General Gossip.

NZ Truth, Issue 136, 25 January 1908, Page 3

General Gossip.

Phil Connolly, who was fielding for Petone on Saturday last, will he m the team for the semi-final game, and should considerably strengthen the suburbanites' team, as he is a slow to medium-ipace left-hand bowler, able to turn them either way, and keeps a splendid length. Connolly arrived last Wednesday week by the Maheno from Sydney. He has been the mr'nstay of his club (Central Cumberland) during the present season with the ball, and was chosen to represent the next 13 of N.S. Wales against the XI -. prior to the latter team meeting the Englishmen. Connolly is a player that is sure to become popular with the Wellington players and public, as he is of a most unassuming nature and a reai hard trier. ■In speaking of batsmen m. N.S. Wales, Connolly says Trumper stands by himself, and feels sure before English team leave there he svill give some of those players (that have not already had a taste of his ability) an example of his true worth. One of the Petone team is likely to lose , the number of his mess when the next v team is selected through his sleepiness m the field. Judging by the wearisome displays m Australia this season test matches have become so very serious that the old lament of there being no bowlers m the Commonwealth seems likely to give way to one of there being no hitters. A Lyons or a Percy McDonnell or a Massie, or even a Charlie Bannerman, would have been invaluable to either side m the first two matches,- at least. A player named Hopkins made 113 out of 161 for-Stanmore-Clifton against Wesley. He. hit 9 sixes, 11 fours, total 90 m boundary strokes. Tasmania has been urging the claims of R. Hawson for inclusion m the Commonwealth test teams. . Some: ctose test finishes : In' 1902, Australia afc Manchester won by 3 runjs ; m 1885, Sydney Cricket Ground Australians won by 6 runs ; at the Oval. in 1882, Australia won by 7 runs, ; .at Sydney, m 1894, England 'Wonvby 10 runs ; m 1887, on the Sydney' Cricket Ground, .England won by .13 runs ; m 1902, at the Oval, England, won by i wicket ; m 1896, at the Oval, England won by tv/o Wickets,

The "New Zealand Times" boasted of the big scores m last Saturday's senior competitions. Tommy-rot ! Ask a few 6f the pub-keepers if they don't know of greater scores, and listen to the publican's score-us. E. M. Grace, the famous cricketer, is shortly to be married to Miss Sarah Brain. The issue, if any, ought to be satisfactory—symmetry and intellect. What a. great game this cricket is on t'other side. Professionals ariH amateurs both have a "cut-in 1" for "the gate." And the hangers-on at the business ? It will proba/bly be found that fully a dozen non-fields-mien and non-<players travelled out from England with the present team. Their "exes" are provided by big jQrmp m London, who find it judicious to promote the "game" m the usual style of "bagmen." The English cricketers are of the Yankee opinion, that "one should see Naples and then die." Jones, its chief, writes m a letter to a London paper : "We had the usual day bn shore at Naples, but of all . the evil-smelling places, it is the worst. What with the bad food and everyone trying to cheat you, we wore all delighted to get out to sea again and blow the foul odors out of our nostrils." If Jones, the only, is equally candid about hi? experiences m Australia what will the record be like ? And will he ever conijeback ? Will develop into another Maclaren. The priglish team has on hand "A little'comedietta" m one act written by "Majah" Trevor. Its title is "Limited Liability." Docs the intitulation refer to the team's financial obligations on the tour, or is ib not merely a prediction of the Outcome .inj five acts of the test matches ? Better ask Iky Hyams to solve the question. . When one ponders over the cricket of the test matches, the conclusion/is inevitable that if England could have brought out Jackson. Fry, Maclaren, Hayward, Hirst and Tyldesley, Australian cricket would have been rolled m the dust of mediocrity. As it is England's colts arc not doing bo bally bad. Australia needs to follow the example and trot out a'few more colts of the stamp pf Hartigan. Cotter is reported to have met wiivH' 4; a injury, and if this is true it eX'ila>ii_.o his absence m the Adelaide test tussle. All the Australian bowling m this match was practically medium, paced, Armstrong slow-me-dium and Noble fast-medium ; the rest were between this pak m pace. Harry Snow, an old veteran cricketer, playing for the Roads Department against the Public Works at Day's Bay the other day, not only treated thc spectators to an admirable and interesting display of cricket, and showing them how. the game should be played, but carried out his bat amidst the enthusiastic applause of those present. His style was unique, and had he gone to the wickets earlier there is little doubt but that the result of the match would not have ended so disastrously for the side he represented. Good old Harry. Cotter, it appears, strained his groin m the second test .match, - and at latest advice was m rather a bad fix. He ' noticed a hole close to the spot from which he had to deliver, the ball, and for some time earlier m the innings continued to dodge it; m fact, he was no-T*alled for going over the mark. When tho game was at its most exciting stage he took the risk of stepping into the hole, and conseqiuently Australia is now- deprived of his services m the next match. It is said that the Englishmen fear only two of the Australian bowlers, Cotter and Armstrong. One of the selectors reckoned that Australia was weakened 25 'per cent, by the fast bowler's absence. It is a matter of speculation whether he will be available for any of the remaining tests.