CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 130, 3 June 1899, Page 4 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

My readers will find appended a most interesting table of statistics, giving the leading batting and bowling averages in the First Junior Gi-ade in Cup competitions for season 1898----99. The figures will repay careful perusal, bringing out vividly, as they do, the comparative skill shown .by the different clubs. It will be remembered that Ponsonby were the Cup winners, while United, Y.M.CJA., and Wanderers were bracketed equal for second place. It* is very many years since a table of the following character, in reference to our first junior cricketers, was published; and in submitting the appended figures one hopes that an examination' thereof may prove interesting to our cricketing enthusiasts, more especially in view of the fact that it is to many of these first juniors we must look to furnish the future seniors of Auckland cricket.

LEADING FIRST JUNIOR BATTING AVERAGES. I. N.O. Runs H.S. Ay. Sanders, R 10 1 284 69 31.55 Yates, R. J 9 2 181 67 25.99 Hemery, C. J. .. lfl 0 399 75 24.93 Bell, W. G 12 4 17S 37* 22.25 Blake, H. A 12 3 357 43*20.77 Sanders, F 10 0 204 78 20.40 Hennah, W : S 3 102 40*20.40 Steel, J 11 0 203 54 18.-J5 Gash, F 1G 0 279 74 17.43 Langsford, V 10 2 139 36 17.37 Brown, A 15 1 243 85*17.35 Sloman, W. F... 11 0 ISO 57 16.90 Layers, F 10 0 161 51 16.1!) Then follow:—J. Young (Parnell), average 16; T. Mills (Wanderers), 12.44; H. Totman (Parnell), 12.00; L. Saunderson (United), 12; R. Layers • (Wanderers), 11.45; L. Clark (V.M.C.A.,), 10.70; S. Liehtenstein (United), 10.45. The clubs are represented thus:—R. Sanders, Ponsonby; Yates, united; Hemery, V.M.C.A.; Bell, V.M.C.A.; Blake, North Shore; F. Sanders, Ponsonby; Hennah, North Shore; Steel, V.M.C.A.; Gash. V.M.C.A.; Langsford, Ponsonby; Brown, Parnell; Sloman, United; Layers, Wanderers. 0 Signifies not out. Only those batsmen are included who have played in at, least eight innings. LEADING FIRST JUNIOR BOWLING AVERAGES. W. R. Ay. Hemery, C. J. (V.M.C.A.).. 15 75 5.00 Sloman, A. E. (United) 45 243 5.51 Hennah, W. (North Shore) 30 175 583 Mills, W. (Wanderers) .... 60 357 5.95 Young, J. (Parnell) 19 116 6.10 Robertson, E. (Ponsonby).. 14 91 650 Wheatley, R. (V.M.C.A.).. 36 243 0.75 Sims, R. (United) 24 IG4 6.83 Wallace, G. (Ponsonby).... 38 261 ÜB6 Sloman, W. F. (United).... 13 90 69' Whitlaw, H. E. (V.M.C.A.) 33 286 566 Todd, T. (United) 13 116 5.92 Kyd, J. B. (Gordon) 13 124 954 Gatland, E. J. (Parnell).... 52 514 9.57

Then follow:—Bell, W. G. (V.M.C.A.), 11 for 114, average 10.30; Langsford, V. (Ponsonby), 2S for 253. average 10.40; Brennan, J. (Parnell), 16 for 177, average 11.06; Bowler, H. (North Shore), 10 for 125, average 12.50: Hunt, W. (Gordon), 11 for ICO, average 14.55.

N.B.—Only those bowlers are included who have taken at least 10 wickets.

Mr H. C. Ridley, of the Christchurch Cricket Association, intends next seasonto try and introduce a new systerii with regard to the playing out of matchess under the Association. At present, if a match is not concluded in three Saturdays, it is played out\ during the evenings. The result is that cricketers are not under the necessity of making a given number, of runs in a given time, and so do not learn to play a forcing1 game when

occasion arises. He intends to propose that if games are not finished on the third Saturday, they shall be considered a draw, and each team score half a point. ' ; Referring to Howell's bowling teat. | in the Surrey match the other day. ; 'Not Out' of the 'Sydney Referee1 draws attention to the equally won- j derful performances of C. T. i>. Tur- ! ncr, the famous -Australian bowler. Playing against Shaw's English team at Bathurst, Turner took ten wickets in the first innings and five in the , second. For New South Wales against English teams in the SO's, Turner captured fourteen for 59, thirteen for 54, ; and sixteen for 75. In England In 1888 he secured seventeen of the twenty wickets at a cost of 50 runs ag-ainst an England XI. at Hastings, taking eight lor 13 and nine for 3i in the respective innings. Turner has never had a superior amongst Australian bowlers. Spofforth is the bowler of history, but Turner was not , his inferior. In 188S C.T.B. captured ; 314 wickets—the greatest number on i record by a bowler in one English sea--1 son. Had Turner not been blessed | with a magnificent constitution, he j ! must have broken down during the! i ISSS tour.

G. H. S. Trott once took 10 wickets for 5 runs. This was in 1893, when playing for the Australian Eleven against an 18 of Massachusetts, n't Boston. George Giffen took the other 7 wickets for IS.