CRICKET CHAT.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9859, 16 October 1897, Page 2

CRICKET CHAT.

Wilding contributed 5. by free cricket while H. C. Ridley played in attractive 'tyle for his 35, although he scored a good leal slower than bin brother. Bates rapidly :mt together his 22 and Orchard made one i-iin less nicely. North, Hasell and Boxshall ilso reached double figures. The fielding 0 f " Ihe suburban team was not up to Senior Cun form and tho team will have to improve in Ibis direction if they do not wish to field out more hi rge innings. Of tho six bowlers triod Malone mob with fair success; most - of the others came in for severe treatment, the contest between the Lancaster Pa r k and United Thirteens at Hagley Park promises to furnish as clo.e.a finish as tha two contests played between these teams hist season, when the United won each but on this occasion the Lancastrians appear to have slightly tho bettor of tho deal. The lark had the advantage of first inning«i hnf the majority of the oarlier batsman' fell victims to Rolleslon's slow bowling before they had timo to trouble the scorers to any great extent. Most of tbe "tail" did better however, and the inning., reached UO, which was a far hrger total thivn at one time it appeared likely would be mad.. 0 I'itvitt was the principal contributor with a hard bit 26 and he was very severe on hollosum ii-.ld the latter had I .srevencoby bowling hi,,,. A. Weir shaped nicely iii compiling bis 19, his play all round" the wicket being good and Atkinson sl.iowdd correct form in making hi. 17. Cant gave no chance in putting together his 13 but Perkins, who ImiU from the West Coast' ought to have been dismissed hero re Williams caught, bim. Willis contributed a useful .13 not out towards the close of the venture. The United fielding was fair anil Rolleston and Kitto both bowled well. The United made a very poor start losin ff five wickets for 23, but then Rolleston came to the rescue of his..id., and as G. Reeve, and Williams did fairly the totnl was 73 f or the loss of ten wickets at the call of time Rolleston scored freely at the start, bub as the light became worse ho steadied down and at the cult of time ho was still in and bad 28 runs to Ins credit. Bennett and Smith secured four wickets each, but the former had the better average, his fiiitirea reading 88 balls, 7 maidens, 19 runs and four wickets. The fielding was up to the average. The senior games in Christc hurch on S.tur. day were commenced with a punctuality which it is to be hoped will be adhered to throughout the season. Theplan oftlie Canterbury Cricket Association appointing umpires for the Senior Gup fixtures is v step iv the right direotion. Hi was rather a novelty to sea the officials iii question out on the ground waiting for the players to come out. In previous seasons ib has frequently been the case that after the" players have taken up their positions the game is stopped while an umpire is pvo-ured from amongst the spectators. Pavitt made two big hits off Rolleston on Saturday.sending the ball out of the Hagley Park ground on each occasion. L. T. Cobcroft, the ex Sydney player, was got rid of very olioaply on Saturday, but I hear ho was bowled olf his legs. A. Ridley's 1.0 on Saturday was made up of six Va, twenty-one 3's, ten 2's, and thirtythree singles. I regret to announce the death of Mr R. V. Blacklook, who died iv Wellington, after a lingering illness, on Wednesday last. Tha deceased was well known in oriokot and football circles, anil although he never represented the Empire City in football he gamed distinction as a cricketer, having been selected to represent New Zealand against New South Wale.. He fir.b made a namo for himself in the season of 1.33-., when ha contributed 54 and 6 against Canterbury at Wellington, uud« in the return match in Christchurch at Easter ho made Oand 84 nob out, bis latter effort undoubtedly saving h"u» side from being defeated. To recapitulate all "Bob" Blacklock's doings with the bat in .epresentntivo and S.nior Cup crioket since that time would bake up more .pace than I have at my disposal, bub some of his moat notable performance, were 61 and 5Q against Auckland in January 1885, 75 against Canterbury in 1892, and 65 against Now S_ul.li Wales in 1894. In the season of 1895-6 he played for Zealand , against New South Wales, scoring 23 and 8; -. last season illness prevented him from play., ing. A3 a member of the Wellington Mid-' land Club bo was nearly always well up in the club's batting averages, and be not only

captained tho team with ability, but he was frequently called upon to lead the represen* tative team. In his best form he was a good defensive bat, but he could also punish loose bowling. Hβ wae of a quiet, unassuming disposition, and his early death will be regrottod by lovers of his favourite game. throughout the colony. Tho following unique inoidonb is reported from North Canterbury. In tho match Woodend v Rangiora H. Gulliver sent down a fast bull whioh passed between the wickefc near the tops without disturbing the baits. The wicket Icoeper caught the bivll and appealed for a oatah at the wiolcet, the bats* man being given " caught out." L. A. Cuft played hi« first match io Sydney on September 25fch, when lie was a member of Mr F. A. IroditleV team, which was opposed by Mr M. A. Noblts'a team, on the occasion of tho opening of the Bulniaiu CloVe new groun-l, DirchTield Piirk. Noblo'e team went in first and made 101, five playere reaching double figures, A. 0. Mackenzie's 16 being top aoare. M'Kibbin took seven wickets for S3 vnnn. Irodale'e aide then ' went in, Cuffand Gregory faoingNewolland Cunitigham. Gregory otily made 2, and Garrett, Iredale, Uonnan and Taylor aIHO failed to,do much. Waddy and Cuff improved matters and the iatter made, 33 before he was cnughb by Kelly off Noble. Waddy made 30 and at tho call of time licdale's team had one wicket to fall end wanted 12 runs to win. Noble bowled 4 overs for "4 runs and took four wickets, - whilo CouiiMgham took five for 23. ', IE L. A. duff, the recent arrival from New Zoaknd, were to remain whore he i? now living, (says the Sydney Mail) he would for ISast Sydney ; bat being an intercolonial visitor, ho is oxempt from the three months residential qualification, and may shift At any tune before he opens the season, |*c would prove of service to tho Kasfc, with whom things juefc now are not too brieht. 0. T. B. Turner, S. Dearie, C. Rioharrtsoo . liave all gone to Queensland, and Pitt is said to be entertaining an idea of retiring. %Q make matters still worse, W. J. Catnphw . .• hii« I'oon cent to the country. 'J'u' same writer in mentioning the • , pcuripocte of the Leiohhardt Club says :—Mr [J. JJarnos hopes to get De Maus, an ex-Now but it appears that there are others ilso angling in that direction. Tho matoh between Surrey and Lancashire ivaa brought to a conclusion at the Oval on August 21et, when the former won by flix wickets. Scores :— Lanoashire 164 (F. H. s'ugg 57 and McLaren 37) and 151 (Briggu 59 and Kujrg 37, retired hurt); Surrey 216 I). L. A.Jephaon 67, Hay ward 62 Leea34,and LJiaiitid 32) and 90 for four wickets. Biohern son bowled well for the winners. This win placed Surrey at tho head of the championihip table, but they were beaten by Somec* letshire at Taunton on August 26th end 'ollowiDg days by 66 runs, the scores in the , atter contest boing: — Somerset 110 (Robaon - 18) and 193 (V. T. Hill 61 and W. N". Roe 51 not out); Surrey 93 (Lees 41) andlW Wood 32 not out, ft P. Druce 32 and Abel JO). Tyler bowled well for the victors and Richardson for Surrey. Both sides began ;heir first innings very badly, Somerset osing six wickets for 21 runs, and Surrey iix for 19. Haywnrd was hurt early io ihe game and was unable to bat in wthet nnings.

, . — -••» [By Dark Br.vs.] " Weekly Press and HeFeree. , The various Cup competitions for the season commenced on Saturday last, when the weather wus fine and the wickets generally in favour of thn batsmen. The meeting between the Midland and United seniors usually provides an interesting contest and the game begun on Saturday promises to furnish tie close a contest as some of its predecessors. The Midland were lucky enough to win the toss and as the wicket was good they were able to put up the fine score of 193 before the last man was disposed of. This was a very creditable performance considering the little practice most of the players had indulged in. Eight men readied double figures, Wheafcley, theeaptaiti, leading the way with a well played 39. Pearoe contributed 31 ill good stylo and ho might have nuide more had he not received a nasty blow on the cheek from a, fast ball from Wigley, which ran up his bafc. Lawrence put up a ball or two rather dangerously early in hia innings, bub he soon settled down and played better cricket. R. Smith, who waH making his debut in Senior Cup cricket, played a sterling innings of 23 not out, mid hia presence should strengthen the batting of the Midlandors a lot. He has good defence and his play on the off eide of the wicket is capital. C. W. Garrard alao nhowed good defence and his reappearance in the team should to a certain extent fill the gap caused by De Maus , absence. T. W. licese contributed 14 neatly and White scored one less by fair battine;. Robertson, who. was responsible for a dozen, is still a bit rash and he must curb this fault if ho wishes to make good soores in Senior Cup orickot. D. P*eese, who batted so well last season, had the bad luck to be run out after making a oingle, but the opinion expressed was that he himself was to blamo for tho mishap. Frankish secured the best bowling figures, but none of those tried With the ball appeared very deadly. The iielding was good and Weston showed promise behind the wicket, dismissing a couple of batsman. The United had about an hour's batting and by the tithe they went in the light had beeomtj rather dull. They did not make an extra good start, losinc; three wickets for 36 runs, but Sini3 and Vincent, then becoming associated, looked like playing out time. Just before the hour of drawing stumps Kirns made a poor stroke at a ball from Stephenson and was clean bowled, and T. IJ. Harman being dismissed first ball enabled the Midland to leave tho field with a slight ad vantage. Sims showed really good cricket while he was at the wickets, playing each of the bowlers witli confidence and had he been content merely to keep up his wioket in the bad light, instead of making the foolish stroke he did, he would probably have played out time, which would have left hie side in a better position. Vincent played freely for his 24 not out and Wigley contributed 12 by steady batting before he was run out by an error of judgment on the part of his partner. The fielding of the Midlanders was fair, although one or two difficult chances were not taken advantage of and so far Stephenson has secured the best bowling figures, taking two wickets for 13 runs. The result of the play at Lancaster Park on Saturday not only indicates that the Lancaster Park Eleven is an extremely strong batting side,bi)t the majority of their players are alao in remarkably good form for bo early in the season, as it is very seldom a team head* 300 runs in an innings in its opening engagement. The chief credit of this performance is due to the good displays by the Ridley brothers. Both of them in previous .seasons have given the opposing fields plenty of leather hunting, but I do not remember the pair making such a long stand previously when associated, olthough C. Hidley bus frequently contributed more runs 'in ah inning* than was the oaee on Saturday. A. Kulley gave S*vage a chance just after going in, but he was let oft and afterward* he played fine cricket, not being dismissed until he had made 140. This is hie first oentury in Cup matches, his previous largest score being 84, not out, ttgaiciat Sydenham two eeasous ago,