CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 29, 3 February 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

Last Saturday was a perfect day for batsmen, and the wickets at the Domain were in splendid order. United succeeded in defeating Gordon by 175 runs, after, an interesting- game. With 3 wickets down for 28G, United continued their innings when play was resumed, a.nd added 109 before "declaring" with seven wickets down. This left Gordon with 351 to get to win. It was a large order, and the Gordonites failed badly in their endeavour to meet it, the whole side being disposed of for 75.

On the United side P. Hay, who increased his score from 02 to 95, showed tlie best form. He,batted very nicely all through, and had hard luck in getting bowled oil: his boot. One confident appeal for leg-before was made against him, bti't was disallowed. Apart from this he gave no chances.

D. Hay, one of the not-outs of the previous week, added another 6C to his score, being finally dismissed for 200 by a. smart, catch by Mcltae, off the latter's own bowling. Hay's good luck did not desert him on Saturday. He was missed in the second over by fhe bowler, Williams, into whose hands tie returned a full-pitcher; and later on he was missed behind the wickets. His innings, though marked by dash and brilliancy, does not compare favourably with P. Hay's, as it was not so sound. . .

Kallender was about the only one of the Gordonites who made a stand in the second innings. He scored 32, and was eventually given out leg-before to Sloman, a left hander, who was bowlinp r^.iiid the wicket. The decision was one of several that gave great dissatisfaction during the game. After Knllender's dismissal Gordon fairly collapsed. Stemson cei-tainly bowled very well, still his bowling ought not to have caused such a collapse in the batting. Gordon' seemed to lose 'heart after Kallender was given out, which may account in some measure for their poor display.

The umpiring in this match, as already stated, did not give satisfaction by any means. Gordonites claim that five or six incorrect decisions were given aigainst their side, which was disheartening, to say the least of it.

According to the "Bulletin," George Giffen, Lyons, Jones, and Darling arc all retiring from cltlb cricket for the remainder of the season. Cricket Is much like horse-racing, for the firstnamed three have all broken down In the feet or thereabouts.

Playing1 for Padding'ton against Redfern, in .Sydney, Trumper notched 118, and Ge6 103. The pair put up the first 100 runs in 38 minutes, and the former got his 100 in a little over the hour. He hit sixteen 4's in his 118, and with Gee put on 207 runs for the first wicket.

Trumper's 118 is 'his eleventh century in the First Grade, and his fifth in consecutive innings (only two ot which he has played this season). In each of the last three seasons he has got a century—l 33,. 103, and 118— against Redfern. We understand (says the London "Sportsman") that Mr J. A. Murdoch, assistant secretary to the M.C.C., will accompany the next English team to visit Australia, in the capacity of manager. The choice is an excellent one, and will give great satisfaction to all cricketers who have the pleasure of Mr Murdoch's acquaintance.

How much longer will Australia wait before distingivlslurigf herself in the eyes of the cricket world by restrictingl marches to one innings for each wicle? (writes "Mitl-on" in the Melbourne "Leader"). We hear constant complaint of■ nil insufficient number of Saturdays being- slva.iluble. Jet last Saturday the whole ten association clubs were eius-agc'd in second -inn* iu<.'S, which' could 'not in any one instance possibly iiiXtt'A. the result, eaufi one of the live, matches having1 been virtually lost title! won a week previously. 'CoiiseYi'tiehtly Ba.turday'.s play possessed no interest for anybody. And yet the cricket savants or belli Kng-Jand and Australia, flatter themselves 'that they are abreast of tlhe times while in reality they are as old-fashionr'd afid 'not httlf so sensible as grandpa. .!. T. Ilearne and Brock well have not been long- iir' making their presence felt in the Patiala team (says a London jjuper).:"' Against the Parssis oH October' SVth, liroekwell scored 5 and ]■!.") (including two G's and fifteen 4'si, and Hearne 50 ami J9. Itj the course of the match Ilenrne took nine wickets fo'r's9 (eight: in the second hininga for 40), antl Brockv.ell one wicket for 47, IHir the most.''successfid bowler was Mehtu, who took nine wickets In the first hilling's for 34. and three in. the second for ;'»'!; lie also scored 48. Fntial'a won by 212 runs.

It will lie' remembered that Some time ngo charges of discourtesy wen* made in the American papers against Prince llsinjitsinhji. Mr R. St.. 0. Walker, vice-president of the Stateli Island C.C., has written to Ranjitsinhji stating that neither he, nor nuy member of., the club he represents, stated, or considered, that there had been any .-discourtesy shown, and Mr Yv'alker adds:—l am sure that your letter has explained your absence to ■the satisfaction of- every fair-minded person, and. as the representative of our clilb-r^the hosts of your eleven ciuring their visit to New York—l much regret that you should have been subjected to any attnoyahefe h\ the matter. . L. A. Cviii, the Well-known ex-New Zealailder, is playing for the LaunceStou Club this season. In a match against the Esk Club, on January Gth, he. Went in third wiclvet down and scored 71 by vigorous cricket, hitting ten 4's and two s's. 11. P. Kissling, an old Auckland, rep., was also to the fore, making 70, and he and Cuff car* ried the score from 3i) to' 140 for the fifth Wicket, : <-'■ ■ ■ - - >'

E, Pooley, the otice famous English ■wicket-keeper, Whose death occurred "recently, had the remarkable record of stumping1 sixteen-"arid catching sixteen in four consecutive contests in July, 1868. His nloSt noteworthy feat then was stumping four nnd catching eig-ht for Surrey against Sussex at the

Oval, this being the largest number of catches ever made by one man in a match. That he kept up his wonderful form for many seasons is shown by the fact that he stumped out eight in two innings of the match—Surrey against Kent—in August, 1878, this being the most stumped in any eleven aside contest.

Commenting on the coming season's fixtures in England, a writer in the "Sporting Life" says:— 'I'he outlook for Hampshire is not encouraging, as at present they have no fewer than, five of their cricketers in South Africa, viz.:—Colonel Spens, Major Poore, E. I. M.-Barrett, Captain E. R. Bradford, and H. W. Studd. Other well-known players who have gone to the war are W. L. Foster, of Worcestershire, A. J. Turner, of Essex, and W. C. Hedley, of Somerset.

From the "Madras Times":—A Madras cricketer home on leave describes first-class cricket nowadays as —i. You hit the ball; ii. A fieldsman stops it; if he doesn't. —iii. You stand still and score four. No first-class batsman ever runs nowadays, while the spectators and itinerant bobbies do most of the fielding.

In all probability (says "Willow" in the Adelaide "Chronicle") Lyons has played in his last first-class cricket match. For some time, as lie told us at the farewell to the New South Wales team, he has been desirous of retiring, and now that he suffers so much with bad legs, he has thought it best to stand, aside. There is no player who will be more missed by the spectators than Lyons. For the last year or two his powers as a. hittei' have greatly declined as far as firstclass fixtures were concerned, but he Bias occasionally given a flash of his old form, and it was always well worth, seeing. We must accept 'his withdrawal with what resignation we can, but all the same it will be a.long time before his equal appears, even if he can ever be fully replaced. Perhaps Lyons's great deeds will live longer In the memory of cricketers than those of any other great* player of recent years, because they have been of so sensational a character as to stamp themselves indelibly in the recollections of those who witnessed them. In his best days there was no one better able to decisively turn the fortunes of a game, and all cricket €overs can look back to occasions when his side has been in difficulties, and when half an hour of his magnificent hitting demoralised the bowling, and so made the way easy for his comrades, besides adding a splendid score to the total. I feel sure that if the association arrange a benefit there, will be no lack of support both locally and in the other colonies, and I know of no one. who has more worthily earned some recognition in this direction than Lyons." . ,