3-085-780 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The English Cricket Team in Australia: members' pavilion and grand stand, Melbourne cricket ground during the Second Test Match, 1898. 'Mr. Stoddart, after his eleven lost the third match out of five tests, admitted himself to be terribly disappointed. The English captain only said what all his countrymen felt. Their brilliant victory over New South Wales early in the tour - in which match Maclaren scored two separate centuries - led us to think that our men would come through the test matches with flying colours, and when they beat Combined Australia in the first game, opinions seemed justified. The batting of the Englishmen was brilliant indeed, their total reaching 551, towards which Maclaren made 109 and Ranji 175. Against this the Australians did not do well enough to escape easy defeat, despite the great innings by Darling (101) and Hill (96). That was the end of England's success, however, so far as the test games are concerned...Such a deplorable beating as an innings and 55 runs is better passed over without comment'. From "Illustrated London News", 1898.