OUT DOOR SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Free Lance, Volume XI, Issue 540, 5 November 1910, Page 18

OUT DOOR SPORTS AND PASTIMES

By Touch line.

Cricket. AN enthusiast of the old school said to mie last Saturday aftea•noon that "the Cricket Associa,tion ought to be ashamed of themselves for inducing so many to roll up bngiufc and early to the Basin Reserve, for shortly after they got there the news went round that the Rev. Blamires was not going i>o .resume for fell© Coiimal team;" It was indeed a pity ior the (general body of the spectators, and his club eleven in particular, that business called the reverend gentleman to Blenheim last, week end, for the spectators were robbed of another probable bright display of batting from 'him, aind his assistance would indeed have been welcome to last year's champions on the run of the play. For, thanks to spine fine bowling on the part of Findlay and Finlayson, tbev failed to reach the total set them by North by the narrow margin of 13 •runs. By the way, the Norsemen have a penchant for making their matches .interesting by close finishes. For instance, last season, they were defeated in one match by Petone by four runs,, and the Centrals triumphed over them by the still smaller margin of two runs. The second round of championship matches was concluded last Saturday with me following results : — North, 156 and 101 for six wickets (Blacklock 24, Luckie 18, . Wy-nyard. 14, Sheridan 13, Lambert Iff) • Central, 143 (Blamires 40 retired, Hawthorne 23 not out. Birch 16). A two-point win for North. Victoria College, 210 and 61 for six wickets (Burns 18, Gadclick 18, Bur.bidige 14); East B, 135 (Crombie 63, McKay 27, Chapman 20). A two-point win for Victoria College. East A, 153 and 47 for two wickets {Midlane 30 not out); Central B 47 .and 151 (Wilkinson 43, Stephenson 28, Patterson 12. Sisso-n 11). A three-point win for East A. South, 107 and 69 (Grace 31, Burton 18); Hutt, 57 (Aldersley 20, T. H. Wil•son 11). A two-point win for South. The successful bowlers were: — JSbrth: Findlay, five wickets for 39 runs; Finlayson, four for 29. Central : Laws, four for 38: Miller, one for 17; Hawthonne, one for 27. East A: Hickey, six for 46 ; G-rimmetfc, three for 14. Central B: A. Wilson, one for 26: Mitchell, one for 18. Victoria College: Monaghan 3 two for 38; Saunders, two for 47; Fanning, one for 11; Stainton, three for 7. East B: Pavitt, one for 30; Johnson, one for 6 ; O'Shea, three for 7. South: trick, five for 19; Smith, two for 17: Guthrie, three for 9. Hutt, Brice, one for 25; E. Judd, tlinee for 14: Aldersley. two for 12; G. F. Judd, two for 5; Harris, one for 0. » » * In commenting on- last Saturday's play, I must congratulate the players on the brighter exhibitions given all round. The afternoon was practically perfect for the playing of the - summer game, and the wickets were passing fair, the groundsman having apparently taken the 'hint that it was good policy on his part not -to cut the grass too close. The matches, however, did not start at the ' allotted time —as per usual—although it must be admitted

that therie was a greater keenness displayed by the players in getting on with the game than formerly. Directly it is quite possible that a full afternoon's cricket under the by-laws of the Wellington' Cricket Association will be played. I am hoping so, at any rate. Rule 39 of the Association's by-laws reads: —"There shall be no practice on Saturday afternoons on any grounds drawn for Association matches. Any player breaking this roile shall be liable to a fine of five shillings (ss) and disqualification until the fine as- _ padd." But the Tule as broken twenty tinnes at least every Saturday afternoon, on the Basin Reserve alone and I have never once heard of a. player being fined, or even reported to the Cricket Association. If there as any necessity for the rule it s'bould be enforced, and if there is none the powers that be ought to have it wiped out of the book. The complaints about the slackness in Wellington cricket have been loud rand deep, and it is my intention to /argue for .an improvement being brought about in attention to the little things, confident that /if the Cricket Association can be compelled to carry out its own )by-laws as ■far as the playing of the matches aire concerned, the pla-yens themselves will be so stirred up as to take a greater interest in the games. Take this practice business, as a case in> point. I got up to the Basin Reserve about half-past one, and there were two m-embens of the North team hard at it. From that stage up till a quacrter-paSt two I noticed Central, East, and Y.M.C.A. players all having ■a strike and sending down a ball or two. If this practice rule had.' been enforced as the framers of the rule intended it sihonld be all of these players would have been ready to start play •at the appointed time, but, as it was, every match was late in starting. That's all I am -eoing to growl about -Hhis week under this heading. The most pleasing feature in the play last Saturday afternoon was thie fine bowling displays given by Findlay and Finlayson, t)he colts in the North team. There was a 'bit of a hubbub last season when Wilfred Findlay, while still at Wellington College, was chosen amongst thie number to practice in view of the match for the Plunket Shield against Auckland. It is true that Ids bowling in the_ net practices did not carry the conviction to his fellows selectors that Ken Tucker was satisfied it ougjh't, but the ex-Old Boys coach was positive in his assertion that this Wellington College youth was the coming fast bowler of Wellington. And his latest performance bears out to the full Tucker's commendation, for, against the strong batting sidle the Central undoubtedly is, he wouind "up the afternoon's play with the fine figures of five wickets —all clean bowled —for 30 runs, 9 runs 'having been scored off him the previous Saturday. Among (his first few overs were a few short-pitched deliveries, 'but after that She kept a beautiful length, and rocked them in faster than amy Wellington bowler of recent years has done, and creminded me more than anything of P. R. May's one, two, three, and over — whizz! One of our greatest needs in representative cricket is a reliable fast bowler, and it looks as if Wilfred Findlay. is going to fill the bill. The opportunity is a grand one for him-, and I (hope, now that a certain . measure of success has Come lids way, that he_ will persist until he reaches the full height of the ambition of local cricketers. "Ran.ii" Finlayson is one of those players who "deserve all the success that comes their way. He is ais- keen' as mustard, and is ia. trier from the word "go," both with the bat and ball. His figures of four wickets 'for 29 runs were • good enough by themselves, but when Lt is pointed out that his last three wickets were obtained for three inns it will be conceded that 'h.is second turn at the bowling-crease found him in ,a- more deadlv humour than his first did. Finlayson hails from Ka.rori. and bowls

'left-hand fast medium. He 'lias played .all his cricket in Wellington-—from tii.q schooldays aright on to the preseuit — arid is one of the younger brigade who will get a chance in the bigger cricket if he keeps on the .up-grade. While writing in this strain the thought comes to me that the Cricket Association has taken a long while to get the Selection Committee together. These gentlemen —whoever they, may be —should have been got together as soon as the matches were commenced. The time that has been lost will take a lot of picking. up. I could write more under this head, only there is more than a possibility that the selectors will be appointed <att this week's meeting of the Managing Committee, and if that does bappetn many of the remarks I might make would lose their weight. But if things don't happen that way I can sharpen my pencil next week to write with advantage on this topic. However, to. get back to Saturday's play. The batting par excellence was .that given by Malcolm Crombie, of the East B team, as he scored the fine total of 63 runs an about an hour by forceful batting. The real .merit' .of the ex-Wellington club man's display lies in the fact that -he had top-notch 'bowlei - s in Monao-han and Saunders opposed to him while he was batting, and he had the pleasure of caiising them both to .be (spelled. Crombie was ian exhilarating batsman to watch in Ms pre-Taranaki days, but, judging by his showings so far this season, his sojourn in the dairy province appears to have made him more aggressive than of yore. There is some talk of Crombie being promoted from the East B to the East A team, but to my idea -this would be an unwise move, for the simple reason that the B team would be a nonentity without -him. Thie other factor of a man playing for two teams in the one class in the same season should debar the transferring of players from A to B and B to A teams as was done last season. Dick Wilkinson was the highest scorer in the Central B team, but his batting was painfull to watch. A few yeans ago this lad showed such promise as a Midland junior that many quidnuncs expressed the opinion that it would .not be long ere he climbed to the top of the tree. But he has .not .got there yet. and it will be a long time before he does if he pursues 'his present tactics. He has defence, at is true, but his bat should be a heftier instrument tham it is. My advice to Wilkinson is to 'oractioe punishing work at the nets, hitting hard to every ball that is sent to him, for a. while) at any >rate, as at present has batting is so cramped that he wall have a hard job to rise any higher thaau the groove he is in now unless he alters his tactics. Arthur Hawthorne was the only Central batsman to make any progress at all against Fundi ay and Einlaysoai on Saturday, arid he did sir well' that he was still unconqu-er-ed by the North bowlers when the innings was terminated. All his strokes had plenty of life in them, and he punched them pretty hard all round the wicket. Pearson Black-lock had a high old time while he was at the wickets, his lofty driving and square-leg hitting being reminiscent of a couple of years •ago. We want some life put into Wellington cricket, and it is men like Black lock who -are going to help to that end. _ He will get into the full measuiie of his form directly, and when ihe does boundary strokes -will be as plentiful as blackberries. Fred Midlame shaped much better this week, plavins: in front of him to good purpose rather than trying to fetch everything round to leg. TTi'« on and off drives, were sweet shots, and the square-cut was a masterpiece. Xf this is a fair sample of how Midlane bats when he tries to force the .pace— and the East, team could not afford to tarry when they went in to bat the second time —hie should be : in aav aggressive mood every time, for in this instance he was entertaining to the soeotatnrs and his aggregate profited. ( Continued on page 19.)

(Continued from page 18. j Martin Luekie do&sn't often trouble "the bowlers to any length, but he had the pleasure last Saturday of seeiaig Black lock come iand go while 'lie w-as still at the batting-ciiease, gathoiung together a few .runs. Wynyard, Lambert, and Sheridan also helped the North second'innings score along, but, as the match was won and lost before this iamings was entered upon, but little interest was taken in their displays. Jack Burns showed some glimpses of the batting that got him so many runs far Victoria College against Hutt in tlue first match of the. season. Another of the colts that is .coming along nicely is Percy Burbidge, of the Victoria. College. This lad, whose father, by the w-ay, is one of the keenest enthusiasts in the city, is as unassuming as they are made, and any .successes that come his waj r are treated just as a matter of -course. There is one thing in connection with Wellington cricket that surprises me more than anything else, a.nd that is the great number of half-volleys that are allowed to pais® by without receiving the trouncing tliey deserve. You will se:e a ball pitchekl (right up to the batsman, and the imam with the bat has only to step out of his crease to meet it with the full face of his bat, and promptly despatch it to the boundary. Bait the - bats-man ■stays at home and plays right back, with the result that sometimes he is too late for the ball, and liis wickets are disturbed. I am not writing at random now, for there were one or two instances similar to those I am describing last Saturday where the bowler got a wicket with a ball that shouild have neceeived the 'happy despatch. A .ball that can be met with the hat directly it strikes the ground should be hit hard, and if the batsmen will remember this their stav at the batting-oneas-es will be pleasanter. » ' ' ' * I have referred to Findlay a.nd Fanlayson in a special paragraph, and the bowler I will deal with first just here da Saunders. I must confess to a feeling of disappointment with the showing so far of the ex-Australian Eleven man. His presence in the. Victoria College team may count for something to those players, but his bo-wling -at the present time is not much of an as■set to them. There may be good and sufficient Teasons to account for Saunders giving such a poor exhibition at the bowling crease, but just now he is a long way removied from Peter McAllister's description of the finest lefthand bowler in the world. Harold Mouaglian bowled well for a while on Saturday, but several timies I noticed him throwing up full-tosses on the leg-side. The wind was very favourable to him. too, and' he should have done -better against -a. weak batting side such as the East B is. Charles Hickey still pegs them in with much success, keeping them there or thereabouts most of the time. The way he places his field sometimes puzles me to account for the why and •the wherefore. Grimmett turns the ball very nicely at times both ways, hut the Central B -players last Saturday made his deliveries look harder than they were. The two most successful bowLers" as far as actual figures go were O'Shea (East B) and Stainton (Victoria. College), but their bowling reminded me of the tale that was told about- Ollivier, the Canterbury representative cricketer. In the first test match, played in Ohristchurch. against the 1905 Australian Eleven, Ollivier met with a lot of success as a bowler, and lie was loud in his own praises. The yarn goes that this nettled some of the Avstvaliaus, and the compact was made that whoever was an when Ollivier went -oti to bowl in the second match, at Wellington. was to try >and knock the cover off

the ball. The sequel is that Clement Hill was the batsman tliat had to carry out the compact, with the result that 26 runs were added to the -score-sheet off Ollivier's' first over. The mora 1 ! of this tale is that bowling of this variety should be hit hard all the time. 4 • • . A question has been asked me: —"In compiling the averages for the season, ihow would you state the Rev. Blamire's innings "against the North —a> completed inmings or a not-ouit?" A completed innings, without a. doubt. A deoided weakness in local cricket is wicket-keeping, the only team that >has a player with any 'real pretensions in that direction being the South. It is a pity that George Schmol'l is s/uch a .poor bat, for he must be a certainty for the representative team this season. Writes a correspondent:—"lt is a Eity the Karori wicket is so far away nom town. It is generally nearly 3 o'clock before a' game can start, owing to the long distance to be travelled froim the trams, as the 'buisses do not run at a convenient time to suit the majority of'players. The ground is a splendid one w i hen one gets to it, for there is plenty of room to bang the ball about." Templars met their old rivals at Ka.rori last Saturday i.n the third-class championship, and defeated the local team by 23 runs on the first innings. Karori secured 41 (Lewer 17) and 43 for seven wickets (Atkin not out 11). Templars replied with 64 (Cresswell 22. Wright 13, Blenkinsop 11). With tlie ball for the winners, Pooley captured five wickets for 12, Dooley five for 25, Blenkinsop five for 24, aind Patterson two for 12. For Karori, Atkin and Co ate bowled best.

Mr. James B. Atliolwood —"Jimmy" to his pals—of the Nellie Stewart Company, lately hone, seems to be a good .all-round artist. Lately, lie has taken to sculping. This is all through Nelson 'Illingworth, the friend of his 'bosom, and his- double. Atho'lwood, the other day, was watching Illingworth sculping away in his cream-'and-gold sculptoring studio, wnere all the drinking-mugs are oif so Lid. silyer, when he was seized suddenly with a desire to do likewise, so lNelson I. supplied him with modelling clay and other necessaries, and told him to go ahead. And Jimmy B. was so dashed proud of his work that 'hehad himself photographed in -the very •act. On this page you see him ha.rd >at -work, and you see one of his first attempts in the modelling line. >a Svengali in the clay. Not so bad, is it, for a. beginner ? If the worst should come to the worst, and Atho'lwood should lose his voice, like the bookie in "The Passing of the Third Floor Back," he ought to be able to eairm his daily sandwich and pint in the noble sculptor's art.