CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 65, 17 March 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

The Cup matches will be resumed, next Saturday, as this afternoon, the ground is engaged by the Hibernian Society for their sports meeting1.

The senior test match last Saturday, played with a view to the selection of a representative team, was hardly the success that might have been expected. As is visual in such matches, the whole tone of the play g-ave one the impression Unit the players did not care particularly which side won, and the whole play savoured of indifference. Such a state of things is much to be deprecated. Of the "A" team George Mills played a fine defensive innings for 79 not oovat —a very creditable innings considering' the torn wicket. George has developed a new leg- stroke, a la Graham, with surprising- effect. D. Hay (£2) played a good, innings, but seemed somewhat careless. Of the "B" bowlers E. Neill alone showed good form, while Carlton, the new Melbourne man, gave some signs of promise. For the "IS" team Carlton alone showed form with the bat, while 11. B. Luslc was in good form with the bat for the "As."

The action of several players picked for the two practice teams in not putting in an appearance t>ecause they would be unable, to play against AVeilington is much to be regretted. The. public is generally blamed for the local lack of interest in cricket, but how, in the name of the great "W.G.," can cricket flourish if the players themselves are so indifferent?

Several local representative players will, I hear, be unable to play against Wellington at Easter.

I regret to learn that P. Hay, the rising- young United bat, is seriously ill, and will be unable to play again this season.

The Victorians met with a slight cheek in their match against Otago. Taking' it all round, Otag-o has displayed the best form against the redoubtable visitors, for, requiring- 30G to win, they put up 208 for the loss of eight wickets, thus making- a draw of' it. Baker and Austin batted well for Otag-o in both innings\ while Fisher made a g-ood stand in. his old form.

Aucklandcrs will be glad to hear that our old friend J. N. Fowke has been selected as wicket-keeper for the New Zealand team in place of A. B. Williams. Mr Fowke was in former years a well-known member of the Gordon Club in Auckland, and has.rep-

resented the Auckland and Canterbury provinces. F. S. .Jackson, the sub-captain of the Yorkshire County Club, was to have left England for South Africa as an officer of the 3rd Battalion of the King's Own Lancaster Militia on January 23rd. Second-Lieutenant K. I. M. Barrett, of the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers, who was wounded at the battle at Acton Homes, is a well-known Hampshire cricketer.

Victor Trumper's successful throw with the cricket ball at the Patriotic Sports was 124 yards 10 inches. This is, the Sydney "Referee" believes, better than anything done by G., J. Bonnor.

Ai a recent meeting of the Xew South Wales Cricket Association, the treasurer stated that the receipts for the recent benefit match were £G42 16/10. Against this had to be charged the sum of £190 for fees demanded by visiting players. Severe eommenis were made by the delegates upon the. claims put in by players. The balancesheet was ordered to be advertised. The sum of £50 was voted as a donation to the Patriotic and Bushmen's Funds.

i In connection with the above charges , for expenses, "Not Out." in the Sydney ".Referee," writes: —When it was ar- ! ranged to play a cricket match for i the benefit of the Bushmen's and PatIriotic Funds, Major Word ell let it be I understood that the members of the i Australian Eleven would not charge | expenses. The patriotism of the men jexcited a good deal of admirarion, but 'it now transpires that at least three [members of the team are not entitled jto share in that particular burst of | public admiration. They are the South Australians, J. Darling-, C. Hill, and E. j Jones, each of whom asked for and received £10 over and above hotel, ! railway, and travelling1 expenses. The two Victorians. 11. Trumble and F. j Layer. declined to make any claim whatever, and the S.H. Wales amateurs —S. E. Gregory. M. A. Xoble. and V. Trumper—not only made no claim, but defrayed their own incidental expenses. The expenses of F. A. Iredale, and A. C. T\. MaeKen'zie each amounted ;to only 15/. J. J. Kelly accepted his 'professional fee, which is half the sum given each of the three South Australians. On the Rest of Australia side, •A. J, Hopkins and 11. A. Brers, of , X.S.W., defrayed their own expenses; j M'Beth is a professional, and as such 'was remunerated. The Rest of Australia representatives were entitled to legitimate loss of salary, and expenses ias allowed by the Associations. Therefore the charges of H. Graham (£G), jj. H. Stuckey (£6), J. Saunders (£4 ■10/), are thoroughly fair. Others were j remunerated thus: F. Jarvis and J. C. i Reedman. £12 each, C. J. Eady £10, and E. A. Windsor £G.

The peculiarity of an innings lasting but one ball is reported from Melbourne. The Fitzroy captain declared his second innings closed after one ball had been delivered and then got rid of the opposition for 13 runs.