General Squibs.

NZ Truth, Issue 180, 28 November 1908, Page 3

General Squibs.

There were several little tricks resorted! to m the Newtown-Old Boys game, and two m particular call for special notice. \ Day, who had been batting for half an hour, was joined by Keys -(last man) , and about five minutes to time Day drove a ball from Monaghan which failed to reach the boundary. The batsmen ran two for it. but Loniax, acting" under Captain Blacklock's instructions, made a boundary of it by kicking the ball over the line, which meant Keys would have- to face the bowling instead of Day. To equalise matters m the next over Day cut a ball through the slips, but point blank refused to run so that would get the bowliDg instead of Keys. Deliberate pointing like this does not add to the pleasure of the game, and besides it is no credit to the players or clubs ■to resort to spieleristic methods m order to win their matches. Schnoll, who was absent from the Newtown ranks on Saturday, was m Blenheim on business, but will be back m time for the next match. Secretary Holmes, of V.M.C.A., "motI ored" out to see his "boys" win their first game, but had to return to town sadly disappointed with their showing. It, is understood that the V.M.C.A. have a couple of new batsmen to try against Newtown. They need a "sticker" badly. Wellington* was without the services ol Luckie on Saturday, Martin having been ed away -suddenly to Auckland. 'Twas just as well for the Wellingjtonians that Bob Miller was m such fine form with the leather. , Umpire Sid. Lambert made quite a reputation for himself, no less than three bad mistakes being debited against him. Laws tipped, or I should say hifc one ol i Monaghan's and wicket-keeper Blaekloek j held the catch, but Sid. ruled not out to the unanimous appeal of practically, the whole team.. A little later Laws played forward to a short-pitched ball, i missed it, the ball hit his pads, and he was given out lb.w., much to the batsman's disgust, as the ball was swerving to leg. Monaghan admitted it would 'have cleared the wickets with fully six inches Ito spare. Lastly, Alpe m the second m- . nings was sent back to the pavilion l.p.w. on attempting \o glide a leg ball, which hit his right boot close to the ''heel. As Alpe had not shifted his light foot, it was rather difficult to find out how the 1 bal! was going to bit the wirketHowden, the Carisbrook Club and Otago rep. cricketer, is due back m his native city eaily next month after a v three years' sojourn 'n the land where the suffragettes give Asquith, Churchill and Co. a, 'merry rt)i iime. J-Jowden will Jike*y make, one. of the "Burgue" touring team.

A Sydney writer says that if Strange, the ex-New Zealander, now playing m senior grade competitions m the Ma State, is a sample of the average Maoriland batsman of the day, the art of batting must have improved a good deal m the Dominion within the past ten years. "The most .marvellous catch I ever saw," said Mr Woolgar, a famous actor and English amateur cricketer m his day, "was at Stokes Bay, when a player by the name of Jurd, a gardener at the rectory, was playing 'long-field,' who, when a tremendous skier was hit, rightly judging its fall, made a desperate running jump across a stream, and arrived m time to get under the ball, and caught it.'' In 1883 the Victoria-South Australia match was remarkable for the small total made by the Croweaters m. their fifst innings, viz., 23, of which number Noel made 18 off his own bat, and there was one. sundry, leaving 4 runs to We divided amongst G. Giffen, Jarvis, Richards, Hide, W. Gifien, P. King, Watsford, Gordon, Knell and Quilty. The destroying angels were Boyle 4 for 6, Palmer 5 for (16. I The statuesque posing of three or four j of the Old Boys team m the field suggests that the art galleries m the Old World are minus some priceless treasures. \ Cricket nowadays is an ultra-fashiona-bfy game m which the womenfolk indulge numerously. "Scout" observes that it is the practice of some' cricket scrittes to write of young bucks m the cricket world as "colts." Presumably it will now be the correct thing, and not merely rude slang, to refer to the girls as "fillies." A. Ward, the Lancashire cricketer, was once out m a most unlucky fashion. He was playing against Derbyshire, and m hitting- a ball from Davidson to leg, a piece of his bat was broken off, and this knocked a bail off. Another curious case was that of Wood, who, m a match against Yarmouth Etceteras, y, Beecle's College,- m 189 'J, was struck on the heel of his boot by a ball from a fast bowler named Wright, which I was separated from the boot, ar-d struck the wicket, the umpire giving the batsuiun out "hit wicket." Anent the recent inter-State game j South Australia v. Victoria, it is interesting to note that George Giffen's allround work dwarfs that of all who have taken part m these games. With the bat he has compiled 2417 runs for 50 innings, average 51.42. His bowling figures work •out : 225 wickets at a cost of 44X5 runs, average -19. 63. Ip the same matches Clem Hill has 1793 runs to his credit for 39 innings, 2 not outs, average 48.45. That mighty sniiter, Jack Lyons, "The Champagne 'of Cricket," compiled 1571 runs m 38. innings, 2 rot outs, average 43.63. Frank Layer has shown superior play to many players of greater reputation m these contests, foi? he has aggregated 1520 runs m 45 innings, average 38.02. G. P. Barbour, a school-boy 17 years ol age, is regarded as a sure N.S.W. State player m the not distant future. He bats as correctly and confidently as a veteran, takes no undue risk, and is severe on anything loose. Added to his undoubted prowess as a bat, his ability to bowl the "Bbsie" ball with accuracy makes him a tower of strength to his side. The approaching visit of an Australian team to Fogland appears to have galvanised the older players into new life and vigor, and the young 'uns wißl have to brighten up or else we shall see the same did familiar faces m the team. Now that it has been definitely decided to send another team ol Australian-crick-eters to England Brisbane "Truth" thinks it wouldn't be a bad plan to insist that "the boys" indulge m less shivooing m the old country. It is a matter of plain, hard fact that the (ahem I) "living" of our cricketers whilst m the old land has played the devil with both the cricket and -the constitution of some of the Southern Cross. There is no necessity to here mention their monikers ; they are well known. Boys, don't go •on the batterpudding, and quaff less of the (flowing) bowl ! Auckland cricketers are not likely to have the wits scared out of them by the news that Mr Fisher is reserving himself for the quest of the Plunket bit- of furniture when the Otago team goes north this season. It is understood that special accommodation is to be reserved for Mr Fisher so that he may not have to herd it with the common lot on the Northern journey, Sid. Gregory's form with the bat to date makes him almost a cert for the New Souths. Wales team m all tbe season's big matches. And he is strongly m the running for a place m the Australian Eleven to invade the Old Dart next year. We are' told that the Otago team to try conclusions with Auckland is going to be something out of the ordinary. The same thing was said of that wonderful edition, "The True Story of the Anglo-Welsh-Footballers' Tour," but expectations haven't, been realised, at least, m the selling sense, On one occasion, m its match with the Marlborou-gh boys, the visiting team from Cheltenham College were, on the first, day's play, quite at the mercy of the' two Marlborough bowlers, named Wood and Stone. By a curious chance the evening hymn again happened to hit- off the situation, for it told how "The heathen m their blindness, Bow down to wood and stone." A word of praise was given to Cobcroft from the. Midland players for seeing that all his men were ready to go m on Saturday, as the wickets were falling and. consequently giviDg the town team every chance of getting the men out instead of taking the usual two minutes. It is a pity that all skippers did not do the same, then it would he better for the' game, better for the public and players generally.