CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

The finish of the United-Gordon match lasts Saturday was undoubtedly the most interesting of the senior fixtures which have been bo far decided. The 142 which Gordon left United fco make in the latfcer's second innings, seemed amall enough for such a wicket, but to United ib proved a big task. Unibed had the miafortune to lose Cuff and D. Hay before 14 runs had been scored, and by 44 six wicketa had beon secured, leaving the remainder nearly 100 runs to make to avert defeab. After bhia slaughter Gordon seamed bo have the game well in hand, bub McCormick, S_em_on and C. Hay came bo the rescue, jaach making a fine Btand, and before bhe last of bho three had retired, United were only three rune shorb of the required total, with another wickeb bo fall. The few momenta remaining were moments of great excitement. When the last man, Brown, weno in, fche excitement bf-catne so intense that play in the Auckland- Parnell mutch waa suspended. Edwards was bowling, and ib was perhaps forbunato for United thab only throe balls remained iv tho over, for each of bhose three Brown missed. In Kalleuder's nexb over, however, Watte drove one for three, and United had won by one wickeb. C. McCormick deserves greab credib for hia excellent innings of 36. Ha batted with confidence and vigour, and, though both his and Stemaon'a batting wero nob marked by that care and caution which one might have expected to see under tho circumstances, both batsmen could not have done batter than adopt the tactics they did. By so doing they saved fcheir side from defeab. McCormick's scores this season are 0, 7, 1, 4, 6, 36. On bhree occasions out of the six he waa not out. Stemson (29) and C. Hay (21) both showed good cricket for thoir runs. Edwards bowled splendidly in Uni.ed's second innings, taking 7 wicketa for 49. Tho other two wickets wero secured by Kallencfer (1 for 50) and Williams (1 for 28). The Auckland-Parnell match proved, aa everyone expected, an easy win for Auckland. Parnell are, however, to be complimonted on tho. excellent fight* they made in bheir second inninga. Thiß ia the first time bhia aea.on thab Parnell has made over 200 runs. I, Milla' innings of 77 waa bhe feature of bhe afternoon's play, and was compiled by careful and correct cricket. This ii the filth time Ike has batted this season, hia previous scores being 7, 4, 27* and 12. R-. Woods, the uselul young member of the Parnell team, who is a faat improving bat, began his season's record with a •duck, but has now several good scores to hia credit. He haa batted seven timea wifch the -ttrftfwing resulb:—o, 20, 6, 35*, 4*. 33, 46. ! Auckland Seconds, who are playing Newton, seem to bo on a fair way bo securing the tir^t win they will have made this season. Last Saturday Newton made 91, and they made 99 for 8 wickets. Of theae eighb men no less than throe wore run oub, Hill (0), Kenderdine (34), and Murley (30). Dr. Pab.fc, the popular member of bhe Gordon Club, lefb for Sydney on a holiday last Monday. On the first day of the Now South Wales v. South Australia match ab Sydney on January Bth. an unusual incident occurred which nearly robbed New South Wales of one of their besb bats, as far aa this match was concerned. When South Australia, who were bho firsb to bat, had mado 47, Iredale dismissed Darling by a great catch in the outfield, and to. colebrate the event in tho usual way he threw the ball high into the air. Donnan, who was fielding ab mid-ofF, and was nofc looking, waa struck by the falling ball on tho lower abdomen. Ho was seen to stagger about and fall, and hia comrade, quickly ran to bis assistance. Ho waa in greab agony, and had to be helped from the field, and then attended in the dressing-room by Dr. W. C. Wilkin* son. In Now South Wales' inninga of 420, Jones had taken 3 wickets for 5 runs when the score stood afc 2, bub ab the close of the innings his average sbood ab 8 wickebs for 157. McKenzie (Soubh Australia), a big man, who bate left hand, performed the unusual feat of catolsing four men out in Now South Wales' innings in tho match New South Wales v. South Australia on January Bth, 9sh and llth. By putting.on 170 runs for bhe ninth wickeb in bhia match, McKibbin and Garrett established a record for Australian firsb class cricket. The hibherto finest stand for fche ninth wickeb was 154 by S. E. Gregory and J. M. Blackham, in fche famous first test match of 1894, when the little man made 201 against Sfcoddart's team. McKibbin'a 75 was an inninga of which almost any batsman might feel proud (gaya tho 'Referee'), hia driving and cutting being full of power and clean in execution, whilst bhore was nothing weak in hia defence. It ia the largest score ho has ever made in first-class cricket ; aad in it he gavo only one chance, thab at 62. Tho blows which A. H. Jarvia received in Melbourne whiteb taking Jones's fast onea severely battered hia chest. He waa at first afraid that some internal injury had been done, but ia now said to be greatly improved. George Giffen ia the firab batsman to Compile 1,000 runs in matches between South Australia and New South Wale_. Ho accomplished the feat in fche recenb match, and has now an aggregate of 1,028 runs and an average of 42"53.

The following tables show tho present positions of bhe beams engaged in this season's competitions,

Senior. Played. Won. Lost Auokland 4 3 1 United J 3 1 tiorclon _ J 3 Parnell 1 13 FIR_T JUNIOR. Played. Won. Lost Licensed Victuallers ..4 4 0 North Shore 4 4 0 Parnell * 3 1 Gordon 4 2 2 United 4 2 2 Pitt-street Mutual .... 4 2 2 Onehin.ga 4 1 3 Belmont.. ... .... 4 13 Nowion 4 I 3 Auckland 4 0 4 Second Junior. Played. Won. Lost. North Shore A 4 4 0 Ponsonby 5 4 1 St. Albans 5 4.1 Auckland .. .. ... «■ 3 1 Parnell 4 3 1 United 4 0 4 I Belmont 3 12 Clarence 3 12 Gordon . ..4 1 3 North Shorsß 4 1 3 Surrey i 1 3

Batting and Bowling Averages. A list of bhe batting and bowling averages lof senior players up to last Saturday ie i givon below. The chief differences between 1 bhis list and that given on December 26th

consist in A. C. Sbewarb jumping to firsb position through his fine score of 116, J. Arneil reaohing bhird place with an average of 40, I. Mills taking fourth with 3175, and tha big improvementß of R. Woods and J. A. Kallender. J. C. Pabsb, who abill holds his high position, has the highesb aggregate of rune with 178 ; thon follow J. Arrieil and J. A. Kallender. 160; D. Clayton, 158; R. Woods and A. M. Labafcb, 149. In the bowling averages the po»itiona are little altered from bhe lasb lisb. M. Sb. Paul, bhe young left-hand bowler, has secured tne largest number of wicketa, while A. M. Labatfc still holds first place with an average of 9-31, being closely followed by D. Hay wibh 10-10. The following are the lists s~Batting.

Then followed ;—J. R. Reed, 18*66; W. McCormick, 18; W. Stemeon. 1771; W. Lavvaon, 16*80; T. Neill, 16*80*; R. McPheraon. 15*50; A. Brown, 15-25? C. B. King, 15*25. E.Lambeth has an average for two inninga of 27, and A. G. Holland for three of 30*00. Bowling.

The others, whose averages are also : under 20, bub who have secured bob a few wicket*, are :—A. Williamson, 2 for 26 ;K. Ho'lle, 3 for 55; J. Humo, 1 for 15. W. Hawkins has an average of 2075 ; W. Stemson, 20-50; W. Mills, 20-33; J. Arneil, 23 66; J. Kallender, 24; W. Lawson, 27*41. FOOTBALL. The Parnell Football Club are talking about returning the visit which they owe to the Sbar Club, New Plymouth, about) Easter time. BASEBALL. The ' Sydney Rafeiee' says bhab nrrango. merits are so far advanced for fch© tour of a Victoria ■ cum • South Australia team of baseballors in the United States that it is very probable the manager, Mr H. Mns* grove, will leave for America ip the Alameda, and, that the team, consisting of 13 or 14 players, will follow io March. The Selection Committee (Messrs Bruce, Ingleton, and Layer) have chosen the following player as certainties: -r- R. Ewe™, South. Aqotrftlia; S, W. Smith, South Auabrolitt: l\ Lnver, East Melbourno; P: McAlistar, East Melbourne; J. Wallace, Melbourne; J. McKay, Melr bourne; C. Kemp, South Melbourne; W. Ingleton, South Melbourne; W. EHis, South Melbourne. ATHLETICS. The local athletes are braining as»iduou»ly for the championehip mo6feing to take place at the Domain on February 10th and 13th. With the exception of the Wellington, the representatives of the other provinces have not been chosen, bub it i» expected the visiting athletes will prs'enb a very large list. Several Australian chatnpiona aro also likely to compete; amongst the number being S. Rowley, and J. Burton, (he well-known sprinters, M. M. Roeeihgrave, and B. H. Richards, hurdler, and A. O. Barrett, walkor. 'Prodigal,'.in the 'Referee,l conaiders Rowley tho fastest amateur in Australasia. A. W. Bell, the threemilo champion of Australasia, will also be a competitor at; tho mooting. Ho intonde joining the Auckland CJub, and will, I understand, compete as a member ot that body. The Waikato Amateur Athletic Club have received excellent entries for their pports next Fridny, at ITamiltor. A large number of Auckl&nders aro amongst the ontranb". An excursion train runs to the Waikato on tho day of the sports. Regarding an old AucklnnrJer ' Prodigal' in the ' Referee ' says :—' Mr W. Aloxandor, Hon. Secretary bo the Sydney U'arriors, tells mo that Mr Joe Tizard, who has done such yeoman service for the club n^msd, is shortly leaving Newcastle for Wosd Australia. Tizard is a very popular atMose, and deservedly so, and I wish him the best of good luck in his venture.1 , Regarding two well-known New South Wales sprinters, 'Prodigal,'in the 'Referee,' says:—'l have heard eotne discussions of lute as to the relative merits of Stanley Rowley and J. Burton ovor lOOyde, and my contention that co-rfay Rowloy stands as the fastest amatowr in Australasia hus been questioned by a correspondent. 1 take it to bo fair to assume that sprint form in Now South Wales i» s'^htly ahead of both New Zealand and Victoria, i.e., from a dead set start. We have rend of 10 1 sth sec being done in both >hoM> colonies, the latest case I can call to mirjii Iteing C. H. M. Watson's 100 yds ckampidn'hip of Victoria time on November 14bh la<t, but I confess to doubting the figure". Prior to W. Cartwright going to Chrisfehureh we road of the Futce j thing in New Zealand, but my conte?ition J was that Carbwrighfc, whose very be&t fime j from a set stand was 10 2 sth see, would baak any of the reputed " 2yds worse " nio'n — and he did. Rowloy was clocked to run 98$ yds at Moorefield in lOaec dead, with ths wind against him. I wholly disbelieve the time, and probably the course was short. A good judge, and ono that I place great confidence in, tells me that he has made Rowley do between 3yds and 4yds '* worfte," .and this, from a "dead set ptarb," will, I maintain, find out any amateur in this parb of the world. Watson, the conqueror of Moir, muy beat tha Ashfield crack, but until I see ib accomplished I shall hold to my opinion. My correspondent says that if Burton und Rowley ran the beet *• two pub of three " over 100 yds, he would stand the tall Brisbane lad. I fail to see on whab grounds. Without question when they met on October sth last Burton had a great advantage in the matter of condition, yet ho did nofe win. Lob us take a good reliable '• trial horse" who has meb both and aeo with whab result'

CYCLING.

A mechanical wonder has been horakled in England, which, if the claims of bhe promoters be justified, will completely eclipse the chainles. wheels of which bo much is expected next season. Tha announcement of the new invention waa made in an Engliah newspaper as follows :—' At bhe annual stockholders' m.eting of one of bhe largest En_.H.l\pycle compnn'ea, bhe presidenb of the company said that the directors had involved the company in an investment for the time being of a, few hundred pounds— viz., for the purpose of building certain machines which, he ventured to say, " would cause a sensation in bhe world of cycles such as haa nevor up to the presenb time been experienced." In other words, they wera interested in a powerful syndicate formed to introduce a cycle fco tha public which is driven neither by chain, gearing rods, nor, he might Bay, mechanical contrivances, bub by a wonderful adaptation of an old principle in use in our chief public buildings of bo-day. An increase ml power woe provided that would admit of any one of them propelling the machine ab 35 miles an hour—?up hill if desired. By means of this invention Jjueb

one-tenth part of bhe power required bo drive an ordinary cycle aba certain rate of speed will be required to propel a safety fibted wifch the new invention.' A good deal of interesb is being manifested in the Auckland Cycling Clubs sports, to be held on February 6th, in aid of a fond for repairing the Domain pavilion. Amongst bha riders who have notified the Club of their intention to compete are wellknown riders from all parts of the colony, and «a the entries for all events are numerous a good day's sporb should be provided. A race bebween a bicycle and a locomotivo* steam engine is to be organised in England shortly. The track baa nob yeb been decided upon, bub bhe race will be five miles in lengbh, and the bicycle will be given a flying Btarb. It ia said that the bicyclist and the engine-driver have been backed to win considerable sums of money by fcheir respective partisans. Ib ia said tbab Parson . the Victorian cyclist, will shortly take a holiday in this colony. An English Company recently exhibited in London a variety of cycle ports made from a now white metal known aa ' Kronand,' which thoy claim is stronger than steel, absolutely non mating, has the appearance of nickel plating, and is the only whito metal which can be drawn into seamles-? bright cycle tubes of fche requisite strength for cycle use. Exhaustive tests have been made fco prove tbe strength of. the metal, and fche company hold a certificate which .bites bhab bhe testing of their tubes showed a strength nearly 25 percent, greater bhan a..el tubes'. Lesjia, tho French long-distance champion, who arrived in Melbourne last week, has some remarkable performancea, In 1883 he baab Riviere and Shorland in a 24----houra' race, and gained bho world's record for thab disbance. In 1884 he won fche Bordeaux bo Paris race, in which he beab G. P. Mills. England's long distance rider. In 1895 he gob the 50 and 100 miles records, defeating Linton, and also a world's record for a kilomebre. He rode a mabch wibh Michael, 50 kilometres, and beab bhe libtle Welshman. He defeated Hureb in a six hours' race, and alao won a championship of France in the same year, beating Fournier and othera. In 1896 he won a number of races afc Cannes, Nice, and Marseilles, and at Paris beab Jaequelin in a scratch race of 10 kilometres. He won a match with Tom Linton over 50 miles. Hie most recent performance was at Berlin, where he won bhe championship of Europe, beating Beauge, : Fischer, and others, and lowered all German ' records. Lesna, ib is said, is willing bo rido a mabch with Martin or Lewis if sanction be grunbed. What they were pleased to call the ladies' 12 days' cycle roco ab the Royal Aquarium resulted in an easy victory for Mdlle. Butrieu. Well paced by her counbrywomen, Bho rode 785 mile* 2 laps in tbe 42 hours on tha brack. She received £50; Eglea was second (£25), 769 miles 9 laps ; and Harwood (£15),769 miles S laps, bhird.— ' Sydney Referee.' In purchasing Dunlop byres (which are tho mosb comfortable and reliable byres on oartb), Bee that they bear the Dunlop trade mark, and refuse any nofc so branded. Don> I-pPt.eumabicTyreCo., Lbd. (N.Z. Branch), i2B, Licbfidld-atreeb, Christchurch.-. (,Ad,_ AQUATICS. Ib is mabfcer for much regret thab more aub-banOial support ia nob being accorded to the funds of bho Auckland Anniversary Regatta by bhe public of this city. The Regatta Committee, composed of gentlemen who ab much personal inconvenience are endeavouring bo make bho anniversary Regatta a Buccese, have meb wifch great di.oouragemenb during fche last few weeks from those to whom they have confidently looked fco support with money and sympathy the anniversary of bhe city's and the colony's natal- day. Many of those who are beat able to afford subsbanfcial donations to the Regatta have point blank refused donations, and on various hands there i8 a' sign of decreasing inbproab in our annual aquabic evenb. This is a greab piby, for it is almosb a duty incumbenb on citizens bo sea bhab our regatta, which bo fittingly celebrates fche colony's anniversary, is nob allowed bo fall through. So much dircouragemenb has been offered to tho volunteer collectors of bha Regatta C-.ni__i.fce_ this year bhab they have felb almost inclined to relinquish' the task with di9gusfc and to let the Regatta " slide." Such a misforfcune would be a calamity, bufc ifc would awaken peoplo to bho facb bhab subscriptions are needod for the Regatta, and bhat if our national anniversary ia nob to be wholly given up to horso raciug and bhe totalisator, bhe mora healthful surroundings of the annual water fete will have to be supported more especi-tlly. The Regatta depends entirely on voluntary subscriptions, as ib ia ab present conducted, and bhere is no choice between supporbing ifc in this time-honoured manner and making ib pay its way by means of a big a><; union or some obher form of gambling. I. is very regrebable thab every form ol sporb muab be given over fco bhe gambling proclivibies of fche age, bub this mush inevitably be the case with the Regatta unless the public who con afford ib subscribe more liberally in future.' Another thing which worked against the Auckland Regatta thia year was fche Ponsonby Regatta. Canvassers for this event worked the whole of the city many weeks prior to the Auckland Regatta Committee membera going their rounds, with the resulb thab many subscriptions were bhue lost to the anniversary day celebration, probably at least £100. Had this amounb been added fco bhe subscription for tho anniversary event, ib would have totalled a very 1.-nd..ome -ara of prize money. The Ponsonby Regattas*, to a very greab extent, took fcov. wind out of the saiia of tho Auckland Regatta, nnd in the intereetß of aquatic sporb and of fche claims of anniversary day I ninceroly hope thafc next season the Ponsonby Regatta will be allowed fco drop through. It is either a question of tho Retratta or of these " side" regattas going under, and bhere can bo no two opiniona .« to which is the moro deserving of public Hnpport. The Ponsonby Regafcta has dono a great deal of harm to bhe anniversary finances this year, and if its owners were only patiiobic enough bo recognise bhe greater claims which the water sports of January 29fch have on public support, they would next season mergre fcheir efforts with those of the Anniversary Committee, and produce an annual regatta worthy of fche porb. In the ladies' whaleboab race to take place next Friday, there is likely to be a good contest, which should be an interesting sight. Waitemata City will put in one or two crews. North Shore one, and a crew is coming up from Waitara. Ib is to bo regretted thab the local rowing cuba have not taken up fche whaleboab events on the Regatta programme moro spiritedly. Weat End and Sb. George's especially havo shown lukewarmnesa in fche whaleboab evenbs, which, while explained by the facb thab theae cubs discour-ge whaleboab rowing, yeb reflects very libtle credit on the enterprise and (he leading positions they hold in bhe local row ing world. The Regatta Committee have, moreover, can^e for much antipathy towards fche N.Z. Rowing Association, for, despibo the fact of Auckland waters being tho reverse of reliable for gig races, fche Association has done its besb to kill the whaleboab races on the Regatta programme. Lord Braasey's sohoonor-yachb Sunbeam took exactly a week fco reaoh fche Bluff from Melbourne, and travelled 1,210 knots under sail and 65 under sfcoera, which was distinctly bebter bhan her average. The Pahi Regatta will take place in the Norther Wairoa on February 16fch. A programme of nine aquatic races has been arranged, the prizes for _he principal sailing boab race being £12.

In. ; A. C. Stewart (A) .. 2 J.C. Pabst (G) ..6 J. Arneil (A) .. 4 I. Mills (P) .. ..5 D. Clayton (A) ..5 H. Thomas (A) .. 2 R. Woods (P) ..7 C.Hav(U> '.. ..5 J. Watts (U) ,. ..5 J. A. Kallender (G) 7 A. M. Labatt (U) .. 6 C. Stone (A) .. ..5 L. A. Cuff(U) .. 5 F. J. Ohlson (P) ..5 N. Lusk (U) .. ..6 I). Hay<U) .. ..6 T. Ball (G) ,. ..7 C. Kissling (G) .. 2 No. 1 0 2 0 1 0 1 2 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Runs 121 178 160 127 153 31 149 138 SI 1C0 J 49 9fi 119 ui 112 134 181 42 U.S. AVge. 116 60*50 46* 44*50 89 40 77 31-75 77 31*60 19* 31' 46 29-80 87 27*60 50* 27 . 64 26-66 53 24'50 62-* .<_ 47 23*80 56 22*80 89 22-40 63 22-33 38 21*83 35 21

. Ovrs. J D. HayOJ).. .. 83.2 A. M. Labatt (U) 69.4 M. St. Paul (A) .. ti-5 A. Edwards (G) .. 90.4 N. T. Williams (G) 47.2 R. Neill (A) .. MA [. Mills (P) .. 61.5 R. Wood3 (P) ...9 D. Clayton (A) .. 11 D.Stone (A) .. 73 Mdns. Rns. v 22 242 14 169 8 205 14 303 1 187 . 186 6 200 2 94 6 132 12 234 wks.Avjr. 24 10*08 16 10*525 12 '20 23 .13-17 13 14 38 12 15*50 11 18-18 5 18*80 7 18*85 12 19'50