CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 258, 6 November 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

The Cup matches had to be postponed last Saturday on account of the Auckland Cycling Club's sports. The second series of matches _ commences this afternoon, and will be continued next Saturday. On the 20th there will be another postponement, owing to the A.A.A and C.C. Carnival taking place on that day in the Domain. The third series of matches will therefore not commence until November 27th.

A practice match was played at North Shore last Saturday between the North Shore an dGordon seniors. The latter batted first and made 70, of which D. Hay, who was playing for Gordon, contributed 45 without losing his wicket. Hay showed very good form, and only gave one, chance, when his score stood at 40. North Shore only scored 56, the bowlingj of D. Hay and Stemson (another United

man) being very effective. These two bowled right through the innings, so that on the Avhole the Gordonites earned their win rather easily.

If the splendid scoring which marked the opening match of the English cricketers' tour in Australia be any criterion, the Australians have a rich treat in store for them this season. Ranjitsinhji's first innings on Australian ground was quite phenomenal, and in every way worthy of the great reputation which the Indian Prince brought with him from the Old Country. We may confidently look forward to some tall scoring on Ranji's part before the tour is over. Clem Hill's score of 200 against the English bowling shows what a Stirling player the young South Australian is. He appears to have knocked the bowling all round the field, and never gave a chance throughout the innings. This match between England and South Australia is the sixth of the series in which the teams have met on level terms. Of the other five England won 3 and S. Australia 1, the remaining one, noted for Giffen's exceeding the second century, having been left in a drawn state. The sixth and last has also been drawn.

Hill's recent score of 20G, though a fine effort, is not the best ever made by a South Australian for his colony against England. That honour is still held by George Giffen, who scored 203 against the team captained by Lord Hawke in 1887-8. The big score of 493 made in that match by the South Australians was quite eclipsed by the Englishmen in 1895 getting 609, no fewer than three of them 'turning the century (Ward 219, Ford 106, and Brown 101). Giffen's bowling analysis in that innings is a world's record in the matter of notches. He took five wickets for 309 runs off 522 balls.

Playing for Paddington against Central Cumberland in Sydney on Oct. 23, V. Trumper, the young Sydney batsman scored 123 out of a total of 196.

The following will represent New South Wales Eleven this afternoon in the match with the Next Fifteen: — Garrett, Gregory Iredale, Donnan, Noble, Mackenzie, Kelly, Pye, Coningham, McKibbin, and Howell. The 'Referee' considers it 'a great team, but Poidevin's inclusion would make it a greater. Althongh a small man, he is one of the very finest cricketers the colony has ever brought to light.'

Major Wardill fears that the bowling of the Australian Eleven in the test matches will be weak. He says it will be a thousand pities if Turner is not included instead of McKibbin, as Turner is more likely to keep down runs.