CRICKET NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCV, Issue 10920, 31 March 1896, Page 6

CRICKET NOTES.

["By Scoring Board in “ Canterbury Times.”] The principal interest in senior cricket on Saturday centred in the Lancaster ParkSydenham game. The first day 5 s play in the match Midland against United had robbed the gaihe of all speculation, and had practically settled the result. The match at Lancaster Park, though, was unexpectedly in favour of the suburban team, and opinions were divided as to whether or not the Lancastrians could make up their leeway. That they did so is easily seen. The Midlanders went on very comfortably for a long time in the continuation of their first innings against the United. De Maus and T. Eeese, the not outs, got set straight away, and played the bowling without much apparent trouble. This, too, despite the fact that Frankish reappeared at the bowling crease, and that Collins was on early with his “ expresses,” which bumped and jumped about in a somewhat alarming fashion. De Mans was particularly busy, and at one time had scored 36 whilst Eeese had put together 7 runs. The ten's mounted steadily, until at 158 Collins got a good one past De Maus, after bruising him somewhat severely on the wrist and arm. Pearce played on, and then C. W. Garrard and Eeese made a good stand. The score stood at 250 with two wickets down, but after that came the downfall. All out at 262 gives one an idea of a very tangible tail. Eeese left at 256, and Medlow soon demolished the remainder, Garrard remaining unbeaten at the finish. Eeese, De Maus and Garrard are the only batsmen who can claim any distinction on the day’s play. De Maus played in excellent style, and gave no semblance of a chance throughout. Eeese, too, again showed how much he has improved this season as a batsman despite the fact of a chance or two in the field, v hilst Garrard once more proved what I have argued all along that his resolve to play in Kaiapoi and the neighbourhood for the last few years has robbed the metropolitan district of one of its best cricketers. Medlow, for once, came off very decidedly as a bowler, and he dismissed the tail end in a very expeditious manner. The United’s second innings has not produced* anything worthy of note beyond a neat Contribution of 16 by Kitto, who was unfortunate enough to bo bowled by the last ball of the day. That was a sudden off-break from young Eeese, who, by the way, does not try that particular ball half often enough. I am told on good authority that the one that bowled Kitto was the only one he delivered during the play. Thanks principally to a very vigorous

and hard hit innings by Archie Eidley the Lancaster Park eleven topped the Sydenham team’s total after all. In a minor degree, the Lancastrians owe their lead to steady play at the finish by Hasoll, Cederwall and Gunthorp, each of whom held up his wicket whilst Eidley hit out. The latter’s aggressive tactics were of immense service to his team, but nt length cost, him his wicket, as going out to Malone be was neatly stumped by Walmsley. However, bis score of 7S out of 143 was a fine performance —one of his best —and saved the innings from being a mediocre display The Sydenham’s second effort was on about a par with the first. Treloar so far is top scorer, but he got most of his runs in a decidedly unorthodox . style. Some of his pulls are apt to cause the hair of a stickler for correct play to up-ond itself, but for all that he gets runs in bis own peculiar style, and to keep the scorers busy is after all the main thing. I fancy Treloar is a young player with a splendid eye, who, if coached a little in the fine points of the game, would turn out a first-rate batsman. Walmsley once again proved his consistency, and sent in a handy contribution. Halley, too, was shaping well when he was run out, and M’Murray appears to be likely to add some more runs before the innings closes. The Junior Cup match between the Lancaster Park and Midland teams was the only one that aroused any comment on Saturday. It was generally considered that given a good wicket the Midlanders would make an even fight of it, but their rash and incautious batting, especially at Smith’s seductive bowling, ended in a decided deficit. The second innings of the Park team was soon ended, though principally through good bowling by Barry and some first-rate fielding that would have been creditable to any senior team. At the time of writing the Midland have the worst of the game, wet weather threatening them with a slow wicket for the finish. St Albans had a fairly good sample of an afternoon’s leather-hunting provided by the United Second, and have no chance of winning. The Boys’ High School pulled up wonderfully against Sydenham, and have now none too bad a position. O’Brien’s innings of 111 was a really good one, and it is somewhat of a coincidence that he scored a century in the first match of the season against the same team. The Lancaster Park B President’s team pulled up somewhat against the Midland No. 1, but the latter will, I think, be returned the victors at the finish.

St Albans still goes on in a winning vein, and promise to appropriate the trophy somewhat easily. United No. 1 made another large score on Saturday, the sufferers being the College first team. A. Ridley’s 78 out of 145 speaks volumes for his hitting ability. Powke’s injured hand again precluded him from donning the gloves on Saturday. T. W. Reese made a couple of splendid leg hits for six each against the United, and De Maus executed a beautiful backcut for five. The match, Canterbury against South Canterbury, fixed to commence at Geraldine to-day, is arousing very little interest, and so far I have heard nothing of the Canterbury team. Geraldine was to have sent a team to Christchurch to play Lancaster Park on Good Friday, and the United on Easter Saturday, but. I learn that both matches are off.

Lancaster Park will, as usual, send a team to Akaroa at Easter time. Cuff still maintains pride of place in the Senior Cup averages, being followed by A. Ridley and De Mans. Labatt does not appear to be doing himself justice a'j a batsman in Auckland, although his bowling is very hear that he is likely to return to Christchurch shortly. Medlow’s bowling figures were very gooo on Saturday, especially when it ie remembered that he had two chances missed off him. Smith and Bates are a very effective pair of junior bowlers. They have totally different styles and deliveries, and the consequent variation is of mutual assistance.

I hope to see a strong endeavour made by the New Zealand Cricket Council to induce the Australian Eleven to play a series of matches in this colony on their way home at the end of this year. If, as is almost certain, the eleven play in America, they will come home via San Francisco, and touch at Auckland; and as New Zealand has not had a visit from an Australian Eleven since 1886, a set of matches in the four chief centres of Maoriland would prove attractive, and at the same time give the game a muchneeded boom.

At the time of writing, the clerk of the weather has given abundant warning that the time has arrived to close the cricket season of 1895-6, and the manner of the conclusion of the various competitions is arousing some discussion amongst the authorities. Anyhow teams that have to bat next Saturday will be at a decided disadvantage, and low. scoring may be confidently anticipated. I have heard that the Lancaster Park senior team will decline —in the event of their beating Sydenham —to play off with the Midland, on the ground that the season is closed at the end of March. This rule, I may point out, is open to revision by the Association, and I hardly think it advisable that the Senior Cup comnetition for the season should result in a tie, if any means can be devised to secure finality. K. Burn, the Tasmanian cricketer, recently accomplished the noteworthy feat of scoring four successive centuries. Against the Break of Day Club he scored a double not out of 117 and 162. The committee of the. Gloucestershire County Cricket Club entertained W. G. Grace at dinner on Feb. 5. The Duke of Beaufort presided, and after briefly alluding to the Doctor’s long career presented him with a gold watch, and also handed to him a silver kettle for Mrs Grace.

Australians (says the Sydney Bulletin) have erroneous ideas of what constitutes “ form ”in touring cricket teams. It seems to be thought that if the majority of the team were to eschew intoxicants they would play better cricket. An old player lately told the writer that some of the best performances of past elevens have been made “on top of grog.” He says that one burly player in particular made one of his big scores against England “ when recovering from ‘ a gin-and-soda crawl ’ in London —he went on the field wearing a felt hat, because there ' w as not a cap that would fit his head.” i Then another player could only off-drive and back-cut to perfection when he had gone through a preliminary hrandy-and-soda razzle. The great point to be considered in, selecting an Australian Eleven player is—“ Can he drink a bottle of whisky and be still rational?” It is useless picking amateur drinkers who are liable to get drunk on a mere dozen of beer.

Eady (says the. Sydney Referee , in alluding to an incident that occurred in the test match) was bowled by Goningham with a remarkable ball. , It was a slow full toss, and curled in the air from the off, but nearing the batsman a puff of wind caught and sent it back straight. Eady missed it, the ball pitching at the bottom of the stumps. Coningham says he never bowled a ball like it before, and that he’d be perfectly satisfied if he could send down twenty like it in a match—twenty wickets. Eady’s style of batting lacks finish. It was disappointing to Sydney people, but so

little was seen of him in either innings that it would bo unfair to judge him _by his display in view of his big run-getting down South. He is a good field and accurate bowler, and is sure to be popular wherever lie goes. The following item is also from the aforementioned journal:-—The stand by Gregory and Johns for the ninth wicket added 61 runs, of which Gregory made 41. The little man showed himself a master hand with the willow, beating the bowlers upon one of their own favourite yet fast improving pitches. His leg strokes were perfect. Three men were placed to baffle his pull, yet he got the ball between them by masterly placing. The men changed their positions and ho changed his placing accordingly, fairly baffling them. The little South Sydneyite has a big heart, and is always seen at his best at a pinch. At luncheon the prospects of a victory looked very black, eight wickets then being down for 187, so that 55 runs were still required, and the last man (Giifen) doubtful about being able to bat. During the interval Gregory told me he thought that Johns and- himself would, pull the match off. How well they did it is now well-known. “Not-out” in the Sydney Referee has the following remarks on the Australian team: —The one great regret at this period is that Turner is not a member of the team. I am sure all Australia, as well as England', deeply deplores his absence; those who saw him play in the two big matches this month cannot possibly help it, since his bowling was very fine, and his batting quite firstclass. And we know that Turner in England is always seen at his best. He is not only a great cricketer in England, but ho is a greater favourite. The English public like him; the youthful players imitate him—as a bowler he is their model. Yet there is little use in going on bemoaning Turner’s absence. Had the team been carefully selected in the first instance he would doubtless at this moipent he on board the comely Cuzco; but regrets are vain. The team as it now stands is powerful on Australian form, but with such a comparatively large number of young players visiting England for the first time, one cannot help feeling a little doubt as to their doings. It is a good side. I hope the men meet with no misfortune, and all going well with so many unflinching triers in the team I have great hopes of them. The batting and fielding are both .splendid, but while the howling' lacks little in variety, it remains to be seen'how it stands in quality. M’Kibben, Jones and Eady I expect, to come off, but George Giffen will probably be hit about a good deal. If they earn a record no better than the last few teams, it will be disappointing to Australians, and probably due to lack of deadly bowling. Iredale, Darling, Gregory, Donnan, Giffen, Hill, Trott and Graham are very fine batsmen, and although it is said that the best Australians are inferior to the best English batsmen, I scarcely think the brightest English form could have excelled that of Iredale, Donnan and Hill this year in Australia.