SPORTING PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XVIII, Issue 1896, 4 December 1923, Page 2

SPORTING PARS.

CRICKET. A CRICKET PROBLEM. The Cricketing World has been swept by a gale, The result of ail act of a mischievous bail; When the stumps were disturbed, it determined to stick it, And got itself wedged some way down iij the wicket; What a pother it made, what heartburnings, what doubt If the batsman was in or the batsman was out. The batsman, indignant as principal actor, Says “The bail is still there, so the wicket’s ‘intacta.’ ” “No, no!” says the bowler, “I’ve broken the wicket, So, of course, you are out, both in justice and cricket.” So keen was the strife ’twixt the pot and the kettle, Tiie umpires are summoned the question to settle. The umpires are honest, they’ve no bets to win, One says the man’s out, one says the man’s in. What next? M.C.C. a safe haven affords. And the Court of Appeal’s the Committee at Lord’s. The Committee at Lords are most excellent men, Every problem they solve with a stroke of the pen, l'n performance of duties they’re ne’er known to falter, They may re-draft the rules, but the laws they mayn’t alter ; They meet, they discuss, they dispel the confusion By a beautifully-worded, concise resolution. ’Twas ignored by the Press, so we’re still left in doubt “If the batsman was in or the batsman was out.”

Lance Pellew, the young South Australian batsman who has shaped so well ill the inter-State games iji the past two or three seasons, is not likely to be seen in the big games in the immediate future. Pellew lias accepted a- position at Clare, which will necessitate bis leaving Adelaide at an early date, and if lie remains there it looks as though he will be lost to important cricket in the future. This is to be regretted, as he is one of the most promising young players South Australia has had for some years. He has been a great performer with the Adelaide University team for some seasons, and was still in his teens when lie caught the eyes of the South Australian selectors, and fully justified the confidence they placed in him. Like his brother Clarrie, a- member of the last Australian eleven, who has also been lost to important cricket through going to the country, Lance is a. great all-round athlete, having won honours in most branches of university sports, and established several records on the running track. When the remark was made to him in Adelaide that it was a pity that he was to drop out of big cricket, he replied, “Yes, it is in a way; but there are many others coming on.”

During a* cricket match at Portland (N.S.W.), the ball was hit over the fence into a paddock. A goat swallowed it. As there were no spare balls in the cricket set the game had to be abandoned.

Rivalry in returning the ball to the wicket-keeper is still keen among certain cricket club enthusiasts, although boundary hits have diminished interest in this important branch of fielding (says an exchange). George Giffin, from the most distant part of the outfield, could jerk the ball from the hip, and it'would travel along the ground right into the wicket-keeper’s hands, and seldom more than a foot on either side of the stumps. Some of the greatest cricketers have been wonderful throwers.

W. G. Grace, at an athletic sports meeting at The Oval, made three successive throws of 110, 117 and 118 yards. George Bonnor, the Australian giant, is credited with a throw of 13G yards; and Marsh, the aboriginal, put up a record of 138 yards. The story is told of Spofforth that when he was in the West of England a Plymouth man was backed to throw the ball against anybody for £5 aside. His winner threw well over 100 yards. His backer, a burly gentleman farmer, turned to Spofforth as the winning throw was measured, and said: “What do you think of that for a throw?” “It is not bad,” replied Spofforth, carelessly. “Not had,” exclaimed the other, indignantly. “1 should think not, indeed.” “No,” said Spoff, quietly, “it is not a bad throw—but nothing to make a fuss about.” “Well, I’ll lay you £SO you can’t equal it.” “Done!” said the demon, tranquilly. “J’ll take that bet.” And without taking off his jacket the famous bowler took the ball and sent it three yards further than the Plymouth man. The farmer’s face was a study as he paid the bet.