AS OTHERS SEE US.

Evening Star, Issue 11889, 18 May 1903, Page 7

AS OTHERS SEE US.

P. F. WARNER ON OTAGO CRICKETERS.;> [Pkoh Our Special Cobbkspondsmt.] LONDON, April 9. It appears that the special correspondent of the ‘Sportsman’ with Lord, Hawke’s team was none other than Mr P. F. Warner, the* captain* In his last article In that journal he devotes the best part of a column to setting forth “the true facts” of the umpiring incident at Christchurch. 1 propose to pass it over and send you Mr Wamen’s impressions of the match against Otago (February 13 and 14) and that against Southland (February 18 and 19). Concerning the former event he says:—“lt was in expectation of a keen, fight that we went out to field. The wicket was fast and true, and 200 would have been a small score oh such a pitch, so that our surprise was great when, in a couple'of hours, v« | had got rid of our opponents for 124 runs. , Our fielding was very slack indeed, and everything seemed to go wrong, the hall j going everywhere in the air except into a' man’s hands. Howden played well, as did Austin (the captain), but the remainder were very feeble, though Fisher made a few good hits. . . . In the hour and forty minutes which remained for play we giade 134 for the loss of Burnup’s wicket, Warner being not out '64 and Fane 33 at the drawing of stumps. The former was badly missed at backward point by Fisher off Downes when he had made 6, a most expensive mistake, as events -proved J . . . His innings was a good instance of the evil often resulting from a missed catch. Had Fisher caught him on the first afternoon, both he and Burnup would have been cut for less than 30 runs, and it is quite possible that we might have lost four or five wickets before the drawing of stumps, for Fisher and Downes were bowling well, especially Downes, who bowls slow right-hand with a

. ’•'O —H •* big break from the off-side, though his action is somewhat doubtful. Both he and Fisher enjoy a great reputation, hut though I think Downes is a really good slow bowler, Fisher disappointed me. He is 100 mechanical, and apparently cannot stand being hit. Warner pulled him round to leg several times, and this seemed to demoralise him. Apart from Downes and Fisher, there was little bowling, and though the ground fielding was in some cases excellent, Siedeberg, at cover-point, and Austin, at midoff, especially doing capital work, the catching was poor, am} the men were hardly placed to the best advantage to suit the style of the various batsmen. The Otago Fleve-r made an even worse show in th»ir second innings than they had. done in the first, for though Siedeherg and Howden put on 77 runs for" the fourth wicket in an hour, the whole side were out for 119. Siedeherg played very well indeed for 52. Some of hh off-drives and late cuts were beautifully timed, and he* looked thoroughly well set when Staiuiing caught him at the wicket standing back to Thompson, Howden, quite a young cricketer, also showed promising form, and put plenty of power into Ids'driving,’' The Southland match is dismissed in contemptuous fashion (Warner was away fishing when 'it was played), thus“ The match was an uneventful one,'the result, as has so often bean the case on this tour, beforegone conclusion before a half was bowlod. Wilson, the Southland captain, batted well in each innings, and Tapley and Burnes showed fair form, but the remainder were very feeble, and our bowlers improv 'd their averages without any trouble.” Concerning the match against the South island at Dunedin on February 21 and 23 Mr Warner says :—“The South Island Bleven Were expected to give ns « good game, but the result turned out quite contrary to what had been pretty "onem'lv Ike- «».,;«««

that Suns and Frankish, were unable to get away from Christchurch, the side was full,representative of the best cricket i„ the South Island.” But later on he rathe? (i goes back” on this, for he observes: ihe result of the match caused great disappointment all over the colony, but tlm cause of the failure of the South Island representatives was their weak batting, Mr i owke, who selected the side, choosing in my opinion, too many bowlers. Howell had no right to play, and Orchard, though a fine field and a capable- captain, hud done nothing to earn a place. A couple of good batsmen in place of these two would have made a great difference to the strength of the eleven.” Of the individual players in the home team he stiys little, save that in the second inings Boxshall showed good form and “ Howden, though lucky again, gave plenty of promise for the future.” He, however, does not fail to remember the.

“ good time ” the team had in Otago, and on behalf of the team, tenders warm thanks to Mr and Mrs James Mills, Mraud Mrs Robert®, Dr and Mrs Ferguson, Mr and Mrs Neill, Mr and' Mrs Charles Butterworth, and Mr and Mrs Ritchie for their hospitality, as also the secretary and of the Dunedin Club, “ who made ua thor-' oughly welcome in their comfortable and delightfully-situated dub.” iThis bnngs him to the first teat match played at Christchurch, and from his remarks thereon I extract the following passages :■ —“ There was nothing particularly 'striking about our opponents’ batting, with the exception of a good innings of 50 by Tucker. . . . Reese made some good strokes, but his cricket was rather risky, two nr three pf his lilts just falling oat of reach. Richardson was in for more than an hour, and ’Mahony showed abme strong black-play, while Boxahall, as usnal, bit freely, i . . Callaway dad the best work amongst the New Zealand bowlers, and Frankish and Downes also bowled well, while the' fielding was excellent, Mahony at tlird man and in the country and Reese in the long-field and occaslbnally at extra cover bang very good." In the second innings “lacker played admirably before playing nfast ball from Bosanquet into bis wicket. His best strokes were the off-drive and a very good placing shot in front of the umpire. Downes made .two or three clean, well-timed hats, s and they shaped well. . . .” And in conclusion Mr Warner says:—“We had a delightftil time in Christchurch, and though it has been my good fortune to play cricket from the classic Lord’s to the Spanish main, and from onceaavnge Bulawayo to San Francisco the Golden, nowhere in the world have I re-

ceived greater hospitality thah in. Christchurch, \Tbe New' Zealand OrickefcCouncD, particularly . the -president (Mr IL J. C. Stevens) and Mr F. C. Raphael (the ham secretary), were also exceedingly kind in seeing to our every comfort’’