CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12472, 1 October 1902, Page 2

CRICKET.

Br "Long Slip." It seems no time since the close-of the 1901-02 cricket- season, -and here we are again, making preparations for the king of suimmeir pastimes for 1902-03. Evidences of the near approach, of cricket are on allsides, and tho season promises to be a busy and interesting one, and has special significance by virtue of the visit of Lord Hawke's English team to tho colonies. And has not that selfsame Lord Hawko got a powerful, side together? Certainly a much better. team than the moat sanguine of us hoped, and much superior to the team- originally cabled out. T. L, Taylor, C. J. •Bmrmvp.'P. F.> Warner, F. L. Fane; B. J. T. Bqsamquet,' E. M. Dowson, and Lord Hawko, to take tho-first seven as they figure on' 1 the 'averages compiled up to and including August 16, are in the first flight of batsman in the Old' Country. Hargreave and E. -M. Dowson fimd a place in. the bowling averages, the former being sixth from, the top, having taken 100 wickets at a cost of 1516 rune,'giving an average of 15.16. Bosanquet, too, bc-sides being a batsman of the front rank, is a fine bowler. An English writer-says of him:—When he was. at Oxford Bosanquet, was a fast bowler .of more than ordinary promise, but he has altered his former style, and now bowls leg-breaks which break" from the off, and off-breaks which break from leg. Until quite recently Bosanquet's length was, to say the least of it, uncertain, but he is a cricketer who is not easily put off when he has made up his mind,.to do a thing, and by dint of constant'practice he has acquired a very fair length. There are great, very great possibilities in Bosanquet's bowling, and so.experienced a batsman as William Gunn has declared that he cannot for the life of him tell which way the ball will break-when it leaves BosariquotV hand. It was really quite amusing arid not a little interesting to the close observer of the game to see the feeble efforts the Notts men. made to play this kind, of bowling. The characteristics of Bcsanquot's bowling■ may be' summed up as follows: When you expect a leg-break you receive an off-break, and when yoii expect the ball to breik from the off it breaks from leg, while every now and again one will come along perfectly straight. To return to local cricket. Carisbrook look hopefully to the coming season, and. notwithstanding tho departure of several of their last year's senior players, expect to put one strong eleven in the field. Tho loss of such players as Burt, Broad, Monk, Harkness, Cuff, and Tapley by their departure from the city, is bound to be severely felt by tho Carisbrook' Club, bait the gaps in the A team will be filled by men from the_ B, and the B a ranks in turn will be recruited from the juniors. The only player of note who. has thrown in his lot with Carisbrook this season is J. Hussoy, who represented Hawke's Bay last year. However, a number of now members have joined, and it is intended to place four elevens in the field— A and B teams, a Junior Oup eleven, and a third grade. The club will hold a practice on Saturday. Opoho will be no better nor worse than last year. As far as I can gather, the same players will constitute the senior eleven as represented the club during'the 1901-02 season. They, have, however, several promising juniors in the Opoho Olub, and if these come on to any appreciable extent, they will give one or two present seniors a go for their places. Turubull, I hear; is not.likely to be foxind in the ranks of the lull club this season. Last Saturday the members .had a strike for an hour or two. Ttiey arc looking forward to a. good day on Saturday afternoon next, when the First Eleven play the Rest of the Club. The North-Eaßt Valley Band has consented to play selections during the afternoon. The Albion Club were the first to.show signs of activity having an addition made to the pavilion and the wickets prepared for the' coming season. This club has a promising future. At the end of last seaeoh they showed remarkably good form, much better than that of many years previously, and Were beginning to take themselves seriously when the Cup matches concluded. It is to be hoped they take themselves up where they left off last season. All the old members with the exoeption of Gcddee, who has taken' over the Port Chalmers Eleven, are rejoining, and several new ones 1 have promised to play. Among the latter i 3 Hales, the South Australian cricketer, who was twelfth man in the team which claims Clem Hill. A good practice by this olub, is looked for on Saturday. The Grange Club have taken a new lease of life, and under the captaincy of Billy Parker, who is' taking- up the game again for his old olub's sake,' a successful season is anticipated. Several retired members have signified their intention of rejoining, besides those who Were connected with the olub ■last year. Baker, Johnston, Downcs, Parker, and Co. should keep this club together, which I hope to see well to the froiit in the Cup matches. The Dunedin Crickot Club open their season next Saturday with net practice. Ii is the intention of the club to provide afternoon tea for the players and lady friends during the season. A start in this direction will be made on Saturday, when a large number of supporters of the club, are expected to put in an appearance. A few enthusiasts of the ,Dunedin Crab,, including J. Croxford, W. Skitoli, C. Frith, and A. Hume, had a practice last Saturday afternoon on a wicket of Mr Skitch's own construction near Manor plaoo. Playing for Middlesex against Gloucester, Albert Trott' was in great form 'with tho tall. In the' course of eight overs he bagged seven wickets. He bowled with all his old-time brilliancy, batpman after bateman being, in ; a hopeless tangle, and none played him with confidence. In the Sussex-Somerset match on August 7, 8, and 9, English, oricketer Braund compiled his .1000 runs and captured his: 100 th, wicket for the season. Playihgfor thc'Geutlemen of Kent against Hythe, on August 13, C. J. Burn up, a member of Lord Hawke's team, for New Zealand, put togetlier 102 in the former's second total of 429. Another member of Lord Hawke's team, B. J. T. Bosanquet, made 93 in the same match. F. L. Fane, another member of Lord Hawke's team for New Zealand, was principal rungetter for Essex against Notts in the .county match concluded on August 9. . Fane contributed 53 in faultless style. His best figures being seven 4'a, three 3's, and three 2's. B. J. T. Bosanquet, one of Lord Hawke's selection for New Zealand tour, was in evidence in the Middlesex-Notts match on August 15. Tho Middlesex cricketer took seven Notts second inuings wickets for 57, and put on 27 with the bat in his side's innings. \ Hargreave, the professional bowler with Lord Hawke's team, was third in the bowling averages at the end of August 9, having taken 99 wickets at a cost of 1363 runs; average 13.76. Haigh was leading, 108 wickets costing 1313 runs, average 12.15: Rhodes was second with 149 wickets, 2053 ' runs, .average 13.64. C. 'J. Burnup, who is coming to New Zealand with Lord Hawke's team, got within one of the century in the county match' Kent v. Somerset, concluded on. August 16. Burnup batted for two hdurs and 40 minutes for*hie runs. •' His display was a. fine one in every way. Burnup followed this up two days later by a still better performance when he amassed 104 in Kent's finst venture against Worcestershire. Batting for 2J hours, Burnup did not give a single chance, his Chief strokes comprised 16 4's. Robson, tho Somerset professional, accomplished he "hat trick" against Yorkshire on August 20, dismissing E. Smith, Haigh, and Rhodes in successive balk. Dr a W. G. Grace received a request to take a team of English cricketers to tho United States at the end of the season, but had'to decline the invitation.

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