CRICKET INOTES.

Bruce Herald, Volume XI, Issue 1078, 14 January 1879, Page 3

CRICKET INOTES.

By Dark Blue. Mr Editor, I am very much obliged to you for giving me a holiday. I expect your local cricket readers thoughtl « as either ou the spree and had got b'cked up, or that I had been dismissed f r not giving y< v a true and •' kerrtkt " account <>f the last big match played here— Marrird v Single. Lots may have forgotten it, because it was last year. 1 haven't, fur the simple reasi n that, I hal to p^ for fhe beers, havingbeen foolish enough to back the Benedicts thinking they wee the steadiest players. I hid seen old Tom Green play — (I call him Tom - everybody calls him Tom, especially at Wo in the morning when they ask the old 'un to provide the "phantom candle ") — yes, I had seen old Tom keep up his v icket against the Invercargill cracks aud the Tapauui boys, and I thought the half-crown was as good as made. Wny I expected the veteran alone to t-log up 50, especially when the ma'rii d men got Mullaly out of tfie roed. But Tom told me afterwards two things had conspired against me • the first was quite reasonabl-, the Becond I don't like to tell. But the murder must out. Well, firstly — asthe parsons say — it took Tom until nearly daylight to get the boys to bed. By the boys I mean the married bov .°. Not one of tbem asked for the phantom caudle. Well, lie was awoke about two minutes to nine by a single boy, who asked him not to play, and the match would be a victory for the " single men " — I call them boys, Tom resolutely said " no," but a promise of a big Xmas box fetched him, and it turns out he didn't play straight to win. I have since learned tbat the single boys got up tbe match and arranged the teams, Yes, they did it very nicely — got a strong team together for themselves, and let the m-irried men have any sort of players and put some I.L into their ginger beer. Too bad! Young lads, you've a lot to answer tor. The single men went in first and scored 43, I 'yer — wbo skippered the team — being top scorer with 9, Cockroft coming next with 8, and Fordhnm contributing 7. Pollock — a la Perry— bowled well, getting 8 wick ts for 16 tuns. The married men made a brilliant start,|the second wicket falling with the score at 24. Then the whiskey began to tell a tale — therernaiDingSmen only contributing 9 runs. Simson got 6 wickets for 9 runs, and Beattie 2 for as many run 3. In their second innings the singles made the same score as in the first innings, Wright beiug the highest with 8 runs. The married men, in the secoud innings, pulled themselves together and were within 4 of winning. Tbis was brought about by the resolute batting of Pollock and Dr Mat aff: r, who made 18 and 15 respectively out of a total of 49 — the former Kinking a grand drive for 5 off B attic, and the medical the hit of the day, a 7 to the on off Simson. The game was a very pleasant one.

The Australian eleven have concluded a brilliant tour by handsomely beating Lord Harris 5 team. Almost a one innings' victory. The eleven it would appear, were not altogether a happy family. The brothers Bannerman, who it is said have received tempting offers to go home, were very strangely treated as professionals. This nearly caused a split in the camp. It is stated Spoffortk contemplates an immediate return to the old country. Lord Harris team has received an acquisition to its strength by the arrival of Messrs R. D. Walker, and F. Perm. The Canterbury team, although by no means the best that could be got together, made a good start. Ballarat has had a very good taste sf New Zealand cricket. The crack Melbourne men were disposed of in the first innings for a score which speaks very much in favour of Canterbury's bowling, oue man alone being able to make a stand. No less than four of the local men were run out. But the Canterbury men found their opponents bowling too good, small scores being the result. The Mites in their second inniugs gave Canterbury some leather hunting, tho result being a big defeat. The Invercargill cricketers have earned unenviable notoriety recently. The < ity Club acted in a very shabby manner towards the Wallace cricketers. A match had been arranged, and the Wallace eleven — one of the number having ridden forty miles — were on their ground at the appointed time, but found no one to oppose tbem. The result is the Wallace Club say they wilt uot recognise the 1.C.C.0. any more. The latter ought to teel small. The failure of the senior club, after picking all over the town, to get a team to go to Dunedin to play the annual ma' oh on New Year's Day is a serious blot on th-- sheet. They should be silent in future as to the sorry fi.ure country clubs sometimes cut when opposed to town players. The recent defeats sustained by the G>re cricketers have caused the w.elders of the willow afc Mataura Bridge to come to the front, the resuit being a challenge to the G-.0.C. The challengers are eager for the fray, and promise the Goreites a warm reception. A • hristchnrch firm has started the manufacture of bats, having recently got a first-class workman out from home, who was formerly in the employ ot" Cobbett, Duke and Sons, &c. They promise to produce an article equal to anything imported and at a lower figure. At a meeting on Wednesday evening, the amalgamation of the Gore, and East Gore Cricket Clubs jwas agreed to, on terms which should prove acceptable to all. Mr R. W. Marshall wa* electud Vice-President in the room of Mr C. -N . Koberts, recently departed for Wellington. Mr Renner was elected Captain, Mr Simpson, Deputy Captain. No other alterations ia the management were made. It was resolved to play the Mataura match on Monday next. The return with the Invercargill City Club on the 28th inst.. and a match with the Invercargill Club on the following day. Also the return with Tapanui, on the day prior to the Tapanui races. It was decided to give a concert at an early date.