CRICKET.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 46, 18 September 1880, Page 3

CRICKET.

*">:—' • Notes by Round Arm. It is with pleasure I- view a good prospect of another-, pricket season, and from the interest shown at Hawera, Normanby, and Waihi, it looks as if we were going to have some good cricket. The Hawera Ohib deserves great credit for their attention to the. ground, and no expense has teen spared in improving the " pitch"; and. now that they have a force pump and hose, and a proper -man in charge, there should be very little difficulty in always keeping the ground in good playing condition; It is also contemplated to purchase a garden mowing-machine, and thus enable the batsman to make " bigger : scores.",,. "When the trees already planted (which has been done with good taste) begin- to afford shade, there can be little doubt that the Hawera ground will be one of -the nicest cricket grounds in the North Island. I trust we shall have no more complaints of " bumping," and that the " colts" will have no excuse for not playing "straight bats." By the way, tome of the "big guns" might take a bint to their advantage, and show better examples than last season, and avoid "cross hitting." They will never have proper command of the ball until they drop this bad habit. . The first match comes off on Saturday next, between the first eleven and twentytwo all-comers ; and from the number of new players it is more than probable they will nave their work " cut out." Twentytwo at the commencement of the season appears a heavy handicap, as there will be some good steady " all-round " men, such as Atkinson, Bird, Fowler, Skeet, Gray, Willy, and others — most of them from Normanby, where they have commenced practice — with Johnston and Beresford in their midst, and who most likely will be in pretty good form to oppose the " big guns." There is some talk of forming a club in Normanby, but this appears premature, as there ate not enough players to form one, nor is there ground as yet to be obtained; therefore, this idea must be abandoned for the present, and they must stick to the old club. I cannot refrain from mentioning the liberality of the Hawera club at the meeting of the committee last Saturday. A request waß made on the part of the Normanby members for the use of bats, balls, &c, which was complied with in a moßt liberal spirit, and will enable them to have good practice. "With the help of Waihi, f they, would be able to bring a respectable ,^'ißam tp play Hawera, and thus enable the to choose eleven good players ,"')w meet any "foreigners" that may turn tip, be it Auckland, Nelson, or Wanganui. Great improvement might be made by forming rules for practice, viz., to stick to the ten minutes, one stump and one batsman only, and let him "peg' away" at as many balls as possible, hit hard and straight,' and should there be too many for ' uric wicket, start another "on the other ■■sidej'^nch lot can help one another to field. This mode of practice to be carried 'tin through the week* and on Saturday * have a match. There is still a "gap" in pra bowling, which I want to see " fulled up," and it is only by practice that it can be done. " Fred's" loss is still felt, and I suppose there is no chance of getting the " old vet." back. I cannot conclude

•vrit&ouG meatiaaiag wbatia gfty £< is Ghat Spoffortirms not in the "big match" at Home. I very much doubt whether the r" Leviathan" would have put together 152 'but Murdoch's stand of 79 and 153 against the bowling that he must have had to give him the "belt" in that match.

. The initiator of the free breakfast table in New Zealand — Mr. Woolcock, exMJB.R. for Grey Valley— is now acting in the capAoity of ganger over the unem- " ployed near Kakaramea. - Verily, "a man xn his time plays many parts," especially in the Australasian Colonies; " '