CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 11

CRICKET

The following team has been selected to represent Post and Telegraph against St. Kilda at Culling Park on Christmas Day:—J. W. Hall,„C. B. Hall, Knowles, Alpine, Arthur, Clarke, Fastier, C. Beck, A. Rennie, Sherriff, and Palmer. Emergencies : Allen, A. Allan, Briggs. UNSPORTSMANLIKE ACTION BY NEW SOUTH WALES. The manager of the South Australian cricket team (Mr M’Garron), having been requested by Mr Frank Iredale, on behalf • of the New South Wales Cricket Associa- J tion, to explain why his team were late ' in putting in an appearance on the Sydnew ground to commence their match against the New South Wales Eleven, replied : j I have to state that, owing to our late arrival in Sydney, we were unable to reach our hotel before a quarter-past 12 p.m. As you are aware, we had some trouble with our luggage, and as the team were more or less jaded and in need of baths and changes of linen, it took a little more time than usual in preparing for lunch. This, coupled with the time occupied in travelling to the ground per tramcar. will account for the interval that elapsed between the time of our - arrival in the city and taking the field at a quarter to 3. Your committee timed the beginning of the match at 2 o’clock on tho understanding that my team would arrive by the limited express, which reached Sydney an hour earlier than tho 3 train we travelled by. You will therefore see that the team were at least a quarter of an hour earlier, notwithstanding the difficulties they were under. I very much regret that your committee did not see its way clear to postpone the ■start of the match until Saturday, as requested by me by wire on Wednesday and Thursday, and thus obviate the necessity of your letter and this explanation. I finally add that I am amazed at your letter, and very strongly protest against the treatment meted out to my players by your association.—E. M‘Carron. “It is a pity,” added Mr M'Carron, “ that the opportunity was taken to amass a huge score under a handicap. The team was thoroughly weary and sore. I have never seen L. V. Pellew show signs of hard work in the field before Friday, when he was compelled to stretch out on the ground.” When asked what the players thought of the situation, Mr M’Carron replied: “ Think of it? Disgusted to a man. They will be glad when they change trains at Albury.” GREAT SCOTTISH CRICKETER. The death is announced of Alec Watson, ono of the few men of Scottish birth who have distinguished themselves in English county cricket as a professional. He held his place in the Lancashire County eleven for over twenty years, and during that period took 1,529 wickets at an average cost of under 12 runs. Watson was born at Coatbridge in 1844, and learned his cricket in what he claimed to be the best club in Scotland (Drumpellier), and though he spent over half a century of his life in Manchester he never forgot that he was a Scot, and he used to boast that he was the only Scottish professional cricketer who had “held his giwn” for an English county. As a youth be was employed in the iron works at Coatbridge, but soon showed a liking for an open-air life, and he later became a prosperous athletic outfitter. A curiosity about Watson’s play was that he was an excellent wicket-keeper as well as a bowler—a very rare combination of abilities—and it was as a stumper that he first played for Lancashire against Derbyshire in 1871. Playing for Lancashire against Yorkshire in one of the great battles of the Roses, he kept the wicket at one end. and then took the gloves off and bowled at the other. In 1877 he played for the Players against tho Gentlemen at Lord’s, and in the first innings got the wickets of W. G. Grace, J. M. Cotterill (Sir Montagu Cotterill), Alfred Lyttelton, Lord Harris, and ■Fred Grace for 60 runs ; and in the same year, for England against the M.C.C.. when all the “cracks” of the day were playing, he took fourteen wickets for 49 runs on a bowler’s pitch. Watson started his career as a bowler of speed, but later moderated his pace and practised smn. and thereby of a certainty lengthened his career .by many a season. His benefit match in 1885—North v. South, at Old Traffnrd—realised £l,2 p -0 —a sum which at that date was a record. It was with that money that lie launched on his business career.