WITH THE NEW ZEALAND CRICKETERS-

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 55, 7 March 1899, Page 3

WITH THE NEW ZEALAND CRICKETERS-

NOTES BY OUR SPECIAL, CORRES-

PONDENT.

THE SYDNEY MATCH.

SYDNEY, March L

When I closed my last letter to catch the Waikare's mail, the fourth N.S.W. wicket (Noble's) had fallen for 338, he having sent one from Frankish up behind the sticks, where Boxshall, whose injured hand had been giving him much trouble, managed to hold the leather between his knees. Play Slowed down a bit after Poidevin joined Trumper, but the latter soon got going again. He showed us a taste of hia duality as a leg hitter by pulling Frankish clean round and sending him to the boundary. At 363 Upham took the northern end and Ashbolt relieved Frankish, but the runs still came, and by a neat drive off Ashbolt Trumper gained his second century, after batting just four hours. In the next over he was nearly run out through Poidevin's indecision, and he signalised his escape by putting Fishes, who had relieved Upham, neatly to leg for four, sending up the fourth century. After the tea interval our fielding showed marked improvement, Cobcroft, Reese and Baker especially distinguishing themselves. When 450 appeared on the board Cobcroft took the ball, in the hope of aortctlng a dissolution, and immediately Trumper skied him in the slips. It was Upham's catch, and the cover point man ought to have had no trouble in securing itj but he looked on passively while Ashbolt made a plucky flash for it, but failed to get under It, The batsman had then scored 849, but hiß time had come. Stepping forward to glance a long hop from Cobcroft he missed the ball, and was easily stumped. It took him about five hours to compile his 253, which included no less than 31 boundary hits. At thb outset he gave no less than three unmistakeable chances, any one of which should have ended his career before he had an opportunity to get going; but once set there is no question about his brilliancy as a batsman. The only wonder is that there ia locally so much feeling about his right to be considered the Maclaren of New South Wales. In what is known as electorate cricket he is, Noble excepted, the most formidable batsman of the day, as his scores this season shOw. His record reads: 82, 123, 126, 85, 120 (not out), 191 (not out), 133 162 (not out), 34, 37, 15, 113, 103 and 260 (not out). In these fourteen innings he amassed 1583 runs, and was four times not out, his average being 15&3. Such a record ought to ensure a man's inclusion in the Australian Eleven, .but Trumper's youth' and uncertainty are viewed by the cognoscenti as insuperable obstacles, and the current opinion is that unless he shows great form in the match this week

he has not a dog's chance of ousting Howell, McKibbin, or Graham. All I can say is that for my part so fine a field and so dashing a bat, ought to bo good enough to take home. Still it must be confessed that Trumper has not until this occasion played up to his reputation in intercolonial cricket; indeed, he has signally failed in the big matches, and it is on accoupnt of these failures that he is apparently judged. Needless to say that Trumper, on returning to the pavilion, was accorded an enthusiastic reception, and our men led the applause, which was well deserved.

Charles Gregory, a younger brother of the redoubtable 'Sid,' made his first appearance in intercolonial cricket. Poidevln, who was particularly strong on the late cut, gave a chance to Boxshall, whose injured hand prevented him from accepting it. He then wisely handed over the gloves to Lusk, whoa© place in the field was taken by I. Mills, and he took a much needed rest. Poidevln was instrumental in. causing the fifth century to appear by driving Reese to mid-off, but in trying to repeat the stroke he was bowled oft his pads. Iredale was the next comer, and with only a trifle over 100 runs to get to become the winner of the Pattlaon Whisky Shield, it looked an 'odds-on' chance that he would secure the flfty guinea trophy; indeed, Trumper himself acknowledged that his skipper had a Very soft thing. Though Iredale opened in real earnest, getting a couple of fours off Cobcroft, and treating Frankish and Fisher with strict impartiality, his first 22 including five boundary hits, he was tempted almost on the call of time to have a go at George Mills, Who had been put on as a last resort, and, skying him on the: boundary, was finely taken by. Ashbolt. He made liis 31 in double quick time, twenty-eight of ttiem being represented by fours. It wanting only a few minutes of time stumps were drawn for the. day. The score stood at .646 for seven wickets, and there was a reasonable prospect of Victoria's score being topped. On Monday morning,thanks to our fielding, which was the best, and good bow- ; ling, we unexpectedly got rid of the rest i of the New* South Wales wickets for 32 runs. Howell ran himself out very badly; Evers was bowled off his pads after giving evidence that he is a stylish batsman;; while Gregory.who imitates his brother in many of his strokes, made his 40 without the ghost of a. chance. Cobcroft and Baker led the forlorn hope of getting 448 to save a one innings | defeat. None of us had any idea of the \ utter rout that was to overtake us. Our j skipper was early. bowled by McKibbin , with a ball that'beat him all the way; j und the luncheon adjournment saw Baker partnered by Reese, with the score .at 22; for one wicket (McKibbin at a cost of six i runs). No sooner was play resumed than j disaster followed disaster in rapid sue- j cession. Reese was caught by McKibbin ! in brilliant style off his own bowling; j Baker at once played Howell on; George Mills, who should have been caught first ball by McKibbin in the slips, gained no advantage from the 'life' allowed him, as he skied one into the safe hands of Iredale at cover-point; Ashbolt never had a hope when he faced McKibbin; Downea, as usual, slogged and fell; Lusk managed to drive McKibbin to the boundary, but the bowler at once revenged himself by knocking out his middle stump with a j ball that broke as much from leg as the i previous one did from the off; Iredale : j threw Fisher out—a decision that did not I give satisfaction, for the general belief was that the Carisbrook man had enough and to spare; while Boxshall, Who came out with his injured hand bandaged, did I not get a hit, Frankish having been cleanled bowled by Pye. The inglorious innings I terminated for 64 runs, New South Wales ! thus winning by an innings and the large I margin of 384 runs. !It was a pronounced victory, due to brilI liant all-round play. They batted in great ! style, fielded at times superbly, and the bowling analysis tells its own tale. On Monday McKibbin was simply unplayable, and batsmen of better calibre- than any of our men would have found it exceedingly difficult to score off him. It will be noted that the extras totalled I nine, McKibbin alone being responsible for half a dozen of them. He has a bad . habit of 'dragging,' and Charley Banner--1 man called him mercilessly for it. But the ■ bowler was nothing disconcerted, and kept pegging away, never changing his

length. A worse habit on McKibbhVs part, it seems to me, is his throw, which at times is very pronounced, and unless I'm much mistaken will give rise to trouble at Home, if the Australian Eleven should include a pair of 'chuckers. It only remains to be added that tht attendance, except on Saturday, warmost disappointing. The cash taker at the gates was a trifle over £100, of Which 25 per cent, is retained by tht; N.S.W. Asociation.

Having chosen an expert to criticise our doings in Melbourne, I have asked another equally reliable authority to deal candidly with us here, and Frank Iredale, who is now attached to the sporting department of the 'Star' here, has courteously furnished me with his notes on the game just concluded:—No one can however think of the late match without feeling in a degree a sense of disappointment at the cricket shown by the visiting team. Without wishing to disparage them in the least, it must be said that the cricketers in this colony, and the people themselves, expected them to do much better than they did. A good many of those who represented the home team were prior to the match thoroughly conversant with the play of most of the New Zealanders, and it was a great surprise to them that they did not shape better. I for one am certain that they did not show their true form, and when I recollect how well some of the present team shaped against the last Australian Eleven their play on the Sydney Ground is inexplicable.

From what one or two of the team told me they were more than anxious to do well in Sydney. The mother colony had sent teams away to Maoriland on several occasions, and that fact is not forgotten by the members of the present team. The New Zealand team which has toured the colonies is not the strongest which could have been got together, but it contained perhaps the strongest bowling side available. No one is surprised that the bowling failed on the Sydney wieketi It seems the exception, and not the rule, that that will always occur when a bowler—from no matter where, unless he is a phenomenon —bowls on it for the first time against a strong batting side. Though perhaps one Was prepared for a moderate display in bowling, few were prepared to believe that New Zealand would be dismissed for totals of 140 and 64 on a good ..wicket. The Sydney wicket is probably more like their own than any on which they have played in the other colonies, and for that reason alone I thought their batting would be fairly strong. The New Zealand wickets are particularly slow, and to a great degree resemble English wickets. There is none of the fire in them which is apparent say, in Melbourne or Adelaide.

It was a great pity that neither Clark nor Williams could get . away. Both would have strengthened the batting, and the former's knowledge of our wickets would have assisted his comrades. As I have before remarked, the team was slightly stronger, as a side, in bowling than in batting.

Baker was the only one Who showed any form with the bat. He batted solidly ahd Was not afraid to hit, Of the others, Reese possessed the best style, and what little we saw of him showed that with practice in good company he would improve considerably. He has a nice, easy stand at the wickets, and his style Is free and graceful. . Cobcroft

does not appear to have cultivated any new strokes since he left the colony. He still 'pushes' the ball about as he used to do. Upham and Frankish, in the first innings, made things lively "while they wiere together^ though the former was lucky in some of his hitting; still he batted attractively; Boxshall, I fancy, is a good batsman. He made one superb stroke off Pye—a square cut. He was unfortunately handicapped with a bad finger.

In bowling they were a very fair side, though there were no cracks in the team. Frankish has a nice easy style, and would, I am sure, improve considerably were he coached. Reese appears to use his head more than any of the others. He bowls a fair ball. Fisher appears to have gone off a lot since I met him last in New Zealand. I fancy he wants a slow wicket to bowl on. The class of bowling which Upham sends down Would never be very successful on our wickets; yet in New Zealand it answers well. Over there the Wellington man is very successful.

In fielding the team were considerably inferior to the Tasmanian. There was no life in any of the returns to the wicket. The players visibly tiratt towards the close of each day,'s play. Boxshall is a wicket keeper much above the average, and his showing here iwas distinctly creditable.