COLONIAL "BLOW,"

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1246, 16 March 1883, Page 2

COLONIAL "BLOW,"

•■■■ This is how a writer in the Federal Australian takes down some of the colonial " chcekists," who blow so much of their cricketing abilities : — " What, in thunder do those ' blarsted Britishers' db to. the Australian visitors to make them feel so cocky after a G weeks' spell in London? First of all we sent Sir Envy horne — a man whose very name was a synonym for modesty itself, and who, in order to keep all carnal ambitions under strict control, used, after the fashion of the mediaeval monks, to retire to the seclusion of his cell seven times a day, and kick himself for five and twenty minutes. And yet when he returned from a trip to " Zooip " he looked like a comet that had just been washed and oiled, and ho talked as big as if he had just leased the' world, and - all but himself were hangers-on on" -sufferance. , .;. Next we find the gentle, lowly Billy Murdoch going Home to introduce into Eugland a •new game called cricket. When Sweet William left us, butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, unless he was set on a hot j stove, and as for getting him " to speak a piece," one might as well try to persuade a sardine to sing the " Death of Nelson," Mr ,or rather William j Murdoch, Esq., C.M.G-. (Cricket Master General), is, however very much better now, and at the Criterion banquet, London, Sir Henry Barkly in the chair, our hero said he felt his position keenly, but he was very proud of it though he' would much rather standout in the field before any team of English cricketers. On the four times that the team were beaten he might say that there were not fourteen more grieved men in the world. (Laughter). They knew that the eyes of the Australian colonists were upon them, and that the honor of the Australian cricketrs was entrusted to their hands. He felt personally as Sir Garnet Wolsely must feel in Egypt. That General was sent out to a certain thing — to conquer Arabi Pasha — and he had done it. He (the speaker) was sent over as captain of an Australian cricket team to beat England, and he had done so. (Cheers) • Luk at that now f— ' Me' and Wolseley. No wonder poor old Trollope's dead."