NOTES BY SLIP.

•. * The Canterbury representative team left Chrisbchnrch on their northern tour on Saturday night last. •. • Great sympathy has been expressed in Australia with A..-E.' Sto-Jdarfc on the bereavement he has suffered in the death of his mother, which kept him out of the English team in the recent test match. *. • In consequence of the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Cup matches which were commenced last Saturday will be interrupted by a fortnight's intermission. * . ' The name of Darling was nob included in the list cabled from Sydney throughout the colonies of players chosen to represent Au3tr&lia ia fae. fijcst tost match, the fact being '

that, by a singular oversight, the official list written out by H. Trott, as chairman of the Selection Committee, omitted Darling's Dame. And yet Trott, Iredale, and Darling, who formed the committee, modestly selected themselves as the first three members of the team ! Iredale is the authority for that statement.

• . * The score of X 77, made by K. S. Ranjitsinhji in the match at Sydney l*st week, is the highest that has been compiled for an English team in a test match. The highest individual score previously for the motherland was 173-by A. *E. Stoddat v at Melbourne in 1895, until which time W. G. Grace's 170 at the Oval in 1886 topped the English list.

• . • On two occasions in the Grange-Caris-brook match lasb Saturday the umpire for the former team neglected to allow an extra ball in an over in which- a wide was delivered. This may have been due to forgetfulness, although that view was apparently negatived by the fact that the omission which occulted while Hope was bowling was repeated when Johnston was operating from the bowling crease. • . • C. A. Richardson, the well-known New South Wales batsman, who played for the Combined Thirteen at Brisbane against the English team, and scored 42 (not out), has been transferred to New Zealand to undertake the control in this colony of the chief office of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia. " Not Oat " says in the Sydney Referee : •• New South Wales has thus lost the services of one of her very ablest playerß and administrators. In Sydney cricket there is not, I feel sure, a player more universally popular, an administrator more independent and sincere in his opinions, and a captain more highly esteemed than C.A.R., who sho\ild be of great service to the game in New Zealand."

I • . • When the selection of the Australian team for the firab test match was made kaow.i, the Sydney Daily Telegraph foresaw trouble for the bowlers. It pointed out that, in the absence of Giffen, the team possessed only "four front-rank bowlers, these being Jones, M'Kibbiu, Trumble, and Trott. The Telegraph continued : " M'Leod, however, is a useful change sometimes, and, after his success against Victoria at Adelaide three week's ago, it is possible that Lyous may p ove of service. Bu' nevertheless, if Lyons goes' on to bowl, it will be a sign that things are in a tangle. 16 may be that the inclusion of Fisher, the New Zealander, who is now in Melbourne, would have strengthened the attack, but, unhappily, he is still an unknown quantity. The course of procedure in Fisher's case has been peculiar. Same two months ago he was brought over from New Zesl*nd, with a vie w to his candidature for a place in the tesb matches. But; he has been afforded no opportunity of giving a taste of his quality, and it is understood that he has lifted up his voice in complaint."

• . " One extraordinary occurrence in connection with the first test match consisted in the postponement of the opening of the match, on account of the weather, by the trustees of the Sydney Cricket Ground, on which the match was to be played. The members of both teams and the umpires concurred in condemning this action on the part of the trustees, who did not think of taking auy advice outside their own body 'on the subject, and indeed no "conclusion can be formed other than that such interference was a monstrous innovation and altogether unheard of. The English captain, who formally entered a protest against the action of thd trustees, took Ihe view of the case which, from the point of view of cricketing authorities, is completely unanswerable. The English captain considers — and the laws of the game bear him out — that on tha dato being fixed the matter rested entirely with the umpires for the match as to whether the wicket was fife or unfit for play on the day set down. The Englishmen deny the authority of anyone to alter the dates once they are fixed. It was unfair to both sidea. They were perfectly convinced that the postponement of tha test match was done solely for^he gate, and not with any desire to give Australia an advantage, though it did so — ia fact Mr Maclaren* felt sure that the question of the chances of the game had not been taken into consideration:.

• . * The Grange team tailed lamentably to utilise the opportunity which they had last Saturday, when they met the Carisbtook A team with Fisher and Broad absent from the lalter, and when they, moreover, got first use of a really good wicket. The Carisbrook trundlers were fairly on theic mettle, and the more prominent of the Grange batsmen seemed unable to do anything with the bowling. Hope, who really bowled bsst for his side, and Harkness respectively stuck up the batsmen ; and when Baker and Johnston were both oufc, with the total at 8, the prospect for the Grange had already become gloomy. The fact that Alex. Downe3 received a second leasa of life through Spraggon, a usually sure fieldsman, incontinently dropping a bill from Hope which was dtiven straight into his hands was a stroke of luck for the Grange, but even that dashing batsman could not get the ball away, and was shortly out to a capital catch by Hope. Res* tieaux, although he got into double figures, was twice virlually beaten by G. Austin (on the latter relieving Harkness) bsfore he was dismissed by him, and Lawrence played rather streakily, while none of the other batsmen did anything to speak of except Haydon. The Granga wicket-keeper, however, played a distinctly sound and judicious inning*, keeping up his stumps by careful play, and picking the balls for his scoring strokes. He was unfortunate also in the way in which he losb his wicket, inasmuch as he played a fast ball on. The Carisbrook fielding was somewhat patchy, bub Hope and G. Austiu both did capital work. The e-xfcras totted up the second highest score on the Grange side, B. J. Austin letting several balls past him at the wickets, and these recording a couple of runs each in thosa* cases in which they did not travel to the boundary.

• . • During the whole of the Grange innings the play was too sound to ba exhilarating, bub it became decidedly entertaining upon tho Csrisbrook team going to the wickets, Alex. Downes bowled very steadily^from the pavilion end, but he received very poor support from the other crease. Spraggon was in his happiest hitting vein, and the bowling of Parker, who opened the attack with Downes, was very much to his liking. Morice somehow or other seemed to get the bulk of Downes's bowling, and while by neat placing he scored occasionally Spraggon scored freely and rapidly all round the wicket. A snort ran on one occasion nearly cost Morice his wickefc, which was thrown down by a return from the field. A number of Grange supporters so far forgot themselves as to hoot the umpire, who gave the batsman in, but when itis mentioned that the umpire was Ml* A. Glen the baselessness of the spectators' indignation will be recognised. Parker's bowling proving expensive, the Grange captain took himself off in favour of Baker, who, having placed the field elaborately for the off theory, started to bowl to leg. Spraggon, however, got one boundary hit to the off from Baker, finding an opening in the fieldsmen's ranks with a very sweet cut. Baker was supplanted at the crease by Johnston, who sent down a couple of overs of strangely assorted stuff — bad and indifferent, fast and medium-paced ; and the latter was succeeded by Cramond, whose bowling looked somewhat ©lain, The score moaabed up

quickly all the while, so that the Grange total was passed and 100 was posted as the result of about 80 minutes' play. Spraggon, who had given the best display ever given by him here, then began to change his taotica, playing steadily for a nob out to ai to resume fresh on the continuation of the match, and though ho succeeded in his object he lost the company of Morice, whose dismissal Downes at last effected! A sharp chance through the slips, upon which Biker did not get his hand, was the only positive blemish in Morioe's innings, which was marked by patient and correct cricket. As the match at present stands the Oarißbrook have it • in hand, and it is quite possible they may make a heavy score. ' . * The Albion team fared better than waa anticipated of them in their match with the Dunediu Club which was commenced on the Caledonian ground. The reappearance of Maulay in a senior team has strengthened the Albion attack, and Dawes, whom the Grange never suspected of being a bowler, has shown his ability to capture wickets now that he has returned to his old love. The Dmedin supporters were jubilant when their skipper woa the to3S, and as Ccoxford and Kinvig, the opening batsmen, started treating the bowling of the Albion with the "utmost contempt, a long score was free'-y predicted. The total was taken to 57 before Kinvig, in attempting an off-drive, which he failed to get on to properly, put the ball into the hands of J. Spence, and retired with 30 runs to' hu credit. Although hardly in his best form the retiring batsman played a most attractive toning?, his - leg hitting being very effective. Clirke filled the breach, but was run out with the addition of 1 run to the score, and Beck was caught after making 1. Fish helped Croxford to raise the total to 69, when the latter retired. Ho ba"j proved himself to be in first-class form this season, and Saturday's innings of 32 wai one of his best efforts, his hitting, all round the wicket-being free and well timed. M'Crorie helped to raise the score conssiderably, although at 94- he lost Fisb, who left with a hard 23 to bis name. Hutchison shaped nicely for 8 runs, and M'Crorie after making 18 by pretty cricket was unfortunate in bAng slumped as the ball rebounded off the wicketkeeper'd pads. The remainder of the team did not do much, and the innings closed for 147. Black and M'Donald (Albion) faced the bowling of M'Farlano and M 'Kersey, but with the score at 7 Bkck was clean bowled by the latter. Joel and M 'Donald being partnered, play became painfully slow, and at 25 Joel, with' 12 to his credit, was bowled by M'Farlane after playing careful cricket, and m&de way for Crawahaw, who commenced a most useful partnership. Various changes of bowling were tried without effect, and the total reached 73 bafore M'Farlane got one past M 'Donald, who had compiled 21 in hia wellknown style. With 1 run added Crawshaw also fell victim to the same bowler after making 30 in first-class stylo. Wtth tin la«t over of the day Dawe3 wm out i>, » '"> S'irtcb, tho tot*! standiog ab 84- for five wir'» -i • . • The Carisbrook Bees to.>k only feu men up to Opaho lass Siturday, G. Harraway, who is put down on the score sheet as having, it is understood, retired from participation in the game. The ten included also two or three substitutes from junior elevens, bo that the team was not bo strong as it might have been, and ,yet the Opoho pluyers «eem to be in a bid way. Burt, whose exclusion from tha Cirisbrook A team seems to have brightened ' up his batting, and C: R. Smith, who is in every sense a strong acquisition to the Bee», laid the foundations for what should have bean a much batter total than their side made ; bat still a tcire of 158 requires norao catching. GanHiorpa was the most successful bowler for the Opoho, his fonr wick«ts costing 35 vuu^. Opoho made a good sfe&rt in batting, their first wicket falliug at 30 ; bat tha next seven wickets only added 19 runs to the score. Then Gooch came to the rescue of feif side, aud with the kid of Gunbhorpe and. Lear carried Xhe score to 100. Fur the Cariabrook C. R. Smith was in -great form with the bill, taking seven wickets for 53, runs and also doing the hal trick. The fielding of the Opoho was sot first class, several chances being dropped. • . • Fisher, playing for the Melbourne Club against a Kew Thirteen on the Bth insfc., scored 48 out of a total of 399 for eight,wicket* (innings closed) m-ide by his side and captured shC" wickets for 34, K«w scoring 100 for. the loss of 10 men. He was chosen to play ou Friday and Saturday of la3t week for a Victorian Eleven against a Country Fifteen. • . • An Auckland telegram states that the following players have been selected to represent . Auckland in the match against Canterbury on the 27th inst. : — Dr Pabst, A. Kallender, G. Mills, I. MM*, D. Hay, A. M. Lubatt, R. Neill, D. Clayton, W. Stetnson, B. Wright, F. B. Kelly. Messi'3 Luudon, Wynyard, Marshall, and Ohlso'n notified the committee they would ba unable to play if chosen. • . • The result of the first test match, which was played at Sydney last week, can hardly be said ?to have been flattering to; Australian cricket. The first two days actually determined the result. The splendid use which the English taom made of the wicket, on whjch they were fortunate enough to get first strike, and the downfall on the afternoon of the eecond day. of the pioneer batsmen on the i Australian side destroyed what hope the colonials had of winning. The Englishmen's first innings' total, it is to be observed, is exactly the same as WdS compiled at the Oval in 1884 in the test mttch played in England by the Australian Eleven in that year— that being the match in which W. L. Murdoch, H. J, H. Scott, and the late P. S. Macdonnell each made centuries for their side— and the batting of the team throughout demonstrated strikingly how weak the Australian attack was. The success of the Indian prince with the bat, considering the unfavourable conditions under which he played, must be regarded as one of the most remarkable achievements that have ever bean accomplished on the cricket field, and Maclaren's innings furnished just another illustration of what a marvellous batsman he is on his present form. It is probable that fatigue from their long outing prevented the earlier Australian batsmen from showing their true form, and this view seems to be confirmed by the subsequent batting of the Australians, whose second innings' gcore represented a distinctly fine recovery, the total of 408 having indeed been exceeded on only five occasions by Australian team* in test matches — once in 1884, once in 1894, twice in 1895, and onca in 1896. The English first innings' total made, however, the fight a completely hopeless one fot the Australians, for there is no playing for s draw in Australia as there is in England, where - a specified time is set apart for a match, aad the only question really was one of the number of- wickets the Home team would win by. That the better team won the match does not sasmto be at all in doubt, and it would seem to be obvious thac the Australians must strengthen their bawling for the next match. George Giffen's presence iv ths team would, if the weather be fine, strengthen it all round, and he is certain to go into the eleven if he is agreeable to do co, and it may be assumed that M'Kibbin will be left out unless a bowler's wicket should be expected. tA.s for Fiaher, it is to be hoped that he will be allowed a trial this week ia the

match between Victoria and New South Walep, and thus be .afforded an opportunity of proving his worth or otherwise.

DUNEDIN HIGH SCHOOL v. COLLEGE. Christchurch, December 20. In the match Danedin High Seliool v. Christ's College the latter won by four wickets, the .scores boh.g— Dunedin 61 and 137, Christchnrch 136 and 83 for six wickets.

OTAGO v. SOUTHLAND. : Kr W. Maclean, secretary of the local association, sent the following telegram to Mr T. B. M'Kay, secretary of the Southland Association, yesterday morning: — "Eind Saturday and Monday, the ?sth and 27th of December, the only time suitable to get an Otago team away. Failing this we will have great difficulty in fulfilling the engagement. Reply 1 at once if this arrangement is convenient." Mr M'Kay replied : " Cannot play on dates suggested. No gate. All our players 17111 be in Queenstown." This practically means that the match between Otago And Southland will not be played this season.