CRICKET.

WOTES BT LONG SLIP.

D. C. Robinson, who made his debut as wicket-keeper for Essex against Yorkshire, is 6ft 3in in height. He should certainly be able to take balls well off the wickets.

Faulty fielding on the part of Essex helped considerably to their only making a draw of it with Yorkshire at Leyton on May 21, 22, and 23. Essex batted first, and hit up- 226 (J. W. H. T. Douglas 40, Rev. Gillingham 79), to which Yorkshire replied with 188 (Hirst 74— missed in the slips when he had made 1, — Myers 41 — aleo missed when he had made 1), and then Essex declared with 226 for nine wickets (Rev. Gillingham 50, Reeves 52). With 265 to get and 185 minutes to play, Yorkshire knocked up 210 for four wickets (Denton 61). Hirst bagged eight Essex ■wickets for 126, and Douglas bowled down five of the Tykes' wickets for 62.

Sussex defeated Somerset at Tanton by an innings and 128 runs. Sussex, 445 (Vine 77, A. E. Relf 94, C. L. A. Smith 71); Somerset, 200 and 117 (Eobson 16 and 51. Whittle 60). A. E. Relf took four Somerset wickete for 47 and Killiek eight for 77).

A small scoring match played between Lancashire and Derbyshire at Manchester resulted in a draw, rain interfering with the fixture and confining play on the second day to but 20 minutes. Lancashire totalled 184 in their first venture, and Derbyshire could only reply with 146. The cotton oountv declared with seven wickets for 209 (Sliarp not out 80), leaving Derbyshire with 248 to get in 130 minutes, and when stumps were drawn Derbyshire had lost five wickets for 132 (Neadham 53).

Llewellyn (154) and Thompson (91) helped considerably towards M.C.C. and Grounds first innings' total of 402 in the match against Worcestershire, who only ama&sed I^4 in their first ttvike (the cx-Sydn-ey crirkoter Cuffe 42), and followed on for 283 (Cuffe not out 132). In their second hand M.C.C. only totalled' 153, but still won the ma'oh by 88 run* Arnold f-ecuipd six M.C.C. wickets for 114, Cuffo six for 104. Simpson Tla\ waid thr-eo for 93, whilft G. L. Branston bowled down four of the =ame count; \ wickete for 60. and Thompson six for 67 and two for 87.

Rain curtailed play in the WarwiokshirpSuvrey fixture. played at Edgba^ton, and which pnded in a draw. Surrey 252 (Holland 89) and 181 for nine wickets (Alan Marshall 69). Warwickshire 221 (Charlosivorth 69, Lillpv 54; and 115 for oix wickets Field ljowWl m p!1 for Warwickshire, and took fivp rfurrc- wi'bk for 95 and seven for St>. Harproavf'-'s average reading none for 46 and none for 38. In Warwickshire's fir-st venture J. N. Crawford got five

wickets for 56, and in their second four wickets fell to Hayes for 19. Fielder (e&ven wickets for 95) and Blythe (six for 97) were ohiefly instrumental in dismissing Northamptonshire^ at Northampton, for 184 and 97, in their Kent fixture. The hop county knocked up- 335 (Hardinge 61) in their one strike, and thus won by an innings and 54 rune Yorkshire obtained an easy victory over Surrey at Leeds -on May 25 and 26, though rain and then the sun affected the wicket in Surrey's first hand, which closed for 00 run 6. of which total Hayes was responsible for 58. The Tykes replied with 113 (Myers 35), and then Hirst and Haigh went right through the Surrey batsmen, who were all out for 69. Yorkshire obtained the 48 runs required to win for three wickets. Hirst's bowling average was ..hree for 58 and six for 23; Haigh, six for 13 and three for 43. The ex-Queenslander Alan Marshall secured three Yorkshire wickets for 19, and Smith five for 46.

In an interesting match Somerset prevailed over Warwickshire at T&unton by 96 runs. With first strike Somerset obtained 229. of which total Br*und, -who -was missed twice, was responsible for 67. Rain Set in on Warwickshire going to the wickets, and play was postponed till next morning, when three Warwickshire men were out for 13 and two more at 14. The innings realised 120 (Lilley 38, Hargreave not out 37). In Somerset's second innings Santall got five for 51 and Hargreave five for 53, the hand closing- at 151 runs. Set 261 to win Warwickshire' were all out for 164 (Kinneir not out 65). The New Zealand representative batsman D. C. Collins was selected to. play for Cambridge University against Lancashire, but a naught and 12 represented his total, while he only bowled in Lancashire's second innings,- sending down four overs for 14 runs and no wickets. Lancashire hit up 334 (Tvldesley 105, Sharp 69. L. O. S. Poivedin 27), to which Cambridge replied with 205 (F. H. Mugjieton 109), and then Lancashire declared with five wickete down for 234 (Tyldeeley 68, Poivedin 59). Wanting 363 runs to win, the University team were all out for 192, Mugiieton &#ain being top scorer for his side with 56. Walter Brearley took sir Cambridge wickete for 114 and Haory six for 74. Heavy scoring marked the HampshireMiddlesex match, played at Lord's. Middlesex had the services of no less than cix professionals. Hampshire's first innings realised 374 (A. J. L. Hill, not out 110), and then Middlesex indulged their opponents in some .leather hunting, declaring their innings closed with nine wickets down and 502 run* on the board — the highest total of the season. P. F. Warner amassed 110, Tarrant 157, and C. A. L. Payne 71. Newman secured eight of the Middlesex wickets for 128 runs. The match' was drawn, Hampshire having five of their wickete down for 249 at call of time (Llewellyn 130). Sussex and Leicestershire also played » drawn match. Leicestershire, 197 and 382 for nine wickets (Coe 63 and 71, F. S. Crawford 61 and 106, King 67, and W. W. Udell 75); Sussex 364 (R. Relf 128, Leach 45, A. E. Relf 35). Vine took ©even Leicestershire wickete for 94, and the exSouth Australian^ Simms two for 49, while Jayes's five Sussex wickets cost him 126 runs.

C. B. Fry scored his first century of this season on May 28, when playing for a Trojan XI v. Grammar School at the County Ground, Southampton.

The Maharajah of Coooh Behar has presented gold cigarette cases with diamond initials to the Sussex professionals. Vine and Cox, in appreciation of the fine crioket they played when under engagement to him in India a few months ago.

In an interview on hie return to England, J. N. Crawford, a member of the last English Eleven, said: — "Undoubtedly th© beet of the coming men in Australia is Macartney — a good bat and bowler and : brilliant field. Ransford, the Victorian lefthander, is probably the best of the new men though Macartney, Hazlitt, Hartigan, Bardsiey, and the Rev. E. P. Waddy are all good." Following Australia's example in making a testimonial to M. A. Noble, the captain of the Australian Eleven who defeated the last English team in Australia, English enthusiasts started a testimonial fund for A. O. Jones, the English skipper. When, the last mail left the subscription* amounted to over £700.

The English gentleman, according to Mr G. K. Ch«6terton, is taught to treat half his work as play (diplomacy, Parliament, finance), and then to treat more than half his play es work. He is taught to play at politics and work at crioket.

The old outcry against the introduction of colonials into first-class cricket is being revived (says a writer in the London, Sportsman). My firm belief i« that th*, question would never have been raised a all but for the county championship. Competitions for championships necessitate th« acquirement of the best men possible-, whether home born or not, and while this de« mand exists first-class professionals are entitled to offer their services in the best market. A sure way to stop the traffic would be for the legislators to establish a rigid birth qualification, and I am glad to notice in that respect that when selecting players for their colts match the Lancashire committee gave the preference to men who first saw the light within tha county. Before the championship became the big affair it is now nobody took any notice when Gloucestershire introduced the late William Midwinter to the British miblic, but about 10 years later some hard things were said when that same county got J. J. Ferris to qualify. Ido not remember ever having heard Sussex blamed for playing either Ranjitsinhji — as we then knew him — or Mr W. L. Murdoch. ITie present crusade is probably directed against Middlesex, who at \ariou3 times have enlisted the services of four colonials in Phillips, Albert Trott, Roche, and Tarrant, but other counties, too, have followed vhe lead originally set by Gloucestershire. For instance, Worcestershire have Cuffe, Lancashire K-ermode, Hampshire Llewellyn, Sussex Dwver, and Surrey Alan Marshal. I think, however, that Marshal's case is rather different from the others. Marshal originally came over to this country to cultivate his ekill as a black and white artist, and desiring to play some crickr' joined the London County Olub. Under the watchful eye of Dr W. G. Grace, Marshal improved by leaps and bounds, and dropped into thp Surrey Eleven as soon as his period of qualification was complete. Marshal did not come over here specially to pay cricket. The institution of a birth qualification would <certainly hit some of the counties a cry hard for a time, but !t

would cave a lot of unpleasantness in tne T prepared to guarantee the Australians

ong run. Quite a feature of the matches played by Hampshire this season has been the wonderfully consistent batting of the ex-South African left-hander Charles Bennett Llewellyn. Against^ Surrey at the Oval he made the highest score (56) in either innings of his side, and in the match with the M.C.O. at Lord's contributed 76 and 39 to totals of 180 and 110. He was certainlyunfortunate in being on the losing side on each occasion. In his appearance in th» M.C.O. team against Worcestershire h* more than maintained the fine form he had been showing. Going in first, he scored 154 in 235 minutes without a chence, being fifth out at 296. In partnership with Thompson, of Northamptonshire, he added 230 for the third wioket in three hours and 10 minutes.

against pecuniary loss. He deprecated the suggestion that Australia had been intentionally slighted.

'ort Melbourne *. *ort Melbourne' ,X 'ort Melbourne .. •ort Melbourne .. Richmond . . . Uchmond ticitmo&d Uchmond .. ... 'ootscray . . . . JM. Yeax. 1900 1901 1902 190S 1904 1905 1906 1907 1906 Goa. 26 36 41 48 43 45 Si 67 46 Total .. .. 408