CRICKET.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 868, 19 October 1888, Page 14

CRICKET.

THE FIXTURES FOR THE SHASUJN. The following are the Senior and Junior Cup fixtures for the season : Senior Cup. October 20th and 27th—Phoenix v. Midland* November 3rd and 10th—Wellington v. Poneke. . __ , December Ist and. Sth—Phoenix v. Wellington. „ _ , December 15th ands22nd—Star v. Poneke. January sth and 12th—Wellington v. Midlß January 19th and 26th—Phoenix v. Poneke. February 2nd aad 9th —Midland v. Star. February lGth and 23rd—Poneke v Wellington. . March 2nd and 9th—Pbmmx v Star. All Senior Cup matches will be played on No. 1 pitch. Junior Cup. October 20th ami 27 th Wellington second v. Welliugton (No. pitch), Poneke second v. Rivals first (No. 3 pitch). , November 3rd and lOth—Phoenix second y. Midland second (fto. 2 pitch); Star second v. St. Patrick’s College (No. 3 P 1 November 17th and 24th—Rivals first v. Albert first (No. 2 pitch).

During the ensuing season the Match Committee have decided to rigidly enforce the rule that cup contests shall be commenced not later than 2.15 p.m. on the days appointed, and that the Club, failing to proceed vvith the matoh within 15 minutes of the time faxed, shall be held to have lost it. This determination is a very proper one, and it will no doubt havo the desired effeoc. The suggestion made at a meeting of cricketers some time ago as to the adyisableness of classifying clubs in the Senior and' Junior Cup contests, and by a system of handicaps provide for the admission of two teams from any club, either for the Junior or Senior Cup, but not both, has been considered by the Match Committee, who have come to the conclusion that such nu innovation would not bo possible, owing principally to the want of sufficient grounds.

The season was formally opened on the Basin Reserve on Saturday last with a match between the eleven which represented Wellington so successfully against Hawkes Bay last year and the next eighteen. There was only a moderate attendance of spectators, very little interest being taken iu the match. The eighteen were the first to go to the wickets, and had lost ten wickets for 96 runs when play was stopped by the rain. The principal scorers were—Webb, IS; Morice, 16; Sanderson and Wilson-Duret, 15 each ; and Wiren, 13. The most sucoessful bowlers for the eleven were McGirr, who secured four wickets for 14 ; Hewat, four for 25 ; Gore, one for 14;'and Hadfield,_one for nil. Messrs Ashbolt and Knapp officiated as umpires. It is to be hoped that the rule relating to matches commencing punctually will he strictly enforced this season. On Saturday a number of the players did not put in an appearance until nearly an hour after the appointed time, and consequently the game was very late in starting. A meeting of the Association will be held at the Post Office Hotel next Wednesday for the purpose of considering certain proposed alterations to the rules. When the mail left W. W. Read still headed the list of batsmen, having an average of 34-8 for 27 completed innings. Abel was second with 30“25 for 27 completed innings; W. G. Grace third, with f 9‘26for 40 innings : McDonnell fourth, wioh for 30 innings ; Bonnor fifth, f or 33 innings ; and Newham sixth, with 26‘9 for 21 innings. Lohmann has advanced to nrst place on the bowlers’ list, having taken 142 wickets, for an average of 9.19. A. Hearne is Becond, with an average of 10 ; Briggs has an average of 10.17 for 100 wickets ; Peel an average of 10.73 for 124 wickets, and Turner an average of 10T29 for 189 wickets. Turner bowled nearly 500 more overs than any other The "following record of Mr Gj G. Barnes

(late captain of the Wellington Club Eleven) performances at Invercargill, during the cricket season of 1887-88, should be of interest to some readers, viz.:—Batting—Firstclass matches : Matches, 9 ; innings, 10 (including Carrisbrook and Phoenix matches at Dunedin) ; total runs, 331 (not out twice) ; average, 41.37. Bowling-453 balls, 19 maidens, 33 wickets, 122 runs ; average; 3,69. Mr Burnes takes the following five trophies:—Batting average, bowling average, highest innings, greatest aggregate number of runs, and for first century (107, retired hurt), made in Invercargill. A scratch match was played on the Basin Reserve Wednesday afternoon between the members of the Phoenix Club. Sides were chosen by Hewat and Creeks, the former's winning by 11 runs on the first innings. Hewat’s side went in first and) scored 62, Moorhouse 19, and Hewat 18 being the most successful batsmen. Creeks’ team made 51, Morioe, with 10, being the only double figure scorer. The most successful bowlers for the winners were Hewat, Varnham and Kirker, while Creeks and Prince trundled best for the losers.

The Phoenix Club will be represented by the following players in the Senior Cup match against the Midland Club, which begins to-morrow : Benbow (substitute), Creeks. Hewat. Wilson-Duret, Moorhouse, Motley. Morice. Taylor (substitute), Webb, Heenan, Hadfield (substitute) ; emergency, Allen.