HON. JOE DARLING, M.L.C.

Evening Star, Issue 18399, 6 October 1923, Page 9

HON. JOE DARLING, M.L.C.

THE MINUS OF A CENTURY, The Hon. J. Darling, M.L.0., of Tnamania, is no other than the famous Australian Eleven captain and great-hearted batsman of other days (says the Sydney ‘ Referee ’). He is interesting himself in pushing cricket ahead In his adopted State, having been elected president of the New Town Club, recently formed in Hobart. ‘‘A little while back,” writes A.D., was reading ,the story of tho tour A. E. Steddnrt’s English team in Australia. Tho book was tho ‘ Australian Cricket Annual,’ covering the season of 1897-98. In it is the report of a wonderful innings played by J. Darling, in the second Sydney test match that season. A discussion arose with a friend, who saw tho big cricket of the period, as to which of tho three centuries by tho Australian captain against England in that season’s tests was the greatest. Those innings wore played before I was born. I thought, perhaps, the inningo in Adelaide might have been tho greatest. My friend replied: ‘Why not, write to Mr Darling and ask him his own opinion.’ I did so. ami Mr Darling sent mo a delightful letter, in which ho thus refers to the

innings: “ ‘ Which do I consider my best performance against Stoddart’s 1698 team? Undoubtedly the 160 in the last test was the best, for the following reasons Australia was up against it. C. Hill and C. E. M’Leod being out in tho first few overs; tho wicket was wearing and allowing the English bowlers to make good use of it. ‘‘‘Richardson was. bowling at his very best, all through mv innings, and I realised that lie-held"the advantage, so I made up mv mind that tho only thing to do to win tho match was to go for Richardson for all I was worth, and prevent him from keeping his length. I knew perfectly well that my being a lefthander, ami that ho was breaking in from mv leg at his top pace, it was only a mart or of time, if I played tho careful game, to he. howled or caught in tho slips off Richardson.

•‘‘l was the first Australian batsman to hit Richardson, to all parte of tho long field, which I did in this innings. Richardson at me time had three, men out on the boundary while I was batting. It. may bo added that England scored 555 and‘Australia 239 in tho first innings. Then England wont out for 178. Australia had 275 to make to win, and tho first two wickets felt for 40. Richardson was howling magnificently—that is, right at his top. ‘ But with Jack Worrell keeping an end going, Darling hit him as no other f.ast bowler had ever been hit ill 1 1n’s country. But .ho hit them all, making 169 in" two and three-quarter _ hours, scoring thirty 4’s. it was the inning's of a century.