CRICKET.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 October 1924, Page 11

CRICKET.

W . . Mr J. M. Nielsen, the hon. secretary of the South Taranaki Association, has received a letter from the New Zealand Cricket Council, in which the following appears: “I note that a cup; has been donated to your association, and that you have allotted it to the competition between various high schools. My committee express appreciation of the tangible manner in which the donor, Air Silson, has shown his interest in the game. The competition is sanctioned hv the council, with the hope that it will prove an interesting one and result in increased interest in the game in your' district.” Messrs Bennett and Sutton have donated a hat to the South Taranaki Association, to he given to the player obtaining the best howling average during the coming season. Trankey, that old-time New South Wales gold-mining centre, was the scene of the biggest hit ever recorded in Australian cricket. During a match played there years ago, and on which there had been a lot of wagering, a batsman drove the hall into the branches of a lofty tree, where it remained. But as it could plainly be discerned the umpire refused to call “lost hall.” Before it was recovered, by means of a shot gun, 202 runs had been scored. The perspiring batsmen, spurred on by the shouts of their frenzied supporters, took nearly - twenty minutes to register the double century, says an Australian writer, who must have forgotten that cricketers are not entitled to use shot guns to keep the runs down. Another big total from one stroke is recorded from the Old Country, where a team was playing a match against an eleven from a mental hospital. One of the latter fielding at point made a. brilliant save from a hall hit hard, and he was so surprised that he started off across country and before he could he caught the batsmen had run fifty-seven. NEW SOUTH WALES PREPARING FOR ENGLAND. . (Referee.) If indications of the past few weeks in Sydney have any significance, it is that a very big elf or t is to he made individually and collectively by the players and the authorities to revive the lighting strength of New South Wales in representative cricket. The cricket season is to officially open in Sydney this week with the Glade premiersliips between tlie district clubs, of which there are 16. I have never known the players keener to commence, it being as noticeable among men of established - reputation as well as the younger. It is a good sign for a revival of .the high standard attained by New - South Wales for many years, and from which there had been a decline in the.last few seasons, notably the last two. This keenness is the first of a few essentials. Another is that the selection committee this summer eomorises new blood—M. A. Noble, H. L 7 Collins, and R, B. Minnett —who are inspired to keep action hv last season’s failures. Another essential is that thorough practice by 20 or more of the best players must he instituted early on the best possible wickets so that the men shall get to know one another’s form and peculiarities, and thus assist one another in striking their top. They must get to work on fast wickets at once, and I understand this is being arranged. ALICK BAXNERMAN. NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS. When Grace’s Team Went Down. A lick’s finest achievement in Australia was in the Test match in Svdney in 1892 against Lord Sheffield’s eleven, captained by W. G. Grace.

The Australians bad the worst of the fight in the first innings, England making 307 and Australia,-145. lu the follow-on Harry Trott was- out for one run. Then Jack Lyonsy-'the. hitter of the period, joined’ Banrieman; Each played his own characteristic game, Lyons punching the hall with amazing power, while Lis little mate just stopped there. When Lyons fell/for 134 Australa. led by 13 runs, with eight wickets in hand. England eventually lost by 72 runs, Bannermaii making 91, and finishing on a wicket impaired by rain. He batted 7-1 hours, and the innings will always rank as one of the most valuable ever' played in a /Test. It was characteristic of ..the man — never beaten. A Great Mid-off. Besides being such a notable with" the bat, Alick Bannerman will rank as one of the most wonderful fieldsmen at mid-off cricket has known. He had the activity and certainty of a cat, a wonderful pair of hands in gathering m the ball, and his return to" the wickets was swift, low, and unerring. In a match against one of the Australian teams in England the volatile 4?- Briggs, who had not seen Alick before, kept prancing up the wicket after each stroke. Alick watched him closely, while apparently payITS little, attention to him. Presently Johnny stepped a foot or two further down the pitch, and then, as a shot trom a gun, the ball whizzed in by , Alick knocked, the sticks flying, and Johnny was lamenting. Alick mutter-. e Pl & y your inonkey tricks on me. will you?” MAURICE W TATE. Here is a most interesting and informative appreciation of M. W. Tate in the most recent Athletic News to hand: M. W. Tate, the first bowler in England to secure 100 wickets this sea- ; son, • added to his laurels on Fridav, August 9, wdien he became the first player to score 1000 runs in addition to his success with the hall. In thematches against Middlesex at Brighton • and Hants at Hastings Maurice Tate bad a time of. triumph. His ■ bowling was represented by 120.1 overs •42 213 runs, and 15 wickets, w’hiie by some strange coincidence he also hit 213 runs, so that the runs cimcel °ut, and-in effect Tate took 15 w ic-kets .without cost. But cricket is not quite balanced in thfiT way.* ‘ Sussex made an effort to defeat' Middlesex a second time this season, but they tailed by ,a margin so narrow as, 33 runs. When the Brighton. team were striving for success Tate obtained 36 in seven- strokes, and in all 49 out of 61. His stay was only 24 minutes, and he hit four sixes. . ■ “In the match with Hampshire, Tate made 164 out of 237 in two.hours and a half. Travelling at such a thrilling pace, it was excusable that he offered two chances to the fielders at 19 arid just after reaching' three r figures. > His figures included'" four sixes and 21 fours. When he had hit--14 he reached an aggregate of four figures for the season., . “Naturally this 'brilliant.rand versatile young 1 cricketer--was- - handsomely applauded. Was it not at Hastings, too, on August 18, 1922, that Tate tor the first time- completed a similar double feat? But then he" wanted wuckets and got .them. It is a legitim. mate matter for argument whether Tate is not the most skilful all-round cricketer in the' country. Whatever he does on the field he is always an interesting and an animated figure.”