CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11538, 24 November 1900, Page 7

CRICKET.

Great disappointment was felt on Saturday last by supporters of the summer game when the weather broke down and prevented any chance of the continuation of the cup contests. This afternoon the Domain is occupied by the Amateur Athletic Club, so that the championship matches will not be resumed before this day week.

The continuous wet weather has prevented cricketers from obtaining as much practice as they require, and the selector? of the representative eleven have had little opportunity of spotting the likely men. It is quite time, however, that a selection of 15 or 16 men should be made, so that net practice may indulged in by the "probables and "posjibles."

I am sorry to hear that some of our leading players lire doubtful of their ability to make tho journey South. I hear that the crack bowler, R. Neill, has announced that he cannot possibly make the trip, but I hope, with a little persuasion, he may change his mind. To correctly anticipate the team is a very difficult task, but I fancy the members who have really a chance of going are limited to 15 or 16. I presume that 13 men will be included in the team. Twelve might be sufficient, but it is advisable to take an extra wicket-keeper. From United, last year's champions, there arc three cricketers who are practically certain of inclusion, D. Hay, Stemson, and N. B. Lusk. Hay's batting abilities are too well known to need any description. Singularly enough he has not done himself justice in inter-provincial matches, and Southern players sometimes consider he is overrated. They have only, however, to see him at his best to recognise in him one of New Zealand's crack batsmen. Stemson, on the other hand, never fails his province when opposed to representative elevens. In him we have our best fast bowler, a good bat, and a fair field. Lusk's powers as a wicket-keeper should certainly ensure him his place. His batting, except foi a slight inclination to recklessness, is also good. The left-hand bowler, Sloman, I would have considered, but for business reasons he cannot possibly make the trip. .Auckland have three men well worthy of consideration in R. Neill, Nicholson, and Quentery. Neill, if he can make the trip, is a certainty. Nicholson, although he has so far done very little this season, is a batsman of a high order. His fielding is not always as good aa it might be. Quentery has already proved himself to be in excellent form, his innings against Gordon and last year's representatives greatly impressing those who witnessed the displays. Pari\ell have quite a long string of members who have undoubtedly proved themselves as having more than a passing chance. Ohlson and I. Mills cannot possibly be excluded, while that sterling bat, H. B. Lusk, with his powers as a slow bowler, may also be regarded as a certainty. ' Restcaux has done most of the bowling work for Parnell for some yoars past, and has always been recognised as one of the most consistent trundlers in Auckland. He has this year put in a strong claim for inclusion. Elliot, although not so brilliant a wicket-keeper as N. B. Lusk, is certainly above the average, and with his batting powers, which, unfortunately, he seems disinclined to make full ise of in matches, will also possibly find a place in the toam. If two wicket-keepers %re taken, ho cannot be left out. The other men who have a great chance of being included are Kallender (Gordon), Wvnyard (North Shore), and the Northern Wairoa bowlers, Gould and Stephens. It is possible that a place may be found for P. Hay (United), but at present I fanoy the team will come from the following:—D. Hav, W. Stemson, N. B. Lusk (United), Ohlson. I. Mills, H. B. Lusk. C. Resteaux, T. Elliot (Parnell). R. Neill, J. H. Nicholson, L. Quentery (Auckland), J. A. Kallender Gordon). W. T. Wynvard (North Shore), and C. H. Gould and A. Stephens (Northern Wairoa). Since the above was written the Selection Committee have chosen the following to go Into practice:— H. B. Lusk, N. B. Lusk. C. Resteaux, F. J. Ohlson, I. Mills, D. Hay, W. Stemson. E. McCormiek, A- Stephens, T. Elliot, J. H. Nicholson, L. Quentery, P. Hav, W. T. Wynyard, P. Marshall, and W. Mills. , , __ At the usual weekly meeting of the Manjgement Committee of tho Auckland Cricket Association the dates for the Southern tour were fixed as follows:— December 29 and 31 (and possibly also December 28) Canterbury, January 3, 4, and 5: Wellington, January 7. 8, and 9: and Hawke s Bay, January 12 and 14. The team leaves Auckland on December 22. . . It is not often that throe centuries are made in a single cup match in this colony, but from files to hand I note that this feat was achieved in the Lancaster Park v. United mate", at Christchnrch last week, Call. an! Wigley each getting 106 and Sims 108. ■ Our old friend, George Mills, playing for Carisbrook (Dun-serin) against Grange last Saturday week, was dismissed with his score at 8. Ho was caught by Baker off Uowiies. In the Lancaster Park v. United match, at Christchurch, 799 runs •■'-•re scored for the loss of 23 wickets, giving an average of aver 34 runs per wicket—decidedly good batting for the first match of the season. With the object in view of increasing the number of their financial supporters, the committee of the West .Adelaide Club recently arranged a novel cricket match, 14 lades playing against the club, the latter batting with pickhandles and fielding and matching with the opposite hand to that which they ordinarily used. Great excitement was rife among the fair sex, who hud been practising •issiduously with tho intention of giving their brothers and other sisters' brothers a good drubbing. The wearers of the skirts oittart first, but as ladies at cricket are beyond criticism, it may onlv be snid that, owing to the favourable conditions of the boundaries and fielders, to say nothing of the strict partiality of the umnires, the magnificent total of" 203 does not at all represent tho true worth of the side as ningetters. Historic names in South Australian cricket, including the Misses Blinman and Giffon and Mrs. Howard, headed the list, and the opening was worthy of the names. West Adelaide totalled 93. It is rare to read of serious accidents at cricket, but on a recent Saturday there was i surprising accident at a junior match in the Roya' Park, Melbourne. Hotham UniOP. were slaving Fcrndale. and John Miller, of the latter team, had his leg broken by a fast bowler named Heenan. He had lately negotiated some of the cannon shots, but at last one struck him on the shin and traotured the bone.

The Sydney Arrow of recent date »ays:— ■ "Byd. Gregory first came before the pubic ■i the midget son of his father in a public school*' match. Eastern against Western Suburbs, or something similar, was its title. They were all little chaps, but the littlest chap of all was Syd. Gregory. It must be 17 vears ago. The two teams and their admirers assembled at the Queen's Statue, and. headed by a band, marched proudly to the Association Ground via Oxford-street. Chora boys, all aspiring champions, disported themselves with great pride. The littlest .nan of the lot scored about 46 like an artist. Not much taller than the bat, he could use it like a man. Jumped in, and lo! the hall was driven to the fence. Stepped back, it was pulled to square-leg. Jumped in again to get a Blow on the full— more. ' There is Minus in that little chap's cricket,' said old Mr. Harry Hillyard. He got the prize, and the old gentlemen in the pavilion predicted great things that have not been unfulfilled."

AMATEURS' EXPENSES. The delicate topic, expenses to amateur crekelers, is occasionally discursod upon ably and impartially bv the celebrated cricketer, C. B. Fry, who is apparently adept at wielding the pen as well as the bat. In the * thletio News he recently gave a lengthy article on the subject, from which I append an extract: "In the world of games there have been, in the mattci of expenses, .our kinds of players. The man who pays entirely cut of his own pocket all that bis game costs, he who receives his strict out-of-pocket expense; he who not only has his out-of-pocket (strictly so styled) expenses, but has made up to him such loss as he has sustained through time devoted to his game; and he who is paid fo< his services as a player. Of these four, the cases of the fir<<t and last are simple and uncomplicated. The last is the profes*ional, the first the amateur. It has been the custom ever since the payment of expenses in any shape camo into games, for certain people to. contend that there are now no real amateurs at all in first-class cricket or football, because the man who has out-of-pooket expenses. paid, i* not. strictly speaking, an amateur. Ot course, the whole matter is merely a question of tho meaning of terms. If you choose to reserve the term amateur to designate the man who bears all expenses entailed by playing a game you are perfectly at liberty to do so. I take it that if you previously and distinctly state that if you are going to. use the term canary to designate all men

with light hair you are free to use the term canary In this sense throughout your book, article, or conversation; for your render or hearer has been duly instructed of your procise meaning. On the question of brokentime payment, it is very difficult to speaic. In itself there is nothing wrong in it. Cms man says:—l cannot go to Manchester from Brighton, and. play three days and so on, unless you reimburse me for extra expenses incurred. Another says: I cannot go from Sheffield to Leicester unless you reimburse me for my extra expenses, which include not only travelling and living expenses, but the less of a day's wages. Where is the difference? To find the one right and the other wrong is mere hair-splitting. But payment for broken time admits of such grave abuses and is so difficult to regulate that there is much to be said in favour of making it illegal under the laws of the game. Of course, moat of these questions in games are not of rignt and wrong, but of the fairness or unfairness of certain rules, and of the correct and incorrect interpretation of rules and the spirit of rules. And, as far as I can judge, most of the struggles and dissensions that have occurred in matters connected with the games have been due to a want of sympathy, understanding, and insight on the part of the oldestablished authorities, and a want of pa tience, tact, and courage on the part of innovators, or a mixture of. all on both sides. Understanding does a lot, especially whan backed up by a sympathetic tendency and a desire to put yourself honestly in another man's shoes, and see fairly from his point of view. Moreover, if you wish to remove a stout old wall, you will, unless you have very heavy and efficient tools, do better to pick it down brick by brick than by making a wild onslaught upon a large piece of it. It is the first brick or two that counts so much. Perhaps because when you have taken out a brick or two light comes through from the othor side."