Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 75, 7 December 1901, Page 6

Cricket.

ONCE again the elements were on • their good behaviour for the crioketers to indulge in their own peculiar pastime. ♦ • * The Midland-Welkngton match was brought to a conclusion, the formei team winning bv the satisfactory margin of 87 runs. The most noticeable feature m this game was the marked respect paid by the batsmen to the bowlers opposed to them. The wicket was in good order, and playing true yet two teams, composed of such an array of good batsmen as we know them in Wellington, were all disposed of in four hours and fifteen minutes — an average of about eleven minutes each. That the bowling by both sides was above the average run of senior cricket cannot be disputed, yet my opinion is more runs should have been made in this match than there was. The wicket was m favour of the batsmen yet the bowlers nievailed. Tucker (43), Holdisworth (34), and Quee (16) were the only Midlanders to make two-figure scores, Weybourne (20) Gore (17), S. Hickson (17), and Taylor (11), doing likewise for the Wellingtons last Saturday The Phoenix-Old Boys' match was advanced another stage, and at the end of the day's pla-s the ex-Collegians were a long wav to the bad. The Phoenix innings reached 366 — Midlane (146) Waters (82). Saunders (40), Benbow (31^ Blaoklock (W) and Cla,rke (17) The Old Boys — in a minority of 280 — lost six wickets for 123 in their second attempt. Staples (51 not out) Ralph (21\ and Jacobs (17). * * v The cabled report of the New South Wales-South Australia match contained the following — -"At the close of the South Australian innings a dispute aroso on the question of follow-on. Gregory the New South Wales captain, held that the option was with him to bat or allow the South Australians to follow-

on. A telegram was sent to the Cricket Council, and a reply wa& received opposing Gregory, and stating that it wa.s not a matter of option. Gregory accepted the position, and took the held again." What led the Cricket Council to oppose Gregory fairly beats me The rule reads— l am quoting Wisden's Almanack, 1901 . — "The sade which hats first, and leads by 150 runs in a three days' match . . . shall have fhe option of requiring the other side to follow their innings " This rule cannot be leadtwo \\a>&. It Gregory, as captain of the New South Wales team, preferred that his team should go m for a second innings instead of compelling his opponents to follow-on he is within his rights and has tihe rule to back him up The rule cannot be read to mean that the side l") 0 luns behind must follow on. I have seen matches wheie a team by its opponents following their innings lias lofet all the advantage it had by being so many runs ahead. Bowlers ate naturally pleased when they have got' rid of their opponents, but a second atifceinpt as the result of a follow-on generally finds them either tared or listless and if a big stand is made m the follow-on innings the fourth turn on the wickets is more often than not the worst one, and a match which should have resulted in a win with the innings following one another m their ordman course has been changed into a loss. Wluchevei way the matter is viewed one cannot help beang convinced that the v ide with the lead should alw ays have the opportune of deciding whether they would themselves go in a second time, or ask then opponents to follow their first innings * • • The Midland batsmen treated Connell with an immense amount of respect and nghtlv so. too The oiilj one to have a fair go at him wa^s Holdsworth and it w as not till he had been drooped in the slips that he opened out on him His a\era,ge of six wickets foi 44 HcU distincth good on a wicket such a 5;a 5 ; it w a*- and against such solid batsmen B\ the wa\ PoMitz "in the 'E\enmg Post " got right out of the track last week when lie wrote that 'the Midlanders were if report spoke trul\ amonp- the first rank of those who weic inclined to -smile at his ( Council's) appointment m the Wellington Club Tf in; confieio will cany his memor\ baric to Council's first appearance in Wellington he will be of the *■ vii' opinion .i^ im^-elf — viz . that the Midi anders had a high conception of Connells capabilities

ioi was he not put on to open the bowlmg in the first match he took part in tor that club ? Rather than smiling at the appointment, tihe majority of the Midland Club's players were willing to admit that the Wellington Club had considerably strengthened its team by securing Connells services. A fair comment is always good reading, but an ungenerocis one brings witlh it a bitter taste. • • • Upham changed the Midland bowling pi ett\ frequently, and everj time a change was made a wicket was the result. Ralph obtained hn& score of 21 by live- !\ cricket He hit right merrily, and it was a pit\ to see him leave as soon as he did Gardiner, who played for the Midland second last season, is back in Auckland again Billy" is battling for his old love--Parnell. Jacobs still continues unlucky. When batting nicely, he followed a stroke too fai and was thrown out before he could get back. A&hbolt got Holdsworth's wicket by judicious placing of his fieldsman. Hickson was standing right on the boundary toi a, pull stroke, and it came. It is stated that Barnes, the unknown bowler m McLarens team, receives a letainer of £o a week to play for Burnley the Champion League team in Lancashire Wevbourne got going properly, some of liks strokes leaving the bat with a lot of impetus, especially ithose on the offside. A beautiful break from Stevenson though proved his Waterloo. Waters innings was full of vim and go and from the time lie went in till he was given out he appeared to relish being on the in-side. Vie's 1 success this season is very pleasang, and that he is capable of big things I have always been convinced. Upham got Richardson w ith a fine piecp of generalship Placing Quee in a peculiar position, half-wav between mid-011 and square-leg- — be rolled a fast one in inclined to leg, which Richardson made a half-volley of, onh to find it saf<- in Quee's bands. Hales's luck still pursues him. A paiticular kind of catch he is not partual to at all — yet m each innings of the Midland team one of this description was offered him but he had to resoectfulh decline it He got two wickets, though, with beautiful balls, the first one coming, across from the off. and the othei getting just on to the outside of the l<>a stump ver\ fast from the pitch

Stevenson's bowling was full of quivers. He has a beautiful off-break, which completely puts the batsmen at sea. His best ball on Saturday was the one that beat Weybourne. Methinks, instead of being the change, "Stevie" could be promoted to the position of opening bowler for a while. Gore baltted nioely for his contribution of 17, some of has cuts being very sweet. S. Hickson's was a similar contribution, and he was a bit unfortunate in getting one of Holdswortb's trimmers to play. Taylor made 11 runs, but there was nothing taking in tihe way he secured them. George Giffen did not travel with the South Australian team to Melbourne and Sydney the reason being that he oould not get sufficient leave of absence to make the trip. Some of us wondered why the meagre cabled report of the Victoria-South Australia match contained no mention of his name, so this will account for it. Tucker's innings was a very tame affair for him, the only ball he appeared likely to want to score off being the one that was held by Taylor near the boundary. His cutting was, however, in '•Ken's" best style. One failing he has got, and he could remedy it, too — and that is, the number of runs he loses through not being in a hurry between the wickets. Izard was m great form behind the stacks at the beginning of the Midland innings, the first three wickets falling to his agility The stumping of Williams was a splendid pece of work. Later in the innings Izard made a great effort to dispose of Upham, but that player was quick enough to recover his ground. An easy chance of stumping Hutchings, though, was missed by Izard through being over-eager. A correspondent, "The Pass Key," has a grievance against the umpires in the senior matches. After telling something about the general appearance of the Basin Reserve — bare patches, rough outfield, and so on — he says — "Wickets not standing plumb and erect, according to the imperative rules of the game, but dosplaving a Grecian bend, or leaning like the famous tower of Pisa. Look to it umpires, before Albert Trott and his lively team of grasshoppers come round, for it is expressly commanded that an upright wicket shall be maintained, so as not to handicap the overstraining bowlers, and no discretionary power given umpires to negligently order it otherwise." Those officiating as umpires might take the warning herein given (Continued on Page 19.)

Tommy Taylor covered himself with glory by catching the three last Midland batsmen away out in the deep field. Each of the three was well judged, and held, apparently, without an effort. Staples is proving a tower of strength to the Old Boys. Though there is not much variety in his strokes, there is plenty of defence, and occasionally a sweeping drive on the off. His contribution of 51 was like an oasis in a desert in the second innings of his team. Holdsworth's innings was full of dash especially after a life wais given him. He made a big hit in the first innings, but on Saturday he was not content with sending one over the fence, for he must needs send it clean over the houses on the other side of the road as well Truth to tell, it was a splendid hit. One five and four fours — 21— out of 34 shows the nature of his run-getting Midland's score of 140 was a good display of defensive cricket, and anything loose received the courtesy it merited. I wonder is it possible for an introduction to Trott being granted Midlane with the view of giving the latter still further opportunities of improving himself. I should say some of the influential members of the Phoenix Club could arrange something of the sort. — say. a hit or two on the Basin Reserve just before Trott goes up to Napier