CHAPTER LIV.
SPORTS AND PASTIMES (CONTINUED).
SYNOPSIS:— Mr. Robert Russell, Mr. F. A. Powlett, Mr. D. Gordon, and Mr. McArthur, first Cricketers. —Formation of the Melbourne Cricket Club. —The First Cricket Match. —Formation of the Melbourne Union Cricket Club. —First Printed Score. —The First Inter-colonial Match. —Aquatics: First Sailing Match. —The First Regatta. —Introduction of Billiards. —Athletics: The First Football Match. —The First Prize-fights. —Matters Piscatorial: The Waltonian Club. —The First Oysters.
Cricket.
WHATEVER doubt may surround the origin of horse-riding, there is little as to the fact of England being the cradle of cricket, though there is a singular omission of it as a game in the schedule of sports compiled by command of the first James. The term is derived from the Saxon word, Cricee or Creag, a crooked club, shaped like the original bat, and cricket is supposed to be a modification of the old English amusement of Club and Ball. It is, however, the national game of Englishmen, and as the sun is supposed never to set on the British Empire, cricket must be ever in a state of sunshine in some part or other of the globe, for the bat, ball and wicket, form an Institution wherever the "Meteor flag of England" floats on the breeze. Horse-racing nevertheless had the start of cricket in Port Phillip, though they were both inaugurated there in the same year (1838). The first race meeting commenced on the 6th March, and the first cricket match was played on the 22nd November, on the green velvety level near the foot of Batman's Hill, just off Spencer Street, on the site of the present Victorian Railway Station.
There is still surviving in Melbourne a gentleman who wielded the willow on this memorable occasion. He is Mr. Robert Russell, my antiquarian referee to whom I have already acknowledged my deep indebtedness for the valuable assistance cheerfully rendered in the most difficult branches of this work. Mr. Russell thus details the circumstances under which the Melbourne Cricket Club was formed:— "Mr. F. A. Powlett was the real originator. I remember well his proposal on Batman's Hill and a list was made at once. A copy being posted in the Pavilion of the M.C.C. The foundation-stone was thus laid by Mr. Powlett, probably the best cricketer of the time. It was Mr. D. Gordon M'Arthur (brother of D. C.) who purchased for the club the first bats, balls and stumps, the receipt for payment of which he handed to me as a memento."
Appended is a copy of the "list" referred to, which may be considered the Club's charter. The original is in Mr. Russell's possession:—
"It is proposed to form a Cricket Club with one guinea subscription.
"A. Powlett (paid), R. Russell (paid), A. M. Mundy (paid), C. F. N. Mundy (paid), Geo. B. Smyth (paid), Smith, Donald M'Arthur, P. Snodgrass, William Ryrie, Highett, Williams
Meek, Jamieson, Webster, Sams, Brock, Bacchus, Allen, Pitman, Hind, &c, &c."
The Donald M'Arthur here named, has been dead for some years; but, another well-known name-sake and brother of his, Mr. D. C. M'Arthur, the "Father" of all our bank managers, is still (1884) alive,[1] and he also did good service on the cricket ground in his day. Three days subsequent to the formation of the club the maiden match came off. No score or any detailed account of the play of such an historically interesting event is extant, but I find the following notice of it in the Port Phillip Gazette of 1st December, 1838:—
- ↑ Mr. D. C McArthur, died on the 15th November, 1887.
