CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12599, 28 February 1903, Page 8

CRICKET.

■ THE ENGLISH TEAM v. NEW ~ ZEALAND. CPbb United Pbbss Association.) CHEISTGHURCH, February 27. Tho first of the two test matches, Lord Hawke's English Eleven v. a representative Now Zealand team, \Vas started at Lancaster Park to-day. The weather was wet and boisterous during the night, but the rain ceased about 8 o'olock in the morning. Though still threatening at noon no further ram fell before the match started. The wicket was covered at 6 o'clock in • the morning, but the rain by that time had done all it was calculated could .do. Considerable difference of opinion existed as to the state of the wicket.. Even winning the toss was regarded as a doubtful .'advantage. The New Zealand team met and appointed C. Richardson as captain. Fisher was omitted from the New Zealand team and Leajtham from tho Englishmen. The teams are.as follows:— ENOLANp.-P. P. Warner (captain), C. J. Burnup, F. L. Face, T. L. Taylor, E. M. Dowson B. J. % Bosanquet, J. G. Thompson, P, K Johnson, J. Stanning, S; Hargreave, A. D. Whatman. . New Zeaiahd.-C. A. Richardson (Wellington, captain), D. Reese (Canterbury), D. Hay Min i^ d) ' C - Hid <s°" (Wellington), B. a ml (Taranaki), D. Mahoney (Wellington), S. S Calla-way (Canterbury),' C. A. Boxshall (Canterbury), F. S. Prankish (Canterbury), K. fucker (Wellington), A. Downes (Otago). Although the test match was timed'to commence by noon, a full day's play was not possible, as a shower falling after two overs had been bowled delayed play till after lunch. The wicket was slow but easy, the bowlers getting a fair lot of work on. INow Zealand batted first, and rem uo 164 runs. Tucker played the boat innings for lira side, his 50 being compiled by stylish cricket. Reese played a free but somewhat fortunate innings for 32. Boxshall's 21 was a_ useful, merry contribution. Richardson's 17 probably does not represent tho full value of his excellent defensive innings, and Mahoney's 16 was also compiled oy sound, patient cricket. The other players were disappoiinting, specially Hay and M'Oarthy, who were both dismissed the first ball, Thompson, who got a lot of work on, was the most suoceaftil bowler. The English fielding was good and clean. With 20 minutes to. liat, tho Englishmen havo lost one Avictet, Warner falling a victim to Dov/mes after being previously missed at the 'wiokct.

•The weather turned out beautifully fine late in the afternoon, though the. light was it little bad during the last halt hour. There "WIT prospect of the wicket lasting well. t The New Zealand team won the toss and elected to bat, D. Reese and C. Hickson opening tbo innings to the bowling of Hargrcaye and Thompson. Reese nut the first delivery from Hargreave through the slips for two-a dangerously uppish stroke, almost a chance, After' Thompson's first oyer a smart shower fell, and play was discontinued until after lunch. On resuming after lunch the weather had cleared. A strong breeze dried the playing field, but jthe wicket was unaltered. Reese got Hargreave twice to leg for 4, and then sent one back dangerously near the bowler, who failed to get to it, being slow in starting. A period of very slow play followed, flickson playing good defensive cricket. A nice drive for * to square log, hit by Reese, brought 20 up, the runs being chiefly off Hargreave, who was replaced at 23 by Burnup. Both bsfcmen nlayed freely for an ovei or two, bringing 30 up. At 38 Ihompson sent Hickon back with a bailor. Hickson played careful, attractive cricket. ii i 7' w ' lo Wowed, was beaten all the way by the first ball, and mad© way for Tucker. 38-2-0. Thompson was breaking badly from the off, the wicket being good though a trifle glow. The reyorso had the effeot of steadying play, both bowlors sending down maidens. Byes brought up the next figures, and at 43 Kecso< failed to mill one from Thompson round, to leg, Doivson taking the ball softly at 43-5—32.. Thompson had taken three wieketa for 12 runs. Tucker opened wit i a single off Btirnnp, and followed it with 4- to leg off Thompson. Four to Mahoney, all run out, brought up the half century, and Hargreave camo back to the crea f e - Runs came steadily, the Englishmen e fielding being dean, and at times keen. Mahoney survived a confident appeal for ley'before when ho had made 7, and had a close escape at Thompson's hands Wen running a short one; but when 70 came in sight the Wellingtonians were doth' batting confidently. At the next decade Mahoney's habit of stopping across got him into trouble, Thonvnseui getting him leg before The wicket had put on 38 mns. 81—4—16. Franliish, who came in. was bowled with the score unchanged. Thompton at thie stage had bowled 20 overs, 11 maidens, for five wickets, at a cost of 25runs. Richardson succeeded, and opened with 2 through the slips. At 90 Botfninquet went on vice Hargreave, bowling fast. The century was posted for just under two hours play, and with the total at 107 Dewson gave Thompson a spell, the latter having but 3 rums scored off the last eight overs. Bosanquet immediately changed ends, Burnup bowling from the north. The changes caused rather an increase in the rate of scoring, Richardson running into double figures at 110, and Tucker, who was batting nicely, reaching 40. At the next decade Hnr•?i r r? aTO ' s Eervices W€r6 requisitioned . again. When the captain had made 14, he appeared to kick the wicket, the bail falling, but am appeal was not upheld. Dowson relieved Burnup at 129. Frequent changes kept tho econng slow, and Tucker reached his 50 mainly by singles. An over later he was caught at the wickets off Dowson. cn l_ n -50 ' ,J, ' le P ar,luonsl, i's had produced SO. Boxshall was next. Thompson resumed bowling af the south end vice Hargreave, and sent down the inevitable maiden. In his next over Boxshall put ud a bumpy one to po:ait, Warner fumbling it badly. The batsman showed gratitude by knocking Dowson to the boundary, then lifting him on to the track for 6, and again to the leg boundary off successive balls. Richardson played a maidra from Thompson. In Dowson's next,.over Boxohall nicely drove him to the off for 4, but was clean bowled by an extra fct one. 157-7-21. M'Carthy, who followed, was bowled by the first ball. Callaway succceeded, and maidens came from both ends. Callaway had scored a sin?Je when he put one from Thompson into the ?e'J? s '« , ° Bereave snapped him. •k~ T Downos > tn e last man, opened with a boundary, but in Dowson's next over the captain retimed one softly to the bowler The innings elooed at 5.25. Tucker s was a nice free innings, Richardson s patient batting and Boxshall'e merry life were features of tho imnings. Warner and Burnup were out" without delay, Warner taking stroke to Downes. Baunerman no-ballad Downes twice for his delivery, 4 coming off the over. Framkish howled from the northern end. The first 10' appeared quickly. Warner was missed at tho wickets off Downes when he Jiad made 5, and seemed very uncomfortable. A counle of overs later the English captain ■played Downes cm. 14-1-7. Play then ceased for the day. Scores:— New ZEAHND.-First Innings, D. Reese, c Dowson, b Thompson 32 C. Hickson, b Thompson i D. Hay, b Thompson o K. Tucker, c Whatman, b Dowson 50 ■ D. Mahoney, lbw, b Thompson .. 1G F. S.Frankish, b Thompson .. .. 0 C. Richardson, c'and b Dowson .. 17 C. Boxshall, b Dowson 21 B. M'Carihy, b Dowson 0 S, Callaway, c Hargreave, b Thompson i ■'','. A. Downes, not out .. .. ~ .. 4 Extras ig Tolal 1m Bowling Analysis. Balls. Mtlns. Runs. Wkts. Hargreave ■.. 108 4 43 — Thompson .. IG2 IG 33 G Burnup .... GO 4 0,3 _ Boßanquet' ..30 — .14 — Dowson ..... 50 2 • M 4 Dowson bowled two no-balls. Ekoland.—First Innings. P. P. Warner, b Downes 7 C. J. Burnup, not out 7 Total for one wicket .. .. 14 (From Oun Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, February 27. On. opening in the first test match to-day the wicket nlayed' treacherously, but improved greatly as the day wore on, and towards the close of the New Zealand imnings was'playing well, albeit a trifle slow. Taking into consideration Iho state of the wicket and the outfield, the score (164) made by New Zealand is no mean performance, and is equal to 200 runs on a fast turf. The batting of the combined team in several individual instances was highly meritorious., Reese, who opened with Hickson, settled down to make runs right from the first ball sent down, and had compiled upwards of

30 runs when the Wellington representative had only 4 to his credit. Reese hit freely all round the wicket, but his effort was marred by one or two chances in the slips— a favourite (stroke of the Canterbury representative. The batsman was at the wickets for three-quarters of an hour for his 32 runs, mado in 11 scoring lite* -five 4's, two 3's, two 2'e,- and two singles. Hickson (a batsman of the stonewall order) was at the wickets 35 minutes for 4.runs. He played the bowling splendidly, but. took no chances, and was dismissed by a short fast one from Thompson, the English professional, which nipped back quickly. Hargreave and Thompson were getting a lot of work on with the ball, the latter especially, and with a similar ball to that with which, two m:'mutesbefore, he clean bowled Hickson, the English professional scattered Hay's wicket. The finest display of batting on the New Zealand side was that of Ken Tucker, of Wellington, who was at the wickets for an hour and 50 minutes, during which time he defied change after change of tho English bowling, and amassed 50 runs. His strokes all round tho wicket were hard, crisi),. and well timed. Mahonoy, who filled the vacancy caused by Sims standing out of the team; is a short, sturdy batsman of the forcing type. Ho joined Tucker at 43, and assisted his Wellington confrere to carry the score to 81 before being out lbw to Thompson, Prankish was not comfortable- to tho small amount of bowling ho received, and somo surprise was created at his being }>ut in so early in the innings. Richardson, who lias the reputation of being a stonewaller, played quite up to form. Going in at 10 minutes to 4, ho saw five batsmen out and the seoro taken from 81 to 164 before he himself was dismissed by epoonimg ono back into tho hands of the English bowler Dowson. Richardson played tho bowling all through hw innings, but never forced the run-getting, and after batting for 95 minutes had scored 17 runs. Boxshall's innings was the liveliest of the day. After giving a- hob chance to Warner in the slips, the New Zealand wicketkeeper opened out to Dowson, sending that bowler's first three deliveries im successive bits to the boundary, one _ especially fine stroke worth recording going jilean over the cycling track for 6. .In three hits he scored It runs, and put on his 21 in 15 minutes. Two North Island men (Hay, of Auckland, and M'Oarthy, of Taranaki) wore bowled first ball, the former succumbing to Thompson and tho latter to Dowson. Dcwnos was last man in, and, evidently recognising that he was there to make runs, lflsliod out at the first ball from Thompson, gettipg it away to tlte boundary. Richardson, after playing carefully throughout, during which time ho never made a really bad stroko, spooned one back into Dowson's hands, Dovincs carryine; his bat for 4 not out. The innings, which ' closed _ for 164 runs, at 25 minutes past. 5, occupied three hours and 10 minutes. The fielding of the Englishmen was safe, yery few balls getting past them if within range. Burnup's display was magnificent, Thompson bowled splendidly, and easily secured first honours.Downos (the Otago bowler) was no-balled by Bannefman twice in. his first over. Your representative interviewed Mr Bannerman after the match as to tho reason of his no-balling Downes. Tho umpire stated it was owing to his doubtful delivery. Asked as to whether he had ever seen Downes bowling prior to this afternoon, Mr Bannorman replied, "Never in my life." Groat surprise and dissatisfaction was expressed at the non-inclusion of Fisher for tin's match, tho general opinion being that either M'Carthy or Callaway should have been left out. Fisher will 'not go to Wel'•rKjtrm for the second match against the Jffaglishmon in Wellington, The evening "is now fino and promises a good day tomorrow for the continuation of tho match. INTER-STATE CRICKET. ' Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. ADELAIDE, February 27. In tho cricket match Victoria v. South Australia, tho Victorians have lost four wickets for 227 runs. Macalister made 39, Graham 59. Armstrong 40, Stuckoy (not out) 53, Lavcr (not out) 33.