Upcountry
Midst the aftermath of the Adelaide Test match, one journal ran a nudge-nudge little par which may just have pointed the finger at Bobby Peel: ‘The insobriety of one of the Englishmen is said to have called forth Capt. Stoddart’s threat to oust the offender from the team, under the behaviour clause in their agreement, unless he steadies himself
Was the tour falling apart?
A welcome break of a little over a fortnight separated the third
Test and the fourth, at Sydney, and the touring side’s commitment was to play in Broken Hill and Dandenong.
As the miners of Broken Hill chipped away at the silver-ore faces, a major ingredient in the young country’s economy, one of the English cricketers saw a piece of galena (‘new chum silver’), which is worthless. Thinking it was the real thing, he asked Stoddart if he could take it. ‘Stoddy’ told him drily that he could fill his pockets if he wished. The captain had visited mines before.
The cricket match, over two days, was farcical. The local Eighteen lost their first five wickets without a run coming from the bat, and lost all 17 wickets for 68, Humphreys spinning more of his underhand mischief to the tune of 10 for 36 and Brockwell, the only other bowler used, taking 7 for 25. The Englishmen were not entirely at home on the matting, but MacLaren and Stoddart made fifties, and a total of 178 was enough to set up an innings win, Brockwell taking 7 for 7 this time and Philipson, given a rare bowl, spinning the ball vast distances and taking 3 for 34. Humphreys also enjoyed himself (3 for 7), and Stoddart too (4 for 18). With some daylight remaining after Broken Hill were all out for 102, the tourists gave a batting display, Ford hitting sweetly for a 78 not out which did not count. But then the match itself was anything but first-class.
They went shooting at May Bell station, the kill including lizards, wallabies, rabbits and hawks, plus a cat shot by mistake by Peel. Then a special train took them to Melbourne and thence to the Dandenong hills, where Stoddart, missed twice, carried the innings with a scintillating 81, and the local Eighteen caused mild amazement by passing the English total of 193 with 224 (Vieusseux 45, Wauchope 66, Humphreys 6 for 68, Brockwell 4 for 36). Later on the second day the tourists made 45 for 2 by the end, and during the last days of January they made their way to Sydney—where there was much rain about—for the next Test, and further sensations.