CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

The anual meeting of the Auckland Cricket Association takes* place on Friday, September 30th. The question of entering a 'Next Fifteen' for the senior competition this season has, I understand, not yet been decided by the Auckland Club. The Cricket Association Avill meet in a feAv weeks ancl arrange the programme of matches for the coming season, and if an extra team should be wanted to make the 'draws' even, the Auckland Club will then discuss the advisability of entering a second team, as Avas done last year. It would be a pity, I think, to abandon the idea, for an odd number of teams in the competition would mean that one club would have to stand out each Saturday, and this should be avoided if possible. Besides, it gives a number of junior players an opportunity they would nor otherwise enjoy of playing senior cricket, and though the junior elevens | may suffer through promotion of so many players, still the effect on the players themseh'es must be. beneficial. : There is no reason why the Fifteen I should not do much better this season. Last year the great difficulty seemed to be" in keeping the team together, for something like 35 men Avere played for the Fifteen in the course of the season. Under the circumstances, they performed very creditably, ancl the experiment might with advantage be given another trial this season. The tragic death of Mr A .E . Hatton caused a painful feeling in cricket circles, Avhere the deceased was very well known. He was formerly a member of the Auckland Cricket Club, and in his time Avas considered one of the smartest 'points' Aye have had here. Latterly Mr Hatton had given up cricket for tennis, and at the time of his ] death held the position of hon. secreI tary to the West End LaAvn Tennis | Club. I hear that Mr G H. S. McKinney, the secretary of the Auckland Cricket Association Avill not seek re-election, when he completes his term of office in the course of a week or two. The club Avill lose an energetic and thoroughly capable official in Mr McKinney, and one avoulc! like to hear that he has reconsidered his decision. 'Records: by Dr. XV. G. Grace? would of themselves make a very interesting volume, remarks the 'Athj letic NeAA-s? His collection must be pro- ! digious, and there is no doubt the old man is truly proud of them. The match with Sussex enabled him to complete a series that is quite Avithout a parallel. When be had made 93 in the- second innings he put the closure in force aud walked off the ground with XV. S. A. Brown. People wondered why the veteran did not run on to the hundred until it leaked out that the 93 Avas the one item he Avanted to make up every figure between 0 and 100, which stand opposite his name on the scoring books. We shall have to wait a long time ere any other cricketer is able to equal this record, and it Avould be interesting to know which of the present clay players comes nearest to it. Thirty years ago the feat of scoring tAvo hundreds in a first-class match A\*as performed for the first time, since when the-feat has only been accomplished on ten occasions, thrice by tbe same batsman. Last week (says a recent English paper) that splendid all-round athlete, C. B. Fry, obtained the necessary figures against the bowling of J. T. Ilearne, Albert Trott and Co. to qualify for inclusion among the select little party, which is as under :— IS9B—W. G. Grace, South of Thames v? North, 130 and 102* 1837—W, G. Grace, Gloucestershire v. Kent, 101 and 103* 1888--W. G. Grace, Gloucestershire v. Yorkshire, 14S and 153 1892— G. Brann, Sussex v. Kent, 105 and 101 1893—A. B. Stoddart, Middlesex v. Notts, 195* and 124 1895—C. J. Eady, Tasmania a. Victoria, 116 and 112* * 1896—W. Storer, Derbyshire v. Yorkshire, 100 and 100* 1896—X. S. Ranjitsinhji, Sussex v. Yorkshire, 100 and 125* IS97—J. T. Tyldesley? Lancashire A'. Warwickshire, 106 and 100* 1897 — A. C. MacLaren, Mr Stoddart's Team a*. New South Wales, liZ and 100 1898—C. B. Fry, Sussex v. Middlesex, 108 and 123* *Not out.