CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 116, 8 February 1908, Page 9

CRICKET.

1 (By Breaker.)

■ ENGLISH TEAM IN AUSTRALIA. Nciv South Wales, at.Sydnoy—February 14, '■'<"16,'.17, and'-'18;" - & ; Australia 1 (fifth tost), at Sydnoy—February 21, 22,-24, and 25. " -■ ■ bouth -Australia, at Adelaide—February 29, m and March 2, 3, and 4- ■■■' Wost Australia, at Perth—March 12. 13. 14.' and 16. ■ ' 'Tho 'senior matches will be resumed'this, afternoon.,-... - ■ •- Torrance, the Otago representative bowler,' has' 'received'.'a: Government billet,at Oamaru. Dan , Reese,' of Christchurch, has ; been awarded Dr; -Thaclcer's "mfedal for ' the' 1 most meritorious performance in the match Wellington v. Canterbury. : • Jim Baker, the Otago representative .progressing iavpurably after'the, operation" necessitated by ..his having ;.;con-tx;actcd-,a '.poisoned knee; ..":v; ; ..v, .. j Fobruary 27; to 29 inclusive' havo.been sug!ge'ste"d Uy tlio North'orri'Asspciatioit as .' the most, rsuitable" dates for, • tlie'-Pluiik'et Shield challenge match, 'Auckland' x? Wellirigton'i at Auckland. . ; - ; : ißy'!Scbring:aV,three-point'win last Saturday, ..West. Christchurch have a., clear lead of points oyer, Sydenham' for the first -■ grade championship, their/total'being' 19 points, as against Sydenham's 15. i; -F. Burton, the Riccarton wicket-keeper, met ; with a. painful; accident. ,when ■ playing against- the. Raiigitikei iNothads on Thursday week.' - In taking the ball when it wiis in' he. got one of his fingers crushed--be-tween the. ball and the too of his boot."; ". . SiriTljo annual, match between; Southland: arid Otago for the cricket supremacy betwoeri the .provinces will probably be decided at: Dunecliri on February 19 (Cup Day). .• ,v &'Among those® who':'.aeblined.'' to il.e.C. touring team' were F. S. Jackson, T; 'Hayward, A. ;C. .MaoLaren, J. T. Tyldesley, ;Ai;, A. Lilley, G.' H. 'Hirst, R. E; Foster,: G. L/.-.Jessop, ;E. Arnold, N. A. Jliwkp, R. H. Spooner, and P. A. Perrin. i The Queensland. Cricket Association..;lost £14. over the M.C.C. matches' played at/Brisr bane. The;total ■ receipts '• from.,tho niatch, Warner's' team'v. Queensland; wero £931, from'!..which. the .Q;C.A.,. : : tiiho? the ; gross'taking' for' I 'two''matchGsvWero about £100 less than was taken at' one match four-years ago. V • • M. A. Noblo has mado 1599 runs; at-an average '.of'\3l.3s l per 1 irinings'.'for Australia <v, England,': having/15 times topped . the half century. - He has •.also taken ,104' -,wickets. Three' Australians-have', each made four cen--turies agaihst:*Engla"nd, ;Viz.,' S; B.;Gregory,' 201, 103;;-117,aiid' ; 112 ;>V., Trurnper.'.lßsil3s, 113, and 114; C. HiIIJISS,, 1G0,: 135, and 119. : AiTiorig'i ■tho'* , lebdiri I g' ! .batsmeri; of 5 tho; eighties, th'e^h'ame,';of/.the';lates'l , l;|S;:.;M'Dbnneli;is in ■i three centuries.. Eng- ; land has;t'wo,;batsmen,'who have each-scored fivci centuries'iri'the Test' matches,- viz.,'. A. -C. MacLaferi" 120, 109, .124, 116, arid 140 ;i and tho-Hon;-F.:''S.'''Jackson' 103,' 118j j -;128, 144, and'll3. ;' ' '■ r.r-v'f-•. '■ I-.; ,In, the ..three Test matches thb.Atistralians h'avo .been-.dismissed,,iri tho-following -ways:; 25, caught, !'24;bowle'd, : 'four-run, out,- -and 'five l.h.w. England's batsmen havo been 'Outed thus': :, 26.:caught,.';2s bowled, four run out, 1 , arid four l.b.w. Mr; ;Fl C> Raphael, the' hon; see. of- tlio New. Zoala'nd Cricket Cbuncil, as of opinion that- no' English cdach engaged ;by any.' : New 'Zeakrid;'pro y viuco,,who,' v in first-' -class- mafcne's'|n j^Rjigjanfl"i'll tjho same.year, 'would,'u'n3e&the'ri&w,'rules, bo eligible to play, in ' any ' match'.' Relf, tho. Sussex professional engaged by tho .Eden District'- Club","Auckland," holds tlio opposite view. .. r- -.Li- G; Henius, ef'iAucklandj.hf& 22 ,'iririiiigs- in" rdjiresentative';.''cricket,;; iscoring - . ; 874'ruris, and averaging''39.72b.' His'rccord is asibllows ;— and Australiari'teams',' 110 innings;' 274 runspaverage 2774; v/.,Wellington, 2 innmgs, 60 runs, average 32.5 ; v.' Canterbury,' 3 inrimgs,i.232-'i-uiis;'ayerii6e,'77;33; 1.v.: Otago, 4 innings, 177. runs,.averagc'44 : 2s; v. . Hawse's Bay',-2 77 runs, 1 , average 38:5vJ Wanganui,; 1> innings,; 49 runs,' average .49; total 22 innings, 874> ruiisj average 39.72.'-'-His", record -for interpr.ovincial ;games | only is 12 innriiiigs, 1 600' runs,-' average 50,* withoiit ia J'not out'' to help him. .tThis- is a fine repord for.lsuch, a• young '.player?:);ij ■- Seyien been -played.' for" New South'. .Wales- againsfc.yicto-, 1 ria,;a's,under:—32l,"W. : 'L; Murdoch;: Sydney,• 1882 ; :*297,'.H.;Moses, 'Sydney, 1888 ;":"287, M. A.-Noble,- Melbourne;' 1905 ; 239, P. S.VM'Don : ' : noil, Melbourne, 1886; 230, -V.;Trumper,,Syd-. riey,;l9ol';,*210, A; Diamond, Sydney,,;l9o7 201, : '5; E;' Gregory, Sydney, 1908'.: : :,L ■ •

..' Noble's scores of c 176 and .123 . for'jNcw' South. AVales-against- Victoria, gives him 'tho honour'of being the .first batsman to score tho doublo century in the eighty 'matches, played.'Tho only , other occasion a'jbatsman has ..niado two -spparate '.huiidreds in .a class '.inter-State match was when Ma'ckay (105' and; 102 not- out), performed the'feat for New : : South Wales 'against South Australia, at Sydney /-in January; '1906. "C.' J.; ;Eady scored -.116 and 112 - not out . for Tasmania against/the second Eleven of. Victoria' :it Hobart 'in'. 1895;: and A;' C;" MacLarori rmade 142 and 100 for. Stoddiirt's second English team against New South Wales'.in November, 1897, whilo-in England,.in 1902, V. Trumper gained the double; century by scoring 109 and 119 against/Essex. . , . .. •

It is' jus't on 18 years since Syd.. Gregory, who'has been chosen to take Hartiganls place in.tho. Australian Eleven, first went to England. Six years later he reached : his best. And 12' ye'ars'.later still he .has.,kcpt..up his• form - ill a manner almost remarkable .among .Australians, 'though among his contemporaries J. Darling and P. A. M'Alister are not 1 able in this mattor. Not so brilliant or. fascinating, either :.with>.the, 1 bat or -in the. field as he was,some years ago, he-is nevertheless ( a more reliable, run-getter than when ho played his most brilliant cricket-. , TJie fireworks in - his - batting ' have been, supplanted by that steadiness'which makes fot.more'eonsistent; success. . ..

The imperturbable- Tarrant is .'quite a dif-. fi'rent proposition, says ;the.'"Referee.",. He is to'bo complimented, too, on 'the.remarkable soundness 1 of his defence in the match N.S.W. v. 'Victoria,. and on ithe splendid effort ho has made to .strengthen tho position of Victoria. , Having said . this, however; ono- may add a little spico of criticism. Tarrant overdid' tho' slow' defensive tactics., A batsman of his ability and-experience might surely havermnished -.the .weary bowling in-tho last half hour or so, in order to pile up "runs, while the ball was; as big to his 'oyes .-as . "a balloon" to us ; who look on. Ho batted five hours and iiS minutes for 129 against' bowling, that wliilo' often very good and never'very dangerous,-was, at times loose. , In a. rcccnt. articlo Mr; C. "B. : Fryi'said':— "Young cricketers cannot provo their''mettle in big cricket until they play in it, and .they cannot be expected to develop into .Test match players suddenly to order ...Experience counts for much in big cricket, but our leading young players cannot get it. unless they aro offered; opportunities. The present tour soems an, excellent opportunity of building'up the.-England team of 1909'.'and- after., lam all; for young players. Pick-tho riglit ones',' give them their chance, tell them you' beliovo in- thenij arid - do believe in them. They will fail neither you nor England. For tho pu/poso of winning -tho' immediate Test match tho .old hand is the bettor man, but porpetual reliance oil tho old hands pauperises the future." ■' r,"

A correspondent asks ino'to express my opinion as to tho type of bowler of most value on Australian wickets, writes . "Not Out," in tho "Referee." Ho thinks the fast bowler is. - -Well, I' do not agree .with liini. If you remember what-Lohmann, Giffon,'Peel, Attcwoll, - Palmer, Turner, Ferris,'- Garrett, Trumblo and M. A.; Noble h'avo dono, I fancy you' will , agreo that the mediuui-paco ; length bowlers,- who are dodgy and possess a fast yorker, aro tho moil who win most matches in Australia. . Tho fast ■bowler, and tho. very slow bowler- aro both'highly.,useful, and at times sensationally successful,'if of the right quality. One of each is necessarv on awuJi.

equipped and thoroughly first-class side. But I thoro can scarcely bo' any. doubt as to which type is tho best, for Australian wickets. It was said when A. ..Cotter stood out of tho •Test'match at Adelaido that. Australia was as good as beaten.. "Well, you know what happened—they got tho Englishmen out in both innings, and won. A .world's record wickot-kcepirig feat in any class of cricket is said to stand to tho crodit of Major Trevor, who caught six and stumped two in one innings for Dr. Conan Doyle's 'Eleven v. Mr. J; V. M'Millan's Eleven at Undcrshaw (England) 011 August 2,» 1898..

! .So'mo of the English professionals questioried tho umpire's decisions in the Third Test Match'. Barnes'showed disappointment over Crockett's decision- in not .'allowing his appeal for l.h.w. against Saunders. He made sqmq,gesticulations, apparently to provo the decision wrong, and tho matter was commented upon. A curious incident hapixmed at Dunedin on Saturday week in tho senior match Georgo v. Albion. Roberts, of the former team played a ball to mid-off, whero he was caught. ;; Tho umpiro gave, him out, and. tho batsman walked away from the ticket. In! the ~ Meantime the attention of tho umpire ■was drawn,to; tho fact :that a bail, was off ; the batsman was recalled and declared, not out. Tho decision of the umpiro is not approved in somo quarter's. ' ' . • When the Third Test Match was over the Englishmen-were bitterly disappointed, wroto the' Adelaide representative of tho "Referee." They reckoned, of: course, that the game had been thrown away,'' and probably in that they were'right'. 'They"also thought, -without.disparaging tho. of Hill and Hartigan, that , the .terriffic heat had had much to do with their defeat. They left Ade-. laid 6. quite, dispirited, and if tho Fourth Test Match , had had, to be begun the next Friday many/of the "visitors would have started feeling that they had a: hard up-hill fight to face. ■ . - ' A. new scheme for the English County championship has been propounded by Mr. C. E. Green;-tlio president of tho Essex County Club. The proposal !is that, the, clubs taking part should be reduced to .12;. playing home and homo matches. At.present their.are..l 6 counties in the first-class . .division, and. it is suggested that at the end' of next season the last four on tho list should ho relegated to the second division, taking the place of the four second elevens. of recognised countiesnow taking part in the second-class competition. 1 ; At the end of each season, commencing in : 1909, the two leading counties intho second division should bo promoted, and take tho place of the counties standing at the bottom, of tho first division.

■Tho alleged dearth of rising talent-in Australia,' impressed by Australian' solec'tion com-' mittees 011 the British public, has been.imaginary and misleading; says 'the" " Riferee," Tho Mackays and Diamonds, and .Waddys and Johnsons and O'Connors of'' Sydrioy J'-; -tlio Maynos and Jennings and Dollings of Adelaide ; th'o "Ransfords of Melbourne, had proved .-it on the. field before 1907-8. Cricketers nbt wedded, as it wero, to any> coterie, know . thoroughly well that besides R. Hartigan, C. G. Macartnoy, J. A. O'Connor, and .V. Ransford thore 'are many' players possessing a similar quality "of skill who, have, never yet been;.,elevated,.to tho arena of the internationals. .. Australian. cricket has its weak spots,; but ono of. these is not. an inability to produco tho youth of cricketing ta-: lent.: .Ho is hero in numbers'. "What wo need 'i 3a ■ selecting triumvirato to pick' him* out ; from tho crowd, I 'as tho stockman picks ,out tho'"fat''' from tho mob of l bullocks. •

The previous best record for the eighth' wicket'in first-clas3- cricket (now held by Hill and'.-Hartigan—243)• was-24U, made by Lord .Hawko .and; R. -Peel for -tho eighth wicket ,for. Yorkshire; against. Warwickshire, in 1896. It hvas alsoi a record for any. wicket-in test matches, beating tlie .221 ifor the;fourth wic-' ket put 011 by G. -H.-:S. ..Trott "arid- Gregory at" Lord's iiK1896. : "The' longest partnership iri Australia- in .'test matches-, prior! to tins'. -Was. tho-famous 210 for, tho third wickot'bfi--twepri; J. ;T. ;Brown ,and' A." in Melbourne in March, 1895. Tho previous best in Australia was 236 for the partnership "between R. A. Duff.and A. J. Hopkins for New South ;Wales-' against. tho English team captained 'by .P.'.'.F, : Warner, which visited Australia' Zealand tour'.-i!.- i