The Australian Eleven arrived in Oamau by the express train yesterday, and after proceeding to the Star and Garter Hotel, where they donned their professional garb, the team proceeded by special to the ground, where their third match of their present tour – Australian Eleven v. Oamaru Twenty-Two- was commenced. The weather was magnificent and fine, but a stiff nor’-west wind prevailed, blowing across the ground. The attendance of spectators was very moderate when play started at ten minutes to two, but it increased considerably afterwards. Millington won the toss, and elected to go in. Denton and Will were sent to face the bowling of Spofforth and Palmer. The former sent down a maiden to Will, and the second ball of Palmer’s overtook Denton’s stump. Off the Demon’s next over Will snicked one to leg and a leg-bye. Palmer’s next over was an expensive one Booth lifting one to the fence for 3 and Will cutting him nicely for a brace, but Palmer had his revenge, as the next ball took Will’s leg stump. Booth was bowled in Spofforth’s next over after making three. 4-0-7. Dalgetty was clean bowled in the same over without scoring. Walls and Cooke now became partners, the former taking a maiden. In Spofforth’s next over, Cooke was clean bowled and was succeeded by Borton, who carefully played the remainder of the over. Walls broke his duck by cutting Palmer for 2 and another single, 10 appearing on the telegraph. The same batsman got Spofforth away to square leg for one, and in the next ball was caught off the wrist by Palmer. 6-5-12. Sumpter filled the vacancy. Borton took a maiden from Palmer and another maiden from Spofforth followed. Sumpter skied the first on the the next over from Spofforth right into Murdoch’s hands at mid-on. Millington (captain) took Sumpter’s place and no less than eight byes were run in the two overs. Borton, who had been playing steadily broke his egg by driving Spofforth nicely along the carpet for a single; 20 showed on the telegraph. Millington’s middle stump was bowled out of the ground in Spofforth’s ninth over. 9-0-22. Gilley was despatched back to the pavilion without troubling the scorer, being clean bowled in his ball by Spofforth. Hartley took the remainder of Spofforth’s over, after which (at half-past two) an adjournment was made for luncheon. On resuming Palmer sent up a maiden, and in Spofforth’s fourth ball Harley was clean bowled by a slow. De Lautour filled the breach. Borton snicked Palmer to leg for a single. Spofforth’s next over proved fatal to Borton, whose play throughout had been careful and procured for him a round of applause form the spectators. De Lautour sent one hard to Boyle which was declined, and in the next ball he was caught behind the wicket by Blackham. Nicholls filled the vacancy. Spofforth bowled a maiden, and the last named bat opened by a nice drive along the carpet, a single resulting. In Spofforth’s next over Nicholls played a swift one on to his wickets. 13-1-24. Rice now partnered Moore, who was caught by McDonnell, in the slips without scoring. Hook, next man, opened by a cut to the off, 3 resulting through an overthrow. In trying short run Rice was run out., the ball being quickly delivered by Jarvis. A bye off Spofforth’s next over and 3 off Palmer, produced 30 on the numbers. Coates who had taken up the vacancy was caught by Blackham behind the wickets; a doubtful decision on the part of the umpire. Fenwick, the Excelsior captain, took his place and opened by a nice draw to square leg resulting, but was caught immediately after in the slips by McDonnell. 17-1-32 was the state of the game when T. Hewat joined Hook, who drove Spofforth for a single, when the Demon had his revenge by taking Hewatt bailed was a regular Yorker. Gray went in to see Hook send Palmer for a single, and another single brought young Hook top scorer. Gary skied one from Spofforth into Boyle’s hands at mid-on, 19-0-35. Finch opened by a fine cut off Spofforth, and Hook followed, sending the ball off Palmer, and still another, 3-40 appearing. Three byes were gained off Spofforth’s next over. Palmer followed and took two of Finch’s stumps. Church, the second eleven man, was the next to appear at the wickets, and opening by a drive to the on for a single, another two and a single following, bringing the total up to 50. Hook again cut Palmer for two and a single, Church being neatly stumped by Blackham, which caused the innings to close at 54. Hook, who played very cautiously, was carried shoulder hight from the ground to the pavilion, taking his bat with him for 15. The Australians commenced their first innings at quarter past four, Spofforth and Jarvis facing the bowling of Millington and Cooke, each starting with a maiden. Spofforth opened by a cut off Cooke for two runs, the scoring being very slow. In Millington’s third over the Adelaide batsman was bowled for a duck. 1-0-2. Murdoch, the Australian captain, joined Spofforth, when the last named cut Cooke, for a brace, and Millington sent down his fourth maiden. The bowling continued still unplayable, making eight maidens in ten overs. Murdoch opened by getting the first run off Millington, followed by a brace off Cooke, which was badly fielded. In Millington’s next over, Murdoch gave a chance to the bowler served rather hot, which was declined. The play continued very slow, Millington having bowled eight overs for seven runs, Murdoch cut Cooke nicely to the boundary for 3. 10 appearing on the telegraph, and the same batsman got Millington away to leg for another 4. Millington then put in a shooter, which took the lion batsmen’s stumps. 2-12-16. McDonnell filled the vacancy, and Spofforth game Will an excellent chance, which was missed. McDonnell then made the hit for the day, driving one from Millington clean out of bounds. Spofforth skied one and no field being there McDonnell called on Spofforth, but he would move out of his ground, the result being that McDonnell was run out. Slight, the newcomer, came in to see Spofforth cut one nicely, and through a piece of bad fielding three runs were obtained. Five consecutive maidens followed, and subsequently runs came slow. Slight opened by a nice drive to leg for two. Spofforth, in letting out to one from Cooke, left his wicket open to a swift one from Cooke, which took effect. 4-12-34. Groube now partnered Slight, and opened by cutting Cooke for a single, followed immediately by another, which, with three byes, brought the total up to 40, when runs began to come more freely, both batsmen keeping the field in exercise. At this stage of the game a change was made in the bowling, Hewat going on at Millington’s end. The change ought to have taken effect, Groube sending one into de Lautour’s hand which was badly muddled. Another single, and 50 appeared on the telegraph. A single to Slight was well fielded by Booth, A three, a two, and five singles sent the score up to 60, both batsmen playing steadily. Cooke bowled the first wide of the day. Another change took place in the bowling, Borton going on in place of Cooke and opening with two maidens. A number of singles followed, the fielding being very loose, Rice being somewhat prominent in this aspect. Dalgetty relived Hewat in the bowling, but time was called before any further scores were made.

Short Scorecard(s)

Representative - Friendly -

Australians vs Oamaru XXII at North Road Ground, Oamaru
Oamaru XXII 54 ( J. Hooke 15no, F.R. Spofforth 13-13, G.E. Palmer 7-28 ) & 88 ( Rice 16no, Denton 13, G. Borton 11, G.E. Palmer 11-35, F.R. Spofforth 7-39 )
Australians 118 ( T.U. Groube 30, H.F. Boyle 22, J. Slight 17, F.R. Spofforth 12, W.L. Murdoch 12, G.I. Millington 4-34, Cooke 4-39 ) & 18-0 ( )
Match drawn
Full scorecard for the match