CRICKET.

NZ Truth, Issue 98, 4 May 1907, Page 3

CRICKET.

(By soovti,

Fast bowler Albert Cotter smashed the stump cf W. E. Pit'e during a first-grade match at Wcntworth Park. Sydney, a few Saturdays ago. | A fast rising ball from P, W, Hill caught "Reg" Duff f?ir on the jawbone with such force as to inflict p, nasty gash. Four stitches were necessary to sew up the wound. Later m the afternoon the £h,orel m?n showed great grit by re-appeAi-in?; at the batting, crease, tynd foattißT the iß&toh out m a very thill light: i R'.ithtr an uncommon incident happened m the Sydney-Glebe senior grade match when Cotter, the fast bowler, was no-balled several times, ,by Umpire Call away for grounding over the bowling crease. Cotter was ', subsequently again called, and Ifts usual barracking followed from the 'onlookers. | Tb2 profit otjko. N.S.W.C.A. from the recent visit 'of its reps to the Golden West totalled £120. j ,S. Wliite- is the only "batsman m '.the New South Wales State to 'make over a thousand runs m each

of the last two seasons. Last season, J, R. M. Mackay, topped 2000 runs. J. J. Kelly was reported to have rranged to return to Melbourne, and take up a position there. At latest advices he was playing for the Paddin^ton team, which are strong favourites for the Senior First Grade premiership. The English team,, led by Warner, resulted m a loss to the Marylebone Club of over £1000, and warned by this the premier club of England requires a guarantee that any loss will be made good if a team is sent out this year. Followers of the gam© across the- Tasman are longing, to see th 3 pick of England and Australia once more contending for those revered "ashes," and if the English team should contain Jackson, Fry, MacLaren, and Knox it is safe to predict that m fine weather all records as to attendance would be broken. Lord Sheffield's team cost £13,000, and resulted m a loss of £2000 to the noble sportsman, but it is. hardly likely that the proposed team would require more than £11,000. * On the 20th of May a match will be played at Lords (England) between Middlesex and Somerset as a benefit to the ex- Australian, A. E. Trott. On the same day the South African team will meet Leicestershire m their opening game. The South African team will plnv three test matches, the first on Lords' Ground, July 1 ; the second at Leeds, July 29 ; the third at the Oval, August 14. . W. G. Grace has made 126 centuries m first-class cricket ; one was made m Australia. In all kinds of cricket he has hit 213 hundreds. How would this team suit my readers for the coming Australian tour ?—F. S. Jackson, J. N. Crawford, E. G. Hayes, N. Knox, Hayward., Tyldesley, Hirst, Lilley, MacLaren, Fry, Rhodes, J. Gunn, Braund, and Butt. This, team would have as batsmen : Hayward, average, 66.37 ; . Crawford, SO.IO ; Hayes, 45.27 ; Jackson, ; Tyldesley, 46.32 ; Hirst, 45.86 ; Braund, 32.00 ;, Fry, ; J. Gunn, 25.76 ; Madaren, 20.65. Wicket-keepers, Lilley and Butt. Bowlers, Knox, fast, average 19:63 ; Hirst, left-hand, fast medium, 16.50 ; J. Gunn, left-hand, 21.66-; Rhodes, left-hand, slow, 23.57 ; Braund, slow, right, 26.86 ; Hayes, leg.-bi:eak, 22.86 ; Crawford, medium pace, 25.37 ; Jackson, righthand, fast. Braund, Hayes, and MacLaren are splendid slips. j " During the progress of the Currie Cup Pompefcition, South Africa, some peculiar points arose, m one instance the umpires were asked if the light was good enough for play, the fieldsmen being m the pavilion at the time. They . declined to "give a decision until the field went out antt the batsmen took v their places at the .wicket.- The committee could not decide, whether the umpires had any righij to command this,, and an appeal is to be made to theIVLC.C. • There seems .to be nothing on the question m the laws. Another point then arose. The field and batsmen did as requested. jThe umpires then decided that the light was not good enough for play. Now, as this decision was made very shortly before "time," two of the tail had been sent to the wickets. Accordingly on the next morning the captain of the batting side wanted to fcnow whether, as of the I batsmen had received a ball, he was entitled to send m two men m their "lares. The committee dscided that as the innings had not been commenced the captain was at liberty to alter the order of batting.