CRICKET.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 7 May 1921, Page 6

CRICKET.

To-rlav the Australians commence their fixture with the Surrey team,-one of .the most famous of all the counties, whose records contain the names and deeds of some of the best players who ever wielded 'bat or bowled ball for England. It is impossible to say what strength ,the,y will have this season, •but they can always 'be depended on to put up a good fight. The first appearance of Hobbs, lender and Hendren on English wickets against the visitors will ,be most interesting. Four 'truck-loads of soil from Napier have been ordered by the Wellington City Council, \vith which the 3^'«^jngton Cricket "Association is co-operating, for use in making a more satisfactory pitch on the Basin Reserve. The soil is composed of ithe stripping of a quarry in Napier, ft and is said to be of a type that gives a lasting wicket. The present wicket is now being taken up. Austin Punch, of North Sydney, has •headed the aggregates with the bat in the first grade premiership three times in the last four seasons. His record reads: ■ >

The premiership under the district cricket schema was commenced in 1893 94, and" in all. the intervening time only four batsmen have had an aggregate of 1000 runs, the figures being: , 1597-B—V. Trumper: , 8 inning.?; 3 times not out, IC2I runs, average 204.20. ■.-..'.-.* 1905-6— J. R. M. Mackay: 13 innings. 5 times not out, .1041 T/uns, average 104.10. _ 1918-19—W. Bardsley: 15 innings, 4 times not out, 1145 runs, average 104.09. H. T. Hewefct, the famous left-hand •batsman who played for Oxford and Somerset, died in March, aged 57. In the early nineties he was the finest left-hand ■batsman' in England. With L. C H. Palairet, another very accomplished batsman, he was ■associated in the then first-wicket record of 346 runs for the county against Yorkshire •at Tauntonf.

, Innings. isot Runs Aver. 917-18 .919^20 .920-21 ... 1'9 ... 17 ... 13 Out. 6 4 1 750 827 ,804 age. 57.69 63.61 67.00