CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15482, 13 December 1913, Page 10

CRICKET.

| NOTES AND COMMENTS. The fifth round of the Auckland Cricket Association's senior competitions will be commenced this afternoon. The fixtures are: Eden A v. Grafton, at Eden Park; Ponsonby v. Waitemata, at Victoria Park; Eden B v. Parneil, at Eden Park; North Shore v. University, at North Shore. Mr. R. B. Benjamin, of the Australia* team that toured America, predicts that if the custom is established for two years more of an Australian crack eleven visiting Canada and the States cricket will become the national game of those countries. Why, even baseball enthusiasts," he says, '' have been bound to acknowledge the merits of the game. . . Walsh, the Chicago White Sox spit-ball pitcher, said that he thought cricket a more scientific game than baseball. Our boys do not excel at baseball themselves. The boys practised with tho White Sox, and Callahan was so impressed with the play of one or two of them that he would have liked to have taken them on his staff. Mailey and Macartney caught his eye particularly." If wssible, the Australian manager says, he intends to bring the learn again next year, and he adds that Winnipeg, Calgary, Montreal, Regina, and Edmonton have all asked for a full week's cricket on the next tour. This is all to the good (comments Cricket), though one doubts whether, in. view of the trip to South Africa in 1914-15, many of the cracks would join in a team for America next year, and whether tours in two successive years would not be rather overdoing the thing. Some extraordinary batting performances during the past summer in England are credited to C. 11. Titchmarsh, the manager of the cricket department ot Messrs. A. G. Spalding and Bros. He plays for Herts in the minor counties' championship, for the Harpenden C.C. in club matches, and towards the close of the season he assisted Cross Arrows, the club run by the Lords' staff. In all, Titchmarsh batted on 72 occasions, and, says the Sporting Life, he was eight times not out. His highest score was 147, his average 62 per innings, he compiled 21 centuries, and his aggregate for the season was 4016 runs, a number that is probably a record. His best months were June, August, and September, and in each of these he scored over 1000 runs, the details being:— 1165; August, 1052, and September, 1136. His batting for Cross Arrows was really extraordinary. He went seven times to the wickets for them, scored six centuries, and on the seventh occasion he was 20 (not out). His innings scores for the Cross Arrows were:—ll4, 104, 125, 20 (not out), 100 (not out), 120, and 112, making a total of 695, and the colossal average of 139. For Hertfordshire he scored 71 runs, with an average of 51, and for Harpenden liis aggregate was 1163, with an average of 48. He was also most successful behind the wickets, as he caught 49 and stumped 46. It is somewhat hazardous to state that anything is a record in secondclass cricket, but Titchmarsh's performances aro probably without a parallel in the game.

CHURCHES' ASSOCIATION NOTES. The most important match on Saturday was the Y.M.C.A. and St. Peter's contest. St. Peter's had hitherto been undefeated, but on Saturday Y.M.C.A., after a good exhibition, managed to lower their colours by 60 runs. Y.M.C.A. appeared to be In good form with the bat, and Cooper and the Cullimore brothers made very creditable scores. _ Bass was the best batsman on the other side. At times he displays fair hitting power. St. John's scored a good win over W. Y.M.I. St. John's had not up to this point met with much success, and their win was well deserved. Gosnell scored the first century of the season in W.Y.M.I.'s second innings, his tally bein? 103 (not out). '_ s In the B section, Brotherhood B scored an unexpected yet very meritorious win over the senior Brotherhood team, defeating them by 96 runs—a three-point win. Brotherhood's B team have greatly improved as a batting team, and before the season closes should put up some good scores. Bercsford and Akarana are now leading in this section, each having nine points to their credit. These teams meet to-day Akarana are a strong battiV team, and Beresford bowlers will have no easy task to dismiss them. QUEENSLAND V. NEW SOUTH WALES. By Telegraph— Association-Copyright (Received December 12, 9.55 p.m.) Sydney, December 12. The return match between Queensland Mid New South Wales begau to-day. The weather was dull and the wicket good. ' Queensland scored 311 (Sheppard making 40, FeimeDy 78, Howe 53, Thompson 38. Redgrave 48, and Ayres 30). Folkard took seven wickets for 65 runs, Uai.B»two for 79, Kelleway one for 68. J