CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 60, 13 March 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

The final match for tha senior championship honours was commenced laab Saturday undar favourable conditions. Sines the last occasion on which these teams met, both have been showing splendid form, especially Auckland, and the expectation was thab the latter would manage to defeat United in the final match. Thab expectation is probably still held by many of Auckland's supporters, bub the very bad start; made by Auckland laab Saturday certainly does nob look like success. Four wickots for 16 for a good battieg beam like Auckland seems almosb incredible. There aie still, however, several Rood babs. who have yeb to go in (although the boat are out), and it is quite possible, in fact, even probable, thab the innings will yeb finish for a respectable total. In United'a innings of 196, the best scores were Stemson's 57, Marshall's 36, Cuff's 31, and C. Hay's 28. Two or three others also batted very wall. StemsoD gave a very creditable display of batbing, hitting oub with freedom and confidence. This is the largest score thab he has made this seaßon, bub he has been babting very consistently throughout, as his scores, which aro as follows, will show :— 6, 44, 22, 20, 0, 8, 'z9, 16, 45 and 57. Altogether ha has scored 185 runs iv 9 completed innings, giving Btn average of 20 55. . Mr R. L. Hollo, tho well-known member of the Parnell Crickeb Ulub, leaves Auckland for Australia on Monday next, to take up his residence in Sydney. Mr Holle has always taken a great, interesu in athletic sports, and at one time was one of the best cricketers in Wellington, where be was capbain of the representative team on more than one occasion. lam sure that every cricketer will deeply regret Mr Holle's departure. The last i«sue of the Canterbury 'Times' contains a photo of tbe two young Canterbury players A. Sima and D. Reese. In the letterpress the ' Times' soys :—' To take the elder of the two.firab, Arthur Sims firsb saw tho light of day on July 27th, 1877, and hia first serious crickeb was played when ho wenb to tho Christchurch .High School at the age of fourteen years. He mob with more or less success until he scored 117, nob oub, against Christ's College in 1893, and he iinished up thab season with a total of 490 runs in 19 innings, giving an average of 25 79 per inning?, while with the ball he captured 91 wickets aba cost of a trifle over 6 runs each. The next season he was even more successful, scoring 1,023 runs in 26 complete innings, giving an average of 3930 each, and his best score waa 89, nob out, against Waitaki High School. With the ball he took 169 wickets aba cosb of lees than 6 runs each, thus gaining the unique distinction for a New Zealand school boy of scoring ever a thousand runs and taking over a hundred wickets in a reason. In 1895-6 —in junior cricket for half the seaeon and mostly senior after Christinas — he made 1,220 runp, including innings of 152, 112 nob out (ugainsb fesydonhamj, and 100 nob out, besides four other scores of SO and over and 'four moro of over the half century, while hia bowling showed 73 wickets at a cosb of 930 runs each. This season he scored double figures in each innings, until he made 103 nob oub for Canterbury againsb Wellington ab the end of January, but previous to thab he had played againsb Queensland, whetj he scored -31 and 37, tieing with Pc Maus for the highest aggrogato of his side. D. Reese is a good deal Sims' junior, having been born in Christchurch on January 26th, 1579. He was educated at the West Christchurch School, and he soon became a 'demon ' bowler amongst the boys of his own class. He did not have much chance of playing on good wickets when ab school, and consequently ho did nob show to advantage with tho bat, and his early form gave buc libtle prormße of his developing into the fine batsman he now undoubtedly is. He joined the Midland Club in 189'? as one ef Mr Wynn-Williama1 boye, that gentleman having authorised the club to get together a team from the mosb promising pupils attending the public schools. After a season with the boys young Reese was promoted into the club's Junior Cup team,' and at the end of a couple of seasons in that company he was given a place in tho Senior Cup team for the final match of the season of 1894 5, when ho scored 17 runs for once out, besides baking three wickots. Last season.he played for Canterbury in all her matches, and while unsuccessful with the bat, be took fifteen wickets, at a cost of 16*26 runs each, and came oub with the best bowling average. Towards the clo»e of Cup crickeb bhat season he -played two good innings of 35 and 57, and he was also very successful with the ball. This season he appears to have losb a good deal of his bowling powers, bub his batting has improved immensely. Besides his 96 againsb Wellington, be made 55 in his first innings againsb Queensland, and lasb month scored 128 for hia club againsb Lancaster I'ark Thirteen, while ia six of the nine innings he has played in Senior Cup matches he has scorod upwards ot 30, his average so far being over 50 runs per innings. Both Sims and Reese are quiet, unassuming lads, and each should be available for Canterbury for ebmo years to come. ; •

Victoria and South Australia have now played 23 representative matches, honours in Which are nob unevenly divided. The Melbournites have won 12 and their rivals of Adelaide 11 matches. In the matter of individual centuries the South Australians have been much more prolific, their number being 14 aa against 8. The Bot Victoria, however, represent the same number of batsmen; whereas the 14 of the Souths have come from the bats of only four men, no fewer bhan a dozen having been made by Giffen ajid Lyons. George Gifi'en has thß honour and ciedib of the four greatest individual scores, viz , 271, 237, 181, and 166. Victoria has never reached a total of 400 against tho Wheatfiolderp, although they Jiftvo done some exceedingly fine rungetting at timea. The South Australian total of 427 oi the contest concluded, on Monday is the third highest) made in the whole eerieß—s67 in November and 472 in January of 1891 being feho two best. It is, however, difficulb to say what the total in thn present instance might have been had tho weather nob broken up on the Sunday, for with 343 runs made for the lof« of Only three wickets, and with Gif Ten and Hill still undiamiesed, and in a mood for run-yetting, tha posaibilitieH loomdd largo. It is' nearly 17 years since the first match was played in Melbourne, and the occasion is rendered memorable by T. Horan making 113. Even at puch a remote period Gifl'en was a thorn in the fcide of Victoria, for he compiled 63 in bhe second innings.—'Sydney Referee.'

From 1875 to 1881, both years inclusive, Canterbury defeated Otago every year in succession. Since 1881 Otago has won 12 limes againsb Canterbury's six, and since 1893 Canterbury hat been beaten by Otago every time they have met. Of the 36 matches played between the two provinces Obago has now won 18, and Canterbury 17, one being drawn. Nearly one thousand individual innings oi 100 runs and upwards were made in

England lasb season, including one hundred and fifty-one centuries bhab were hib in firsb class crickeb. Of the centuries made K. S. Ranjitsinhjt was credited with no fewer than ben, and Siorer and Hay ward each made four.

1 Felix,' of bhe • Australasian,' had a conversation recently with S. Donahoo, a member of the Queensland team, and writes as follows : — ' Everywhere tho Queenslandera went they wore treated with kindness and hospitality. Syd reckons New Zealand roast beef and butter the beat he haa ever tasted. Ab Christchurch they meb tho veteran Ollivier, who played against the first Australian team with fifteen of Christcburcb. One New Zealander who took Syd'fl fancy very much ia Cuff, who ia » babam&n of tho vigorous type, and an all-round athlete of distinction. Syd has a high opinion of ft young batsman named Sims, who has a pretty atyle and cuts both square and late in the neatest manner. All round the wickeb Sims has good Bbrokea, and Syd would like to see him in Melbourne against) strong teams for a season or two. De Maun, too, is a sound and taking batsman, bub Fisher, the bowler of whom tho Australian team bpoke bo highly, did nob perform in a way to wiu glowing commendation from the Qaeenslandere.' FOOTBALL. I notice that a number of the football clubs in eotae of the Southern towns haro already held their annual meetings. Tho first of this season's internationals was played ab Newport on January 9bh, the contesting sides being England and Wales. The latter out-played their opponents in all branches of the game, and won by 11 points (a goal and two triea) to nothing. This was the fourteenth match between bheee teams, making the third time Wales had won, England having been victorious ten times, and in 188(3-7 the match was drawn. Aba meeting of tho New South Wales Rugby Union held on February 16tb, with regard to the contemplated visit: fao Sydney of a representative team from New Zealand, it wan decided to leave in the hands of the Hon. Secretary the settling of the dates for the intercolonial contests in Sydney. Either two or three matches will be played, and probably in the month of July. During the season a NeV South Wales representative team will visit Brisbane, and play matches against Queensland. A substantial sum has been subscribed towards tho monument to be erected over theromoins of the late Barlow Madigan. The total amount is, I am informed, about £50. The Committee (Messrs Chapman and Speight), will be glad of any suggestions as to a suitable vorae to be inscribed on the monument. CYCLING » The 'Canterbury Times' special reporter ab the Cycling Championship Meeting gives an excellent account of some of the championship .races. In describing the 10 mile race, he says : ' Reynolds was heartily congratulated on his splendid riding. He and Muir had all the worst of the pacing, and under the circumetances their performances were first class. Jones rode gamely, bub should have done much better with tho assistance he received from Shorland and Archer, neither of whom attempted to give the other riders any assistance. That the be3b man wou there can be no doubt ; he could have sprinted away from tho others ab any portion of the race. Reynolds rode his roadster machine, weighing 25-ilb. The pacing in this race was moat unfair, and when the officials allowed men to coma on the truck for the sole purpose of pacing rideis who were mounted on a particular clops of machine, I maintain that they were not acting in the true interests of amateur sport. Neither wore the pacers, who in the first place should nob have bean allowed on the track ab all, but being there should have been compelled to pace all the riders in tho race and not one particular man. Tha 'trade' pacing completely spoiled the chances of somo of bha riders, and the race, although won by the beat man, was not by any moans a fair test.' Ib will come as a suprise to many of out readers (says ' Cycling') to learn thab India rubber, to use an Iriehiam, is nob India rubber ab all, bub only a sulphide of rubber. The facb is, perfectly • pure ' rubber is only elaßtic in a very small degreo, and is therefore practically useless to incorporate in tyre construction, It will expand with pressure, bub will not afterwards recoil to ita normal dimoneions. To overcome this, difficulty ib is necessary to mix large quantities of sulphur with the pure rubber. By this process a chemical action is sot up, whereby the sulphur fuses with the rubber, and cannot afterwards be separated. The sulphur thus imparts bo tho rubber its all-important elasticity. The London correspondent of the 'American Wheelman ' writes r—'lb is whispered in what may bo regarded a> a reliable ring thab the double tyre in England ia doomed. If this rumour ia correct, then American 11 jiggers," as bicyclisto are called here, will romp in first. I hear on ex-colleub authority bhab bhe reason for this change is owing to the independent spirib token up by the double tyre makers, an independence which has evidently galled English bicycle manufacturers into acbion. Several of tho best makers, ab all events, took advantage of the show for meeting in conclave and discussing the question whether or not they should bring about a revolution in tyres, the majority being in tavour of adopting the single tube tyre.' Messrs A. Skeatea and G; Coates arrived on Saturday last from a cycling tour. They have supplied me with the following account of their trip : ••■ We started from Auckland on Monday, February 14th, and travelled to Napier via Waikafco, Rotorua and-Taupo; then from Napior to 'Wellington via Waipawa, Masterton and Pahiat.ua ; then from Wellington to New Plymouth .via Otaki, Palmerston, Marton, Wanganui, Hawera and Stratford, and then .took steamer back to Onehunga. The trip was a very enjoyable one and tha distances travelled, as measured by a ryciotneter, were : Auckland to Napier, 320 milea; Napier to Wellington, 234 miles; Wellington to New Plymouth, 263 miles. The number of days wo were travelling was 12, and we averaged 68 miles per day. The bicycles ridden were Onslowß, made for ua by the Auckland Cycle Company. One of tho machines weighed only 251bs and came through without a single mishap, with the exception of three puncture*." In pnrebneing Ounlop byres («rtifcn are the nVonb comtorbabie and reliable tyrea on earth), see .that they bear the Duntap trade uaarir, and refuse any not bo branded. Dun* lopPneumabioTyreCo,, Lsd. (N.Z. Branch), 128, LichaDld-otread, Chriatchmoli.—JAd,) SWIMMING. ' . the • lata distance diving championship,' a correspondent of the Sydney 'filorning Herald' writes:—'The condition of three of tho competitors on reaching the Burface after their efforts in this evenb lasb Saturday ab Coogoe has brought forth & lot of comraenb as. to whether the association should still continue toeupport this branch of the natatorial art. Sever&l times instances have beon recorded of submarine swimmers becoming unconscioH* in the water affcer completing a long dive, and having to ba re&eued. Lyons, although he put up a fresh Aus-' tralasian record of 90 yards on Saturday, two days before in essaying a trial had to be fished out after doing 87 yards. On Saturday he appeared a libtlo dazed after bis dive, and Harry Wylie, in beabing his past Australasian record of 85 yardi by four more, was in a still worse condition. Connelly, who eank after swimming 84 yards, illustrated again the necessity of ■ something being done to abolish thia con* tesb; and the facb that the English aseocia-

tion effaced ib from their lißt of championBhip events years ago i 3 sufficient to prove that they recognise the danger in encouraging the same. It is a matter for doctors to judge upon as to whether a man corning op in an unconscious condition, if he had the slightest trouble with hie heart, would nob meet with' a tragic end. We have it on the authority of one of the contestants that all these submarine performers, utterly debeat having to dive such long distances, but they aro urged on so much by their club-mates to try and pull off the honour on behalf'of their club if pomible that they consent. Tho matter is to be brought under the council's notice ab their nexb meeting by one of the contestants, Mr J. R. Wallace, who 'completed 76 yards on Saburday, and who is one of the of the Randwick and Coogee Club. Mr Wallace, in giving notice of motion to have this champianship eliminated, can well speak from experience. He sayß the general concensus of opinion on Saturday last was thao the record had arrived ab such a stage as to make ib too risky for the Association to encourage still further records, and the condition of fehree of the competitors confirmed most people that such cbnteßbs were preiudicial to health. ATHLETICS. Our New York mail advices juab received publish the following :-<-Oorbebb and Fitzpiramons aro matched to fight on March 17th ab some place as yeb unknown. This match is now tho one subject of conversation in the sporting world. Men who follow the doinga of bbc fighters are disdiscing the conditions of tho two would-be champions. Corbett's condition is the mosb talked about. Tho 'talent' have libfclo confidence in the claima of Corbett'« friends that he is as strong to-day as when ho fouglvb Sullivan. M would bob on Corbatb, bub ho is a wreck.1 'Corbetb is bub tha ahell of the Corbetb who won the championship.' ' Corbott cannob lnßt.' 'Hie life has unfitbed him for the ring.' Theie and lika expressions Bhour how many persons feel about bhe ability of the champion to make a long fighb. Judging from this feeling, so freely expressed in sporting circles, Fitzaimmoriß, unlosa there is a change in sentiment, will be the favourite in the fight. Effectually to settle all questions as to Corbobt'a physical condition, the ' World ' sent toCorbett, at Pittsbure, whore he was playing, and had some of hid blood taken from him by Drs Dickinson and Foreman. This blood was handed to Dr. S. Millington Miller, who, assisted by Dr. Watkina, examined ib carefully under bhe miscroscope, and found ib to be blood of a perfectly healthy man. AQUATICS. The Ngaruawahia Regatta, which ia to be held on Wednesday next, promises to provide an excellent) da,y's sport. A fine programme of rowing and swimming events has been arranged, and a considerable number of gig crews are going up to Nsaruawahia to take part in bhe regatta. The Maori canoe evenbs should give tha regatta additional interest, and no doubt there will baa large attendance of Auckland excursionists ab the gathering oa tho banks of tha Waikato and Waipa. The West End Rowing Club hod again a slice of bad luck ab their trial fours last Saturday, bho races resulting in additional damage to their boats. The remain ing events were rowed off this week. [ hear that the ladiea of Ponsonby have been very successful in their canvass for subscriptions to raieo a ladioa prize lor the Woßb End oarsmen, and khab a haudsomo trophy will shortly be offered by the ladiea' committee for competition amongst tho members of tho club. An afternoon's rowing amongst tho various rowing cluba in Auckland is arranged for Saturday, April 10th. The weather of late has nob been very favourable for the weekly cruises of our yachtsmen. Lost Sunday tho new steel yacht lafraol, built by Mr Bach, was out for the first .tirao and seemed to sail very well on her maidon spin up and down the harbour. Sho is painted black, and is of very much the afttne type of boat na the Huia, bub I fancy she will prove faster, on appearances. Ib is said that she is to have a trial of speed with Seagar Bros', turn-out shortly. The yachts Mahaki and Yum lum are expected to return lrom thoir Northern cruise to-morrow. The Miharo leaves tomorrow for a week's cruise in the Hauraki Gulf. The Christchurch Union Rowing Club expecbs to clear close on £400 over its recent bazaar and Art Union. This year's Australian intercolonial eight-oar contest will bo rowed on the Yarra on either May Bth or 15th, according bo the suitability of the tide on those days. The Glebe Rowing Club, Sydney, recently had an experience similar to that which overtook the Christchurch Union Rowing Club last Juno, losing iris shed and planb by fire. There were about thirty boats on the promisee, ranging from an eight-oar shell to v canoo, some of them being private property. Nothing was saved, and the club places its loss ab over £300 over tho insurance, which was £900. The annual race between Oxford and Cambridge will bo rowed on April 3rd. Champion Juke Gaudaur had a narrow escape from death while fox-hunting near Orillia, Canada, or December 26th. While pursuing a fox over the ice, he suddenly slipped, falling on his gun and discharging both barrels. One of his hounds was shob dead, and Gaudaur came dangerously near receiving the discharge in his body. Amaricn will probably be represented in the Diamond Sculla at Henley by J. Ten Eyck, son of the veteran professional sculler who was a frequent competitor when sculling was booming in the States ; that is,' when Uanlan, Wallace, Ro'sc, Hopiner, Courbenay and others were in thoir prime. Young Ten Eyck has already distinguished himself in amateur Bculling races in America. The Newcastle correspondent of the Sydney 'Referee' writes :—'The proposal to raise funds to send Towns to England is noD being taken up with much spirib ; in facb, there is now very little life in professional rowing in Australia, as Stanbury learnt to his oos'b before going to row Gaudaur. There is no objection te the admirers of ffowns subscribing for the purpo»e mentioned, if they so think fit, but without seeking to throw cold water on a somewhat lifeless project, I fail to see tho necessity of it. If Towns goes Homo, well and good ; but it would certainly be better for him to row Stanbury here and prove himself a better man firßt. Beach or Searle, or Sbanbury were not sent Home by subscription. Some think Towns will yet be champion, and no doubt he would do well in England; bub if he rowed Stanbury a much better line could be got of his prospects; and maybe Gaudanr. could be induced to corns heie during Exhibition year, if not before, ' provided he retains the championship that long.' At Toronto it is proposed to send Gaudaur and Hanlan's nephew to England to row in single and double-r<cul! races. Several American clubs intend forsaking the paper boats which have been in vogue for a number of years and going back bo the cedar shell.