THE OTAGO CRICKETERS' TOUR.

THE HAWKB'S BAY MATCH,

(Prom Ohr Special Cohrespondrnt.)

Napier, December 20.

The Otiigo team .arrived .it Napier last night after three clays' hard travelling—many of.them between seasickness and the heat were quite knocked up. However, they were on the ground at 10 this morning to commence their first match against 11 of Hawkc'sßay. The ground is at Fai-Dtlon Park, six miles from Napier, and is a perfect likeness of a good English private ground. Captain Harper was lucky enough to win the toss, and put Lawton and. Stronach to commence what turned out to be a really good innings, considering Iris team's general unfituess and want of practice. The eleven all made runs and proved that there was very little tail to it, anil that tail a tolerably respectable one The wicket was a little slow through overwatering, but quickly improved;- aiK i the Hawke s Bay bowlers — who are by no means to be despised— got little work on They hava in Smith as gocd a bo.wler as Cago. has met for some years, left-handed with varying pace and very like Cooke, but with an older head and consequently better judgment 1 hough the Napier team have some good ami educated hats Otago's bowling was better than they expe-ctrd, and the day'a cricket fmishfd with tbe folegrap.il showing 26 for five wickets. The weather was perfection, but a trifle hct for the southerners. There were no boundaries, and when a four had. been ran out oor batsmen needed no javitation to. get on th-ir backs and have a rest. Seeionwe have only 11 men we have bren fortunate in their all keeping well. The only exciting incident on the journey up was atOnnwru, where lour- of the f-am, preferring to lunch at a swagger-hotel instead oE the steamer, were so fascinated .by a lady attendant that they paid no heed to the engine's wbi.-tle of departure fortunately we had a good-natured guard, who pulled the train up after it had gone some distance and waited for the truanfs The captain lias had a careful eye on the same quartet cv; r si-ice.

We are being most generonsly and hospitably entertained by Mr Williams, the president 0* the Hawke's Bay Cricket Association, :,ud his committee. The natives had always thought us a nation or footballers, with little ' knowledge of the ancient game of cricket. The te.-un leave late to-morrow evening by the s s Mampouri for Auckland, playing there on the 29th and 30th. (Peb United Fbess Association.) Napier, December 20. There was beautiful weather for the first day of the cricket match Otago v. Hawke's Bay The wicktt was in splendid order, and greatly pleased the visitors. Otago won the toss aiul elected to bit. They played consistently and got well hoM of the bowling, all but three getting into double figures. Smith was the mest successful bowler, getting seven wickets for 65 runs. At 3.45 Otago were all out for lib. Hawke's Bay then took the wickets, "mu\ when tac stumps were drawn at 5 o'clock had lost five of the b,est, w.ici«ts for 26. The bowling of the visitors, completely floored them Hope securing two wickets for two iun«, while Lawton and Fisher also were mo>t difficult to negotiate, the latter taking two wickets for I 1 Scores:— *'

OTAfio.-Firsfc Inning. Lawton, 1) Smith ,'. jX Stronach.bß.ruee. 7 Beii, 1.1 smith ... .;. ;■; ■■■ /, Onlinston, b JLiusk... . ' '" 17 Harper, c Bennet, b Smith '. S Parker, c Wolstenholme, b Smith '" 21 Eisner, b Smith oy Croxford, b Smith ... o-j Kattray, c Hawkins, h hiisk Si Clayton, st Hawkins, b Smith ... 10 Jlqiio, not out 12 fetras .'. \[[ s Total ~ ... r/5 Hawku's Bay.—Fhsfc Innings. Wolsteuholme, b Hope 7 Lusk, b Fisher 7 Briwe, c Lawton, li Fisher 0 Nelson, st Crnxford, h Lawton „. 8 Williams, 1> Hope ;j Taiaro.i, not out \, 1 Total rorsoveu wickets 20 Tlio proposed trip south of the Hawke's Bay cricketing team has been abandoned, owing to the impossibility of getting a team together? SOUTH AUSTRALIA y. NEW SOUTH WALES. [By Electric TisLEfiiurn.—Copyright 1 (Pee Feess Association.) Adelaide, December 20. (deceived December 21, at 0.15 a.m.) The seem).! innings of the South Australian Jileven closwl for 330, Real man, with 73 beiii" highest scorer for the day. The New' South \\ ales team has to make 20G to win. The Opoho play Williamson's Opera C C today on the Oral at 2 p.m. sharp.