CRICKET NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6433, 3 February 1908, Page 8

CRICKET NOTES.

That well known cricket authority Major Trevor is credited with a world s record wicket-keeping feat in any claw of cricket. Playing for Dr Conan Doyle’s eleven against Mr J. ' • Millan’a cloven at Uudcrshaw, England, on August 2nd, 1808, tho "Majah caught, iix of hifl opponoute ami stumped two more in ouo innings.

A a uuiquo match was played at Sydney a couiplo of weeks ago between tho Ramblers and Union Bank teams. Ramblers lost tho first six wickets before a run was scored. At this stage it was agreed that twelve aside should be played in order to give a place m the Ramblers* team to C. T. B. Turner, who was iato iu putting in an appearance. Seven wickets fell for 3, eight for 7, nine for 10, and ten for 13. But the last wicket (F. Walsh© 27 not out, and J. Koes 61, added 82 runs), tho latter, though going in last, making 2*t runs more that! all the other batsmen together. (J. T. B. Turner then spreadnaglod tho Bank’s wickets, and tho Ramblers won by 53 runs.

The profits of the V.C.A. from the English tour amounts already to £2140. Tho oupeiu.es of the second test amounted approximately to £7OO, out of which £370 was absorbed by the Australian, pluvore. Tho Englishmen's half share of 'tho prime east of entrance to the ground was £I4OO. Unless tho fourth and fifth testa iu Melbourne and Sydney respectively are highly auccossful. from n financial point of view, its seems doubtful if the £IO,OOO guarantee will bo realised from this half share. Any deficit will bo made up from i ,ie profits in each State, and if tho whole of the profits ore absorbed, then bne further deficit will be wiped off by i call on the State proportionate to their representation on tho Board of Control.

“ writing anent Saunders's nowling performances in defending him from attacks made regarding his inclusion in tho test teams, says:—"The left-hander, every time he has bowled against tho Englishmen this season has commanded their respect. Xlis luck has not been of the best, however. J.V.S. has captured during his bowling career 225 wickets at a cost of 26 runs each. During the past few years the Victorian fielding, one is loth to confess, has not nearly boon up to the standard of past yearn, when this State had a galaxy of talent such as J. M. Blackham or Alt'. Johns at tho wickets, H. T rum bio shortslip, 11. Graham at third man, H. Trout at point, W. Bruce at cover. J. Worrall at mid-off, and H. Stuckey in tho longfield. Tho wickets certainly are more perfect than they used to be, and the whole thing narrows down to this—that a present-day bowler in Australia must needs bo a bit of a philosopher.”

Writing of tho results of the recent test mutches, “Not Out” says:—Tho campaign, so far as it has gone, has shown, oven to the sceptical, that which, to thoso who hu<l eyes to see, did not nw-d tho test match illustration, viz., that the number of men entitled to rank ns international players in this country is not confined to those who have had tho hall-marking experience of a trip to lingland. This is, in my opinion, one of tho most important features of the test match cricket, and one hopes that as tho campaign goes on its evidence will become more pronounced. Tho alleged dearth of rising talent in Australia, impressed by Australian selection committees on the British public, has been imaginary and misleading. The Maofcays and Diamonds and Wnddye and Johnsona and O’Connors of Sydney; the ifaynes and Jennings and Ceilings of Adelaide; the Ransfords of Melbourne, had proved it on the field before 1907-8. Cricketers not wedded, as it were, to any coterie, know thoroughly well that besides R. Hartigou, C. Q. Macartney, J. A. O’Connor, and V. Ransford, there are many (players possessing a similar quality of skill who have never yet been elevated to tho arena of tho internationals. Australian cricket has its weak spots, but one of these is not an inability to produce the youth of cricketing talent. Ho is here in numbers. What wo need is a selecting triumvirate to- pick emit from tho crowd, as tho stock-

man picks out the "fat" from the mob 1 m bulioek, i .!. J. I.rons. Hie old-time hard hitter, in iifi interview in the Adoluiclo t/v” on tho m'morablo Jiarlignu-Jlill part/MTHhin. sf.kl:-“It vcvf> a tioenfc i)orformance. Ii stands right onl in the nnnais of tho game. I give a.i j credit to IHU and Kailigun. My taivy 1 goes out to the newcomer. He pro-. - | rd himself ciasK right from the jump. | 'J*ho e.sson«i of the whole tiling is Hmt ! he had to light iu tho inst innings, and | filhd Uio bill then. Then ho com oh along in Hie socond innings, and .finds Mint < A untralia’s chanee has drirtOfl still tnrfcher aAvay. U#» fights again like a good ope. Ho timed the hall f;onutifully. ami mado tin? eoverdiit very judiciously lor a voung pii«y<M-. He drove su|>f-rhly, and a.llogr-tlier I I hough!; lie was right up to date. What, stroke* he h.u* not thorougfdv aef|nirc<l yei; lie’s got the brains to cultivate, I never -aiv a. young criekeier grasp (he situation >o ’-veil. Ham ha* the touch of a barman. Thoif i* a | remarkable similarily between 3£arti- | gan’s ftiyle aiui Unit of Frank Ivedale. . 'l| ipip. him right in the esame Has- as j fndalo at his best/’ And what alK>ut j Hill ‘‘Weil. Clem's a master, and f ! like lo encMirag.' young players. 'l’hat‘s ; a point you cricket v,-liters have to cul- ; tivate. Jv/en your balance of judgment : on a game, but <l<jn t bo hard on a new- ( comer's faults. Many a likely batsman i has been di-dioiu icnc<l and ruined, from I a cricket point of view, by caustic £uul premature criticism. l'e>, Clem was more alive on Ills foot and playing his true game more to-day than I had seen him for a long time. That i*. after he had conquered hit> indisposition. But Clem lias been through it nil before. As 1 say. he is a master, and this other fellow had to prove himself. He is a great kid. After he streaked that one over Hutching';, head Hill had a word with him. and you could seo from ilartigan's sub.-x i quent care that ho knew his buMiKxvs. Ujs innings was of great instruction to himsedf. Jkdng in all that time with Clem taught him a lump of cricket. Maybe ho will fail next time, but you bet he's ciaas."