CRICKET NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11531, 18 March 1898, Page 7

CRICKET NOTES.

JUt Scoring Board in “ Cantebburi ■ ■ Times/’] On present appearances, the . Sydenham and Addington Thirteen seem as if they are.going to suffer another one-innings defeat at the hands of -the Midland Eleven. T|ie defection of Malone from the team early in the season, • weakened the bowling considerably; and as Turner, wbo.has of late come into prominence as a bowler, has been absent on the last two Saturdays, the team has had to rely on M’Murray to a very great extent, and on some very secondrate bowlers. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that a strong batting team like the Midland had not much difficulty in running up a large total against them. 'The fielding of the suburban team, however, was good, and every possible chance was taken full advantage of. Midland, who had, at the conclusion of play on the previous Saturday, four wickets down for 165 runs, occupied the whole of the second afternoon in finishing their innings, increasing their total to 321. The wicket on Saturday was rather slow, and this naturally interfered with - the rate, of scoring. Smith, who had gone in first and made 69 the -first day, remained at the wickets all the afternoon and was the last man disposed of, his score when he was bowled by EitcMe standing at 135, or an addition of 66 for about three and a half hours’batting; At first sight Smith’s scoring. appears miserably slow, but this is accounted for in a measure by the deadness of the ground. Hits which on ordinary occasions would have been worth four, on Saturday more often than not only produced, two. Under these circumstances Smith’s innings was a sterling exhibition of sound and defensive batting, and he deserves every praise for his patient' display. T. W. Eeesej the other not out batsman, increased his score to 37 by really nice cricket, his cutting being especially good. D. Eeese was shaping well, and had scored 19, which comprised some very nice strokes, when he was beaten by a good one from M’Murray. i C.- W. Garrard also fell a victim to a trimmer from M’Murray after he had i compiled 13 in a very correct style. W. Treloar batted very carefully for 14 not out, and promised well, when ho lost his partner, Neither "Wheatley nor Pearce reached double figures. The former, who made 8, batted very streakily, while Pearce was caught by Wright off M’Murray when he had made four singles. The second day’s play in the match United Thirteen and Lancaster Park Thirteen. was of a very uninteresting character. With a score of 200 to face, the Lancastrians commenced their first innings, and with Jackman, Cant and Perkins absent, were all disposed of for 122. Had the p^.y§j'B..f|awdd,bo^ l ? present. it;;is probable that* tTbe-/Lancastrians would have got nearer the United total, as the fielding of the latter team*was- very patchy, and , the bowling, though steady and straight, was not difficult; Eolleston four for 40, Kitto three for 32, and Wood two for 17 dividing ' the wickets. Washer, who went in eighth wicket down, and was undefeated when the innings closed, was top scorer with 25, and in putting, together his score he batted in something like his old form and made some really nice strokes. Labatt stayed in a long time for 19,. and showed better cricket than he has previously done this season; but with the exception of Atkinson; Bromley and Young, who all got into double figures, [none of the rest stayed long. In a majority of 78 the United commenced their second innings in a very bad light, and when .stumps were drawn they had lost four wickets for 43 runs. Smith and Kitto were the only batsmen to make any , headway against the Lancastrians’ bowling. Smith remaining not out with a nicely-compiled 20 to his credit, while Kitto played very carefully for 13.

The Lancaster Park Eleven has missed a capital opportunity of inflicting a crushing defeat on the United Eleven. On Saturday week they dismissed their opponents for 82, and last Saturday they continued their first innings on a wicket which was not difficult, while the United bowlers had to contend with the ‘ disadvantages arising fpom a wet ball. But the Lancastrians failed to make use of the opportunity offered. True, so long as the ball was greasy they did not Jose their wickets quickly, but directly the grass became dry, a regular “rot-' set in, and the total was only 86. Cobcroft played as carefully as usual for 36 but he seldom appeared quite at home, and possibly he and his companions found the light at Hagley Park very different from that at Lancaster Park. Still, although he was missed twice, he deserves great credit for a display which saved his side from irretrievable disaster. His leg hitting was not quite so pronounced as usual, but his cutting was really excellent. Boxshall showed a disposition to score, but the remaining batsmen made a feeble display against the bowling of Frankish, Williams and Sims. Prankish bowled in bis best form. He kept a capital length, and at times be got a good deal- of break on the ball. His average was really fine, and it would have been better still if one or two catches had not been missed off him. Williams howled well for a time, but afterwards became short, and Sims, after being all abroad when the ball was wet, went on later on and assisted Frankish to "polish oft” the tail in rare

style. The fielding of the United was at first patchy, but later on it improved, and one or two excellent catches were made. The United did not commence their second innings very auspiciously, as Clark was magnificently caught in the long field with the score at 2. But when Mendelaon joined Eeeves the complexion of affairs altered. Mondelson began to force the game immediately. He pulled Wilding’s slows in capital style, and in a few minutes his score stood at 20, When Wilding made way for North, he settled down and contented himself with keeping his wicket up until time was called. But he. did enough to show he is a very fine batsman of the forcing school, and if he remains in Christchurch next season he will be an acquisition to the province. Eeeves was in for rathermorethan an hour for 17. His methods are not suitable to a slow ground, but he did the right thing in merely endeavouring to keep the ball out of his wicket, which cannot have been an easy matter, as the light was very bad and North and Bennett bowled steadily. _ • The Otago Cricket Association has collected iSll 12s for the Ollivier Memorial Fund. ■

I hear that Turner, of the Sydenham and Addington Thirteen, has decided not to play again for the team this season. C. Jones, late of the Wellington Eivals Club, has joined the Lancaster Park Club, and is playing for the Senior Thirteen.

E. Smith’s 135 on Saturday is the sixth “ century,” and the second highest individual score made in Senior Cup cricket this season.

So far this season the following players have made " centuries ” in Senior Cup cricket: —A. E. Eidley 140, E. Smithl 35, D. Eeese 133, E. D. Harman 117, W. C. H. Wigley 108 and T. W. Eeese 104. Frankish got a good bowling average in the Lancaster Park’s first innings on Saturday, taking five wickets at a cost of 24 runs.

The United Thirteen seem to possess a fair chance of winning their match with the Lancaster Park Thirteen, and if this comes about it will be the team’s first victorv this season.

H. C. Eidley made nothing on Saturday. This makes the third time in succession on which the score-sheet has registered this figure against his name, thereby constituting a rather unique record. A, E. Gard’ner, of the United Thirteen, had the misfortune to be given out Ibw in both innings of his team’s' match with the Lancaster Park Thirteen. The decision given against him in the second innings was extremely doubtful. Local cricketers are at present enthusing over the dashing display given by Mendelson in the United Eleven’s second innings on Saturday. Mendelson’s score at present stands at 35, included in which are six 4’s.

Mr F. C. Raphael, secretary of the Canterbury Cricket Association, has been appointed one of the Otago delegates to the New Zealand Cricket Council in place of Mr P. C. Stephenson, who is now in Wellington. - Playing against a combined team selected from the Thursday, clubs last week, Cobcroft and Weir, of the Lancaster Park team made considerably more than the "half-century ” apiece/ Cobcroft’s display was not vigorous, but Weir scored freely. I have received from Messrs George G. Bussey and Co. a “ Cricketers’ Diary and Companion.” In the space of two inches by one inch and a half, the work contains a quantity of useful information which no cricketer should be without. The little book can be carried in a waistcoat pocket. There was some excellent catching in the Senior Cup games on Saturday, Wright, of the Sydenham and Addington team, Cotterill, of the United Eleven, and Orchard, of the Lancaster Park Eleven, each doing good work in this respect, but the palm must certainly be awarded to Orchard,whose catching of- Clark was a brilliant onehanded effort in the long field, for which he received quite an ovation. “ Centuries ”- were -fairly numerous on Saturday. It, Smith, of the Midland Senior-Eleven, made 135; E. W. Barry, of the‘same club’s junior team, playing against Lancaster Park, was responsible for 157 not out, and in the United-Christs’ College Junior Cup match Martin, of the former team, made three figures, his score standing at 119 not out.

The' bowling of the Sydenham and Addington Thirteen is at present lamentably weak. M'Murray seems to be the only man in the team who can handle the ball with any degree of precision, and his performance in the Midland Eleven’s first innings of its match with the suburban team is worthy of great praise. Of the Midlanders' score of 321 runs, only 67 were made off his bowling, which is extremely good, when it is taken into consideration that he sent down 336 balls, and captured five wickets. The Sydney agents for Wolfe’s Schnapps offered a prize of .£SO to the person who would guess beforehand the actual result of the final test match between Stoddart’s team and Australia. There were 33,000 coupons sent in due form, of _ which 17,084 selected the Australians to win, and 16,216 the Englishmen. It might have been supposed that the precise result (a win for Australia by six wickets and two runs) would be hard to pick, but as a matter of fact 354 persons hit upon it. Consequently

each, will have to content himself with a dividend of a fraction under 2s lOd. One Wollingtoniau and one Dunedin girl were among the successful tipsters. “ Slip” of the Otago Witness, comments upon the remarks concerning Downes s bowling'which I made a fortnight'ago as follows: “Considering that Phillips passed Downes’s bowling on the occasion of the last Australian team’s visit to New Zealand I feel no interest in what the Anglo-Australian may say about it next season.” That Phillips passed Downes’s bowling last season is indisputable, and I was perfectly aware of the fact when I wrote, but Phillips as a resident in New Zealand may regard matters in a very different light from Phillips visitst Dunedin in a casual manner as the umpire of a team hurrying through the colony on a strictly commercial visit. Besides, considering what has passed during the interval, it is reasonable to assume that the famous umpire is now regarded as a greater authority than ever on doubtful deliveries, and as such, I repeat, his opinion on Downes ■ will'be interesting. Members of the Lancaster Park Cricket Club met at Warner’s Hotel at five o’clock on Monday evening, for the purpose’- oF'-making- ft" presentation-do Mr’A. Cant, one of the oldest playing members of the club, on the eve of his marriage. The president, Mr W. D, Meares, in making the presentation, referred in feeling terms to the energy, tact and industry invariably displayed by Mr Cant during the many years he had'been an officer of the club. On behalf of the club, the President wished Mr Cant and his future wife every success and happiness, and prophesied that the guest of the. evening would yet be found in the first eleven. Mr Wilding said he would go further than the President, and prophesy that Mr Cant would yet be found in tho Canterbury eleven. In any case Mr Cant had piovod himself, to he a born treasurer, and the chib .owed him much on that account. The healths of Mr Cant and his intended wife were-drunk amid applause. The presentation took the form of a purse of sovereigns.