THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7048, 9 February 1910, Page 1

THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM

ARRIVING TO-DAY OFFICIAL RECEPTION AT THE TOWN HALL. Tho Australian representative cricket team, wibich. will arrive from Sydney today to play a series of matches in Now Zealand consists'of W. Bnvdsley, B. L. Waddy, C. Kelleway, S. H. Emery, A. J. Hopkins, C. JR. Gorry (New South Wales), W, W. Armstrong and D. Smith (Victoria), E. R, Mayne, C. E. Simpson, W. J. Whltty (South Australia), N. Dodds and A. C. Facy (Tasmania). It is a powerful all-round combination and should prove as successful as previous visitors. The team will bo given an official welcome in the Town Hall to-day at 5.15 p.m, by the Mayor, Dr. Newman. The Hon. J. A. MilUur will represent the Ministry. WHAT PREVIOUS TEAMS HAVE DONE MATCHES AND MEN. INTERESTING DETAILS. The first visit New Zealand ever had from an accredited Now South Wales cricketing team was in 1895. Two teams ■ —one in 1890 and another in 1891 —were brought across by Mr Coleman Davis, which were representative in all but name, and quite able to hold their own with our players. The manager «f . tho 1895-6 team, was Mr John C. Waine, and tho captain L. T. Oobcroft. Ho scarcely played up to his form. Out of 160 runs ho made on the tour, 85 not out were the result of one effort. The most successful batsman was Leslie Oswald Sheridan Poidovin, who was not then twenty years of age. Sydney Thomas Callaway, now at Dunedin, was a member of the team, and the most successful bowler. But for him the tour would probably not have been so successful as it was. Dip to that time he had represented Sydney in eix or seven inter-colonial matches and had played for Australia in test matches against Lord Sheffield’s team twice and against, Sboddart's team once. Callaway was the only member of the team credited with a *' pair of specs.” Following is a nummary of the matches played on this tour:—, Played. Won. Lost. Drawn. 5 3 1 1 Against Canterbury Won by six wickets. Against Otago—Won by six wickets. Against Wellington—Won by 226 runs. Against Auckland —Drawn. Against New Zealand Lost by 143 runs. ' ’

The first unaccredited team in 1890 played seven matches- —against Auckland, Canterbury, Oamaru, Otago, South Oan 7 terbury, Wellington, and Auckland winning all except one by large margins. The only one they failed to win was against Auckland, which was drawn. The second team in 1894 played eight matches —at Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Canterbury. South Canterbury, Otago, New Zealand and the North Island, winning the first and last two. Til at against Canterbury was lost by an innings and 7 runs, the other three being drawn.

The first visit of an Australian representative team to the Dominion was in February, 1905, the team comprising McLeod, Ne-wland, Cotter, Duff, Gehrs, Trumper, Hill. Armstrong, Noble, Gregory, Howell, Hopkins- and Kelly. They played six matches altogether, against the four principal provinces and two tests, winning four and drawing two games greatly in their favour. The first contest, at Auckland, went to the visitors by an innings and 16 runs. Auckland. playing fifteen men. made 175 (F. R. Mason 79) and 107 (Oliffe 33), _ the visitors responding (vhUi. 442. Victor Trumper was top scorer with 92, McLeod making 84. The next match was at Wellington, against another fifteen. This was drawn. Wellington made 117 runs on the first day, Noble taking seven wickets. Cobcroft made 49, and Redgrave SO. On the next day, Saturday. the Wellington- innings ended for 183. Noble took none wickets for 64, and Cotter three for 30. Before the close of. the day Australia had compiled 383 for eight wickets. Hill making 95, Duff 70. and S. B. Gregory 85. There was no time to finish the match on Monday, for after the Australians had completed their innings for 433, the home team made 214 for nine wickets, Claud Hickson contributing 56 not out.

The Canterbury match was won bj the Australians by eight wickets, while the Otago game proved an easier victory —an innings and 175 runs. The first test game was played at Christchurch, and drawn. The Australians batted first, and scored. 297 for four "wickets on the first day, Hill (118), Trumpor <B4), and Noble (42),-ail being in good form. On the Saturday, Armstrong made 126, being not out, the innings realising 533 runs. Ollivicr took five wickets for 113.' When the day’s play ended, New Zealand had made 102 for five wickets. Play could not be resumed until 2.30 on Monday, owing to rain. New Zealand brought their total to 138, and then followed on. They made 112 for seven wickets, playing out time. The second, and last, test, played at Wellington, resulted in the New Zealanders sustaining a crushing defeat. On the first day, the home team made 94 on a slow wicket, Howell taking four wickets for 20, three with successive balls. The Australians had scored 51 for ona wicket when play ceased. On Friday, they did what they liked with the soft bowling, winding np the day with 519 for seven wickets. Trumper and Hill were in brilliant form, making 172 and 129 respectively. On the Monday the visitors took their score to 593 for nine wickets. New Zealand only made 141 in their hopeless second innings task, Armstrong taking six wickets for 31. Armstrong headed the batting average of the tonr, with 102.66, Noble being on top in the bowling with twenty-eight wickets for 10 runs apiece. The last team from the other side come across in February, 1903, from Melbourne. and included W. W. Armstrong. C. McLeod, and V. Kansford. It hod a triumphant march through the country. winning six of its eight matches easily, and drawing two, one against Otago, and the other against New Zealand, at Christchurch, in which Tucker and Monaghan saved the situation for New Zealand. In the match against Wellington, the home team made 124 and 313. In the second innings S. Redgrave

was responsible for 66, and J. P. Blacklook, who is still representing the province, 97. Melbourne made 330 in their first innings, and 110 for three wickets in the second. Monaghan bowled in good form against the visitors, capturing seven wickets for 95 runs. Tucker taking the other two at ia cost of 61 runs. Redgrave, Dpbam, Hutchings and Brice failed to get wickets. ,