SPORT AND PASTIME.

Evening Post, Volume LIV, Issue 141, 11 December 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

SPORT AND PASTIME.

Cricket. THE CANTERBURY CRICKET TEAM. ' Scoring-Board, ' in the Canterbury Times, says: — The team to represent Canterbury on the North IslaUfl tour has been chosen— rather prematurely, some are inclined to think — and the general opinion is that it is the strongest batting combination that has been selected to represent this province in matches away from' home for some years past. One of the lines the Selection Committee seems to have gone upon was to select players for all-round usefulness— batting, bowling, and fielding — rather than to include in the team men endowed with one of these qualities alone. There is no doubt that the bowling of the team is far from strong, and a great many hold the opinion that as Frankish was unable to get away *it would have been adviaable to include Bates. Exception is taken to Borne of the players seleoted on account of the poor form they have shown in Cup matches. Simß, for instance, has not been batting at all well in matches, but at practice towßrda the end of laßt week he showed better form than he has ever done before. As he is one of the most promising colts in the province, he will, without question, benefit immensely by the tour. To sum up, there is no doubt that, as regards batting, the team is the strongest obtainable, but the bowling is weak, and if in any of the matches it should be collared, there is no one who could be relied on to keep down the runs. The following is a slight rtsum4 of tho team : — C. W. Gaeeaed— A fine bat, and is rapidly getting into form. A good general utility man. Bowls a good medium pace ball, but want of length is his chief fault, i Occasionally breaks a lot from the off. First- class field. j W. Pjiaece— The only fast bowler in the team, but he ia neither batting nor bowling so well at present as he was last season. It is to be hoped he will improve during tha tour. Good field. C. BoxsHAii— The wioket-keeper of the team. Only fair as a batsman. L. T. Coboeoft— First - class bat, but possesses some weak strokes, especially on the leg side ; ii a splendid field, but an a bowler is not very effective, although steady. O. R. Clabk— ls not batting at all well at present. Fields well, and is something more than a good change bowler. D. Rekse— Probably the beat all-round player in the team. He is a stylish and finished batsman, and at the present time is in exceptionally good form. He bowls with a cupital length, and has lately shown improved form in this department. As a fieldsman is hard to beat. A. D. Ridley — Was in sensational form with the bat at the beginning of the season, but has gone off slightly of late. Will no doubt improve on the trip. A capital outfield. H. C. Ridley— ls not batting at all well, and can stand a lot of improvement. Fields well. A. Sims— ls a very promising batsman, and has some nice strokes. Is a fair field, and as a slow change bowler on a suitable wicket he gets a lot of work on the ball, but lacks leugch. W. C. H. Wiqley— Undoubtedly got in the team on last Saturday's performance. Is not batting as well at present as he was last season. A very poor field. Bowls a little. F. Wilding— la batting rather recklessly just now, probably due to over- confidence, and needs to steady down. His fielding is very much off-colour, but he is, perhaps, the best alow, bowler in the team. J. Whbatley— A very useful man. A very stubborn batsman, but has been playing too much with his legs lately. Fields well, and ia a good emergenoy behind the wioketa.