CRICKET CHAT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10150, 24 September 1898, Page 3

CRICKET CHAT.

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«* Weekly Press and Referee.

All of the senior clubs in Christchurch have now held their annual meetings, and the gathering of the Canterbury Cricket Association will, I hear, be held some time next week. During:the past week or so I have visited .all of. the cricket grounds. I found each looking in good order-and, providing the weather is propitious, the various groundmen should be able to provide run getting wickets. The Hagley Park and College grounds look more forward than they did this time last year, and Milne, the new man on the former, has evidently not been idle considering the short time he has been at work. The Sydenham Park also bears signs of careful looking after, and no doubt Jones will get good wickets there. French is always at a hit of a disadvantage as regards Lancaster Park, as football is played there until early in September, but when the winter game is, over he soon gets to work, and all sign of the rough winter Usage quickly disappears. I have not heard of any very prominent players having taken up their residence in Christchurch since the close of last season. The Midland, who won the Senior Cup last season promise to be equall v as strong this, as although they have lost T. W. Reese, who has joined Sydenham,they have been reinforced by Cobcroft throwing in his lot with them. The latter's place in the Lancaster Park team will be hard to fill, but the latter have some promising juniors, who have had experience of senior bowling by playing for the club's thirteen, to draw from.

The United Canterbury Club expects to be able to place a stronger team in the field than last season, and I hear that J. U. Collins will be playing regularly for them. The rumour that R. D. Harman was not going to play does not appear correct, and, although Mendelson has left Christchurch, it is possible that he may be prevailed upon to assist the club in some of its more important engagements, in view of representing Canterbury later on. , Sydenham will most likely have the valuable aid of Phillips, the Anglo-Australian, in Cup matches, and, as Fowke and T. W. Reese have joined them, and Malone will be playing again, I hear on good authority that the club will not apply for a handicap in Cup matches. The prospects of this club appear brighter than at any time since its formation,. and but . few, I think, would begrudge them a win in the senior cup. The question whether a New Zealand team shall visit Australia or not during the coming season is still undecided. Favourable terms have been offered by the New South Wales and Tasmanian Associations, but no offer has been received from the Victorian Association, who were to have considered the matter at their annual meeting, which was to have been held in Melbourne last night. Mr Tapper, the Hon. Secretary of the New Zealand Cricket Council, informs mc that be expects a cablegram from Melbourne to-day, and as soon as he hears he will call a meeting of his delegates to consider the question. By the way, Mr Tapper tells mc that the paragraph quoted in last issue from the Sydney "Referee," saying that no reply was* sent in answer to a cable from the New South Wales Association, is incorrect, as on receipt of Mr Bowden's message he replied that the New Zealand Council could come to no decision until wofd had been received from the Victorian Association.

The Hon. Secretary of the Canterbury Cricket Association, Mr Raphael, has received a letter from Phillips, who states he was leaving England by.the R.M.S. Cuzco for Melbourne, on August 19th, and expected to be in Christchurch at the end of this month. It was stated that Phillips was bringing out material for sale, but he says this is not correct. Lovers of cricket in particular, and sportsmrn in general, will be pleased to know that G. H. S- Trott, the Australian Eleven captain, was sufficiently recovered to be able to leave home on September 10th for Woodend, being accompanied by Harry Graham. He will remain there for some time, his medical advisers being of opinion that quiet and a country life will greatly assist his complete recovery. They are not sanguine that he will be able to return to his duties in the Post Office for some considerable time, rest being a first essential.

M. Moorhouse, who was formerly wellknown in cricket circles in this colony, scored 125 for Merton against Streatham, at Merton, on July 30th. The match was drawn.

The Marylebone C.C. has given a ruling that "retired through illness, injury or unavoidable cause shall not count as a completed innings." This rule I have always carried out in compiling my batting averages, but it is rather a ticklish question to decide whether a player is "unavoidably absent"- or not. At the fifteenth annual meeting of the Midland Club, Wellington, the annual report congratulated the club upon its posi-

tion, both financially and as to membership. The senior team went through the season with an unbeaten record, which result was greatly due to the fine batting of K. Tucker and A. B. Williams, who easily led the Wellington batting averages. The real strength of the team, however, lay in the bowling, E. Upham, K. Tucker, F. Holdsworth, Stephenson, of the Midland team, occupying the four places amongst the Wellington trundlers. Regret was expressed at the death of Mr R. V. Blacklock, an excaptain of the club. The balance sheet showed a credit of £3 10s" 3d. The following officers were elected for the ensuing season :—President, Mr J. Duthie,M.H.R.; vice-presidents, Messrs H. D. Bell, W. E. Woods, S. Diamond. J. Danks, E. Wilson, J. Ross.H. Cully, A. I. Masters, R. Bannister, Dr. James, Captain Falconer, and Mr Hosking; committee, Messrs P. J. Tucker, F. Lash. A. C. Taylor, J. Jones. E. Upham. and E. Fitzsimmons ; hon. secretary, Mr R. S. Latta; hon. treasurer, Mr J. H. Coster; match committee (senior), Messrs E. Upham, A. B. Williams, and K. Tucker; (junior), A. C. Taylor, A. Smith, and Lash ; delegates to cricket association, Messrs E. Upham, R. S. Latta, and A. C. Taylor; hon. auditors, Messrs E. Fitzsimons and E. Upham. Messrs W. P. M'Girr and A. Blacklock were elected life members in recognition of their valuable services to the club.

The annual meeting of the Carisbrcok C.C. was held in Dunedin on September 10th, when the report congratulated the mrmbers on having won the Senior Cup. and the balance-sheet showed a credit of £21 16s Id. The following officers were elected for the coming season: —President, Dr. Batchelor; vice-presidents, Messrs Crosby Morris and H. D. Stronach ; captain of the club, Mr A. H. Fisher; deputycaptain, Mr E. J. Austin ; secretary and treasurer. Mr H. G. Siedebergh ; committee, Messrs C. R. Smith, F. C. Liggins, C. H. Broad, E. T. Gould, A. E. Whyte; delegates to the Otago Cricket Association, Messrs F. E. Brittain and C. R. Smith; delegates to the Sports Protection Society, Mr H. G- Siedeberg; auditors. Messrs 1). Cooke and G. R. Cheeseman; Match Committee, Messrs F. C. Liggins and J. Hope.

At the annual meeting of the Dunedin C.C., held on September 9th, the following officers were appointed: —President, Mr T. S. Graham;. vice-presidents, Messrs H. S. Colo, R. Brown, J. Blaney, A. Cowie, H. B. Courtis, and W. H. Philp; captain,

Mr J. Croxford ; deputy captain, Mr A. McKenzie; secretary and treasurer, Mr E. Wilson ; selection eommittee,Messrs A. McKenzie, J. P. Smith, and A.;Clarke; delegates to Otago Cricket Association, Messrs W. H. Skitch and J. P. Smith; committee, Messrs A. Maclean, W. Hutchison, R. Wilkie, D. Stalker, D. Blues, and H. D. Fish.