Cricket.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1909, Page 14

Cricket,

By "Half -Volley." South' tried their hardest on Saturday last to catch. Victoria College, and up to the century they looked like succeeding. A score of 98 for four, with a score of 156 to catch, is satisfactory enough, providing the tail is not too supine. Practically speaking, five South men got into the twenties, but after that Monaghan got his second' wind, and turned the scale in favour of the Collegians. Five men down for 102, and eight for 116. Then, when every run counted, Walters, after hitting two threes, was run out in the usual way. Tilyard, who struck a bit of form for the first time this season, kept the ball rolling. Johnson, who has a reputation of hitting hard as long as he stays, roused the hopes of his side with v couple of threes. Then Foster tossed him up a yorker, and Johnson did what he was expected to do. Burton was very lucky once during his otherwise sound innings. The ball went to Burbidge (or someone like him), and Burton set off up the pitch towards Dind, who was not" keen. The fieldsman returned the ball to the wrong end to the 'keeper, who fumbled it. Burton, now obviously rattled, rushed on, and tho 'keeper, collecting his wits and the ball at the same time, rolled the latter down to the bowler, with Burton (who had perceived his misjudgment) in hot pursuit. A mirthful incident became wildly hilarious wlien the bowler,, too, fumbled away the chance. Had Burton made a century after that no one would have been surprised. College got an average score in 156. De la Mare got himself out early through his own impetuousness, but Foster and Monaghan took the score tyj 66, when Monaghan, after a vigorous innings, that included but two singles (the rest being threes and fours), was bowled neck and crop by Johnson. Niven joined Foster with some success, forty being added for the partnership. Berendsen played a plucky innings" for 26, stumped Foster cleverly, and Walters disposed of Niven. The remainder made Cobcroft's slows much more difficult than they really were, and in consequence there was no health in them (the batsmen). The South skipper bagged six wickets at a not extravagant cost, and Walters, whom Cobcroft hardly tries sufficiently, two for 11 Gibbes and E. O. Hales were the

bright particular features of the game on No. 2, between Eaafc A and Central. Their excellent last wicket stand was referred to cumpreh^nsively in Monday's Post. Gibbes's baiting was really firstclass, his strokes travelling hot oft the bat. His cutting and off driving were as crisp and clean as could be wished. The popular Hales, smote hard and often, finding the exterior of the playing area more than once. When the co-operation began the score (a disappointing one-) was 100 for 9. The last wicket fell at 177. Hales played on to Millar when going for a bang. The fast bowler added further to his laurels by sticking up the Central batsmen. He secured four such ijlrong wickets as those of Bruce, Beechey, Birch, and Hawthorn at an aggregate cost of but 18 runs. Hawthorn and Bruce threatened to make a stand of some importance, but it was only a threat. Kinvig, who is very wholehearted in all his work on the field, hit up ten in three strokes, and resumes laday. The batting of both sides (Hales and Gibbes excepted) was not all it should have been on such a favourable wicket. It was altogether 100 slow and spiritless. Little was shaping well when he got out to a bad stroke, and Mahoney stayed a considerable time, playing very cautiously. Miller bowled best for Central, while Law's mixed both his pace and his length. C. Hickey surprised Petone, who were playing on. their native heath. The slow bowler evidently found a "spot," or the batsmen were not quite themselves, for the innings was a dispiriting affair, with Isherwood's 19 (run out) standing out like a good deed in a naughty world, as has been said before.. Senior, for once this season, failed to achieve double- figures, while Powell obtained the very disagreeable "pair." East B had a parlous period when\ Brice sent three of their strongest back without scoring. But Goldfinch and Collett gave their aide some heart, and M'Lennan, whose form at the present is getting him an encouraging number of runs, hit off 47 before putting his leg in front to Joyce. Nash scored 17, all but four of whicn were singles, while Hickey demonstrated it was his day out by a vigorous innings for 33, which included four fours and three threes. It would seem,' after East's form, that there was not very much, wrong with the wicket. Petone are down this time for certain according to all the lav.-s o£ probability. When Eodgers' 58 (the only doublefigure score on the side) are taken out of the Hutt total of 110, there are not many runs to go round the other ten men, as there were fifteen sundries. Therefore, by a simple arithmetical operation, the ten should average 3.7 runs. Rodgers deserved heavier support than that. His score included ten threes, and the Hutt mainstay made use of all his strokes, from th« lato cut round to the leg glance. He should be one of the certainties for the representative eleven this month, both for bis batting and his bowling, which, if well handled and well supported, is always dangerous. Veteran Wilsoni is having a very moderate run so far. j Sanderson made nine singles before Willis got a curly one past him, but Luckie and Upham found easy victims. The former secured five for 31. North, with 144 for six, have the game well In hand. Williams once again got amongst the runs. He hit six threes in his score of 30, brightly made. Phillips is improving, Wynyard ran up a useful 27, and Waters and Finlayson played out time with 25 and 18, each not out, respectively. The latter hit five threes, and Waters three threes and a five. These scores are a. reproduction of their good form the previous Saturday. C. Hickson'and Blacklock failed to get a start, Rodgers clean bowling the latter with a bal> that swung in. The Tlutt slow bowler (or the chief one) has foui for 45 to his credit so' far, and should improve on it to-day. A fancy-dress cricket match is being arranged between a team selected by Dr. Pigeon and Mr. T. E. Taylor and one from the Julius Knight Compaq/. The proceeds, it is stated, are to go towards swelling the hospital funds. Puoperly engineered, the contest should be a popular item". Auckland has chosen a number of men to practise for the forthcoming Shiel'J match with Wellington at the end c-f the month. Wellington should follow suit. The players require at least a full fcitmght's work together at the nets. It gives a man time to show his form (if he has any), and tends to stiffen up the colts (if there are any chosen). The Wellington selectors are, on paper, a strong and experienced body. and. though they cannot hope to escape criticism from some of the disgruntled ones who play the game from outside, they can be looked to for an impartial choice. It would perhaps be advisable to select, say, fifteen for practice purposes. The eleven should not be hard to pick. Mahoney, Williams, Monaghan, Midlano, Rodgers, Bruce, Tucker, C. Hickson, J. P. Blacklock, E. O. Hales, or Brice, look certainties, while Burton, Miller (Central), Cobcroft, Patrick, and Gibbes are also bidding. The writer would like to see Burton, Patrick, and Miller in, as the first-named, when going, is very sound ; while Patrick, though he has failed lately, should be a decent run-getter, and a good change with a little encouragement. Miller should go in as the mediumpaced left-hander. In the writer's opinion, he has yet to show his best form. A representative team could be made up of Mahoney, Williams, J. P. Blacklock, Midlane, Bruce, or Burton, Monaghan, Miller, Tucker, or C. Hickson, Patrick, Rodgers, and either Hales or Brice. There has been some talk about young Findlay (Wellington College) ac the fast bowler, but it would be a somewhat risky experiment. AUSTRALIAN NOTES. The following items were taken from the current issue of the Referee : South Australia beaten Victoria in four of the last five and in seven of the last eleven matches. As Victoria had won ten matches in succession prior to that period, the inference is that South Australian cricket has improved within six or seven years, and Victorian cricket deteriorated within that period. South Australia's 590 is the highest total that State has ever made against Victoria, 562 having been made in 1891, when George Giffen was practically unshiftable by the bowlers of Victoria. South Australia's biggest innings against New South Wales is 575, when Clem Hill played his famous 365 not out at Adelaide. G. Hazlitt's no wickets for 132 against South Australia is, in its way, a record for a Victorian bowler in first-class cricket. Hugh Trumble secured no wickets for 103 against South Africa, and J. V. Saunders none for 100 against the last English team. However, George Giffen is as hard as ever to beat in these matters. There is no G.G. as bowler in Australian cricket of to-day as we knew him in the 80's and 90s. His days of severe punishment came when most of his sting had departed at- the call of Anno Domini New South Wales twice hit over 100 runs off his bowling without the compensation of a wicket, the number at Adelaide in 1902 being 134. The New South Wales, selectors, Messrs. G. P. Barbour, F. A. lredale, and E. Hume, have selected the two New South Wales inter-State teams. The first to play youth Australia at Adelaide on 171 h December, etc., and Victoria at Melboarne on Boxing Day, etc., consists of : A. Diamond (Burwood), > captain, W. Bardeley (Glebe), J. C. *

Barnes (Redfern), H. Carter (Waverley), 11. L. Collins (Sydney), S. H. Emery (Redfern), C. Kollaway (Glebe). L. A. Minnett (North Sydney), W. J. Stack (University), V. Trumper (Gordon), E. L. Wacldy (Central Cumberland). F. Gow and 0. R. Gorry will take the places of V. Trumper and H. Carter, if unavailable. Assuming that V. Trumper and H. Carter are not available, writes "Not Out" in Sydney Referee, I prefer the following team for the Southern tour : — W. Bardsley, F. Gow, A. Diamond, E. F. Waddy, E. L. Waddy, J. C. Barnes, H. L. Collins, C. Kelleway, L. A. Minnett, W. J. Stack, J. Christie, and C. R. Gorry, with W. Bardsley as captain. A. Diamond, of course, is a rare plucked one — a thorough fighter. If the whole of the New South Wales contingent of the Australian team were in Sydney, and • available for selection, I would have Gow in the first eleven of the State. One who can so skilfully handle the bat, and who is not unfitted by temperament for big cricket. should not be kept back. We need to bring such men on. They are all wanted. New South Wales produces a Mackay only to lose him ; a Bardsley, who may possibly go to Ireland, and thus out of Australian cricket ; a Macartney, who has gone to New Zealand ; a Hartigan and a Redgrave, to Queensland; an' O'Connor and a Whitty to South Australia ; a Hor-d-ern to Philadelphia ; and a. Blaxland to drop out of the game. It is generally understood that V. Trumper will not be available. In that case F. Gow will, go into the team. His original omission, however, is to me inexplicable. If the Trial match is of any value — and cricketers themselves take it seriously — Gow should be one of the first batismeii in the eleven. The two New South Wales Inter-State teams just chosen include the three brothers Minnett, viz., Leslie A., the fast bowler of North Sydney in the. first eleven; Rupert V., the North Sydney batsman, and Roy 8., the University allrounder, who are in the second eleven to meet Queensland. Mr. J. A. Minnett, father of these boys, has reason to be proud of them. They are old boys of the S.C.E.G.S., and all thorough cricketerfc.