Ladies at Cricket.

Otago Witness, Issue 1765, 19 September 1885, Page 22

Ladies at Cricket.

(St. Jamc' Gazette.)

One hot forenoon in this month of July 1 lay on the edge of a green field beneath a cherrytree, the idle spectator of a cricket match between a ladies' school and eleven young women of the neighbourhood. Not long before I had seen two teams of the softer sex scrummaging over a football— hardly an edifying spectacle. But here they made a pretty picture, those young girls flitting about in print and flannel, and the field was vocal with their chatter. The elevens wore at tlieir waists a rose — a red rose the girls, the others a Marshal Niel ; and the victorious side were to leave, the field with the rose of the- vanquished at their belts. Tho sides tossed for first innings without giggling in the least ; but, owing to a little peculiarity of one of the captains, who could not toss the coin without flinging up both her arms and jerking in over her head, several coins were lost in the grass before this point was settled. Then the Marshal Niels went to the wickets, carrying 'their bats beneath their arms ; while the " out " side gathered round the crease to hem in the ball and have a little chat uutil it happened to come their way. The first representatives of the yellow rose were Miss Kawlins and Miss Thorns (who were loudly cheered on going to the wickets), and the attack was entrusted to Miss Mitchell (swift daisy-cutters) and a tall girl familiarly addressed as " Georgie" (medium lobs). The first over was a maiden, but off Georgie's second ball Miss Rawlins scored 1 ; following it up shortly afterwards by lifting Miss Mitchell smartly to the on for 2. Runs now came slowly. Miss Thorns gave point a chauce of a hard one, which was not taken, and then sided Georgie straight above raid-wicket, amid much cheering. For this 1 was recorded. Several singles and a bye followed, and then Miss Mitchell found her way to Miss Rawlins' wicket — one for 11. The next comer was Miss Phillips, who immediately opened out to a tempting' one, from Georgio, and put her away to leg for 3. For this only 2 should have been scored ; but the fielder, instead of smartly returning the ball, ran with it to the wickets and put it personally into the wicketkeeper's hands. Off the next ball Miss Phillips bad a "life" from Miss Welsh at point, who bad the ball, bub dropped it through some misuurlerstaudjupr. This cost the " out '" side dear ; for Miss Phillips was now in grand form, and subjected the fielders to a rare piece of leatherhunting. Having driven Miss Mitchell for a brace, she stepped out to a wide one from the same bowler and lifted it grandly from the off to log. In the uext over she snicked one nicely through the slips, for which a couple was chronicled, and then running after a wide, bit it hard behind the wicket-keeper. This brought on Miss Coombes, vice Georgie ; but runs still came, and the score stood at 25 after threequarters of an hour's play. The separation, however, was now effected. In stealing a run the two batswomen ran into each other, and before they could decide which side to take Miss Hibbert (mid-wicket) had hastened to Miss Coombes with the ball and told her what to do with it. Mi«s Phillips was then smartly run out. She ha«l player! a merry innings of 14. (Two for 25.) -Miss Ernpson,who came in second wicket down, did not seem at home with Miss Coombes' bowling, and, having slicked her in a rather fluky manner for ],harl her wickets spveadeagled by the following ball. (Three for 26.) Thirty was brought ou soon afterwards in byes, no long-stop apparently being securable with sufficient courage to touch the ball until it stopped ; while the wicket-keeper talked too much to slip. A change of bowling was again resorted to, Miss Hibbei t taking the ball from Miss Mitchell, in the hope of pelting another wicket before luncheon ; but both batswomen played carefully, never hittiup out except when they felt confident of raising' the ball high in the air. When the bell rang the score stood at 34 — still for three wickets.

Play was resumed at 1.45, when tho two not-outs (Miss Thorns 7, and Mrs Gilmour 0) faced the bowling of Miss Hibbert and Miss Mitchell. Off the former's third ball Miss Thorns— who was now playing with more confidence — should have scored a brace, getting a full-pitched one dead on the leg-wicket well away to cover-point ; but Mrs Gilmour, making a mistake as to the place to which she had to run, ruthed off in the direction of long-on, and was run out — four for 34. Further disasLer hofell tho "in" side in Vac next over, Miss Thorns knocking off the bails with the skirt of her dress three 'times. She was then given out. The retiring batswoman was_ loudly cheered, having played an invaluable innings of 7, the merit of the performance being far beyond the mere value in runs. In amassing this score ■\Ti<-b Thorns, who had not given a chance, had been ab the wickets for- an hour and i-half. The bowling, though the ground 'vas a little torn, way now dead on the spot, and run-getting whs extremely difficult. \t 36 Miss Mitchell di^ini^Hed Miss Curson with an unplayable one, pitched full ou to the bails ; and the two succeeding batswomon failed to •core. (Six, seven, and eight for 36.) Mrs French, the nest woman in, foil just as she. was jrottiug well set, and retired to change her dress. Thingr. v.-pre now looking black for the Marshal Niels, but the last wicket gave a deal of trouble, and a change of tiling had again tb tfc restarted

to. Miss Leslie spanked Miss Hibbert hard for :2, and snicked the same bowler through the sips for 1, both hits being lofty and deservedly cheered. Ab 42 the tenth wicket was taken 1.b.w., and the innings came to an end : Miss Leslie carrying out her bat fur a. superb 4, compiled without the vest.ig" of a chance.

The innings of the. Rod Ro.se was opened by Mis? Hihhort and Bliss Waee, to the. bowling of Sirs French and Miss Leslie. Miss Hibbert, who took the first over, hardly suemed at home with Mis 1 ) Leslie, Avho has a dangerous delivery, pitching her balls so high that it is extremely difficult to reach them. Off Mrs French's second over Miss Wace drew one to square-leg, and Miss Hibbert, stepping out to a tempting one of Miss Leslie's, drove ib terrifically to the on for a single. Ten soon went up amid loud cheering. The scoring now became fast and furious, the batswomen obtaining a complete mastery of the bowling. Miss Wace getting under one of Miss French's, lifted it over the bowler's head, where it might have been caught by long-on hail she thought of it in time. Miss Hibbert added a brace of singles, and then Miss Wace made the hit of the day. Hastening after a wide one from Miss French, which had gone in the direction of the pavilion, she overtook it at square-leg and struck it a severe blow from behind. Some idea of the velocity with which the ball travelled may be gathered when it is said that five fielders were required to bring it back. With the score at 20 Mrs Gilmour took the ball from Mrs French, but whs only allowed to bowl one over. Her delivery is peculiar, but perhaps too slow ; the batswoman having only io awajt the coming of the ball to rest in the middle of the pitch, to propel it in whatever direction she chooses. At 23, Miss Wact ¥ , in playing back, bib her wicket, and the next comer failed to score. With two of the best wickets down for 23 the prospects of tho "in " side were now less bright. Miss Coombes played finely for 2, but was dismissed by a brilliant catch at point, where she dropped the ball into Miss Leslie's hands. This was the smartest bit of fielding of the match, -and the other players gathered round Miss Leslie to congratulate her. After a short interval for conversation play was resumed, when Miss Hibbert opened her shoulders to a short-pitched one from Mrs French, and lifted it grandly into the hands of cover-point. For this a couple was scored. 'Die result seemed a foregone conclusion with the score at 35 for two wickets ; but a remarkable change came over the aspect of the game when Miss Curson was put on to bowl. In her first over she did the hat trick, her delivery being so swift that no defence was attempted. With only five wickets to fall and eight runs to get to win there was still a possibility of the Marshal Niels pulling the match out of the fire, and the fielding now became very smart and clean. The next over was -productive of neither runs nor wickets ; but at 38 Miss Mitchell was accidentally thrown out, and Miss Hume was bowled off her dre. e s without scoring — 7 for 38. The excitement was now keen, and bets in gloves were freely offered and taken. By byes and singles the score rose slowly to 41, when Miss Mounsey was cleverly snapped at the wickets. Miss Curson .hod now gone completely off her form, and Mrs French was again tried. At 42 Miss Croall should have been run out, Mrs Gilmour bungling the ball. This lost the Marshal Niels the match, for at 5.30 Miss Croall made the winning hit, a deep one through the slips. The most successful bowlers on the winning side were Miss Curson, who took three wickets for 7 runs, and Miss Leslie, three for 14 runs, who bowled consistently well throughout. Mrs French also trundled well. With the exception of Mrs Gil* mour, tho Marshal Niels fielded so smartly that it would be invidious to make distinctions.