CRICKET

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 20 February 1926, Page 10

CRICKET

Mark Nicholls, the All Black, is continuing his good record in cricket. Eiayin” fof Petone against Varsity m Weilington, lie with another young P put up 17(5 for the seventh wicket, both scoring a century not out. And it is worth notice that it is for both a first century, and that both had previously got within a few runs of a century. A complaint was made by Hawke s Bav against the condition of the Nelson wicket, on which challenge matches were played for the Hawke Cup, and a suggestion made that the ground of a holder of the Cup should be passed by the council or a neutral ground be selected. However, now that the Cup has been won from -Nelson by Wanganui it is assumed nothing more will be heard. But it is worth suggesting that some supervision in the matter is quite worth while. IN SOUTH TAEANAIU. The success of Stratford and their persistence in good play should act as a stimulus to other teams who have lost the position they had gained. There should be on the next two Saturdays keenness and enthusiasm that will make for good play. The results will be awaited with very great interest. Special importance attaches to tne meeting of Excelsior and Okaiawa, and of Manaia and Stratford this week, and of Excelsior and Stratford on the Saturday following. If Okaiawa beat Excelsior —and the former will be playing on their own ground—it will put Stratford in an unassailable position, u n l°ss Manaia should come out of their shell and beat them. If both Stratford and Excelsior win, the final decision will rest with the meeting of these two teams. In cricket anything may happen; the position is full of interesting possibilities. WELLINGTON-AU CKLAND RESULTS. In view of the Plunket Shield deciding match to-day, it is interesting to note that matches between Auckland and Wellington date back to 1860, when the first was played on the old Mount Cook Parade ground. All told, there have been thirty matches, Auckland having won 18 and Wellington 9, the remaining three being drawn. Auckland won from 1860 to 1882 and again from 1894 to 1900 and from 1909 to 1914. Wellington have had mostly their victories in recent years. A MARVELLOUS CATCH. A miraculous and wonderfully-spec-tacular catch was taken on Saturday last, at Lancaster Park, by Tom McLelland, of the East Christchurch firstgrade B team, in a match against Ricearton, says the Sun. K. B. Bain got to one from A. Beasley on the half-volley, and when the ball came to McLelland, at long-off, it was still rising. Leaping sideways into the air, McLelland pulled the ball down on the left side, taking it over his shoulder. The crowd in the stand set up one yell of delight at a great piece of fielding. Many said that it was the best catch that they had ever seen. It is of interest also because K. B. Bain is an erstwhile Eltham play-

THE TEST MATCHES, 9 THE COMING TOUR.

Never before in the history of AngloAustralian towns has the Question supremacy caused such widespread comment. England has been thoroughly aroused and many writers, cricketers and others have given their opinions as to how they can beat the Australians and regain those "Ashes.’’ SUTCLIFFE’S ADVICE. H. Sutcliffe (Yorkshire), in an address to cricketers at Stalybridge, emphasised the unsurpassable batting strength of the selected Australians, and said that Collins was a supercaptain. The bowling, too, was stronger than was generally believed in England. Personally, he thought that Gregory would prove as fast as he was in 1921. England must try to prevent Australia from winning the first Test, Sutcliffe added, or otherwise the visitors would probably play "safety’’ in the subsequent Tests. The Daily Graphic’’ claims to have obtained the final word in the Tests controversy. Its representative visited Sir David Serjeant, aged 95 years, the sole survivor of the first Interstate match, Victoria versus New South Wales, played at Melbourne in 1856, in which he was assisting Victoria, and hit the first ball bowled for two runs. Sir David, who is still practising as a doctor in Camberwell, says he is tipping Australia to win. He recalls many of his youthful adventures in Australia, where he engaged in goldmining, paperhanging, and clerking, to secure fees for his medical education.

The arrangements being made for the accommodation of the huge crowds anxious to see the Test matches are such as never before required. All the additional accommodation provided at the five chief centres of play—The Oval, Lords, Nottingham, Manchester (Old Trafford), and Leeds —has been booked long in advance and it will be practically impossible from no onwards for anyone to get a seat. England is praying for wet wickets, says a cynic. There is no truth in the report that life-belts will be supplied to each member of the Australian team. A WONDERFUL FAMILY. A striking example of how cricket enthusiasm and ability are displayed in a family was afforded in the case of the Blacksmith brotherhood, the Christophersons, the most prominent of whom, Stanley Cliristopherson, who recently filled the office of president of the Kent County C.C., is sixty-four years of age. An XI composed of his father and ten of the sons on numerous occasions took the field. Stanley, who was in the Uppingham XI, first appeared for Kent in 1883, and his express deliveries were so successful that the following summer he represented the Gentlemen v. the Players and England v. Australia.