the most elegant and manly sports that can be enjoyed. Yes, it was pleasurable to witness those whose mental and enterprising minds had turned this, but short time since, wilderness, into a busy emporium of traffic, relinquishing for a time their occupation, and uniting their efforts to establish sports such as these. During the week arrangements had been made by the Gentlemen Civilians of the district to play a match of cricket against the Military. Captain Smyth, with the enthusiasm natural to him, and desirous of forwarding everything, either really beneficial or of useful amusement, joined by m a n y of those w h o had retired from the service, but whose hearts are still with it, mustered on the ground a company with which they would have attempted a more stirring contest. It was a heart-enlivening sight to witness from an adjacent hill the ground as it was laid out. C a m p s pitched, banners tastefully arranged, and the all-enlivening smiles of beauty that would have graced many a far-famed tournament of the olden times, formed a scene that w e trust often again to witness. At twelve o'clock precisely, a signal called the players to their post, when the game c o m m e n c e d — t h e Military taking thefirstinnings. W e have not the particulars of the game before us, and can therefore, but briefly notice those w h o particularly distinguished themselves. After a duration of some hours it concluded by a triumph on the part of the Civilians. M r . Powlett's and Mr. Donald Gordon M'Arthur's bowling, and Mr. Russell's batting, attracted universal applause. O n the whole the game was played with an esprit de corps, a judgment, and an activity, that a first-rate club in England might not be ashamed to boast of." T o this, Mr. Russell supplies an addendum, viz. :—" A s to the cricket match, I cannot say positively, but I feel sure it was played close beyond Batman's Hill, not far from the Officers' Quarters. A Captain Peppit, from Sydney, played on that occasion—a splendid point, very long in the reach. T h e Civilians w o n the match. I forget any special incidents—but I k n o w I met Captain Peppit in the evening over a glass of grog at the Lamb Inn. N o uniform or distinguishing dress was worn. T h e bats, stumps, & c , I have no doubt, were "O.K.," and probably were those purchased by D. G. M'Arthur for the club, the receipt for payment of which he gave m e , and I still hold. I fancy Stubbs played on the side of the Military, but I m a y be wrong. T h e 'Stubbs' here referred to, was a once well-known Melbourne auctioneer, Mr. T h o m a s Stubbs, whose florid style of advertising and 'pushing' his wares, induced a belief that a shred of the puffing mantle of the whilom L o n d o n George Robins had been blown over the seas to him." Outside the M.C.C. there were some fair average cricketers, and prompted by the good example, they hastened to start another Association under the designation of the " Melbourne Union Cricket Club." This was mainly membered by persons in retail lines of business and tradesmen. O n the 12th January, 1839, a match was played between two branches of the community k n o w n respectively as " T h e Gentlemen of the District," and " T h e Tradesmen of the Town," when the " Gents" were soundly drubbed; but, in a return match on the 19th, the tables were completely turned, mainly through the exertions of "Gentleman" Powlett, w h o got 120 runs. M r . James Webster, an excellent player, met with an accident in the height of the game, which prevented his continuing in it. Mr. T h o m a s Halfpenny, n o w of Studley Park, then a stalwart, strapping publican, was a prominent figure in batting and wicket-keeping with the Traders.
THE SECOND CRICKET MATCH.
Benedick v. Bachelor. The Married and Single residents of Port Phillip met in a field on the 30th March, 1839, in a well-played and highly interesting game. T h e Husbands w o n with five wickets to fall.
