CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 80, 28 December 1907, Page 9

CRICKET.

V'.-. ■ :—0(BT Bueakek.) COMING REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. Wellington v. Otago (Basin -Reserve)—Dc- ; osmber 28 and 30. Wellington v. Canterbury (Basin Reserve)— "January 1, 2, and 3. 1 ■ Auckland v. Hawke's Bay -(at Auckland) — • December 27 and 28. », •Auckland v. Otago (at Auckland) —January i '2, 3, and 4. . : - . ... , .. . i ENGLISH TEAM IN AUSTRALIA.': Bendigo— December 28. Australia (second test), "at 'Melbourne— January 1, 2, 3, and 4. Australia ! (third test);: at Adelaide—January -10, 11, 13, and'l4;-; •• i-; Tasmania, -at Lauuceston—January 18; '20, and 21.. . .. ■ -, r -; . . - Tasmania, '* afiji 27. ' Victoria, at Melbourne—January 31, and February 1, 3,' and: 4: '; V Australia (fourth test),' at Melbourne—February 7, 8, .10,.and. 11.' New South Wales, at Sydney—February 14, .15, 17; and 18. , Australia (fifth tost), at' Sydhoy—February 21, 22, 24, and 25. . ■ South Australia, at Adelai.de—February 29, and March 2, 3, and!i:<-T;■ ?: West Australia, at Perth—March 12, 13,-' 14, . arid IG. ■ -. ~;. : . ■ ■ •. As,'the; Basin .;was occupied bv. a sports' .'gathering .thfiro ;ivEs no'' .senior', cricket played; last Saturday.; ' The woath'cr"'wiis per : . feet, as most-Saturdays 'have'been .'lately'. Cricket in-'Wellington'-in" recent years has not - improved.- very; iiiuch. ;.There do . not scom to bo the number of promising' juniors coming on to take places :in. senior, teams there should be. Monaghan was the last bowlor unearthed, and' it is 'now about' three years since he, mado ljis debut'on tho senior stage. Most of tho othor players; that: Have been doing anything with the ball'have been playing sonior cricket for years. Of batsmon, Bruco probably shows moro promise than anyone, else, and with a' little experience he should make one of tho' best bats in the Dominion. Last season Ashbolt batted in rare stylo, but he seems to'have .lost his dash and confidence of late. Certainly, there aro' numbers of juniors that would do much, better than a lot of our senior players, but they either belong to junior, clubs and cannot' play senior, or' else they seem to get nervous or careless when they are promoted; and consequently thoy' fail. Probably' tho best left-hand batsman in tho City today is Tilyard, of, the Newtown Club. . He plays correct strokes, times the ■ ball" well,and, most important of all; has confidence; If this boy woro taken ' in hand, he -would make a fine batsman. This leads' up to the question of a coach, and it can be safely said that- cricket will not go ahead hero una capable coach is obtained. Another thing that keeps tho game back is the .condition of- the. wickets provided. Match wickets arq bad enough to frighten half the players from using them, but the wickets provided for practice are shocking. It stands to roason that players, under these conditions, play forward with 'two things on their minds. Firs.tly, they wonder whore tho ball will hit them, and consequently the making of the stroke is a secondary consideration. What a difference it wouid make to players if thoy could'think'of'nothing hut the stroke they intended making, and until the game can ho played under these conditions, it will not improve. As it is now; players get to tho nets and are disgusted at tho wickets provided that'' thoy "have a hit." but this slogging docs thorn more-harm than if they kept away from the nots altogether. This is probably the most important matter that ever faced the Wellington Cricket Association. The following aro the principal batting and bowling averages to dato. Matches unfinished have been included: — BATTING. Senior 54 Laws . ... .19 Tucker ...... 51 Naughton . . .18 C. Hickson . . . 36 Monaghan.. . . 17 S. Hickson ... 32 ' Birch . . ... 17 Wynyard .... 31 A. Day ... .17 Barbor . . . . .29 Becchoy^V. : . . , 17 Richardson . . 28 Gibbes . . ... 17 J. P. Blacklock 28. Isherwood . . . 16 Burton 28 Dredge . ... 1G Gourlay 28 Tilyard 1G Upham . . . . .26 McKay 16 Waters (Ph'x) 24 Patrick (il'd'd) 14 Taylor . . . . . 24 Nash . . . . . ,14 Brico 24 Alpe . . . . ... 13 Briico ...... 23 Sfiiyrk . . 'i . . 12 Williams . . . .23 Hickcy 12 Waugh . . .' 22 Murphy .... 11 Fishor ...... 22 'Wators (Gas) . 11 Mahoney .... 21 G." Day 10 Cobcroft .... 21- C., P. Blacklock 10 Willis . . J 19 Litfclo . .10 BOWLING. Wickots. Runs. Average. Hales ....... 31 280 9.0 Cobcroft 34 340 10.0 Hickcy 25 .271 10.8 Tucker . 29 . 325 11.2 Luckio ....... 16 .189 11.8 Gibbos ...... 10 120 12.0 Hi 11........ 17 2C6 12.1 Brice 11 135 12.3 Fisher 15 185 12.3 Mooro . . .1 . 12 172 14.3 Mitchell . .| . . . 12 175 14,6

McKay . . 11 180 16.4 Ryan.. 17 288 17.0 Gourlay . 14 265 19.0 Becchey ..... 5 09 19.8 Laws 10 212 21.2 Monaghan .... 18 407 22!5 Upham ..... 13 304 23.4 A correspondent writes in the following sarcastic strain :—"lt is reported that' notice will be given to movo at tho next annual general mooting of tho Wellington Crickot Association that no selootion committco be elected, but that in futuro the names of senior players be placed in a bag, tho first cloven names drawn therefrom to be tho representative team, in order to, give those players who havo earned a placo at least an equal chance with those who, under tho proscnt system, are pushed into tho team by fellow clubmon on tho selection committee." THE OTAGO TEAM. With one exception tho team is as representative as could bo selected from tho players availablo, and is a goodly sido strong in batting, clover in tho fiold, but. save for Fisher and Downes, deplorably weak in attack (says "Long Slip" in tho "Otago Daily Tim-os"). It is at tho bowling crease tho weaknoss of Otago will bo shown up. Taking tho team asMt stands Carisbrook is represented by fivo players, Dunedin six, Albion two, Grange ono, and Opoho one. There is a solid representation of old stagers in tho team, and thero should bo few-ex-amples of "stago fright." ' Players liko Fisher, Austin, Downes, Siedolierg, AYilliams, and Wilson havo been through tho ordeal of big cricket many times and should bo quito at homo to tho matches against Canterbury, Wellington, and Auckland. Thero. is a danger of tho younger, and less experienced players -being unnerved by tho occasion, but with judgment in tho sending in of tho men to bat tho team can bo "steadied" right down to tho last wicket. Taking tho players individually, Fisher -is bowling in quito his best form, and is also batting well. "Jerry" Austin seldom docs himself justico in big cricket, but if'tho popular Carisbrook man is favoured with any luck ho should make runs, as ho is in his best form. In tho, field Austin Ms as clean j and clover as of yore. I regret sinceroly that ho is unable to go further north with tho team than Wellington. Thero can bo no doubt about Sicdobcrg's form with tho bat. Ono has only to remember his 104 of tho best compiled a couplo of weeks ago against : good, bowling. Sicdcberg may, however, bo a triflo off in tho, field, for ho I has not yet reoovercd his old rigour. All in, Siedobcrg is tho star of'tho batting lino, and should mako runs on tho tour. .. Veteran Jim Baker has dropped out—this owing to having contracted a poisoned luieo. Many will regret .this, for if tho .veteran is not "lightning" in tho fiold ho can still mako runs with tho bat. Tho dropping out of Baker is compensated for by tho inclusion of Ogg, tho Grange player, whoso abilities, 1 am pleased to see, tho solo selector lias recognised. Ogg is an aggrcssivo batsman, a good field, and a useful chango bowler. Ho is well worth his place in tho team. Frank Williams is tho wicket-kceper—nono better in tho provinco to-day,—and ho may bo expected'to hold up his end, if not with tho bat, at least with the gloves. Yet do not overlook tho Albion "keeper's" ability to liiako runs. Ho has mado thorn against Canterbury before to-day. , What of tho solo selector himself? His form is an unknown quantity this season, but with practico ho will justify his inclusion. Then thero is tho moral effect of his presence in tho team. Does not-that count for something? Any way, thero it is. Torranoo goes in as a bowler, and though somewhat disappointing as a trundler.-on his promise of-two years ago, is still worthy of inclusiori' in-'' tho' team. I should liko to ■ sco . tho young Duriodin bowlc-r come out with good figures, on tho tour. His. club-mato, Jlackcrsy, has been batting consistently and is in spendid form with tho ball. Eckhokl is in good form with tho bat, and is still a clovor field. Molvin is tho weak spot in tho teani, and his inclusion, which- comes as a -surpriso to 'the majority of cricketers,, is something in the naturo of an experiment. Now that ho is in wo all. liopo, to seo him do well on tho trip, and it may bo that against Auckland, if Fisher and Downes'do not accompany the team thus -far;;, lio may como.i out with good figures. TonvjAdams, '-of'..-Carisbrook,. is-' batting-splidly. and in . his- usual careful style, and may be ..' expected to maintain thoso .qualifications against: tho onemy. Adams is a leg-break bowler and a His-namesake, of Albion—Alan. ; Adams, to wit—has been batting consistently -well this, season, as figures will show, and on form justifies his inclusion. . Adams is, moreover, a good field, and may bo oxpccted to bring off more than ono sensational catch in tho long; field if given an opportunity.- Watson, of Carisbrook, will justify tho opinion of tho selector. Ho is every inch a batsman, with a fine variety of strokes, but, ho is notoriously unlucky. However, all this may, chango up north, and Watson may be given'a chaiiM' to show, his true form with the bat. Ho is a good fiold and a fair chango bowler. Tho last man to bo dealt with is Eckhoff, of Opoho, who is a, useful chango b'owler and a trior all tho timo. Eckhoff is as. keen in tho field as lie is at tho bowling crease, and would field all his own balls if necessary. Altogether tho team which has been selected is a good ono. Gordon Russell writes:—"l note that a controversy is taking placo amongst local cricketers as to tho valuo'of various 'hits' on tlio Basin lloservo, and my attention has been drawn to tho following paragraph appearing in a weekly contemporary:—'Somo pcoplo aro arguing that a hit clean out of tho Basin Reserve should count more than it docs, and it has been said that similar hits would count moro anywhere else than they do in Wellington. Which is moro than probable, perhaps. But I havo yet to learn that thero is a crickot ground m tho world which has an outer , and an inner boundary, and this is what tho critics aro asking for in this instance." Mr. Russell, goes on to say that-for. any person: whb poses as an authority on tho gamo to. state that ho has "yet to learn that thero is . a cricket ground in tho world which has an outer and inner boundary" is a damaging admission, and mentions that oven during tho present season it has boen recorded that a batsman at Orango (Now South Wales) placed six consccutivo balls "out of tho ground" for which ho was allowed 36 runs. Mr. Russell also mentions ,a caso in which the Australian, J. J. Lyons', playing against an eleven of England at Blackpool, in Lancashire, hit Saul AVade, tho Yorkshire professional, four times Jin ono over (tho over consisted of four balls at that timo) clean out of tho ground, registering 24 as the re-, suit. My correspondent tolls an incideavt. against himself in tho following words:— "Tho valuo of a hit out of the ground was forcibly driven homo to mo in tho year 1888; when I was playing for tho Manchester Clifford Club against- tho Mancheter Club and Ground —tho latter term implying ground staff. Clifford eleven wero m tho fiold, and all efforts to dislodge tho first ppir of Manchester batsmen — Ramsbottom . and Walter Robinson, tho Lancashiro County professional; had provod unavailing; ovory man but myself had been tried with the ball, and as tho over for one day matches consisted of six balk, somo pretty figures wero. recorded in tho bowling analysis. Tho pair had mado 170 and woro still going strong when our captain gavo mo a trial with tho ball. My first. delivery Robinson kindly drovo into tho adjoining county ground amid tho laughter of my follow fieldsman, and my scpond, a slow wall-pitched ball to leg (or at least I thought so), ho oonsiderafcoly hoistod over into tlio road,, and tho four remaining balls lio also placed out of tho fiold; to save my reputation as a bowler (which ' was at that timo oxactly nil) Mr. Partington, pur captain, lrindly refrained* from allowing mo to participate any further in t-ho trundling' department that day." Mr; Russell also mentions that on many grounds in England thoro aro actually tliroo boundaries, a hit to the fence counting four, should the, ball bo hit clean out-sido tho fcnco fivo is oountod, and outsido tho ground altogether six is allowed. Tho tour of tho Otago representative team will occupy about oightcen days. ' Mr. I'. R. May, who was out hero with tlio M.C.C. team, has written, and Messrs ; Eyro and Spottiswoode will shortly an account of tho M.C.C. tour through New Zealand. Tho manager of tho Otago representative 'toam is Mr. C. G. Wilson, who was a few years ago well-known in Molbouruo cricketing circles.

It has been found impossiblo to secure hotel accommodation in Auckland for tho Otago representative team. Arrangements havo, however, been mado for tho team's accommodation at Glenalvon. Bakc-r, the veteran Otago player, who has been suffering from a poisoned knoo for somo timo has had to undergo an operation. 110 is still confined to his room, but is making as much progress as' can ho expected under tho circumstances. The estimated cost of tho Otago team's tour is £180 —12 men at £15 apiece. Thero is a probability. of threo or four members of tho M.C.C., team visiting the Hot Lakes before they return to the Old Country. 11. A. Young, of the M.C.C. touring team, has boen elected captain for 190S of Cambridge University. "ltugby roferees have an example of the perfect official in Mr. A. O. Jones (captain M.C.C.. touring team), who always contrives to impress his personality on the proceedings and to gain the full confidence of the spectators. There aro many referees of talent, but ho is a genius in tliis sphere of legal activity."—London "Times." Clem Hill is the only batsman, English or Australian, who has mado over 2000 runs in Test matches, his record being 2082, with tho following his biggest innings: 188. 135, 119, 99, 98, 97, 96, 88, 87, 87, 81 and 80. Ho is at the top of his form at present and seems likely to he Australia's greatest batsman in the Test matches. Referring to the unflinching pluck and courago of tho late H. F. Boyle (of Melbourne) as a fieldsman in standing up to the fiercest hitters , at- silty mid-oil —a position created by him—a writer in the "Australasian" statos"ln tho early eighties ono of the Australian toams were playing Gloucestershire; I was a spectator at the match, played at Clifton. W.G., then in full possession of his magnificent punishing powers, was batting. Getting well- hold of a half-volley, ho drovo it witli all his force straight to Bovlo, at silly mid-on. Tlio power behind tho hit was such as to drive the ball clean through Boyle's hands, and hit him with full force in the chest. Down went poor old Boyle, • but, sticking to tho ball, the great W.G.'s account was finally settled for that innings. .Such 'was. the astonishment of W.G. that, standing at the wickot regarding the prostrate form of Boyle, he awaited the umpire's decision before finally'.retiring. The catch has . since been refeyrod to by Dr. iGrace as a marvellous piece of fielding." The first Test match lias, above all other things,' demonstrated once more that , the great-strength, of this English team is in tlipir .out-cricket,' says the "Referee." Their bowling is 'of 'a very'fine quality, the slipfielding magnificent, and other fielding good. Tho batting is not so sound ; but there is ample timo for it to improve, moro especially when A. 0. Jones comes back into tho eleven. Like A. 'O. Jones and MacLar'en, Fane -appeared to be a first-class general— very keen and alert, aud yet so different from Warner. • It was easier work captaining this team than captaining Australia, for they are-moro of a combination than tho Colonials, who are, as yet, more liko so many units. M. A. Noble repeatedly signalled to his fields to movo this way or that way, but their eyes wore not for the captain. "We will see nothing hotter this season; probably nothing quito so good," observes tho "Roforoo" with reference to Gunn's batting in the first .Test match. Continuing, our Australian. contemporary states that his display was a. masterpiece, in which case, confidonco, exact timing; clever pacing, and great wristiness - all combined to stamp'- it with greatness. He made his 119, which included twenty 4's,- in . two and a half hours. His effort was ono of tho most finished ever seen in a Test match in Sydney. Standing up to his full height—ho is about the :sizc 3 -.of-.Tyldesloy—ho timed perfectly, tlio bairtravbliing fast enough for four out of six in-every.-'over if unfielded to roach the fence. lie was as effective on ono side of the wicketossthe other, and in front or bohind tlio' wiekot. It was a wonderful eyeopenor to tho public to sco this man come into tho team as an emergency and give such a display; : ■ ' '