THE CRICKET TOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9401, 6 January 1894, Page 5

THE CRICKET TOUR.

AUCKLAND ,V. CANTERBURY. HEAVY SCORING. CANTERBURY BREAKS THE RECORD. [BY TMLI£Q«APII~aPROIAL CORRESPONDENT. ] Chbistcuobou, Friday. After a very hearty send off at Dttnedia the boys all settled themselves down to the long ride to Chriatohurch. Arriving there a most enthusiastic welcome waited us. All Canterbury's prominent cricketers were on the platform, and greeted .us with a round of cheers. After dinner the team attended a ball given in their honour, presided over by the Earl and Countess of Glasgow. Yesterday morning the team and visitors were driven to Lancaster Park, which looked a perfect picture, the ! turf being in splendid' condition, and the grass .as short as, a carpet. The wicket, however, is much faster than Otago. A garden party given by Mr. Charles Clarke, or Sydenham, was the feature *of the day, most of the team attending and enjoying themselves immensely. After a good night's rest we were driven to the Park, there to commence the eighth interprovinolal match with our good friends of Canterbury.. Splendid weather and a grand wicket : greeted us. Holle tossing up the pontiy Cuff called heads, but fate was against nim, and for the second time Auckland won the toss. Taking advantage of this we went to the wickets, and Mills and Jacobs facing the bowling of Robertson and Labatt. In Robertson's second over he clean bowled Jacobs, who had not seemed at home : 9—l —•2. Fowke then went in, and he playing cautiously at one end, and the redoubtable Mills at the other, it was seen that they meant business. A fine cut by Mills off Robertson, followed by a single, and then by two drives for three each, brought a change in the bowling. Labatt being replaced by Penrce. Here Mills was missed by Wilding off Robertson at short mid on, and the batter showed his thanks by prettily cutting the next ball for 4. Palmer replaced Robertson, Mills cutting his second ball for another 4. A rather uppish hit by Mills to leg for 3, and 60 was shown on the board. Cuff changed • with . Pearce, and Mills here made a splendid drive to the boundary for 4. A fine hit by Mills, off a full pitch by Cuff, brought 70 up, and snowed that the batsman was not partial to any particular stroke. After another cut to the boundary for 4, Mills was badly missed by Wilding, the catch being a particularly easy one ; but at 79 Mills was smartly caught in the slips off Palmar. Labatt now changed with Cuff at the pavilion end. Fowke, who had gone in first wicket down, was playing careful cricket, but scoring very slowly, Neill being his partner. At 90 Robertson again came on, and after another run Neill was cloan bowled by him. Moresby took his place in the ranks, and hit Robertson to leg for 2, Fowke following up with a boundary hit for 4. Moresby again hit Robertson for 5, a pretty carpet drive. With the score at 110, Wilding relieved Labatt, and after 11 more runs had been scored, Moresby was caught off Robertson: 121—4—21. liallender signalised his advent by driving Robertson, and the next ball was missed from a hit off Robertson, Wilding again being the culprit. The luncheon adjournment for an hour then took place. Play was resumed at two p.m., when Kallender was caught in the slips by Lawrence off Robertson : 133—5.—8. Holle was not long scoring 8, when Collins removed his bails, and he was out to Robertson. Just before this, Fowke received a nasty knock on the forefinger, being the fourth for the day and so smashing it that play had to cease for a while. Lawson came in, and Fowke was missed at point. Three more runs were added, and then Lawson, going out to Pearce, was clean bowled, and Stemson was nicely caught by Labatt off Robertson; 153—8—5. King did not stay long, only getting 3, when Ollivier gave him out leg before, the decision being a doubtful one. MacCormick, the last man, only had one ball from Robertson, which he wildly tried to hit, Collins removing < his bails in the meautime. Mills' innings, although marred by two chances, waa one of excellent cricket, his score having 9 twos, 3 threes, and 7 fours. Fowke, who, notwithstanding the very severe knocking about he had got, played very pluckily, was in three hours for his 19 not out. Moresby also played good cricket, getting his 21 in fine style. Of the rest, the least said the better; they showed no style whatever. Robertson, who is a bowler much after the style of Neill. kept a good length, and his average of eight wickets for 60 was a fine performance. The fielding of Canterbury, with the exception of Wilding, was firstClass. f Lawrence and Cuff, for Canterbury, commenced batting to the bowling of Neill and Kallender, ana here we were shown what batting should be—not batting as we see on ordinary days in ordinary matches, but a sample of batting really first-class. To desoribe each over would only weary Auckknders. " Fours, threes, and twos were made off good balls by each batsman wfth great rapidity. No less than 306 runs wore scored in three hours. Bowler after bowler was put on, and not until alter 13 changes were made could a batsman be got rid of. Then Lawson was the fortunate bowler, who tempted Cuff to strike out of his ground, when King removed his bails. ' On Tuesday I praised Mills' innings as the finest 1 bad ever seen, but these two batsman eclipse Mills by miles. Cuffs innings was only marred by two chances, given at the wickets, one at 40 and the other at 80; and Lawrence never gave a chance, being particularly severe on the off. In Cuff's score there were 17 twos, 13 threes, and 13 fours; in Lawrence's 30 twos, 9 threes, and 10 fours. The score is a record for New Zealand, and individually, Cuffs is also a record (beating Watsons 175) in an Interprovincial match. Seven bowlers were tried, and under ordinary circumstances Lawson, Stamson, and Moresby were bowling really well, but against such batsmen they had no show. The fielding of Auckland was at times loose, but, taking into consideration the tiring nature of the scoring, all did their work well. Owing to Fowke having become disabled. King took his place at the wickets, and although the batsmen relieved him of much work, he did his duty fairly well. Canterbury will continue their innings in the morning, and if they have luck, will doclare their innings closed at 400, so as to give thorn a chance to win. The following are the scores

« Auckland.— Innings. Mills, o Labatt, b Palmer ... ... ... 61 Jacobs, b Robertson... • ... .„ 2 Fowke, not out "... ... ... ... 19 Neill, d Robertson 5 Moresby, c Labatt, b Robertson 21 ICallenaer, c Lawrence, b Robertson ... 8 Holle, st Collins, b Robertson ... ... 8 Lawson, b Pearco ... ... ... .„ 3 fttemson, o Labatt, b Robertson , 4 King, ibw, b Robertson ... ... .„ 3 MoOormiok, st Collins, b Robertson ... 0 Extras ... , ... 23 Total ... ... ... ... ... 157 Bowling Analysis. l b Balls. Runs. Mdna. Wkta. Robertson ... 170 60 8 8 Labatt ... 96 29 6 0 Pearce ... f 98 9 10 1 Palmer ... 66 :19 6 1 Cuff ... : ... 24 12 2 0 Wilding ... 18 7 1 0 Canterbury.—First Innings. Caff, st King, b Lawson ... ... ... 176 Lawrence, not oat ... ... ... 123 Extras ... ... ... 7 Total for one wicket ... ... 306

i_ >' *'■ .~ J ~ ' ■ . . . . f For some time' past the Auckland Police lock-up station has been in a rather dilapidated condition, so. far as regarded the ,brickwork and flagging of the exercise yard and adjacent offices. The premises had been burrowed by rats to such.an extent as to keep matters lively for the prisoners at night, as they > fought) and squealed and scampered to and fro. Steps have been taken to 'renew the whole flooring and make it rat-proof as well as to improve the. drainage and,, sanitary arrangements. ■ . ■ ' The quarterly meeting of the Manukau Wesleyan Circuit was held at Woodside on ; Tuesday last. ' The Rev. 'H. Bull presided, and' there 16 'office-bearers present. The 1 chairman reported the number of members |as follows: 183, and 7on trial; an increase of 8, and 3on trial, for the quarter. Income, £84 8s lOd; expenditure, £106 2s lid. ' Net amount raised for home mission, £53 14s.'. Messrs. H. J. Davies and 6. D. Smith .were appointed circuit stewards, and Somerville and Davies representatives to Conference. Committees were appointed to make arrangements for harvest thanksgiving services and festival to be held on February 18 and 21, and a circuit convention on Good Friday. Mr. F. Andrew, of Otahuku, having generously offered to put on a' brakes.to convey the friends to Onelninga, it was decided to hold the convention ■* at Ohehunga. A vote of thanks and expression of appreciation of the services of the Rev. Bickford, of Victoria, in selecting a" young.' men . (Mr. W. 8. Bowie) as an assistant to Mr. Bull was recorded. Tha outlook in; the. circuit for , the coming year is very hopeful...., ~a ■ sm I ' "The Profligate," Monday uexb.