CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12818, 18 March 1905, Page 5 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

TBI Auckland Association competitions -will be continued this afternoon. In the first _rade t)C fourth matches of the second round will be commenced, the fixtures being Graftoll v. Fonsonby, Favnell r. City, and Eden v. North Shore. North Shore effected a surprise last Saturday by dismissing Grafton for 174, thus winning on the first innings' score by 49 runs (Shore, first innings, 243). The home players are to' be complimented on their success, and I trust they will not take it as my desire to detract from the merit of their victory when 1 tay that tne Grafton batsmen appeared to be out of form. All their best men got a start, yet none of them did anything worth speaking of, clearly denoting lack of practice. The Shore trundlers bowled very well, McNeill in particular showing good form, and the wicket was not at all what it was the Saturday previous. The Shore fielding was considerably above, their usual standard, and under the circumstances 243 was a fair total to expect Grafton to reach. Of the Grafton batsmen, Hill gave the best display, making 31 runs. Kallender made the same number, but not in bis best style. E. Clayton watched the ball well, and played good cricket. D. Hay made 21, and several others got into double, figures, which, as I have said before, made it all the more disappointing that no one put on what might be termed a respectable score. Goins: in again. North Shore did very little, scoring about. 100 for eight wickets. Hussey made 38. shaping very well, but there was nothing in the batting worth commenting on. Hussey's score of the previous Saturday (99) should get. him into the representative team against Hawke's Bay. The one bright spot in the afternoon's play was a brilliant piece of fielding by J. A. Kallender. Stretching out quickly, just aS the batsman thought he had got a good one to the boundary past mid-off, the big man gathered in the ball, and returned it in the one action to the bowler, much to the astonishment of everyone and the batsman, who was not halfway down the wickets, in particular. It was a splendid bit of work, and was warmly ap- ! plauded.

With three wickets clown for 23, Eden started last Saturday to overhaul Parnell's score of 160. The wicket was fairly good, though it looked as if it would break up before going far. Clarke and Douglas (the not outs) opened for Eden, and after the score had been increased by four Douglas was howled by Olliff. Elliott followed, and, with Clarke, took the score to 42, when the latter was beaten by Olliff. Clarke's i score of 1.1 was Rot quickly: Five wickets for 42., tusk joined Elliott, and the two settling down Soon mastered the bowling. Mm. scored faster than Elliott, who was content to keep his wicket- up while, his partner, put on the runs, which came rapidly, arid the century soon appeared. tParnell tried several changes of bowling, but without success, until at 112 Lusk was caught at third man by Breeze off Olliff. His innings of 42 was in every way an excellent effort. He gave no chances, and punished the bowling Severely. His pulling was very effective, as was also his driving. Lusk scored nearly twice as fast as Elliott, and the partnership produced 70 runs for the -sixth wicket. Williams came next, but only made seven runs before lie fell a Victim to Olliff, who had secured all the wickets that had fallen during the- afternoon, though he .was at this stage showing signs of tiring. I. Mills then went in. and, with Elliott, got the required runs. Mills (22) batted well, making some of his old-time strokes. . He and Elliott added 55 runs for the eighth Wicket. The Rev. Mr. Smith, who was promoted from the juniors, followed, but soon lost Elliott, who was bowled off his pads by Olliff. Elliott's 91 was quite his best effort for two or three seasons. Though he gave two chances, one to Shepherd and the other to the wicketkeeper, his innings was a really good one, and he showed excellent defence. Elliott was very severe on .anything at all loose, the first two balls sent down by Sale being sent to the boundary, as, were also several of Olliff'a balls. . Olliff's bowling was good, eight wickets for 93 runs being his average, but Murray seemed to keep him on rather too long Without a spell. Of the other bowlers Resteaux was the best— bowled a good length, and sent down very little loose stuff. Fairburn also trundled well.

The finish of- the Ponsonby-City match proved decidedly interesting. On the previous day Ponsonby had scored 32 for the loss of three wickets against City's score of 99, but matters did not look very promising for Ponsonby last Saturday when the ninth wicket fell with but 65 runs on the board. Braithwaite and White then became associated, and just managed to score the necessary runs to give victory to the representatives of the .western district. When Ponsonby wanted three to win Braithwaite tipped one from P.. Neill, which Behind!, behind the sticks, failed to hold. Braithwaite compiled 30 (not out) by careful cricket, and White who made 22, also played care-fully. Neither batsman took any risks, but waited patiently for a loose ball to hit. Their stand deserves! all the more praise* when one looks at the form of the City bowlers. Barr-Brown kept a Rood length throughout, and finished up with six-wickets, at a cost of 45 runs. As City had lost their match they gave several of their juniors a chance to show what they were capable of. The most successful of the colts was Kavansgh, who played a nice inning!! for 54. This player should strengthen City's lines, as he is also a change bowler. Edwards, another junior, scored 17. Heraus improved his average somewhat by getting a not out. His 38 runs were made by good cricket, and included in his score were some splendid forward drives. Pomeroy secured one wicket for six runs, and Gavin the other 6t a cost of 26.

.. HERE AND THERE. Auckland v. Hawke's Bay next Friday and Saturday. After to-day's play the Auckland Association mutches will be "suspended until April 3. The Australian cricketers are due back in Auckland to-morrow (Sunday), and on Monday they leave for England. A member of the Auckland Umpires and Scorers' Association writes informing me that the association has not disbanded, but the members have decided not to umpire in matches under the auspices of tho Auckland Cricket Association, holding that they have not been fairly treated by that body. In view of the small gate takings at the Australia v. Otago match, the. Southern association will probably abandon the idea of sending a representative team North next season.

~ Writing to the Manchester Athletic News, L. O. S. iPoidevin, touching on the appointment of Mr. Frank Laver as manager of the Australian Eleven, says:—Mr. F. Laver has been chosen to fill the position of manager, and the choice is sure to meet with popular approval. As a financial manager Laver has excellent qualifications. Amongst other financial feats did he not, by his wits alone, finance an unsuccessful Australian baseball team through America and home again? He is an enthusiastic baselmller, -anti always captains Victoria in the State matches with New South Wales. From a social point of view the managerial reins "will be in capable hands, for Frank is one of the "whitest" of gentlemen. Bronzed, broad-minded, and affable, a much-travelled ..man, in search of pleasure, be has toured many parts of the world. Besides, he has already been, in a sense, the guest of cricketing England, for he was Home as a member of the '99 Australian team. > In addition, his valuable services in the cricket field will no doubt be occasionally utilised to rest some of the regular members of the side. He will in reality be an extra man for the team.

From Mafeking (South Africa), January 30, a correspondent writes to a Sydney paper:—"At the monthly meeting of the Transvaal Cricket Union, held at Johannesburg, January 10, 1905, a long discussion ensued on the tabling of a letter from the Wanderers' Cricket Club, stating that the club were not in favour of inviting the Australian team, about to visit England, to visit South Africa. The club wished to repudiate the remarks reflecting on the Australians made by Mr. Difford at a recent meeting of the union. . The letter suggested that Mr. Difford be asked to withdraw the remarks made. Mr. Difford explained that he spoke ft tho meeting referred to purely as au unmstructed delegate. Ho had no intention of easting any slur on the Australians, but ''!» opinions, as formerly expressed, were his opinions to-day, and he could not, therefore, Withdraw what had been said. A motion was .then moved and carried without opposition, 'That this union desires to place on record its disapproval ot the ex-parte utterance of Mr. Difford, the Pretoria delegate, at the last ordinary meeting of the union, -■concerning the Australian team." Every- ■ thing bad that i 3 done over here is ascribed w Australians.'' ,