Category Archives: Sport

1888 : The Australian Cricketers at Mitcham

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The Australian Cricketers at Mitcham.

On Monday last the sixth team of cricketers from the Antipodes came down to Mitcham by the kind invitation of the Green Protection Committee of the Mitcham Cricket Club, for a week’s preliminary practice, and put up as usual with their old friend Willie Southerton, of the Cricketers.

The weather on Monday was all that could be wished, and several hundreds of spectators assembled to welcome the Colonials. The team is composed as follows

Old members: McDonnell (captain), Blackham, Boyle, Bonner, Jarvis, Jones, Bannerman, and Turner.

New members : Trott, Ferns, Lyons, Edwards, and Worrall.

Through the energy and care of Guttridge, the ground man of the Mitcham Cricket Club, the team was provided with splendid wickets. Monday’s play was mainly confined to hard hitting, just to take the stiffness out of their joints, but on Tuesday they got down to regular work, and onlookers were able to form an opinion on the probabilities of the forthcoming season. The genial and courteous captain (McDonnell) shows his usual good form at the wicket, as does also the veteran Boyle. Blackham will undoubtedly be to the fore this season as a splendid wicket-keeper. Nothing finer in the way of wicket-keeping has yet been seen. Jarvis also shows his usual good form behind the sticks. Turner, according to this week’s work, shows promise of putting in some good bowling daring the season. Jones shows his usual good form. Bonnor will doubt improve, but at present shows want of practice through having wintered in England.

Of the new men, it may said that Trott shows exceptionally good form with the bat, and taken altogether the new comers may be depended on to give a good account of themselves during their stay. There has been some capital fielding exhibited during the week, although their chances in this direction have been somewhat limited owing to the eagerness of outsiders to send home the balls.

The week’s work may be briefly summed up thus : The old members show their usual good form, and the new men show great promise, and have done well on the present slow wicket. No reasonable doubt can entertained that taken altogether the team is one of the strongest that has yet visited the mother country. On Monday next they meet Mr. Thornton’s Eleven, when they may be expected to give good account of themselves.

Source: Croydon Advertiser and East Surrey Reporter – Saturday 05 May 1888 from the British Newspaper Archive (subscription required)

1870 : Appeal to help 80 year old cricketer John Bowyer

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John Bowyer.

— Mr. W. W. Thomson, the honorary secretary of the Mitcham Cricket Club, calls our attention to the fact that John Bowyer, an old cricketer of no inconsiderable repute, who was born at Mitcham on June 18, 1790, and is, therefore, in his 80th year, is now residing in his native village without any means of subsistence, and unable to do anything for his living.

John Bowyer first played for his county (Surrey) v. England at Lord’s, in July, 1810, and is one of the few men living who played against the following members of the old Hambledon Club (dissolved in 1791), viz.: William Beldham, Wells, Robinson, Thomas Walker. Fennex, and Lambert (the little farmer). He was a celebrated batsman (left-handed) in the days of those good cricketers, Lord F. Beauclerk, Messrs. W. Ward, E.H. Budd, G. Osbaldeston, Assheton Smith, and others, who flourished between 1810-30, and he also took part in half a dozen of the “B’s v. England” matches at Lords. He last played in 1838, but still stands umpire in the village matches, as he has done for thirty-three years past.

An excellent photograph of this sterling cricketer has been published, and the Mitcham cricketers appeal to the cricketers of England to take a photograph of this fine old player, winch will be sent by post on receipt of eighteen postage stamps. Application can be made either to the honorary secretary, Mitcham ; Mr. Wm. Mortlock, cricketing outfitter, Waterloo Station, London. S.W.; or Mr. John Lillywhite, Seymour-street, Euston-road, London, N.W. The proceeds will be given to Bowyer. A few days’ delay may perhaps occur in forwarding photographs, as the orders for copies will be regulated by the demand.

Source: Sporting Life – Saturday 26 February 1870 from the British Newspaper Archive (subscription required)