DUNEDIN CRICKET CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 18608, 12 April 1924, Page 9

DUNEDIN CRICKET CLUB

SOME OLD-TIME RECORDS.

FINE BOWLING- AVERAGES.

[By Wallabt.]

The interesting articles on tho history of tho Carisbrook Cricket Club contributed by Mr E. C- Reynolds and Mr Herbert Webb have stimulated tho memories of other old-time players, and I have been handed by Mr W. T. Monkman two scoring books which wore used by the original Dunedin Cricket Club in 1876-77 and 1878-79. Inscribed on tbo pages of these -books are names which will perhaps moan nothing to tbo youthful players of to-day, but they will bo remembered by the few' veterans who played or interested themselves in Iho grand old game in those remote times, and who are still in the land of the living. It must bo remembered that, in the seventies, there were no club competitions as we know (Imm. D> the score books mentioned there are records of only two cup matches (as they wore termed), those being Dunedin v. Carisbrook and Dunedin v. Albion. Ihe other engagements included matches against Palmerston, Balclutha, Bruce, “ Eighteen of Otago.” Twenty-two Colts, the Leather Trade, tno Rowing Club, and so on. _ J lien iheio wore games President- v. Vice-president, England and Ireland v. Hie World, and a club match in which they sides wore chosen on an alphabetical basis. A to IPs playing the M to Z’s. A furtluw touch of novoltv was added to the. Rowing Club fixture by a stipulation that tho Dunedin side should but "willi our hundlts. All these fancy fixtures and fancy touches sound queer in these days of dead serious cricket, when the winning of shields and the securing of big “ gates ” has become too prominent a feature of the game. In one of these old score books are recorded the scores of the match England v. Eighteen of Otago, played on the Oval on March 2,3, and 5, 1877. _ln the firstinnings Otago made 76 (Dixon 18 and Rose 10 not out), Sonthcrton (eight for 48) and Hill (eight for 23) being the destroyers. The Englishmen’s reply was not of a very startling nature, for they were all disposed of for 163 (Ullyet 08, Chariwood 32. Armytage 26). Millington, for Otago, appears to have fowled remarkably well, bis figures reading six for 54. Everest took three for 40, and Livthbury one for 19. Otago improved slightly in their second attempt-, and scored 106 (Nicholls 21, Paramor 17, Fulton 16, Dixon 13). Lillywhito was deadly tins time, ho accounting for no fewer than twelve wickets at a cost of 45 runs. Otago got out of it with a draw. The rate of scoring must have been painfully slow, oidy 345 runs being made m tho three days. In the light of recent batting records this snail’s pace appears almost incredible. Certainly tho wickets were not of the shirt-trout qnnhlv then, but even Colonel \llariloy and Ins Oxford confreres would score faster Ilian tuat. Picking out names at random in the books I°notice amongst the more prominent players G. Paramor (who was a professional), Adam Ckm (a fine meoium pace right-hand bowler, who secured some startling averages), W. Morrison, C. K. Tarlon, G. Clark, R. Morrison, bulchft, L. -Moore, W. C. T*it, W. Gmvshaw, J. P. Spring, Glasgow, 1. Maci-ailan. Then W. J. Moore, Brocklebank, Kennedy, Douglas, Chambers, J. Leith, and Wymks. Nearly all these players, as well as several others belonging to tho cJnb, roprcseiue-d Otago -about'that period. Paramor was a rep. from 1873, Clark from lujO, V. Morrison from 1874, Glen from_l8 r 72, S'ddiff from 1875, Ta.it from 18/2, Spring from 1876, Macfarlan from lb/0, -luntnu from 1863, W. J. Moore from 18/7, CrawShaw if ram 1877. Glasgow from 1866, and Douglas from 1877. One cannot but he struck with tho persistent ascendancy of tho hall over the hat in those days of long ago. A total of 100 or more‘was an uncommon occurrence, -the average being about 50 or 60. t onsequontly individual coutTibuitions ra-ivly reached tho 30 mark, and con tones wore, of course, unknown. The highest total in the two books is England’s 160. On the other hand the, bowling averages were such as aro seldom (if ever) seen nowadays. (Hero are a few recorded- in 1876-/7;---Paranior, sir for 20, v. Ralmerstmi ; W. J. Moore, eight -for 63, v, Balclutha-; Austin, eight for 29, v. Next Eighteen Morrison, eight for 48 for the President's side v. Vice-presidents; Glen, eight for 26, v. Next'Eighteen, fourteen lor 17, and eleven for 22, v. Twenty-two Colts. In 1878-79 Glen. took six for .9,■ v. V> allaoe ; Paramor, seven for 15, against Wallace also; Glen, nine for 18, against Exi-rUiur Eighteen; Burrow, ten for 0. v. Excelsior Eighteen. I wonder how Iho Glens and {the Pa-ramoira would got on against Ike present-day batsmen on present-day wickets. It is a problem limit will never bo solved, nrgiio we ever so stronglyThe overs in those days usually consisted of six balls, though ni cup maldler., 1 notice, only four were howled i.n the over. The scarcity of hits for 4 and the ipro valence of 3’s suggest a three boundary instead of -a four, as at present. On Urn oilier h-an-d, an occasional 6 appears. How was this obtained-? Most -of the matches -recorded were played on If.lm Grab In a- cn.p match against. Albion, the hitter wc.ro disposed of for 42 'Glen, four for 18, Paramor four for 8). Dunedin responded to tin the big total of 140 lor seven wicket s (Paramor 50, t lark: 20, Siit-cJifi '24, Glasgow 20; .Shelton took three for 40 and Shepherd two for 06). Tins match was played l in November, 1878. Another cup match, against, ( 'aridhrook, was played on three Saturdays in January, 1879. oil itlio GalcMilia-n; Ground. Curi--brnok made 56 -(Vernon 16, OJac-rndl 12, Austin, .sen., 1-1; Glen five for 22 I’aramor five for 31). Dunedin replied with 112 (Cra-ws-haw 32, G. Chirk 25; M-m-d three for 27, Vernon throe for 27). L'ajishrook’s second innings realised 106 A <>inon 51, A. Cargill 51; Glen five for 46. Paramor four for 2D. Dunedin nndjMSO in their second attempt iChirk 44, Wyinks 01, Morrison 19; Manned live tor 60. Austin three for 43, Vernon one for 2). Dixon one for 261, and so won a nm-Cdi. that was evidently played right out. To a. -ericketer tliese old store hooks are meat interesting, but unless one is of Mm older generation he is unable to make, the players live as he reads about th--m. Perhaps someone who can go bar-); a good deal further than I will come along with sotm reminiscences that will breathe hie into these more nr less bare ia-fo.