CRICKET CHATTER.

NZ Truth, Issue 276, 8 October 1910, Page 3

CRICKET CHATTER.

(By "Short Stop.")

Tbe Basin Reserve was opened for practice on Saturday last, a large number of players putting m an appearance. . Much interest was taken In tbe bowling of F. V. Saunders, the Melbournite, and some of the attaupte made to play his, puzzlers were \ff~toh paying an admission fee to see. *" On one of the Wellington Wickets, just a bit worn, be would pcove quite unplayable to an ordln-. «ry N.Z. batsman. Saunders is still probably one of tbe best bowlers •09th of the line. .. Tbe South Africa© team will sail from Cape Town on October 7 for Australia, and they will be enabled to get a week's practice before tackling ttie ; South Australian team. As the latter are the holders of the Sheffield Shield, and were particularly strong Inert season m all branches of the gam*, it will be possible from this mated to obtain a good line as to fee visiting team's prospects of success on their tour. This, the first visit of a team from South Africa to Australia, is causing a large amount; cf '"■' interest among cricketers and cricket supporters m the Common***lth. Alec. Bannerman, the old Australian Eteffen player, has Ibjoen re-engag-ed -as coach for the season by- the New 'South Wales - Cricket Associasion. 1 The same Association has also made fct clear (m "a material way) to the- old player that his services have^ given; every satisfaction. At< Kenmington Oval a fortnight mo,' Kent, the champ-ion county, were ieleated by the Rest of England by 844 runs. Tfce latest "discovery" m Sydney cricket, H. Webster, left for Adelaide ftrtely, where he intends to reside m the ; future. Competent critics say *at young Webster is the most^ promising wicket-keeper wihom New South Wales has yet turned out, not even excluding Wales, Hanson, and Darter. That being so, he will probably, secure a place m the South AustraIfam team this season against the AfrjiciMi*. Another New South Wales player who has been playing with success hi Adelaide; J. A. O'Connor has left that city again and settled m Goulburn, so his services are lost to the holders of the shield. CV (J. Macartney, of Australian Eleven fame, who was playing for Otago last season, is back m Sydney once more, and is playing with his old team, Gordon; Otago were going to s win that shield, held by Auckland, by^tne aid of Macartney, tart they missed badly, but the least said about the result of the game the better, especially m Dunedin. i)ati Reese has retired from the .aiitVriM'?-- drinVet Association. It ddes hot necessarily follow that he wtHfce lost to Canterbury and New . Zealand cricket, but his business calls ate -heavy, and he cannot give the necessary time to the work of the Association. He will, however, conttikUfe to "play club cricket when m CKristcliuroh. The season proper will opefc'ifr that town on October 8. Well-known Australian players who have been m the Cold Country and axe now returning to Australia are Dr. H L.'O. S. PdMevin and Alan Marsfeal. The former, an exrNew South Wales. representative and a very fine batsman, will' probably do big things tori his oW Ststte again. Alan Marshal Will play for Queensland. Match regret has been expressed at the retirement of Mr E. Vance from tlfe'/position of secretary to the Wei-.. Ragton 0 Cricket Association. Mr Vance has proved himself a most capaMevand obliging official, and his services will be badly missed. ,Tj.,..5. W.arne, who was here with tse:,last visiting team from Australia^ ■ and who >' was also nearly appofaited, groundsman to the Wellingtojn Crick'Hi Association, will receive a. j (benefit this season from the Victorian Cripket , Association. . It has been suggested- that the match be Australian Eleven v. the Rest of Australia, and if anything comes of the 1 ' suggestion, there should be a heap of cash.l eft over for the genial Totnmf. ; It is stated that "Ranji" will be m BSftland this season as captain of an Indian team ; also, that there will be several • high-class cricketers amongst them. ' The team will play the Enqri-iafo- county teams, antl as "Ran ji ought «' to be a pretty good judge of his team's chances against the counties before booking dates, it points to their being at least fair exponents of the game. Admirers of a great cricketer will be pleased to hear that S. E. Gregory, who underwent a serious operation at the end of last season, is now quite recovered, and will be seen m the 'field again this season. IThe income of the Melbourne Cricket Club last season amounted to £12,955. Of this £11,910 was received., from subscriptions and entrance fees, being nearly £3000 more than was derived from the same source last season. No wonder visitis^, teams require guarantees instead of playing on percentages of gate money, seeing that they only receive a, share of the actual cash taken at their match. ' ' Wellington delegates, the other evening,, showed their common sense tii.,,' refusing to support the motion, emanating from Napier, that the headquarters of the New Zealand Cricket '• Association be . shifted from Obristehurch to Wellington. The lat-ter-city has quite enough bodies with head offices fixed there to manage as

it is, and they arc not all pulled along m such a howtingly successful : manner that more should follow on* account of the excellent example-set them. '. ' '■. "Short Stop" is pleased to report that the toillaant Australian pair,| Trumper and Duff, are both playingthe game aga-in this • season. Ttoere, two old "first m" perlorm£rs, il inthiiir b-est form, will give the A*frao-i aus some violent fielding exercise.' | An explKinge informs us that Lord; Bawke lias en@aged P. Pearson o£ Worcester as coach for Auckland. Alt though. not by any means a, Relfjj he is evidahtly a-gpod solid l ]iA't s ' roan, and a usefrii bowler. &t <6bjj time of last mail leaving- England Pearson had a battSng ;aver^ge of 38.07 for 37 mnitngs. :.'-.. Much gratificatioxi has been-express-f ed among Wellington cricli'eters generally at th-e continued success of D. Collins m University cricket m Eng~ lm<&. He is the son of pur well-kmowtf • medico and Legisla-tive Oouncillor, the Hon. Dr. Collins, wfao was in J bis day (jiiite a good player. On the* youmg player's showing m Wellington before leaving New Zmlaad, all sorts of ■good thjitgs weace profpheßied* about bis cricket cai€ter, and he bids fair to prove tkhem correctDan Reese, having retired from the ; administrative part of the game,., his position as solei selector of Can"terlury teams has been filled by the ippointment of J. N. Fowk©; ;