CRICKET.

THE INTEKPROVINCIAL MATCH,

(Per United Punas Association. )

Christchuroh, February 9th,

The twentieth match between Otago and Canterbury began to-day on Lancaster Park, The weather was as disagreeable as possible, being oppressively hot, and the air was full of dust, which made the light anything but good, and tlie atmosphere equally distasteful to playere and spectators. The attendance under the circumstances waa not large, but probably there will be more there to-morrow, particularly as the match promises to be closer than was expected. W. Frith does not play for Canterbury, and his absence of course weakens the bowling, but Chapman, who filled his place, haß so far proved almost as destructive as Frith himself would have been. Wilding having won the toss, at once sent his men in, and play began punctual to time. Millton, the stonewaller, was accompanied to the wickets by Cotterill, and Cooke and C. Frith were set to work at them with the ball. The Otago men fielded closer in to the wickets than ia generally tho case in a big match, and so managed to save many runs which would otherwise have scored; but luckily for them none of the hard hitters of the team stayed long enough to get set, or it would have proved rather expensive. The batting all day was tame—very much tamer than the usual form of Canterbury elevens, as may be judged from tho fact that there were only eight fours hit in the whole innings. The play at the start was steady even ta monotony. Millton fluked a hit or two behind the wickets, and Cotterill contented himself with singles. Cooke, who had been bowling against the wind, was taken off, and MacNeil shifted to his end, Frith taking up the bowling at the north end. The change was effective, as MacNeil upset CotteruTs wickets in his third over,-the first half' hour's play having produced but 14 runs. Reeves came in, and started by sending MacNeil to the boundary; while Millton also went in for some hitting, and got one of Friths past long-leg for 4. The scoring became rather more rapid, and Collinson sent Cooke on again with the wind. Millton was almost immediately bowled by one of the left-hander's break-backs, which pitched well to leg and took his off bail. Two for 32. The replacement of Cooke proved a masterstroke of genius on Collinson's part, for he bowled the redoubtable Watson first ball, and a very heavy load was lifted from the fielders' hearts. The Canterbury captain followed, and at lunch-time tho score stood at 46 for three wickets—the result of an hour's play. Only six more was added when Wilding was caught in two minds by Cooked The batsman who hesitates is undoubtedly lost, and Wilding proved no exception to the rule, as instead of meeting the ball with the full face of the bat, he dragged it into his wicket. The very next ball, a fast' yorker, sent Pocock's wicket flying, making five for a paltry total of 52. Ashby started_ in his usual lively fashion, and for a little time the scoring was merry, but 70 had only just gone up when a fast one from MacNeil got by his bat and lowered the leg stump. Barnes, whose improved batting of late induced hopeß of a respectable score, became Reeves' partner, but it was evident from the start that he ivas wholly at sea with Cooke's slows., and he relapsed into a cramped, poky style which foretold a very brief career. Reeves, whose patient, steady play had so far been the mainstay of his side, managed to gat MacNeil to leg for 4, and he made several other good hits which were stopped by the fieldsmen. Both Mallard and Austin made themselves particularly useful in stopping cuts off Cooke, and it may be said of the Otago fielding altogether that it was excellent, and worthy of a first-class match. At 86, Cooke got Barnes' wicket, making the seventh clean bowled, and Wheatley almost immediately ran himself out. MacNeil, however, obligingly trod on the wickets before he got the ball into his hand. Wheatley then poked one up to Rose, who dropped it—the first mistake in the day; but the batsman was not warned by his let-off, and, jumping out to a slow, gave Mitchell an easy chance of stumping him, which he did not neglect. As the tail end approached, Reeves livened up, and for an hour or two made it " hot" for Cooke, whom he cut to the rails, and several times drove well along the carpet. A snick behind the wicket looked like a possible chance t:> th« wicket-keeper, but Mitchell missed it, and three resulted. Fowke played steadily, and left Reeves to do the scoring, but just as a change of bowling seemed necessary, a shooter from Cooke upset Reeves' leg stump. The Lancaster Park crack went in at 14 and came nut at 110, having made considerably more than half the runs. His hits were all along the grass, and his cutting well timed. Reeves seems to have got over the nervousness which at one time was a great drawback to his play, and his batting in - this and the Auckland match, as well as in the local cup matches, stamps him as one of the few reliable batsmen that are now left to us. The innings, however, was not quite over. Chapman, quite unmindful of the fact that he was not put in the team for his batting, hit the bowling about in every direction, a leg hit for 4 being one of his performances, and MacNeil had to be changed for C. Frith. It was not till the total had reached 131 that Harris put an -end to tho innings by catching him in the longfield. Fowke carrying his bat for a very patiently acquired 6. The Otago bowling showed a great improvement on preceding years, all the men who were tried performing very creditably, particularly Cooke, who took nearly all the wickets, and completely fogged the majority of the batsmen. The fielding was quite worthy of the occasion, there being nothing to find fault with but an overthrow or two and Rose's miss, for which he had some excuse, as the sun was in his face. The beginning of the Otago innings waß not very cheering. Wilding went on himself to bowl against the wind, and put Chapman on at the other end. Mitchell and Harris started the batting. The former, who plays in a neat and upright style, was quickly caught at point. Harris made several hard hits, which, unfortunately for him, went mostly to Ashby, the best field in the team, and counted for nothing. Then losing patience he slogged at Wilding, and was caught at cover. Dixon was bowled first ball by. Chapman, and three wickets wera thus down for 13 runs. MacNeil and Rose put a better aspect on affairs, the former keeping the ball down, and the two running very smartly between the wickets. MacNeil started with" three good cuts, one of which was beautifully stopped by Barnes, and then made a big smite to leg. Ashby made a gallant effort to reach it, but did not succeed, and four were recorded. Fowke had one easy

chance of stumping the Otago crack, but MacNeil scrambled back just in time. At 34

Rose raked round a ball from Chapman, which levelled his middle stump, and shortly after the game came to a stop for tha day. The absence of W. Frith from the local team improves the chances of Otago; but after their poor start they are scarcely likely to reach even the moderate total of their opponents, so far as the first innings is concerned. The following is the score :— Canterbury.—First InniDga. Millton, b Cooke .. .. ..16 Cotterill, b MacNeil .. . .. 8 Reeves, b Cooko .. .. ..54 v>ntson, b Cooke .. .. .. 0 Wilding, b Cooke .. .. ..9 Pocock, b Cooke .. .. .. 0 Ashby, b MacNeil .. .. ... 11 Barnes, b Cooke .. .. 5 Wheatley, st Mitchell, b Cooko .. 2 Fowko, tiot out .. | .. .. ■ 6 Chapman, c Harris, b Cooke .. .. 12 Extraß .. "' .. ..8 Total .. .. ..131 BOWLING ANALYSIS. Balls. Buns. Hdns. Wkts. Cooko .. 163 61 16 8 Frith ..72 16 0 0 Mac Noil ..160 46 • 10 2 Otago.—First Innings. Harris, c Watson, b Wilding.. .. 5 Mitchell, o Wilding, b Chapman .. 1 Dixon, b Chapman .. ..0 MacNeil, not out .. .. ..13 Kose. b Chapman .. .. .: 10 Extraa .. .. ■. 3 Total for four wickets .. 32 NEW SOUTH WALES v. VICTORIA. [By Electric Telegraph—Copiright.] (Reuters Telegrams.) Sydney, February 9th. (Received February 10th, at 1 a.m.)

The return Intercolonial cricket match h& tween theNowSonth Wales and Victorian teani commenced here to-day. The latter went rk first, and on the conclusion of the day's play had scored 274 runs for the -loss of eight wickets. The highest scorers were—Bounor, 42 ; and M'Donnell, (51.

CRICKET FIXTURES. P Hayman and Co v. Kempthorne, Prosser, and Co on the Oval, to-day. - P Uiiyman and Co: Jack, Logins Paiibatrn, Mnnla»ue, DickFon, Attridge, Eyre, Webb, Kemplin, Gillies, Coxhead; emergencies —Hardy, Benjamin. Albion First Klovcn v. North Dunedin Rifles Fifteen, on the North ground -Aibiona: Colvin, Daws, Fairbaim, Glasgow, Oollar. Henderson, Handry, E Joel, Kcnnedv, M'Gre^or, Pollet; emergencies J Hovrli-

mn.LJotil ND. Rifles: Captain Reeves Orawfurd, Fleming Wllhm, hVK- chnic, A Shelton, W ifutchlnson, T hulchiiison, P Tumbu'l, H'Fnrlane, .Reid, Well*, halt, Hichar.laon, Arm-dnJ; enicrgenciee-Kn-lor, Uay, Choyne. Tho Kiflnswlll piay in undress unifo.in. .. ; ■ . . , ,

Albion Second v. Sarfjood'n Sccinij, on the -Oval — JkWicm : G, Oibb, II Oibb, E Howlifon, Slieltop, Jl'Matter; Ueudenon, Walker, Thur S ßrara- r a<lai,dwell. Stevenson, Park ; emergencies Barley, Iluiton. The Junior Cup match will be concluded on the Catlsbrook ground.