CRICKET.

NZ Truth, Issue 73, 10 November 1906, Page 2

CRICKET.

(By Scout)i

In the Wellington v. Newtown tnatcH WelHngt6n batted first and were all out for 183, out of which Richardson and Luckie made 86 between them. Richardson (59) and Luckie (27) batted vigorously and well. The rest of the team scratched for their runs excepting Mahoney, who was going well when he was out m a peculiar manner.

Miller sent up a ball that landed half way up the pitch ; it bumped up and would have gone over Mahoney's head. The wind at this moment flattened the rim of his hat down over his eyes, and, m malting a frantic effort to get rid of the hat, the ball hit his bat and careered quietly to square leg, who was pleased. Mahoney wasn't, though.

Miller bowled steadily for Newtown as 7 for 70 shows. At one. time things were looking very ordinary for Wellington, with 7 wickets down for less than 80.

Hales and Luckie were m a wickettaking mood, as three wickets each out of six down shows for 43 runs.

Spraggon; with 12 not out, was the only batsman to get into double figures. The rest of the team did a procession to and from the shed. No. 3 is not an ideal wicket m the estimation of fieldsmen, being m close proximity to the rising generation's various wickets. The number of times fieldsmen and umpires were struck from the youngsters pitches got very monotonous, and from the antics of some fieldsmen an extra eye m the vicinity of the back of the head was badly needed. It is a safe thing to back that Newtown will not -get within cooee of the premier ship this season. Gas Company, which received first strike /against Old Boys, . gave a consistent, 1 if "not brilliant, display, the score at the fall of the last wicket readitfg. 137? Ashbblt, wfid top-scored with 27,. played ■a. nice innings, brought about his downfall by* trying to chop an off ball from Monaghan into his wicket. Dredgfr : (21 ) and Hawthorn (19 )'. batted jwell for their runs. It might be mentioned that seven of the batsmen were successful m notching double figures.

The Old Boys fielding was excellent throughout, and Jacobs covered himself with glory by catching Topp m brilliant style. Blacklock was m good form behind the sticks.

Browman's bowling figures rea.d best at the close of the Gasworkers innings, his three wickets being captured at a 1 fraction over five rums apiece.] Tucker was not particularly destructive, and Monaghan's four victims dost 61 runs. ' ' ' . .

Tucker and Beechey opened the 'Old Boy's innings, and the pair seemingly were averse to their opponents' temperature dropping when a rather cold snap set m about five o'clock, the fieldsmen being kept on the go chasing; the 1 leather until shortly before the adjournment of play.

They gave a neat, and crisp display of free the forceful nature of which was evinced by 128 runs appearing on the score sheet; before the partnership was broken up, through .Beechey hitting 1 put 1 at a straight one from Lingard, the ; ball missing the bat, but dislodging the stumps.

Seven bowlers took, a, turn with the ball m the attempt to.«eyerth?i' Ticker - Beechey association. Beechey's tally on the slate was 47.

Hay assisted Tucker to; bring Jhe score along to 148, when stumps were drawn for the day. Tucker, who had 88 to his credit, laid the wood on toi good . account, his strokes in* eluding a sixer, and a fiver, and sjeven fours, all run out. Barring one difficult chance, the ex-collegian's coacli gave ablemishless display, his strokes on ■ 'both sides of' the wicket being capitally executed. He has- evitTeiiUy, .conic back to his best batting form this season. ... r

Phoenix, winning the toss against Midland, elected to take first strike* and 179 was on the score sheet before its last wicket fell. Laws, who opened with Cobcroft, quickly had hia timber-stack upended by Upham, but Redgrave and Cobcroft altered the complexion of affairs, and over 80 runs resulted from the partnership, -before Moss found a weak spbt m the former's defence. Redgrave punched the bowling to good account, and his forceful hitting was relished by the spectators, who gave him a round of applause for. some beautiful drives, which sent the ball skimming to and past the boundary. Anything loose was pasted unmercifully by the Phoenician, who* made matters hum for bowlers ancl fieldsmen during his stay at the wickets. He gave a chance tjefore settling down to business.

Cobcroft, who saw over 120 runs placed on. the slate, played a correct and steady innings before Patrick got one past him. He placed the hall to a nicety, and executed some pretty cutting and driving along the carpet. His defence was solid and he never once looked like getting out up, to the the 1 time of his dismissals Cohcroft's contribution was 58 and to his side it was worth double that number. \

Burton held up his end well and shaped m : tradesmanlike fashion tot 22. McLennan was the only othet doUhle-figure contributor, with 22. At one time Phoenix appeared to he safe for over 200 runs, especially* when Redgrave and Cohcroft were going so strong. The tail, however, wagged to some extent. "Vie" Waters was credited with a blob, Upham accepting a catch off hia bat from Patrick's bowling. Acheeon

played cautiously for 9 and was uncomiuered when the innings came to a close.

Upham and Patrick bagged the bulk of ; the wickets, the former securing 4 for 36 and- the latter 4 for 62. Moss netted two victims at a COSt of 27 runs. The fielding of the Midlanders was not quite up to their best foirm. Atkinson donned the gloves m place of "Williams, who was not m attendance during the Phoenix innings, and m the circumstances made a decent fist of the job.

When play was suspended for the day, four Midland batsmen had been sent pavilionwards, the telegraph reading .4 for 65. The Phoenicians were .qn good terms with themselves when "Claud Hickson. had his stumps mowed down by Brice with a solitary single opposite his name on the score sheet. They were seemingly glad to see the back of the .stonewaller- . -

Murph7, who opened with Hickson, notched a dozen m taking fashion before sending one into Hickey's hands, off Briee. Patrick got 8 to his credit and Sis^on 2 : before receiving their quietus.

Williams and Upham weare undefeatsd when play was suspended for the da,y, owing to the light which did not permit of the game goiny: on until the- stipulated time (6.30 o'clock). Arnold eschewed his usual vigorous policy and batted cautiously, taking no risks m view of his side's position . Uph&m , was also content to : ■give no- chances. . Brice trundled very steadily and batsmen!' could take no liberties with him. Laws also sent, down lots of accurate balls- The fieldinjr o f the Phoenicians was an improvement on their previous efforts this season, the men axi r. ?r v i niz: to work more m unison . A cheson. who, Played for. the Australs last season/' ■ kept wickets m good style. He was the recipient of a nasty clout from a rising ball, delivered by Brice, necessitating three stitches "beincc put m the wqwvl. , Every, reader of cricket is familiar vtiih the, name of Fred Holland, of Surrey, tie has abilities other than those connected with cricket, .howover. This much he showed, last men h at. the Tottenham Palace. <On •Ihtvl occasion be scored a record which h<> had nev-ei 1 approached' before— he v; on favor with a music-hall audience. The 'Sivrreyite's two songs were ■ensHiisiastically recalled, his pleasant .baritone voice being admirably adapted for i-he particular selections.

Walter Brcarley, the Lancashire fast liovrler, and George Cohen wrestled iha test of three' falls m the catch-as-oatch can style for a trophy a few weeks aga. Cohen, who is nineteen v rats of age, conceded fully two stone •to the Lancastrian,: who' is m his, ■fhirtv-thini year. The match took vJacc" at .( to? "National Sporting Club, tirearl^v. en -the first fall, Cohen the •n3xt, find, a keen struggle ensued for iihe rubber.. Cohen came out on top m sm in sseci and won the match. - Bill Howell 'is reported to have lost this season the heavy Aldermanic appearance of a few years ago. He "now wears a hard r and solid look.

• Very few batsmen m the world can point, as can . S. J. Redgrave, of Sydney, to an innings of 149 m which over l&O runs were got by means of Strokes to the boundary, or over it. He punched the bowling at a wonderful rate, bitting eight sixes a»d 16. fours, or 112 out of 149 by boTOdaty strokes. The news ,coanes from England that W. L. Murdoch is not m the best oi health.- His name did not figure m the matches of the London County VC. this summer. His great English opponent of 1882 and 1884, Dr. W. G-. Grace, appears to be as robust and keen on active cricket as ever.

The selectors for the Auckland representative cricket teams this season are Messrs C. Hay, R. Neill, and N. T. •Williams. Hitherto Auckland has had only one selector, Mr F. J. Ohlson having filled the position -for some few seasons. Mr Ohlson this season resigned, and the Management Committee of the Cricket Association decided to have a committee of three. .•■;■■•

Kerr, a N.S.W. cricketer, has joinad Parnell CAuckland). He is a lefthanded bowler and a right-handed bat, and m practice has shaped very well, He played for Mudgee last year, and' got 1000 runs and a hundred wickets. He bowls at a fair pace. At a meeting of the Manawatu Cricket Association on Saturday night last, a letter was received from the New Zealand Cricket Council regarding expenses m connection with the Marylebone Club's match at Palmer ston North. The Council notified that it would not be responsible for cost of entertaining the team Unless its written consent were first obtained. The maximum cost of the team's visit there was set down at £30; Any extra must be paid for by the local Association.

it looks any odds on Ken. Tucker earning the distinction of notching the first century of the season m senior championship matches. There's many a slip, etc., as many batsmen m a similar position as Ken. have found to their cost. For instance •the late Bob Blacklock piled on 99 runs for Midland m a senior championship match some years ago and at that stage play was interrupted by the time limit. The game was resumed on the following Monday evening, and to the lamented Bob's mortification, and that of his friends,, lie. was : out second ball thereby missing the coverted three figures by a hair's breadth. Tucker has, of course) a little longer road to travel before the century is his.

.-•• The damnable row kicked up m the Basin Reserve pavilion by a small army of kiddies on Saturday afternoon was distracting for habitues, scorers and pressmen. Attention has been drawn to the necessity for checking the evil aad it is confidently expected that stringent steps will .be taken m this direction. This much: ,may be said of the present Executive of Cricket Association that it ir. always ready to . attend to any legitimate complaints made by the public and press. It was not always so m past years.

'Wellington cricket is to be deprived of the services of Billy Redgrave, wtto has accepted the position of coach to the public schools m Mapier. The silver-haired gentleman has done splendid work for whatever club his lot may have. been cast during his sojourn m the Empire /City, and m the representative ranks

he has worthily assisted to uphold her honor. He is probably the best all-round player we have m Wellington just now, and it is a pity that we are to lose his services. Billy is personally very popular with the cricketing public and he is always sure of a hearty reception when cominpr pavilionwards after putting up a decent score. That good luck will follow him m his new sphere is the sincere wish of this scribe.

In the match Carisbrook A. v. Carisbrook B. at Dune-din on Saturday. Watson, for the former team, performed the hat trick by dismissing Siedebsrg, Drumm, and Fenwick with successive balls.

According to the Melbourne Cricket Club's annual report, there are 4741 members ,on the roll. This club issues a comprehensive record of each season's operations, running; into a book of 130 pages.