CRICKET.

Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 38, 16 February 1886, Page 2

CRICKET.

THE INTEEPBOVINCIAL TEAM. [Bt " Polnt.'O Tho Hawko'a Bay oriokoters will arrlvo from Napier by the To Anan on Sunday ,|an<t retain on the following Friday. Mr. Firth has seleoted nine ont of the team of eleven (o reprosent Wellington. They are as follows : —A Blaoklock, it. Blaoklook, Cox. Heenan, M'Cansland. M'Girr, Lawson, Nioholls, and EobertB. The remaining two will be ohoson from the following:— Gore, Parrington, W. Dryden, C. Dryden, Kirker, Wilson, Kreoft, Eonaldeon, Chapman, Motly, and Whiteside. The following criticism of the players chosen to raprosent Wellington in tho match against Hawke's Bay will be of interest to the public. The match ia to take plaoo next Monday and Tuosday, and should attract a good attendance of onlookers, as, in addition to being the first ropresontativs game thid season, it should provo a very oven ooutoht. Mr. Firth is to bo congratulated on his solection. I do not think cricketers have- oanso to cavil at it. Selectors of teams havo groat difiionlty in pleasing tho numerous wioldors of tbe willow, but Mr. Firth has surely done so this time. Mine " oortainties " have boon ohosen, but I think out of tho remaining eleven the "probables" nre Goro, Motley, C. Dryden, and Parrington. Appondod nro the nine t — A. Blacklock (Midland) —This young player is just regaining his last Boaaou'n form; hits well all round, and keops the balls low ; rather slow at starting to run ; a very good field ; backstops well. E. Black lock (Midland).— The most consistent scorer in Wellington in ropreeentativo games; sturdy defences j bis hitting all round is clean and well- timed ; good out- Colder, where his throwiutj-in savos many runs ; longstopi ; possessed of good nerve. Cox (Midland).— Always good for a score ; very diffioulfc man to bowl; his back play ii good, also his lalo outs; rathor orampod style ; fields well at point or mid on. Heenan (Wellington).- Very uncertain bat, but once sot, giros a lot of troublo ; puts a lot of timber into his outting and driving ; fair field, but erratic; very norvons, to whioh alone ia attributable bin want of oonfidenoo. Lawson (Midland).— This playor vies with Firth for supremacy as a bowler in Wellington ; fast und medinm ; uees his head woll, and always koeps a good length ; breaks from off and on ; fields his own bowling smartly ; good in tho field anywhere ; has very froo batting powers ; his strong point is punishing leg balls; always oomes off in big matches ; rather careless player. M'Giub (Midland).— A tast bowler ; koopa a good length, and seldom off ; can peg away \ at a stonewallor, and stands any amount of knocking about ; vigorous batting powers. M'Causland (Wellington).— Good bat; : makes most of his runs in leg glances ; dragn ', tho ball to leg in a peonliar way, but always i keeps it down ; cannot last if a bowlor l pegs away at his middle : very good field at , cover-point; longstops well. Nicholas (Poneke).— Wioketkeeper (no , better in New Zealand behind the sticks) ; , takes the ball well from the field ; should , oopy Blaokhsm in snipping the bails off in . one moTomont; always good for doublo , figures with the willow. , Kobkbts (Star) — Jußt coming into promi- [ nonce again ; his 40 last Saturday was a lino innings ; plays genuine orioket tor his runs ; 1 lays the timber on well; outß and drives j nicely; good bowler; puta in an effective , yorker ; very smart field. , The remaining two will bo chosen on , Thursday night. About the best bat in this , oity has not found a plooe in the team. I , refer to Salmon (Midland), fc'omo correspon- [ denoo has passed between several orioketers , and Mr. Firth, reminding him of tho fact, - but that gentleman replied that ho did not . thinkitwonldbefairtotue team if he solooted , a player he had not seen practising of late. , I quite agree with him on this subject. If L Mr. Firth is to make a good soleotion ho . must watch the players at practice right up i to a day or two of the match. I havo known numborß of first-clasß men deteriorate , into junior players within a month, or losb, the reason tor which is often unaccountable, i As SalmoH is a member of a club in , Hawko'a Bay, ho has been ohoson to play , for that diatriot against oar ropresouta- , tives. When in Wellington ho dons tho , scarlet (Midland). i The two best bats for Hawko's Bay are Salmon and White, tho latter of whom made i a good score against Wellington in tho last annual match. The two best trnndlorß aro ■ Newton and .Edwards. Our old frioud " Jimmy " Wood is nnable to play. It is noteworthy that out of tho nino players ohosen no lobb than fivo are members of the Midland Club. Ab an instance of how good batsmen " go off " in their playj I would mention George Burn»s(W.C.U.) and Tindall (M.C.C.), both of whom were playing up to representative form until a month aero, but havo since done , nothing. The team will Buffer a severe loss through the absence of Mr. Firth, who is unrivalled ; as a captain, and has no compcor as an alli round cricketer in Wellington. I sincerely trust efforts will be mode to secure his prosenoe. In his absonco the team cannot do better than put Mr. Nioholls in as captain. i There is only one point on whioh I should ' like to tender a hint to our gonial little Blackham. Ho should nevor place his . bowlers ia the oat- field. The reason is apparent. 1 think our men oould not do bettor than request Mr. Aihbolt to act as umpire daring the match. This gentleman possesses a. thoroogh knowledge of the game, being an old onoketor himsolf, and he has always given satisfaction in that position on tho fevr occasions ho has acted. A match, Pctone v. Upper Hutt, wai payed at the Upper Hatt on Saturday, resulting in a win for the former by three runs on the first innings, fciooros :— Petone 77, Upper Hutt 7*. Prideaux (37) and Jopliu (13) batted well for the winners, and Brown (13) and Greenwood (12; for the loßers liawsons bowled well for the Upper Hutt, also Blake (5 wiokets for 14) ; and Joplin (3 for 1) for Petone.