CRICKET GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 3653, 6 November 1874, Page 2

CRICKET GOSSIP.

(By Shamrock.) The Dunedin i ricket t lub seem to have it ill ibsir own way this season. Are we not uO have the phastirc of chroni ling the l-ings of the r itixsns’ Club on the green sward? Surety th re is room ami scope enough in our rang C ty for two or thiee eluhs. Competiticnaud emulation in cricket as in other pursuits or pastimes rouses dormant energies, an I edm es lit.nt talent. No doubt the main obstacle in the way is the want of suitable sites for > ricket grounds. There are some likely spots ac Caversham, and when the Caledonian v ociety eminence operations upon their site near the Gas Works a portion of it, ,f report speaks truly, will be laid out as a cricket ground. The oval on the South Dunedin Kecreation Ground is much too circumscribed to permit of more th in one ctub making useot it. It has the advantage of being near town and easy of access. The railway and cheap fares have brought the two sites already mentioned, viz., the Gasworks and Cavetaham, also into easy access, and perhaps next season we may see flourishing clubs in possession of both grounds. Tuis season there docs not seem to be the slightest chance of any cricket worthy of the name being played anywhere in Dunedin, except on the aforesaid oval. The so-called class cup matches will have a spice of excite ment about them, but can hardly prove so m r ere<tiug or beneficial as the iJlub < up matches would prove. Were the.e three good clubs in Dunedin, cup matches tor a uandsome and valuable tiophy would go a 1 *ng way to popularise the game among outsiders, and stimulate players to improve their opportunities. As yet there has been very little to comment up m in the way of pi y. The match commenced last Saturday between an eleven and a fifteen, including the professional of the club, seemed to excite a considerable amount of interest, judging from the attendance on the ground daring the afterno m. So good scores were made on either side, but the play ad round for a first match Was better than it has been for some seasons back, at so early a stage. The fltdding of the eleven was up to the mark, and the bowling muon too good for the batting shown by the fifteen. J. O Fulton and Glen trundled splendidly, and the poor show made by the fifteen may, in a great measure, be attributed to ihe excellence of the bowling. 1 am son y to hear that Fulton will be unable to plav to-mor-row ; the eleven will find it difficult to supply his place. Faramor’s bowling was hard!}' up to the mirk, but from what I have seen I venture to predict that he will be far more effective this season than he was last. He was unfortunate in batting, getting a good one from Glen before he was well set. Therbrothers Rhodes and Park showed some uood cricket, but with these exceptions the less said about the fifteen the belter. For the eleven J. G. Fulton hit out in good style, but was well caught at square leg by L). K. Rhodes. 1 urton batted freely, making the hit of theclay for four off oneof Lambert’s lobs, clean over the fence. During tl e week both Oodiusou and Kettle have be-.u shaping we l in pi am ice, and ought to keep tue scorers busy to-morrow. Godby has not had much practice as yet, but he is a ieliab;e bat at any time, and with ordinary luck will score, as the match stands, neither side has any advantage to speak of, and both teams start tomorrow on pretty even terms. it is to be hoped that the players will put in an appeal a nee punctually, and finish what pro mi.ses to be one of the mo t interesting and exciting matches of the season. The South Dunedin Recreation Ground presents a very different appearance now to what it did a reason or t >o ago The level green sward in the centre, surrounded by a neat fence, Jock* most inviting to the

cricketer. The trees and shrubs planted upon the outside potion'are now beginning to mak ■ a show, ami relieve the barren and tie- ' A'< cted look ao characteristic oi the res rv.i up to within—weii, too recent a date to be pleasant 10 name f hear that the Corporation nave generously agre ,d to paint the packet fence erected aat year by the D.0.C., and. also do place tome s-iala round the oval for the convenience of the public. It is quite reirc.-niifig to hod our civic magnates coming forward in this manner to work with the one ct re? for what is, after all, the public cood The only ■ hing now u-.ceasary to he done to complete the ha; pin. ss of creck-:cer.j is to get ware r laid on :« hn Uval, and hj order to aco >mpnsh bins tocy saou.d endeavor to secure the eo-i pciav.on and assistance of the City i om cil, whose watchword this year appeal sto he ‘ progress,” in every sense ot the wori, a mo'to weii in keeping -•ith the spirit of th ag-. it any rate let our cricketers make the effort.

Une word as to the ground and the profesthe ground never locked belter tuan it does at pre-ent, and Paramor, assisted by Heudiey, is ooiug his best to provide good wickets. Paramor devotes two afternoons of the week to senio members, two to juniors, and one afternoon to the High School boys’, who, by the way, muster m great force. Cricketers have now no excuse for not practising.

I noticed that a writer in one of the morning papers reflects unfavorably on the action of the match committee in n,t re-electing Macarlaue to pmy with the eleven. He considers that ’‘they should certainly have pioacd ihj strongest eleven.” Opinions however, differ. Of course he is quite welcome to ho:d his opinion, and air it if hthinks fit. bor m. part Ido not consider that the eleven could he improved up »n oi s trend'll sued, unless, perhaps, by the substitution of J. re. Thomsoa fir .\ I lea.