CRICKET.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9157, Issue 9157, 5 March 1910, Page 5

CRICKET.

AUSTRALIA v. ■ MANAWATU. By "Mid-On." The. public of Palmereton North will on the 16th and 17th of March next bo visited by the Australian XL, which is now touring the Dominion. W. W. Arm : strong, one of the beet all-round cricketers in the world, is captaining the team. His tight in the uphill game against Canterbury on Friday, Saturday and Monday last showed his sterling abilities as a cricketer. W. J. Whitty (South Australia), A C. Facey (Tasmania) and S. M. Emery (New South Wales) have so far borne the brunt of the bowling for the visitors. Whitty is noted as tho fast bowler of the team, and wifh Armstrong usually opens the attack. Facey is the change bowler, useful in breaking-up partnerships. C. R. Gorry (New South Wales) and C. E. Simpson (Queensland) are also change bowlers. Amongst tho other members.of the team W. Bardsley (New South Wales) is probably the finest batsman, although his performances in New. Zealand during the present tour have so far been disappointing, owing no doubt to the fact that he is somewhat stale after such a. lengthy period of continuous cricket, having played with' the Australians at Home, and without a break continuing with this season. The best performers so far with the bat are E. R. Mayne (South Australia), who has already secured two centuries, one against Auckland and the other against Canterbury, and W. W. Armstrong, who also completed his century against Canterbury. The other members of the team are: D. Smith and T. Warne (Victoria), A. J. Hopkins and C. Kellaway (New South Wales), 11. Dodds (Tasmania) and Mr A. C. Mackenzie (New South Wales), who is accompanying the team as manager, and, is himself a first-class cricketer.

Four of the visiting team, namely, W. W. Armstrong. W. Bardsley. W. J. Whitty and A. J. Hopkins, arc International players. Now South Wales supplies six- members of the team. Victoria three, South Australia and Tasmania two each, and Queensland one. The visitors will arrive in Palmerston North by tITe Now Plymouth express on Wednesday, the 16th day of March, and will be quartered at Mr Dcvine's Empire Hotel. The game against Manawatu will commence in the afternoon at 2.30 p.m., and will be proceeded with on the- following day (Thursday). The local Association have spread themselves and the arrangements for the match are well in hand. The charges for admission are very reasonable. A special feature is being made of the season tickets, which are being sold for 2s 6d, and admit the holder to the privileges of gates and stand for both days of the match. The ground is in excellent order, and a very good exposition of the game ie anticipated. The task of selecting the team to uphold the honours for Manawatu is in the hands of that worthy cricket enthusiast, Mr S. Greer, of Fitzherbert, the Association's sole selector, and he has asked thn following men to practice at the nets under his supervision to enable him to decide who should finally be choeen to represent Manawatu: —McLean. Trevena, Ongley, Mason, Bartholomew. Roberte. Bartlett. Wells. Goldspring, O'Connor. Coyne, McKen/.ie, Churchill. Mitchell, Holland, Eyre, D. G. Moore. G. Greer. Amongst the bowlers Ongley has had the best average this year, while Frank Wells, Gco. Greer, Bartlctt. Holland, McKonzie and Covne have all been fairly successful with the ball. Amongst the batsmen Trevena has easily the best average, with Ongley, Churchill and McLean well up. The final selection will be made known on Monday next, and it is quite probable that when the numbers go up the following thirteen will be chosen to represent the local Association:—McLean (captain), Ongley and Trevena (Feilding), Bartlett, Welle, Goldspring. O'Connor and Coyne (United). McKenzie. R. Eyre. G. Greer, Churchill and Holland (Old Boys). It is noticeable at net practice that Messrs Mitchell. Moore and Churchill are the most irregular. It is the genera] opinion that at net practice players are not careful enough with their strokes, and they seem to forget that there are many ways of getting out besides being bowled. The local Association ha? written to Mr Armstrong asking permission to bat thirteen men arming tho Australians. fielding the usual number, eleven, and it is expected that no objection will bo offered to this requeet.