CRICKET NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIV, Issue 10786, 25 October 1895, Page 2

CRICKET NOTES.

. [BY SCARING-BOARD IN “ CANTERBURY TIMES.”I Saturday’s cricket was not extraordinarily exciting or interesting. I suppose the season is too youthful yet to warrant any great exhibitions of brilliancy, and,* in addition, the weather so far has quite precluded any chance of an ideal cricketing day presenting itself. Aa a consequence, 1 my notes this week—especially in the absence of any English news—must be, perforce, very limited.

The Lancaster Park Senior Eleven still further asserted a strong and undoubted all-round superiority over the United Eleven, and, whilst not wishing to pose as a dictator to the Selection Committee of the latter club, I cannot help thinking that several members of the club’s junior team are quite up to senior form, more so in fact than 'several of the selected seniors. Fowke and Brooke were the only two of the Park Seniors able to make much headway with the bat on Saturday, and out of the 40 runs added to the previous 285 for seven wickets they were responsible for 30. Both men played nicely, too, Brooke exhibiting good style upon the occasion of his initial appearance m his Club’s, Senior Cup Eleven. The batting of the United at their first attempt calls for little comment. It was distinctly feeble and commonplace, and although Gunthorpe deserves great credit for the judgment he exhibited when bowling, Labatt was the essence of steadiness and the fielding was first-class, a total of 71 was quite an unexpected contribution from the old club’s eleven. Fifty-four for two wickets in the follow-on looks better, but a smart shower of rain handicapped the bowlers a good deal, and enabled Mathias to hit up 26 in quite his old style, and assisted Mediow to play a natty innings of 13 not out, I hope to see at least save the one innings defeat, but I can safely venture to prophesy that they must exhibit better batting abilities than they have so fat shown in order to achieve even that moderate amount of success. The Midland and Sydenham-Adding-ton United Match was again a low scoring one, and tedious and monotonous to the large numbsr of onlookers who put in an appearance at Hagley Park. The wicket though, in this case, was a really bad one, the bowling hanging and bumping with exasperating unexpectedness. Pearce and De Mans easily finished off the balance of the combination’s batsmen, and the Blue and Whites started the second innings with the narrow lead of 9 on the first innings. It was early apparent, though, that run getting was a difficult task, the bowling being very steady, and the ground fielding excellent.’ Some chances were missed, but all were hard ones, anything easy being at once accepted. Once again the Midlandera betrayed the possession of a decided tail amongst the batsmen, and the performances of several of the players were considerably below average junior form. Three men made nearly all the runs; the rest were nowhere. De Maus went in at the fall of the first wicket, and was unbeaten at the finish with 60 to his credit. He played more carefully and patiently than usual, the extra men in the field and the state of the wicket demanded that, and although he made one or two uppish strokes, his innings was distinctly good and saved his side from a comparative rout, Pearce rapidly hit up 28 vary lustily. He gave a skier or two occasionally, hut his contribution was a valuable one, as was Wheatley’s natty and skilful 21 at the start. I must draw a veil over the performances of the rest, for which condescension I expect they will be duly grateful. Despite the good start of ifld by St Albans against the United Junior Cup team, the latter have gone a lot better, and by splendid batting on a first-rate wicket have ran up a first innings total of 267, Longden, Wilson, Fish, Day and Eoss were principally responsible for this, and their efforts have turned the game well into the United’s favour.

The Midland Junior Cup team have, as 1 expected last week, pulled up well against Lancaster Park, and at present have none the worst of the encounter. For this they have to thank principally C. W. Garrard, who filled a vacant place in the team, and played an excellent innings for 73. Barry, Lane and Forsyth all batted well, too, and the game is even once more.

The Boys’ High School very nearly reached the Junior Gup record in their innings against Sydenham. Out of their total of 369, O’Brien scored 117, thus adding 20 to his previous not out score, and Barnes took in his bat for 39 not out. Addington replying with only 110, will, probably, suffer a one innings defeat. In the President’s Cup matches, Lancaster Park A team created a surprise by easily vanquishing United No. 1; Midland No. 1, playing up-hill gallantly, beat Sydenham by four wickets; United No. 2 disposed of the Boys’ High School by 89 runs; St Albans easily ran away from Midland No. 2; and Lancaster Park B team won in an innings against Warwick House. Gulf’s catch that dismissed Mathias was a particularly fine effort, and the fielding of the Lancaster Park skipper throughout the game was first-class. Modlow has a moat attractive style as a batsman, and I am inclined to think that he will be well np on the list when the averages are made out for this season. W. J. Cotterill made a splendid leg bit off a full toss by Qunthorpe. As it went t.o the boundary only 4 wme allowed, but six or seven could easily have been run for it. I noticed the other evening a handsome clock erected on the United Club’s pavilion and upon inquiry I learnt that it was a gift to the club from a genial and popular member. Mathias’ batting in the United’s second innings was quite in hia beat style. Some of his hits reminded one of his play the season before last. He is the sort of player to soon spoil bowlers’ averages. I have been requested to correct an error which inadvertently crept into this column

with reference to the Sumner, ,clnb. r Charles Clark, and no' Mr Char ,es Kiver, baa been elected president of , and the hon secretary's address is Mr W. Lawrence, Sumner. C. W. Garrard’s batting was of a high order. Ho gam ho chance throughout his innings, and once more made cricket lovers regret that this capable plsyor has not the inclination to play permanently in cnr senior games as his club and province could well do with his valuable services. Great complaints arise from both Hagiey and Lancaster Parks regarding the trees which, owing to their being behind the bowler’s arm, are a great inconvenience to batsman. At Lancaster Park the dense foliage of the macrocarpa hedge on the east side of the entrance g a f® * a 1 a source of great disadvantage t° ha Lain en when the wickets are pitched at right angles to that hedge. At Hagley Park several of tho pine trees on tho south side of the ground provoke decided anathemas from batsmen, and in addition a belt of tall pines that stands in a south-westerly position from the Midland pavilion, very early in the evenings casts dark and puzzling shadows right across the ground. I hope to notice that the committees of the various clubs interested will at once toko steps to remedy this defect to our grounds. The London Daily Telegraph’s Grace Fund closed with a hundred thousand shillings. •- M'Kibbin fully expects to go to England with the next Australian team, and is playing for a Sydney Club solely to foster his chance. C. Bannerman, the tdd brilliant Australian player, has left Sydney for Rockhampton, having been appointed coach and caretaker to the Cricket Association there. - A Sydney exchange mentions that C. 1. B, Turner, the famous Australian cricketer, is likely to migrate to Johannesburg, South Africa, where enthusiasm in cricket rune high. I notice that Robertson started playing for the Invercargill Club on Wednesday, Oct. IG. " Pro.” secured six of tho Star Club’s wickets for 10 runs, and scored 15 in a total of 51.

At Sydney, on Oct. 7. tbo following centuries were scored in the premiership competition :—G. Toull, Glebe v. Burwood, 159 ; H. Robinson, East Syasey v. University, 104; J. Davis, Warwick v. I Zingari, 102. This is interesting _on account©? each of these tbreeplayerahaving been members of the New South Wales team that visited New Zealand in 1890. _ The following is the list of English cricketers who, during the last twenty-five years, have been credited in first-class cricket with their thousand runs and hundred wickets in the same season W G. Grace, 1874, 1875,187f1, 1877, 1878, 1880. C. T. Studcl, 1552,1883. I’lowers, 1883. Davidson, IS'JD, The chief merit of Davidson’s performance with the bat is that hia highest score up to Sept, 7 was only 80, yet his average was 30 for forty-four innings. He thus showed consistency, in direct contrast to Mackren, who headed the list of averages. Nearly half of the latter’s runs were made in one innings.