CRICKET CHAT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9989, 19 March 1898, Page 2

CRICKET CHAT.

[BiriDAßi. Blub.] *

" Weakly Press and Referee,'

Cup matches were oontinned in Christchurch .'on Saturday, when the weather was bleak and dull,* and the rain of the two provious days made";'the wickets somewhat it.i. favour of the bowlers, although in a couple of the junior contests the run-getting was above the average.

J. he contest between the Lancaster Park ;apd United Elevens attracted most attention, but • the % play:on the whole proved alow and iiiuhtejpestiug, only 131 runs being made the afternoon. The wicket was a bib dead,..but at the outset it was thought that, the Lancastrians would easily top tKe total of 82, made by their opponents bhe previous week j .but they only succeeded in doing so liy 4 runs. . Cobcroft was the only man to reach double figures, and he did r nbc show his 'best form, as he gave one or ..two chances in making his 36. Boxshall was the only one of the others to shape "at all well. Frankish and Williams each bowled steadily and well, and Sims, who was.freely ,hib about during the first few overs, secured three wiokets towards the close. The" fielding' was moderate, several catches being missed. The United had about an hour's, batting, and although the light was* none too good they managed to make 57 for the loss of only one, wicket. --, Mendelson showed, great improvement with the bat as compared with the form he nsed to *how before he went to Cambridge, his play all round.being very good. He appeared to have a liking for Wilding's bowling, arid he also played the other trundlers with confidence. /H. M. Reeves showed good defence, and proved useful in keeping his end up. So far the match is a very open; one," and neither, side can claim'an advantage. v

The play in the-'lylidland-Sydenham contest was also the former taking the whole afternoon to add 156 runs to their score; Rv-Smith adopted*the same defensive tactics he showed on the opening day, and he kept his wicket Intact until just befo-e the time of drawing stumps, when he was bowled for a fine total of 135, which was compiled by correct cricket. T. W. Reese batted capitally for his 37, and he had the bad luck to be bowled off his jiads. D. Reese was shaping wellj scoring 19 without a. chance, when he was I bowled, and C. W. Garrard and Treloar also J played well for their runs. The Sydenham fielding, was good arid MoMurray, who trandied very-'steadily, secured the best bowline average. The Lancaster Park Thirteen batfcecLfchree men short against the United and so far the latter appear to have the best of the ' §ame.- For the former W«sner carried out his at for a 'well'played 25, his form on both sides of the wicket beine good. P. H. Labatt's 19 were gbn by defensive batting, and he took no risks. Atkinson exhibited fair form, while Bromley *and Young also reached doubles. Tije United fielding was moderate and Rolieston and Kitto bowled best. The United, with an advantage of 78, began their second inning, ami so tar they have made 43 for four wickets, J. H. Smith and Kitto doing best. C. Ridley, the Lancaster Park captain, was again dismissed on Saturday before he had made a run, this being the third innings in succession that he has failed to score. '.'.!* } '■'

On January 22nd a member of the _rit»-i three teams of the Midland Club toppedtp|l century, and on Saturday the feat \m£ 1 | nearly repeated, Smith making 135 for tfe> First Eleven, R. W. Barry 157 not outfo* the Second, and Strange (96) just missin* his century in the Third. 7" In consequence of the Linwood Cyolio* Club's sports at Lancaster Park on Sain* day, all the Senior matches were played i\ Hagley Park.

" Light Blue " writes :-—The most notice, able feature iv the. Juuior matches on Nat« r . day was the heavy scoring by the and Midland Junior Oup teams, each of which batted all the afternoon and only lost live wickets. •• Martiu made 119 u<St out for the former, while Aifckon arid W. Wood also hit freely for 7V and &} respectively. For the Midland R. W. Barry contributed 157 not out, in compiling which he gave two chances, and J. G. Prebblo afco batted well, the pair adding 188 to tho total after the fifth wicket fell. In the Pros}, dent's Cup contest tho Midland No. 1, tjj 8 loaders, had all the best of their game with Sydenham, and the latter club's Vice-Prfuu dent's team, who are unbeaten, had their revenge by defeating the Midland Fifth by an innings. No cricket was played in Wellington, on Saturday in consequence of rain? Previous to this season no batsman, either English or Australian, had made an aggregate of a thousand runs in first class cricket in the colonies. Clem Hill, as already an. nounced in these columns, completed his foot figures in the match between South Australia and New South Wales last month ' and on Saturday McLaren and Ranjitsinhji followed suit, the former gaining the diatinction shortly before the Indian Prinoe. At the close of the day's play McLarenV aggregabe stood ab 1016, and Ranjitsinhji'g was two runs less.

The English team leaves Adelaide for England by the R.M.S. Ormuz about Maroli 24th. v

Tbe annual match between Southland and Otago will be played at Dunedin oh Thar., day and Friday of next week. The Australian agents for Wolfe's Schnapps otl'ered £50 to tho persons who correctly guessed the actual result of th«t; final test match, and tho competition closed with 55,000 coupons, cut from various papers. Tho Australians were selected by 17,084 people and 16,216 chose tho English team. On goiug through tho coupons it was found that 554 persons had guessed the actual result, and their share is 2s 9|d each. Most of the winners are residents of New South Wales and Victoria, but there are a few outsiders, and amongst the number I notice the names oi Miss Lilian Spraggon, Caversham, Dnnodin, and M. G. Pholani Wellington, New Zealand. Mr IS. S ; Marks, well kuown in amateur athletic circles Jn Sydney, was also a winner.

The following is a list of M'Laren'l centuries in first-class cricket up-to-date :—• Aug. 14, 1890—Lancashire v Sussex .. .. 1_ July 28, 1892— „ v Gloucestershire _$ Aujr. 14,1892— „ v Sussex .. .. 15J ' Nov. 16,1894—Stoddarfs XI v Viotoria .. .. 228Feb. 15, 1895— „ v Qu'nsl'nd-H.a.W. 105 Mar. 1,1895— „ v Australia.. .. 184 July 15,16,95—Lancashire v Somerset.. .. 481 Aug. 23,1895- „ v Notts .. .. 152 Autr. 26, 1895— „ v Middlesex .. 10Aug. 29, 1895— „ v Leicestershire .. 135 Ail*. 5,1896— „ vKent .. .. *__ July 20,1897— „ v Yorkshire .. 158 Am>. 2,1897— „ vKent .. .. 8« Nov. 14, 1397—Stoddarfs XI v New South Wales 1« I Nov. 16, 1897— „ v New South Wales Kr/ Nov. 27, 1897— „ v Qu'nsl'nd & N.s.vr. 181 Dec. 13,1897— „ v Australia.. .. 1(8 Jan. 19, 1898— „ v Australia.. .. 1M Feb. 10,1898— „ v New South Wales 140 *Not out.

Heavy scoring was the order of the day in the First Grade matches begun in Sydney on March sth. In the game between Paddington and Burwood the former made 390 for the loss of but two wickets, A. Q. MoKenzie (137) and Trumper (191 not out) scoring 248 for the loss of the first wicket in an hour and forty minutes. Glebe made 312 for four wickets against Redferft. Coningham contributing 151 and Youll 102 not out. Waverley ran up 302 for thres wickets againsb Leichhardt, D. J. Noonan making 126, S. Gregory 91 not out, and Iredale 44. Easb Sydney made 266 against North Sydney. Central Cumberland scored w 138 opposed by South Sydney, who replied with 136 for five wiokets. In the Second *m Grade competition Manly made 440 (H. D. L. IP Woods 120 and F. M. Ridge 125 not out) I .~gai.nat< .South Sydney Second, and Balmain . i Second totalled 287 (R. Beavis 105 not out) . against Glebe Second. '" In Melbourne on March sth, the Hawkes. • burn Club made 581 against Carlton, E. Rush being top soorer with 293 not out, Soubh Melbourne made 375 against Fitzroy, Ingleton contributing 108 not out. The South Canterbury Senior Cap has been won this season by the Waimate Club, with a record of three wins and three drawn , games, Timaru being second with two wins :, > and four draws. The Geraldirie Club oornes '" next and Temuka last. W. H. Newton, the well-known Thautt.', trundler, performed a good feat with the<"i ball playing in the fourth annual matoh be-.' tween the Tararu and North Shore Clubi' In the latter's first innings he bowled 8r) balls, 2 maidens, for 25 runs, and eighth wickets, and in the second venture he oleaa' bowled Stemsoh and Hannah, when _&' -1 strained a sinew in his right arm and had to he taken off soon afterwardß. The game If? * was won by North Shore, who" declared'--; their second innings closed with eifjfht .-'" wiokets down, by 17 runs, the scores.jbeing';" North Shore 46 and 105 for eight wjotofce; Tararu, 49 and 85. ' A wonderful feat was performed by C. ■ I Over, one of the Melbourne C.C, pw« I fessionals, in a matoh played at Hawksbura § on February 23rd, between M.C.C. (12) and g Ptahran Trades (14). The latter batting | first oompiled 208. Over secured the whole 1 13 wickets at a cost of 64 runs, and numerous * |l catches were also missed off him. Hi*-- « average was—lß6 balls, 11 maidens, 64 > Jr runs, 13 wickets, j 11 >: " New Zeaiander" writing from Orange. 1 (N.S.W.), to a Dunedin paper says:—•'! § read with a great deal of amusement Mr 1 Fisher's remarks on Australian cricket. «He • j states that a combined New Zealand team ■ § would have a good chance of beating a picked 1 eleven of any of the Australian colonies, I providing they had a few weeks' practice on | the grounds here. This is certainly bsg talk I on Mr Fisher's part. I grant him ths § New Zealand team would not only »• 1 quire plenty of praotice, but the team' I would also have to consist of forty-two -g players to have a chance of a win, ana" g it would be a bare chance at that. Thaw' j| are no second rate players engaged in any ot m the intercolonial matches here, as stated bv> , i Mr Fisher. They are all cricketers of tEf ~m | first class order. If Mj Fisher's assertions | i had been as to the chances a New Zealand. I football team would have here, no one would I have doubted him if he had said thatthet -= H [ would win every match ; but as for cricket,., i ! know much about it in iSe* I Zealand yet. There is no one who wools g like to see the good old game advance to * g ! higher standard in New Zealand than tot* 1 I self, and the only way out of the difficulty, -g is to import, or rather engage, a few goes g men from Australia to teach them how t£ -g play the game. Hoping Mr Fisher wo**' m take umbrage at these few remarks." X, - H I There is not a cricketer anywhere *j*£:--H j will not be sorry to hear that Mr R. "&&?£ ft • in his old age, has had to seek the protects*! *_■ Sof the 'Bankruptcy Court (says a "Lofldqtt- B ! paper). Aa a sporting Nottingha® :, g j has of late years gone down very much,, «Js' _. S all its old dash seems to have departed*.-~W' , m Daft had belonged to Lancashire, r rii. § | shire, or Surrey, or even Kent, there might" g 1 now be a different story to, tell of him, xw I | man has never done more for cricket, and at. i a graceful and elegant batsman, combinsa- , f with effect, be never, had his equal. Bis 1 losses are due to the depreciation of ta#, ,8 I Trent Bridge Ground, near which he kept,.. 1 an hotel. !'.' I From The Bulletin:— The lesson of tuft." £ test matches will probably be taken to heat*. C | by some of the wealthy English \mck»W | clubs, and we may hear of professional , g obwlers being engaged to practise on mat* g | ting-covered asphalt wickets during tM' 1 winter months, Bat, although the hardness, • 1 of Australian wickets may he accou_tak 6i .» for the extra *'break " which Noble and Gov. £| ! have learned to put into their deliveries, _"*,jK amount o_ practice on the part of Richard- *ma j sons, Hirsts and Briggsea will ever make I them as lean, lithe, and likely-looking _.g bowlers as the Australian boys who are '> W now advancing to the attack in battalionsJ ;jrM , Richardson is manifestly hampered «| , his increasing bulk ; nuggety Hirst strain* < M \ his ■ broad, round baofc in the effort to s M bowl curly balls. The best Bnglish bowlefj;» ever seen out here was the ||| and Australia will ere long be rorodttoiag.:] c g| ten cricketers of Lohmann's atarob to e *^ti\ff one who can avoid getting fat in) l^g^^fit-ij Climate in the one place and b&er in &% H other make tha superiority of AuitrtlW/^S

howling.—"lsn't it time cricket averages were done away with V As guides to individual prowess they are of no account. Apart from the unfair way in which they discriminate against leading bats (who get •out' nearly every time), thoir grading of first-class men is a matter of pure chance. Take the averages of the present English team. On last year's English averages, Druce is the best man in it. Wainwright, Stoddart and Mason arc Letter men than Storer. In tbe first match of the tour McLaren, fresh from the sea, had the luck to mnkc a duck. Ranji fluked up 180 odd. McLaren has never caught up that long start in the averages, and, at the tonr-end, will probably figure as second on the list. But which lias been most feared ? The evil of the system is that it makes men leave off glaying for their side and piny ' for their average.' From the 'noble sport" standpoint, it is painful to see a good bat left in at the end with a duffer, shirking the bowling, taking no risks, and praying for a catastrophe to overtake his companion, and leave him with % ' not out' wherewith to water his figures." Geo. Giffen demanded £25, and S.A.C.A. offered him £20, as exes, in the recent shield contests. extra t's possibly cost S.A. the trophy, bntS.A. cricketers unanimously jnpport the Association, -which is in low •rater as regards funds. Commenting on the third test match an English writer pays:—The plain fact of the matter is that the Englishmen would have had a far better chance had Stoddart been " oppressed" a little more with choice. Apart from the bowling failures, which might have happened in any case, most people are beginning to see now that the inclusion of seasoned batsmen like Ward and Brown would have been to the advantage of the visitors. It is a pity Brown did not go somewhere farther than South Africa for the benefit of hi 3 health. Stoddart has publicly expressed regret that he couldn't take out all or a3 many players as he would have liked. He has been tied down by the promoters. These "promoters" have figured too prominently altogether in the business. Next time we hope to hear a good deal less of them. There is no excuse to offer for the overwhelming defeat of A. E. Stoddarfs team in the Third Test Match, and certainly only one explanation seems to meet the case (says a writer in the Athletic News of January 24th). The Englishmen have been fairly and squarely beaten. Of course it has to be mentioned that in each of the three big matches, at Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, the side which has had the good fortune to win the toss has gone in first, made a score of over 500, and won. The Australians have twice enjoyed the luck in the spin of the coin, and mere facts go a long way towards substantiating the idea that, on this tour at any rate, and with the same atmospheric elements prevailing, winning the toss will mean winning the game in the two remaining encounters. Between the conditions governing a Test Match in England and one in the Colonies there is a wide difference. On this side a score of 500 by the team winning the toss and batting first on a good wicket generally means a draw. " Out yonder," where these international games are played to a finish, the side first batting has no occasion to hurry itself, however mammoth the score may be, and men do not ncad to throw their wickets away at the finish so as to get the other side out. There is this about.it, too, that the longer they keep in tbe more do they wear the wicket. Were the pitch guaranteed to wear like a new billiard cloth, this would make no difference. In most cases, however, the side which has second turn on these wiokets is at a disadvantage. Still, we must recolleot that in the very first Test Match played the Australians, following on, made 408 in their second innings, and at Adelaide, when the conditions were probably quite as favourable, the Englishmen came nowhere near doing such a plucky performance. . . , . Even though the privilege of batting first has meant something, it were well to acknowledge at once that the victors have shown the better cricket. Their batting has come out on top, and Jim Phillips' own words, as they have been cabled across, are to the effect that the bowling of Howell and Noble in this last match was vastly superior to that of the Englishmen, and that this superiority, if maintained, would give Australia the rubber. j

The London Sportsman's speoial correspondent with the English team writes, as follows at the conclusion of first test match:—Now that the match is over—though between the opposing players there is the best of good feeling—there ia in the minds of the Englishmen a keen resentment toward the public and Press owing to the action in running McLeod out, which is considered by many to savour of sharp practice. The trustees' aotion in postponing the match ia not forgotten, and altogether many of the amateurs are already sick of Australia. Meldrum scored 103 not out for the Victorias against the Wanganui College First at Wanganui on February 26th. The Victorias scored 172 against the College's 31. The Hawke's Bay representatives play Auckland, at Auckland, on Friday and Saturday, and they meet Wellington, at Napier, on April 9th and 11th. The exact amount won by Stoddart in TaUflrsaH'B sweep for Reaper running second in the Newmarket Handicap was £1,350. The English captain laid the owner £1000, and each of the seven professionals in his team £100 to nothing aecunst the hoi-Be winning the first prize, £4,500.