CRICKET.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 235, 21 September 1911, Page 2

CRICKET.

the maryleboNe club

CONCERNING MEMBERS OF THE TEAM.

Notes will appear every week in the “Tribune” concerning members of the above learn. The subject of the notes this week is Mr. Sydney F. Barnes, Hie great bowler.' To praise this wonderful howler is not necessary. \ man who has been deeineil woi-lliy lo he the centre piece of Wisden’s nmablc "five,” who was described le. Mr. M. A. Noble as the best bowler in the world, by .Mr. P. F. Warner as the best bowler m England, and by Mr. Clement Hill is the best bowler lie has met on an Australian wicket needs nothing else o recommend him. Staffordshire .icople are proud of their crack bowler the king among' leg-breakers ; and Barnes is happy- in serving his laiive county. His doings with the ball for Staffordshire come out, thus:

In addition he has been a serviceable baslman and in 1906 he made '3l runs including one century iverage 30.“5. His admirers think that if he hml not been a wonderful bowler lie might, hate been a great da'sman. He was the chief means of the eliampiimship being won by the county in I:Jo6 and 1938. and some "Red Ros.e” partisans were led to think that Staffordshire was Btirnessltire,” but that matters not one iot.ii. Staffordshire can call Syd. Barnes their own, just as the County Palatine can claim Mr. R. IL Spooner, J. T. Tyedesley, IL Dean, and others of their cleverest players, in league cricket Barnes plays for Portliill Park, champions for three successive years, but not in 1909 and 1910, and in these games he is regarded as somewhat of an oppressor. But on the county ground, the whole crowd watch his bounding approach to Hie wicket, his graceful ac.ion and the result of his fine headwork and finger-spin with admiration and glee. And he is worthy of every atom of the praise that is lavished on him. There is a brief summary of his work for the abovenamed club during the past 5/ seasons. During this time he has taken about 600 wickets at an average ot 5 runs each. He scored well over 3000 runs, average over 40 per innings, and for the county during the same period he has taken 52G wickets at 8 runs a wicket, and scored 1(315 runs, averaging about 23. During the same period he has played for England, and in other first-class matches. He has also been a playing member for both. Warwickshire ami Lancashire. It is a great pity that such a fine bowler does not play for t first-class county regularly, but ot course Staffordshire people do not think so. May he prove a veritable demon to Australian batsmen on this trip.

Venr. Overs Al dns. linns Wkts. Aver. i fjf) 1 269.1 62 679 G6 10.28 1005 193.2 GO 5( IS ■14 1 1.5-1 190G 37:?. l 100 932 1 19 ~.f- > 1 !>i>7 i *6.o S-2 905 79 6.39 i: >f IS 397. 1 139 817 92 8.88 ; 9(i» 221 -•> 515 7G 6.77 1910 9.09. 5 99 879 90 9.76