CRICKET CHAT.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9835, 18 September 1897, Page 2

CRICKET CHAT.

[By Dauk Blue.] "Weekly Press and Referee.* All the senior eluos in Cliristcuurch have now held their onhual meetings and, given fine weather, the game will be in full swing in another fortnight. L. A. Cuff has been chosen to play for Iredale's team against M. A. Noble's on the occasion of the official opening of the Baltnain ground, Sydney, on Saturday week. , " The New Zealand Cricket Anmml" fot 1897 reached mc shortly before goiug to press, and owing to preseure on space I must hold over my notice of it until next week. While visiting the Hagley Park ground during the week, I noticed that the United Club were having additions made to their pavilion. Another dressing room is being built at the back of the pavilion and the shower bath will be in tho new pavilion. I hear that the Midland intend having the flooring of their pavilion repaired and the outeide repainted, and at the end of next season the committee hope to bo in a position to have additions made to the building. :. The following interesting paragraph are from the New South Wales correspondent of this journal:—Mr Cuff informs mc that he , interviewed Mr Phil. Sheridan on behalf of the New Zealand Cricket Council; with ft view of arranging for Stoddart's teani to visit New Zealand. His mission was, however, unsuccessful, and he seems doubtwV whether New Zealand can ever expeot tosee even future Englieh teams as long as they are brought out under the present auspices. These tours are run strictly from a bnsmeea point of view, and until New Zealand is pre-

pared topayvery heavily fora visitnothingcan be Imped for, but. to read of the team's doing in tho papers. Mi , Sheridan, when pressed, mentioned the sum of £3000 as a fair recompense to the promoters for, sny, five matches |n N.Z.. ami (hat. is at least twice as much a 6 could lw managed. The expense* of the team to the promoters is something like £60 a iliy for every 'lay they are in Australia ; this'includes cost of passage out and home. J\latohcs played in the country districts oan be worked more conveniently and j.ay better tliannN.Z. tour. Air Cull' is also endeavouring to get an invitation for A. H. Fisher, the Otago bowler, to visit Sydney nnd practice in view of being selected for one or more of the test matches. Iredale was present at the interview with Mr Sheridan and backed Cufl "P ' n *-bis, and Mr Sheriiia-n has promised to write to Major Waidill on tfit subject, who will probably consult Trott. It is to be hoped that Fisher can accept the invitation if it is sent, as it-will do much for his cricket and also be a leather in the cap of New Zealand cricket. The wickets here are of course very different from those in New Zealand. There is a prospect of a New South Wales team touring jNew Zealand next season. P. C. Charlton, who was a member of the Australian Eleven, has the matter in hand, and amongst the names mentioned are Moses, Hopkins, Pye, Wilson, Woods (of Newcastle). The team will be decidedly better than any previous Xow South Wales team that has visited pou, and socially will be all that can he jesired. It will be more alter the style of the Canterbury Wanderers' ream, and will not bo accredited by the New South Wales Cricket Association ; consequently, I do not anticipate any New Zealand match will be played, as the New Zealand Cricket Council can hardly officially recognise the team.

The Rochester Club made the large score of 518 for six wickets playing against Cobham, at Rochester, on July 17th, F. M. Atki»3 contributing 260 and the Rev. G. Dale 103.

E. Newton and H, F. Minr, playing for the Deanery-C.C. against the Northwood C.C. at Southampton on July 17th, scored 272 for no wickets, Newton making 139, not out, and Muir 125, not out, there being 8 extra*.

Last week 1 visited the Sydenham Park ground, and I was quite surprised to find what an improvement Jones, the ground nian, had effected to the portion laid down for cricket since I last saw it. The grass is coining on nicely, thanks to past month's rains, and the patches, which had been rolled a few times for the match wickets, looked in first-rate order. All over the ground bears the appearance of having been carefully looked after, and, judging from the present outlook, it will not be long ere jt is fit for Senior Cup cricket. The practice wickets have also not been neglected, as nearly all round the ground the turf has been weeded and rolled. Jones deserves credit for the good results ho has effected, and the members of the club should improve rapidly with such a ground to practice and play upon. When the late George Parr's English team visited New Zealand in 1864, E. M. Grace and Tarrant played an eleven of Otago, and the former won, scoring 0 runs to 7. In tho Gentlemen v. Players Match at Lord's no balls scored thirteen. This -we believe is a record.

In looking through my records for 1875 I find that only five batsmen scored a century in county matches. Things have chauged since then, and no less than seventeen centuries were notched during the first fortnight of the present English season. I hear that H. Prebble, who played in the Lancaster Park Senior Cup team last season, will not assist that club during the coming eeaßon, and that he will probably join the West Melton C.C.

Tho Akaroa Association are making arrangements to play their annual match with Lancaster Park during show week, and the former body are endeavouring to arrange annual matches with the Selwyn »nd Ashley County Associations.