CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12892, 14 June 1905, Page 7

CRICKET.

G. H. S. Trott, a former Australian Eleven captain, in referring to the matched. to far played in England by the present team, says:---" There i-> not tho' slightest doubt that (.'otter is a much underrated batsman, and if he continues to show the same hatting form Darling will hive to give hiin a. lift, up on the hatting lis*. It will not. surprise me in the least to find Armstrong «'■ tho head of the batting average:; at the end of the. tour. He is a very steady young fellow, and his fine physique will stand him in good stead during the trying tour, and I ran assure cricket onthusuKsfs that, it, requires strength to do the amount of batting and bowling that he will bo called upon to do." The Victorian Association has consented to Queensland having one representative on the Australian Hoard of Control, and as a similar decision lias already been arrived at by New South Wales. Queensland is now connected with tho board. The Southern association has also agreed to bind itself to the board for five years. The Australian? who have pot a thousand runs in test matches are:-—('. Hill, 1318: M. A. Noble, 1157: S. K. Gregory, J6H: A. V. Bannerman. 1105; J. Uarlinir. 140?.; V*. Trunipcr. 1320; U. Giffen, 1240; H. Trumble. 1036.

Though ho hr..- played in two matches less than most of the- other members of the Australian Kleven, F. Luver has scoured most, catches to date, viz., 11, V. Trumpor beiuc next with 9.

A London cable says:— Hirst is still very lame, and is consulting a London specialist. '

Umpiring in a test match (says C. B. Fry) is an honourable) hut not very pleasant task. One point about it 13 not generally understood. It is this: An umpire usually umpires by habit—that is, ho watches tho ([.■ line more or loss sub-consciously, and (rives his decision* more or less mechanically; in fact, ho umpires just as a 'batsman plays after lie is set. In a test match the umpires an* so impressed with the importance of the occasion that they reconstruct their methods of watching and deciding; then everything is conscious they are trying all tin: time. Tim result is they hud the work a great strain, and are never quite comfortable. They are never quite set.