CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 153, 27 June 1908, Page 14

CRICKET.

: A further:, instance of the wonderful recuperative powers pf the English Oval, which makes that, enclosure the envy of all cricket executives, was seen when play was possible at the usual hour-re-cently, ;in, spite of the fact; that the ground was ;uhder water at nine on the previous night, after a very heavy shower." .',- : -'":'■ "' •: In the match between Yorkshire and M.C.C., recently, which provided the Tykes with another easy win—by an innings and 10--there was no threefigure essay, but on the other hand there was one grand effort recorded. : It was that of P. F. Warner, who, going in first, was unbeaten at the end of the match with 64 out of 95 to his credit. Seeing that he made 31 out of 111 in the first innings it was ho fault of the English captain that his side were flogged. .. It appears that the. affix "Esq." was abandoned on, the,cards at Lord's last season for the first time, and not this year. It is an open secret in cricket circles that this was largely due to the presence in the South African, team of ,A. E. Vogler, who was for the two years [previously on the professional staff at Lord's. ... The man of the moment in first-class 'cricket in London is Alan Marshal, of Surrey. All sorts of guesses are being; (made as to What he came to England for, while it. has been stated in print, that be was. only a bowler, and acquired his, batting during a couple of seasons; under Wv G, Grace's captaincy with London County. One authority stated that he came to England to earn his living' as a black-arid-white artist. The fact; is he came as a cricketer pure and simple, with a letter from Dr. M'Donald, the Leicestershire-Queensland player, to W. G. Grace. Marshal was always as, much a batsman as a bowler, but for some unknown reason was not tried as. a bowler last season. The more bowling' he gets the better he will bat, just as is the case with Hirst. The ground scarcely helped, him at all. in the match with Derbyshire. He achieved his sue- ! cess by changes of pace, flightiness, and both breaks, but particularly by the leg break. lafffpite of this, one of the Derbyshire players—true to tradition in cricket—said, after being bowled by Marshal neck and crop and also giving three chances off him, that he would like to take him about with him in his bag! Marshal put in a remarkable half-hour with the ball at the Oval recently. In the last three overs he took five wickets for two runs. His success was mainly due to subtle variations .of pace, and admirably pitched, swerving deliveries. Playing for Mr.; R. A. Young's side Vi Mn C. C. GL Wright's side in the Cambridge University "Freshmen's" match, Mr D. CCollins, of- Wellington, Now Zealand, who is now studying at Trinity College, performed excellently with tho ball. In the first innings of Wright's men the New Zealander secured 6 wickets for 51 runs, and in the second captured 4 for 49, his record for the match thus being 10 for 100. As a batsman, Collins | contributed 10 and 29.