CRICKET,

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 284, 11 December 1901, Page 3

CRICKET,

PAVILION GOSSIP. j Notes dyßiffer. ’] Cricket is essentially a summer pastime. Sunshine is the one thing needful to make the game delightful. Who pretends to enjoy the game when the weather is cold, and the wicket damp ? When the bowlers are struggling to keep their feet, and groping for saw-dust before each over, while the batting side sit with their teeth chattering with tho cold in the pavilion, and smiling wintry smiles—pretending they are happy. But tbo conditions were perfect on Victoria Domain last Saturday afternoon. Tho sunshine was intoxicating, and it was quite a treat to see a few of the batsmen get properly going. The wickets were good, and it is surprising that more runs were not scored. One

gets so thoroughly tired of reading the small totals made in local matches, and it was all the more pleasing to see a couple of elevens pass the century on Saturday. The result of Saturday’s matches places County and United far in advance of City and West End. The two first-named Clubs have four wins each to their credit, while tho two last-named have only won one game each.

I am surprised that both West End and City did not do better on Saturday. (Viewed on paper, they had quite as good elevens in the field as did County and United. City mado a most feeble stand against the County bowlers, and should certainly havo dono better with the batsmen they had. Gordon Johnstone and Crawford both bowled well, but their deliveries were not so deadly as to warrant the downfall of City for the poor score of 56. Hay, who hails from Dunedin, was tho only City man to shape well with the bat, and the manner in which he put his 26 together stamped him as a promising batsman.

The County total of 124 for eight wickets was practically compiled by two men. 11. Sharp, who learned his cricket ftt tho South Eastern College, llamsgate, gave a most attractive exhibition of batting in putting up his top score of 56. He did Jittlo hitting, but his strokes were wristy, and he timed them beautifully. Considering this player gets absolutely no practice, tho manner in which ho pasted tho bowling of Macdonald and Neale provos him a first-class bat. Raymond is playing for the first season in local cricket. His 32 was made up of clear and forceful strokes. When one remombers that Burch, E. fjeggett, Barton, and W. Hods were absent from the County eleven last Saturday, it only shows how strong this Club really is numerically. I think Hood, the West End vice-cap-tain, must have regretted his decision to send United to the wickets on Saturday, when he saw how Porter and Gibson set to work on the fine wicket. The thermometer read high while those two were together, and the dance they set tho West Enders soon had the fielding sido perspiring profusely. I have always held that it the correct thing to take first strike when opportunity offers on a good wicket. Tho warm work tho West End players had to perform in tho field at the commencement of tho United innings was tho direct cause of their defeat, as they were all more or less fagged when they went in to bat, and cortainly did not show to advantage at the wickets.

The United total, 110 for seven wickets, was small, considering the first wicket put on 66, and tho strong batting sido West End had, should have had no diffi-

culty in wiping off the runs against them. The West End batsmen played the good fast bowling easily, but lost their wickets to the “googlers.’' Is it not surprising how frequently the most rubbishy deliveries will get rid of a good bat on a perfect wicket, after he has perhaps played good bowling for hours. The very simplicity of the ball causes the batsman to lose his head, his patience, and bis wicket. The fact that batsmen get little opportunity of practising how to treat this kind of bowling has a lot to do with their inability to play it. Gibson tossed up somo of the simplest stuff imaginable on Saturday, and yet he got rid of three of the best bats. Lyttleton also uses his head well. He has the courage, possessed by few young players, to toss them well up to the bat, and is not afraid of being hit. The ball with which ho bowled McConnoll, was “ one out of the box,” and beat the bats-

man all the way down the pitch. Hodge, after he found his length, bowled splendidly on Saturday, and had it not been for tho West End captain’s success with the ball it is hard to say what tho United total would have reached.

The Thursday competition will be resumed on Victoria Domain to-morrow afternoon, when Kaiti plays Whataupoko, and City meets West End. The West End Club were very anxious to lower the United colors on Saturday, and strained every nerve to put their strongest eleven in the field. A wellknown local business man was observed riding leisurely down Childers road. As ho approached the cricket ground, the West End captain joyfully recognised him to be a resident of the West End. The captain made a cabilistie sign to one of his fieldsmen, who darted off and thus hailed the rider, “Hi, you’re wanted.” “By whom —the police '? ” queried the equestrian. “ No, by the West End captain,” replied the perspiring fiannel-clad figure. The rider was induced to dismount, and take part in the fray for the honor of his district; and he did good work, too. Scene : The Napier Itecroation Ground. Time, 4.30 of the clock on a summer afternoon, with a soft and mellowed light. Dramatis Personae : Jim Hussey, a bowler ; Tom Gibson, a batsman. Enter the two ex-Gisbornites. The batsman dons the pads, and strolls up the pitch to return a ball to the bowler which is lying half-way up the wicket. While the batsman walks back to the wicket to take strike, the athlotic Jim, who has been carefully studying length, sends down a “ head ” ball, which catches tho batsman as he turns round to ask for centre beautifully on the eye. Gibson, retired hurt, 0. The prostrato one is carried into the pavilion, where the wound is bathed, and tho flow of claret arrested. Maimed one then mounts bicycle, and rides furiously to the residence of Dr Menzies, who stitches up tho bleeding wounds and soothes the pain. Evidently, James has quite recovered from tho effects of the injury sustained by his sensational dive on the Napier beach, which I chronicled a month back. I hopo he will similarly tie all the Southern batsmen up in knots whom he meets while on tour with tho Hawke’s Bay representative team.

Tho Hawko’s Bay team selected to make the southern tour is undoubtedly a strong side. It would bo a strong elevon without the inclusion of Albert Trott, regarded by many of the best judges in England .to be about the best all-round cricketer in the world at tho present time. I should not bo surprised to sec Hawko’s Bay defeat Canterbury. With Trott at one end and Tom Dent at the other, the Southern batsmon will find difficulty in putting up big scores. One misses Hugh Lusk’s name from the eleven. It does not seem a Hawke’s Bay team without the genial skipper who has led them so skilfully in the field for so many seasons past. Lusk has been in indifferent health for some time past, and is at present recruiting, I hopo his absence from the field will be only temporary. I wish tho Hawke’s Bay fellows success in the matches, and a good time on tour, anu nope that Hussey, tho young ex-Gis-bornite, will make many runs and take lots of wickets, On Friday next, the 13th inst., will begin once more those historic fights for the ashes of English cricket which create such world wide interest, when Maclarcn s English team begins the first test match of the present tour against the All Australian Eleven. It is many years ago now since the captain of the All Australian Eleven was presented at Lords, after defeating All England in n test match, with | a small golden casket said to contain the ashes of English cricket. The test matches have ever since been styled tho fights for tho ashes. The game on Friday will bo played on tho Sydney Cricket Ground. Onco more will thousands upon thousands of people from all parts of Australasia — from far Northern Queensland, from the Golden West, from Tasmania, ay, and from New Zealand, Hock to Moore l’ark to see the representatives'of England and ! Australia light for the supremacy of the cricket fielJ. Were a largo battle being i fought in Sydney, it could scarcely create

more interest than do these"' historic matches. Thousands of people in Old England will gather round the hoarding, boards of the leading newspaper offices and lustily cheer as the progress of the' match, which is cabled through as it progresses, is hoisted on the boards. The Australian team, which appeared in tho Turns on Mondny morning, consists of none but tried players who have been Home more than onee, and who have met the ilower of English cricket on the great grounds of tho Old Land. Evidently, Australia intends to take no risks by trying her brilliant young players in this match. She prefers to place her honor in men whose nerves have been tested, and who are not likely to be tricked by the artful dodges the Englishmen will employ to get them out. I expect to soe Maclaren’s men show up well in tho tests. They are a strong side, and compare favorably on form so far with Stoddart’s last team. May the weather be fine, and may tho best team win.

A match is being arranged between eleven local “ colts ” and a team from tho Wanganui Collegiate School, who will be in Gisborne during tho summer vacation. The visitors are reported to be strong, and will include one or more masters of the College. Tho match will probably bo played during Christmas week.

Mr Neale has selected the following representatives of English Public Schools I to play a local colonial elevon on Victoria Domain on Boxing Day in an all-day match :—A. H. Hodge and Neale (Cheltenham), Desßarres (Westward Ho), 11. W. Barton and Gouldsmith 2 (Clifton), T. Watkins-Baker (Blundell’s), A. Dewing (Bury St. Edmonds), W. Acland Hood (Wellington), F. E. Gaddum (Rugby), and 11. Sharp (South Eastern College, Ramsgate).

Mr F. C. Leggett writes, correcting a mistake which was mado in publishing his letter on Cricket ”in last Saturday’s Times. Mr I.oggett was made to say : “If all the fourteen men i-01l up, then I will havo cause to bless the secretary or someone for taking men to town on a fool’s errand.” It should have read : “If all the fourteen men roll up, then three will have," etc.