CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 13, 16 January 1926, Page 25

CRICKET.

, NOTES ON THE GAME,

A cricketer of many parts, B. J,

Kortlang figured in the new role of wicket-keeper for the Wellington Colts against the Auckland touring team. Seldom in Wellington has a finer display behind the sticks been witnessed than that given by Kortlang at Kelburn (6ays a Wellington writer). His stumpjirs n of Gerrard and Hocking off Hollings' medium-pace bowling, were specially slick bits of glove-play. In Auckland's second innings the ex-Victorian n ]so claimed two victims by brilliantly snapping up both Badeley and Gerrard. In 138 runs scored in the tourists' second innings, Kortlang did not let pass a single bye.

All New Zealand is greatly delighted to see one of its products included in the Australian team to visit England. Wellington's cricket enthusiasts, in particular, are overjoyed, as Clarrie Grimmett learned his cricket in Wellington. Grimmett is an old boy of the Mount Cook School, and an ex-member of the V.M.C.A. (boys') and Wellington East Cricket Clubs. With the V.M.C.A. toys in the 1007-8 season he proved himself to be a splendid all-rounder. In addition to taking 03 wickets for 282 runs (an average of 4.4), he made a lot of runs. At least six present-day senior players in Wellington were also members of that V.M.C.A. boys' team. ' Never in the history of cricket in Australia have we had so many really capable wicketkeepers who are also excellent and depenedent batsmen, says a writer in the "Melbourne Globe." Love (Victoria), Eatcliffe and Oldfield (New South Wales), and O'Connor (Queensland) are all high-class batsmen, who have made their centuries in first-class cricket. Ellis, also, is not a bad batsman by any means and he got very close to a century against South Australia a couple of seasons ago. It is rather a coincidence that three of them were very busy with the bat during the week-end, Ratcliffe getting a century for New South Wales against Queensland,' and.Love one for Victoria against New South Wales, while O'Connor got well up towards three figures for Queensland against Few South Wales, It would be interesting to pick a team of wicketkeepers who are also batsmen, and see how they fared against a good bowling Bide. The bowlers would not have things all their own way. ,

By adding 105 for the tenth wicket in Otago's second innings against Canterbury recently, R. W. Cherry and R. C. Torrance created a new record. The record wicket partnerships for Plunket Shield matches are as follow:—First, 201 by E. Horspool and A. H. Anthony for Auckland v. Wellington (1924-25); second, 227, by W. A. Baker and B. J. Kortlang for Wellington v. Otago (1923----24); third, 222, by S. G. Smith and N. 0. Snedden for Auckland v. Hawke's Bay (1920-21); fourth, 180, by N. O. Snedden and C. C. Dacre for' Auckland •v; Wellington (1922-23); fifth, 160 by R. C. Blunt and W. R. Patrick for Canterbury v. Wellington (1922-23); sixth, 184, by D. C. Collins and H. M. McGirr for Wellington v. Otago (1923-24); seventh, 174, by C. A. Snedden and A. H. Anthony for Auckland v. Canterbury (1920-21); eighth, 130, by W. BrookSmith and G. Cummings for Auckland v. Canterbury (1914-15); ninth, 115, by E. H. L. Bernau and K. James for Wellington v. Canterbury (1923-24) ; tenth, 105, by R. W. Cherry and R. C. Torrance for Otago v. Canterbury (1925-26).

All-round cricketers are scarce, but Charlie Allcott has proved his right to inclusion in the category by his performances during the present tour. He is one of the finest bowlers in the Dominion, can keep a length all day, >and is not afraid of being hit. He is a stylish batsman too,

provea one of the best run-getters on the tour, scoring centuries against both New South Wales (116) and Victoria (107.)

A. Cox (Canterbury), who made 204 against Otago, is the fifth player to score a double century in interprovincial matches in New Zealand. Cox had previously played in only one representative match. Playing for Canterbury against Victoria at the end of last season, he made 82, and had a hand in two century partnerships (100 for the fourth wicket with Crawford and 110 for the fifth wicket with Patrick). Others who have scored double centuries in New Zealand representative matches are: F. A. Midlane (222 not out for Wellington against Otago in 1914-15), S. G. Smith (250 for Auckland against Canterbury in 1919-20), J. Young (238 for Canterbury against Hawke's Ray in 1919-20), and R. W. Orton (204 for Wanganui against Waikato in 1923-24).

H. L. Hendry, by scoring 325 not out against New Zealand, enters the list of Australian batsmen who have made 300 or more in first-class "cricket. The first-class scores of more than 300 are: 429, w. H. Ponsford, Victoria v. Tasmania, 1923; 383, C. W. Gregory, N.S.W. v. Queensland, 1907; 365 (not out), C. Hill, South Australia v. N.S.W., 1900; 345, C. G. Macartney, Australia v. Nottingham, 1921; 325 (not out), H. L. Hendry, Victoria v. New Zealand, 1925; 321, W. L. Murdoch, N.S.W. v. Victoria; 303 (not out), W. W. Armstrong, Australia v. Somerset, 1905; 300 (not °ut), V. T. Trumper, Australia v. Sussex 1899. The only English batsman to make 300 in Australia is F. E. Woolley, who scored 305 not out for England v. Tasmania, at Hobart, in 1912. The highest score made in any match is 628 not out by A. E. J. Collins, in a house match at" Clifton College in 1899. Then follow C. J. Eady, 566, in a club match in Hobart in 1902, and J. C. Sharp, 506 for Melbourne Grammar School v. Geelong College in 1915. Other Australians to make 400 or more are J. A. Prout 459 for Wesley College v. Geemng College in 1909; W. W. Armstrong 438 for Melbourne v. Melbourne University in 1904; J. Worrall 417 not out for Carlton v. Melbourne University in JWB; 0. H. Dean 412 for Sydney Church of England Grammar School v. Newintrton College in 1905; T. Patton 408 for v. Whorouly in 1914, and T. Warno 402 for Carlton v. Richmond in js®. ;•.- -- - > . i