CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 57, 30 November 1907, Page 9

CRICKET.

... (By Breaker.) . , '- '-Fine, weather, .'and,, a" g00d,.. 'attendance • 011/ Saturday. ~-The 1 lioeiiii-Old Buys game,i.:on ■ No. 1 wwKßb,. jiroriuea an' eiciting finish. Tlie lat-ter-side continued its first innings with-threo dowh for 11)8. Tucker soon' reached tho,century >vitliout giving-any more chances, arid Moiiaghan liad. made 63 .-by. very lucky batting before he . was bowled : with Hickey's second/8a11.'.'... Water's-mado a-weak attempt' to catch the left-hander off LaWs: .

AVith four down! for 23) Old Boys declared their innings closed..,. Phoenix'started with 160 .behind , on tho first innings at about 3 p.m.' .La)ws"-and Dakin'opened', l and promise'; ;biit 'Da'kih, 'getting 'impatient, ..railout -to■ an easy .orio ,frojn ■ Tuckerwhich kept low, / and Imp ,br'Gibb'eg" joined'' taws, and - some,'%6&V wicfcVSVaV'shown.''JVlion tho toiSr.tibbct^klyfolMfcsMm 'fbdlislily ruii.out by his partner.His scoro was 32; Laws continued until''his score'reached 64, when he was caught by Blacklock. Tho .play at this time .was - slow: ' Arid;'uninteresting: Phroiiix required 13 to save an innings defeat at 6 o'clock, and it looked like'a fourpoint win for Old Boys until Crowes and Hickey became associated for the . eighth wicket. The score increased steadily) and Old Boys' fielding began to get loose. Wild returns 'from the field:' were; responsible for overthrows, and it soon' bccame:' "apparent that a "foifr-point' ivin Was not "to' be scored. When, the score stood at. 180,: Hickey was bowled by Monaghan.' Crewes scorcd/lS .(not out), and Gi Burton and-.Mooro weird, absent. The'time was 14 minutes past 6, leaving 16 minutes for play, of'which 10 'minutes would be taken up between the- innings.' Old Boys required 20 runs, with 6 minutes to get .them',' and the task proved; beyond them. Excitement? ran high for 'the moment, but with the score at; ll Blacklock was caught off Gibbes, and time was then called: ' It.was a; very, interesting' finish, .'and, the remark's from thft :,spcctat'ors'were,' as'usual;, numerous,, sound, and wise.' - : i' : .'

; On No. 2 .wicket tho Gas Company, in a very slow way, endeavoured to reach tho total put up by Wellington. Gourlay hit out wildly, at one from Hales and .was bowled. Watters batted well for 32,' and Waugh, Dredge, and Hodge also reaclitd double figures, but the tail /'fizzled" /o\xt, and the total was only. 93..,

. Wellington- should have tried foir a win outright, but they seemed satisfied to occupy the time by' ; battiiig : again.

• In the.,'sccond innings 'Naughtonw Quinn, Fisher, and Willis made, "doubles."; Tho Wellington bowlers divided the. Gas. Company wickets in the first, innings, none- of.'their performances being remarkable..

The catch with which Luckie dismissed Dredge off Fisher was a good one—a very good-one for Luckie: .. /•

Midlands.with eight wifikets down . continued on No. 3 against Potoiic. , Tho latter team was handicapped in not being able to bowl Brice, as this player had ricked his side. With the score at 114 Hickson was badly dropped off Cobcroft at squaro leg, and about the Same time TJpham survived i unanimous and confident appeal-.for ./l;b.w. ■ This ;proved the' turning point of : tho game',- and : tho;scbre advanced to' 171, when- Hickson (77).''. was Caught by Cobcroft. The" iivniiigs- closed for 174. At this period' the'gamo was decided, as there was not time to play it to. a'finish. Pctonc in tho second inning's. started-l;adly, but at the close of the day the score was 208 for six wickets. Of - this total. Taylor scored"G2 .(not out), Gobcroft 32, Senior 31 (not out), Bricc 25, and Barber 21/ 'Thero wore 20 extras, included in the total, .which does not say much for the wicket-keeping. ■ It was noticed that.Upham did not bowl much during the afternoon. He; sent down-eight-overs out of 58 bowled by his side.' ■ Taylor's innings was a very creditalilo one. This player has been on tho' fringe of senior cricket for some, time now, and perhaps the score he put up on Saturday will help to give him confidence. As a field lie is worthy of a placo in any senior team. .. In the round -just' completed there were some very creditable-scores, put up-without the loss of a wicket. Tucker.' and Monaghan for.the fourth wicket.!of Old Boys, put on 173. ' Taylor and Senior put on 91 "for Pctonc soyenth wicket, and Uphain- and-. Hickson partnership was responsible - for 77 for Midland ninth wicket. Following are the batting averages-to date (20 and over). "

_ Just, now, 01(1 Boys, Wellington, and Phoenix , aro pegging level, with eight points each, .111. thechampionship. I'etonc, Ons Company ,and Midland aro eablr four points, and..Newtown lias not yet managed togot a win in.-- , . , - ■. - ■

It- is just possible; that a team will go to Nelson at about Christmas-time. When Nelson last sent a team 1 to Wellington (in 1902) itdid so'on the understanding that tlio visit ivduld bo returned, and tho match made an lannual one. Now, after a lapse of six years, there is just a prospect of tho promise being carried out. .

Wairarapa has been asked to send a "rep." .team down to play here oh December 21, but it is considered most unlikely that a team cau be got away on that date.

The team of New South Wales school teachers which will tour New Zealand next month should be.,a good one. No city in the Dominion can raise a side of teacherfe that will stand any chance of beating the visitors, so it might be arranged to call in the assistance of outsiders to help the scholastic cricketers. . It will not be much fun/for the ,-playcrs to take part in one-sided matches, even when on a holiday trip.. . v.":

: The following paragraph from thfi 'Auck-' land "Herald" shows the interest which is takrm in juniors by tho Northern City Club: —"All/ junior players in tlio City district are to be coached by Grainger on Monday and Friday aftcrnooiis at Victoria Park,, where' the City C!lub is providing a. spcoial net. All .City schoolboys aro also invited to partake: of .the coaching." It is to be hoped the City Club will reap a bountiful harvest as-a result of, its forethought...... y.• ' ' : The' rough state of No.'; 2 wicket,' Basin Resorve, was tlio subject- of ''complaint on tlig ;part of /playersilast 'Saturdays ''-.It- -is/ stated that-this' pitch "was'in' an-exceptionally bad; /condition... .... ''. './'/ ■ Dredge .has resigned the captaincy of the Gas Company team. A. Hawthorne .will be playing for. tho Gas Company to-day._ Hawthorne has' not hefin out previously, this; season. - Vic. Trumper is reported to.be shaping woll and it'is anticipated, that Ho will this season regain his. old form. ' ' '.' . ' W. Wi, Armstrong and P. A.. McAlistor, !of Victoria, iro-available.for the:ma!tch England v.'An'Eleven of-Australia-at Brisbane. ■ .The members of tho'M.C.C. touring team bat'with; a glove on each/hand, with, thin kid. /gloves undprneath, to!,prevent the handle of the tat'frbiil.slippmg.''/..^'''' . In the. West Christchurch'-Linwood match recently 810 runs woro. scored in the two' days' .play • for.-27 ..wickets,.' which; must bo close to a record for. senior cricket. ■ ' Cricket in Dunedih worries the treasurer of the.-local Association to baldness, says a correspondent of ; a. ■ Southern paper.' The match North end V.'South end,, on the King's Birthdaj;, resulted in a-loss of 9s. 6d. to tho Association........ ~ According to-lett-ors received liy'this week.'.s mail, says'tlic'v Wellington correspondent of tile "Canterbury Times'," there is a probability of, three or .four of the English team now in Australia visiting the Hot Lakes beforfc thoy, return to the Old Country. '• - ; The/English t'oam, now in' Australia is the seventeenth, exclusivo. of that which P. F. Warner captained-through Now Zealand, and paid a visit to Australia, a few yoars back. .It is just on 46 years, sincc tho first team came out and 'made' a stir iii the goldrush days. ; Tho London "Sportsman" states that' a marriage has been arranged and will : tako place shortly,.-between Dr. E. M. Grace, the Gloucestershire Coroner aiid celebrated-crick-eter, and Sarah Elizabeth (Lillie) Brain, -daughter of the. lato Mr.-. Georgo Brain, of Cardiff. • Dr. v Grace:.-' visited- Australia onco only, that is in 11864,; with George Parr's team, when he was ranked as.tho finest batsman in the/world.' -Ho is-66 years of ago. Says "tho "Referee": —ln the London County averages for 1907, A. Sims, tho New Zealander, takes ■ a " prominent place. Ho scored 793 runs,at an-.average of 56.64, and made three hundreds. (I'4l, 130,.aiid 124). L. 0. S. Poiclevin batted threo times (top score 139), making 199 for-onco out; and A;' Marshal five times (top score 160), at an average of 64. Marshal secured 10 wickets at an average 'of 18, and" Poiclevin 9 at 12.11. "W.G.'s" record, for tho season with the club is; Scored 854 runs at an average of 47.44, tlii'eo centuries (140, 102, and 118); secured 89 wickets' at 13.04. Ho is: fourth ill the batting, and first in the bowling averages among those'who often played.. And W.G. will be 60 years of age next July,!

■The Otago representative team which is to go on tour next month ,will consist of, twelve players only, one of whom will act as captain and manager of the team. The players will leave Dunedin for Christchurch by the second oxpress on Saturday-, December 21, in order to give the members of the team an opportunity of a practice oil Monday, December 23; prior to the commencement of the match against Canterbury on. Tuesday, December 24. The estimated cost of. the Otago team's tour is £180 i providing for 12 men at £15 each.-

Humphries, .who-is keeping wickets for the M.C.C. touring, team, is ranked as the best wicket-keeper in England. Quiet and unostentatious, m all really good wickot-keep-ers are or should be, ho may not at first iiiake an impression on the casual spectator, but th.v_ cricketer will very soon recognise his merits. Humphries is especially reliable on the leg side of the wickqt, and, unlike most first-class. wicket-keepers •' in England, ho ii as good a stumper as .he., is a catcher. His gloves consist of two pairs. of inside gloves and the outside or . third pair are more the size of a baseball mit than the ordinary gloves,' and are apparently all enveloped. The first pair is-of chamois-leather, the second ' ordinary wicket-ke'eping gloves, with the top joints protected by indiarubber. Tho large'outside pair is .thendrawn,-on:'oyer the other'-'two. •

The selector of the Canterbury representative team, Mr. Wheatley,' has reduced the list of inter-provincial practice to. sixteen, and as the team will be picked in a fortnight there is considerable interest as to what the final selection will be: Boxhall • (wicketkeeper), D. ■ Reese- and' Lusk (batsmen),, and Bennett (bowler), make a brilliant quartette, says a "Canterbury Times" writer. Anthony, and Orchard have.struck their best form also, while 'Lawrence' has commoiiccd to' practise, and despito his absence from club cricket is in .good form. One difficulty that faces the selector-is the question of-bowlers, viz., tlfe absoluto.~noed of a bowler besides- Bennett', Lusk and Roesq. If ono is picked then Malone must be tho man, as next to Downes lie is tho best slow, bowler in New Zealand. That leaves three batsmon to be picked from Patrick, .Moorhouse, Cuff, ■ Wood, -.Wliitta, Fryer, and Ackroyd. Patrick and Mooi'-' liouso. liavo not struck 1 form yot, otherwise they, are cortainties.. Of the others, Cuff, of Rangiora, has batted brilliantly , this season in all his matches, . besides, being a useful bowler and a good field. Fryer has done nothing except his .lessopiaii -innings against East Christchurch, though he is batting well at the nets, but Wood has- struck his best form at last. Ackroyd and Wliitta are also batting well, whilo • Crawshaw, tho High School' captain, has an outside chance as a fast - bowler .in caso Malone should fail to maintain his present form. Altogether Wheatley has the prospect of a very, strong Canterbury eleven —ono of the very best. The following should be nrotty near the selected team:—Bennett, Malono, Boxshall, P. Reese. Lusk, Anthony, Lawrence. Orchard, Patrick, Moorhouse,' and Cuff, with Wood as twelfth, man.,

Henry, F. Boyle, whose death was announced last iveek, was one'of the grSat players who securocl recognition in England of Australia's prowess at cricket. Ho was a member of the first Australian eleven to visit

•England (in 107S), and liar] ,1 ] n rge share' in the historic victory over the M.C.C. t-onni, which was dismissed , for 33 and 19. Spoffortiracquirecl the.bigger reputation from the match, but' Boyle • had the better average. In the second innings he took six wickets for three runs. He also helped to win that greatest of all tost matches, at the Oval in 1882, whe,ir Kngland wanted 85 to win, and just faded to get thorn. Fifty-three was on the board for four wickets, and the struggle that followed was the most exciting in the history of test matches. While SpofForth bowled in unplayable fashion—his ' last 11 overs yielded 2 runs and •! wickets—Bovle maintained a magnificent length, and witlmut hoing so jlcndly was just as" difficult to hit. On that tour he headed the a* ••rages vith I'M wickets at 11.6 runs a-pieco. . "Bovle was as fine a iength howler as oiie could wish to have on one's side," says Giffen, "with a little work from the leg and sometimes a deceptive (light, and ho could stand being hit, although it was seldom, so unerring was his length, that he had to submit to punishment. ' In the field he created a new position,. "silly mid-011," and stood there to hitters like E. M. Grace, notwithstanding repeated throats that lie would be killed, if lie fielded so close to the batsman. PIiUNKKT SHIELD MATCHES. : SUGGESTED'' PROPOSALS. The report of the ■ sub-committee of the New., Zealand Crickc-t -Council on the question of the Plunket Shield Matches has been roferred back to the' committee, to report at :tho ncxt meeting of the Council.. The committee recommended inter alia that no one ■ shall- bo eligible to play in a match •for the I'luiiket Shield unless (a)'lie was born within tlie boundaries of tho Association district for which it is proposed that ho should play; v (b) that ho lias been-resident within such district for a' periofd' of riot less -Wan:six months' immediately-'precedihg the ;mateh j ■ (o). that ho has: taken "up his residence'within such district xinder 'circumstances sufficient to establish to the satisfaction, of tho Council that he has a bona fide •intention .of remaining within such district rv'? P or ' oc ' ' ess than. four months, i Other new rules proposed are as.follow (24) v No player'..shall 'represent more than one .affiliated Association in. the samo season .without the express sanction of tho Council. (25) Tho Co\\iicil may deal with and deoide the question' of the qualification of any, player upon such oral, documentary, or other evidence as it thinks fit, and its decision-may bo announced by. letter or.- telegram before, during;- or' after any match in "which the question of a player's status -has- been raised. from time to time delegate i 10 ';V''bple-.or .'.any portion of . its- functions ajid powoi:s',.,undei' tho foregoing rules, Nos. ??t. ahjl. 25, .to an Executiye : Comniittee of; three, members, -whoso decision shall be .final.. If the qualification of any .player is open, to reasonable doubt, it shall bo tho duty, of ' the- Association intending to play Such .player to submit the circumstances for the. opinion tho Council before his naino is included in' any representative team. .; Tho sub-committee directed-tho attention of tho Council and of tho affiliated Associations to thfS question of two classes of important matches which may tako place under present conditions. There were first tho inter-provincial matches proper, oinbrac- . 'ijg a!', playors in .any' part of a provincial idistrict, and . whether belonging to. a club affiliated: to ..an : Association or not) and Secondly , the Plunket-Shield matches, which wero open to any Cricket Association affiliated; to the-Now Zealand Cricket Council. -There might he two or more Crickot Associations in one provincial district, and some questions might arise, as to- the; qualification of players for intcrprovincial matches and the Plunket Shield matches respectively. It was therefore suggested that tho affiliated Associations and.tho Council should consider .tho.., expediency,. of defining the boundaries Of different Associations' having jurisdiction in the samo provincial district, and also the propriety of confining the Plunket Shield matches to representative teams of the entiro provincial districts, and not as at present permitting Associations to "compote. • WEDNESDAY CRICKET. ; If the wiekots had been as good as' thoweather, the Wednesday Seniors might have had a very enjoyable afternoon's cricket, llio Union-Oriental match on No! 2 wicket provided a good exhibition, of bowling and iieldmg by. tho Unions, who secured a 4-noint win from last year's champions. The latter T\ere, however, . shorthanded, and' severely felt ,:thp.;iibsence of Jack iMoore, who, on tho previous i Wednesday; entered .into, what to be. hoped, will prove a long and happy partnership. - ■ ' ' . The main - featuro . of interest on No. 1 wicket was the antics of. , the ball. It bumped and. kicked, and broko and twisted in a manner which defied tho best efforts to keep an eye oil it. One Rival batsman got a blow which .might easily have ended his cricketing career, and although a slight \mprovenient; on tho previous Wednesday the ivickefc was absolutely unfit to play on. matches concluded the ;first round of-'the Simmonds and Osborne. Shield competition-, showing the Unions in the lead with-10 points, Orientals and Gcorgo and rnfg® . I >olnts , cac b, Rivals 2 points. The draw for the next round resulted as followsßivals v. Orientals, Basin No !• George and George v. Unions, Basin No 2Unions v. Rivals, Basin No. 1; George and" George v. Orientals, Basin.No. 2; Orientals Iv" j-. Basm 1; George and George I v. Rivals, Basin No. 2. ,J h ° Y J M i ° r , fixtur es. for next Wednesday are.—Y.M.C.A. v. Orientals, Basin No. 3: \ lyians v. Georgo and George, Basin No. 4; Unions 'y.Pakoha, Park No. 1; Thorndon v Artillery A, Park No. 2; Red Cross v. Ar-1 tillery B, Park No. 3. > ■ " ' SOME BAT-TING TALK. The following piece of humour from ,I'rys Magazine" is worth reproducing — 'heated one evening with my book in front of v me, reading tor my exam, I became so wrapped up in my work that I was. so to speak, lost to'the world. Then, as frequently happens, I .became lost to tho work also. It was at this point that my eye fell upon my cricket bat, which was loaning in-the corner. I . had used it that afternoon. on a muddy pitch, and unnoticed that the marks upon it distinctly Resembled two eyes ,a nose and a mouth. ' " 'Quite like a face,' I remarked, aloud. "'Thank ; you,' replied a harsh voico 'More than'-1 can say for yours.'- • '"Well, I'm blessed!' said I. "'I doubt it,' remarked" the bat, drily. '•You -said' quite the opposite this afternoon when I stung you. I'll keep on stinging you, too, till you stand me another drink'of oil! •And mind you leave it Jong on. I'm as dry .as'.sawdust.' . Is .-that -.what makes. you . so . crossgrained?' I queried. " 'Knot entirely,' answered ' the- bat, .shortly. .... .'l've, just had another row'' with that cousin of mine—Ball—one of the Crickot Balls, you know. He-can shoot, that fellow —I have known him get in a right and left several-times over rough , ground. Anyhow, '. wo>eapw'-to''blows. I was out, driving and saw him coming, in a brake,-and.-meant to give him a. glance—but accidentally cut him. A mere silly point of etiquette—a' mere slip —but we came to blows about it. ' .'."Do ,you remember that timo.ho nearly broko my shoulder? I can still crick it.' I glanced at the binding, and nodded,. 'Well, ho had tho cheek to have me up for battery, and brought a most high-handed action against me.'.' I had to stump up, tob, and was,refused'bail. I was then bound over to keep the peace,' " 'What,was the result?' I asked. " 'The not result,' lie replied, 'was that I knocked him over tho fence, lie'treated my : lyifo in an underhand way, too.' . " 'Your wife?' 1 exclaimed. 'I, didn't know that hats had any sex.' "'.You don't,seem to know much,' he answered. 'She was maid in England, where 1 was manufactured. 1 remember the day we got spliced quite well. I have heard that sho quite wont to pieces after wc were separated. My brother married a maiden over in Australia—it was a very good match.' ■-'"Don't, you find-it very dull during the football season?' I asked. .'"Oh,- no.' lie replied. 'I can play forward or play back if I want to, but I usually rest and'read my handle. It is .all ."cane) von' : ahd rather prettily bound. ■■ I don't care for Knox. I can't forget 1111 uncle of mine who became crocked from that cause, and finally ended his existence on a "krise,"

- Ugh! Sometimes I play pitch and toss,-and I also make up scores of riddles. Here's one. Wli.v am I like your intention to make a century?' " 'Why?' I asked. " 'Because you have never carried me out. By-bye.' "The bat suddenly slipped on to the floor with a hang. I don't know why it startled me so, because I had just been talking to it. I picked it up, and asked it if it was hurt, but received no reply. '. As a proof of the veracity of this tale I may mention the fact that since 1 have oiled my bat regularly it has not stung'me once." , '

Total Highest Average, runs, 'score. ' C..Hickson ... 52 209 106 Gourlay . .1. - '10 ' ' 120 ' 84 Tucker ... 35 178 107* S. Hickson ... 31 159 75 . Waters ; ... ,31 .156 87* G. IJurtori '... 30 -154 1 83 J. R Blacklock 29 174. 77 Cobcroft ... 25 103 ■ 33 Richardson - ... 23 115 44* Mahouy ... 21 129 55 Beechey ... 20 100 42 * N/>fc out '