CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14702, 9 December 1909, Page 10

CRICKET.

Br Longsup. IXTERPROVINCIAL FIXTURES. Otago v. Canterbury.—At Cliristchurcli, Christmas week. Wellington v. Auckland.—At Auckland, at Chnstmas. Canterbury v. Auckland.-At Auckland, in January.

It is not generally known that, (J Macartney hail originally intended to sot, up in business m Auckland, and had the Australian Eleven representative been left to Jus own devices he would probably have been m Iho Queen City now. Through the instrumentality of Mr 0. R, Smith president of tho Otago Cricket Association,' who discussed the possibilities o7 the position with .Mr Macartney on tho voyage to tho clit 1 his of Otago were woll advanced. Tho result is that the Austrillion all-round cricketer is with us today.

Homo misapprehension appears to exist as to the intentions of Macartney M tar as his stay 111 Duncdin is concerned. Irom Ins reply to the toast of welcome at tho reception given to tho Australian cncketcr a couple of weeks ago it wa-s generally understood that Macartney purreturning " home" next winter. " Inch is quite correct in its way, but the home referred to is not England, ns popularly believed, but his horns in Sydney, it is Macartney's intention to leave' Dunedin m March next-, going to Melbourne first, and thence to Sydney. His return to Uunct in to tako up his permanent residence will depend almost solely on the prospects of promoting his business here. Failing this it may bo an accoptwl fact tlut when Macartney leaves us in March next, it will Ire with tho intention of not returning. Last week some comment was made on the prospects of Otago for Plunket Shield favours this year, and tho suggestion was thrown out that'something might lie done m the direction .of another attempt to secure tlio trophy—not for itself, I would' have it understood, but for tho power tho possession of it would wield for the future of the game at this end of the island. One 111 authority informed me that matters wore being worked quietly towards that end, and I was told not to be surprised if, Canterbury and -Wellington failing to wrest the shield from Auckland, Otago made another attempt. Yet. the question of representation in the first Mitel-provincial match of the season, Otago v. Canterbury, set down for tho usual dates during Christmas Week, must first engage the attention of tho selectors and players. The practices or "trials" should bo carried out, not in the usual haphazard and casual stylo of the nast. but with fomo idea of method and system, and with, a view to obtaining the best possible results. Only the best results can be secured by the players takiii" "3 keen an interest, in the pra-Mice as in the match itself. This has never prevailed, aiul the reason of it pusses <ill understandwjr. Punctuality should bo insisted on, and tho practice earned out oq methodical linos. All nets should lx> done away with, ths men "placed", in the field, and. tho recognised bowlers only put 011 to practising batsmen.

Ctmlcibury at present has three interprovincial contests in view. Ojaijo will play in Christchureh at Christmas. Canterbury will play Wellington ' at New Year, 'and, if newvi-ary, will plav Auckland for the I'lunket Shield on January 8 and following days. As Wellington will jiluy Auckland a.fc Christmas for tho PlunK-et Shield there is a possibility that tho Wellington-Canterbury match at Xew Year may be a I'lunket Shield match, Tho Canterbury goloctor is going to hav© a difficult problem this year. Lust Bcese, Anthony, _ Bennett, Boxshall, and Carlton are practically certainties, an<l then there arc Cra«*haw, Sandman, Howell, Addison. Ma!on,\ and Wateon as bowlers with Bruges, Wood, Patrick, Orchard,' Jones, Ridley, Hayus, Mis, and Norman us batemrn from whom lo nick fji* others The following circular, which sate at rest an oft-debated and not very widely-known subject, has boon issued by the Otago Uickefc Association lo tlmt worthy hod.v, tho lago Umpires' Association':--!)-™!-oil, With reference to the copics of tho Laws of Cricket ant to you recently I have to advise you that, law K has been altered bv tho M.C.C. since the publieaJ 1011 . J J IOO ! I *' i,n, l low reach a.s follows:—"The in-side may declnro their inning:; at. mi end in a three days' match at or a tier the luncheon interval on tho second day; in a two days' match the cuptain of the batting sido has power to declare his innings at a close at any time, but such declaration may not bo made on the liisi. <lay later than ojiq hour and TO minutes before the time agreed upon for drawing stumps; in a one-day match at any time.

The wicwot at Carisbrook was ideal from a batsman's viewpoint. 011 Saturday, and 110 end of runs were i>o«sible on it'. The tact that Grange only succeeded in hitting up 130 front tho efforts of its iudvidual bitumen is duo most- to t.lie suceess of the bowling of M. Chadwick, the ex-Opoho ti-undler, who had a "trap" in the slips into which tho majority of the Grange batsmen fell.

The Grange innings, indeed, considering tlio agreeable conditions, was curiously Colourless, and certainly not one to cause a thrill of excitement to go through tho spectators. Henderson's 42 was tile host piH-fjirnianM on Ihe Granee side, and had it ! 10 f 1 I 'i 0 \ er * UMiul tlio grand total would- have bocn something to ponder on. Hendereon gave a glimpse of one or two gcod strokes in tho getting of his runs, but mostly they cumo by the proccss of ' edging" away to leg. Nevertheless, they were on the score sheet, and that's what really counts.

Johnston, of All Black fame, batted in Ins own particular style for his lfc I might add that when Johnston is in aggressive incod ho is always worth watching. Tho big fellow hits hard and clean, getting fine power behind the blade, but his timing is not all thnt it might be. Otherwise Johnston might be a Massio and a Botinar ail 111 on?.

Philips, who is a stranger in these parts, and Wright showed some promise, but there was really nothing outstanding in the innings, which was for the most part tin* eventful.

The destroying angel was really Chadwick, whose six victims cost but 49 runs on an easy wicket whero the ball was inclined to come along and invite a banging to'tho boundary, 'i ha cx-Opoho triindler kept sending them <iown with a good length just outside the olf stick, and. backed" up by tho fine fielding of liarron and Fcuwiek iu tho slips, was encouraged to keep 011 the spot, which 110 did with successful results. The other bowlers tried could do practically nothing, though Danon did get a coupb of tho tail-enders.

Thanks in th© main to Siedeberg's 70 and Austins 35 not, out. tho I! team is holding a reasonably safe position for victory, and, barring miracles, on© would be info in writing his own ticket. Yet I am not writing my ticket on this match. There is a pronounced "tail" to the B eleven which may not wag to any run-getting extent, in which case the Cnrisbrook 1! 'Mead" mav not bo bsyond overhauling when Grange'come to pull tnenisclves together for the second Gtrike.

.Sicdekerg- is in rare batting form this season, as his consistent scoring in the matches played will demonstrate, and he is the first, man to be selected for the Otago team. Siedeberg's 70 against Grange was marked by many good strokes round Iho wicket and tho laying on of muoli wood. Leforo he had reached double figures Siedeberg had a narrow escape for a run out, but with a great effort ho succeeded in gothnj; to his croaso. , I am pleased to note tnnf. G. G. Austin is getting into something like form, though 1 doubt whether temperament will ever normit the popular Carisbrook man to do liim- , f. J us ' le f- ,Ho P«t on 35 of tho JtfsUn Saturday last, and is still unbeaten. li I lie wiewt should favour the bfttsmen next week I would not be surprised to s«e Austin make a fine stand. With a trifle ol luck—and the best batsmen in the world need it occasionally—anything pleasant mav happen.

Nothing of a particularly startling nature took pi nee on the (Vilcdomnn hst Saturday, when tho Dnnfdin and Opoho teams met, although the apr-earanco of " Sid " Callaway with the Oiniho loam aroused a 'Considerable amount of interest amongst the Sp.'cl.'ilors. Considering that the tralian had been awav from the game for more than a couple of years, it was not to

0m- ■■(.:'(>. that lv.> would show much of the form lh.it mado him famous in Aus''■ilia and Now Zealand, but the Duncdin players treated his bowling with tho greatest, resivct—and they had need to.

fowling at about half his usual pao?, Callaway maintained a pcrfcct length, and,

aided by (ho wind; lie kept tho Duncdin batsmen busy on defence, most of whom wore content to play his bowling and trust to getting runs off EckhofT and M'Gavin. Seven wickets for 57 against a comparatively strong batting team like Dmiedin is an average that any bowler might be proud of, and- I venture to predict that when Callaway gels into proper bowling condition, some of cur " star" batsmen will have to look to their defence.

Wilson and Mnckersy wore the only Dunc-din players that appeared to be at home to Callaway, and it is questionable if tho Duneiiin captain was not caught bohind the wickets off Callaway before ho had mado double figures. Porteou.s and Young both batted steadily, and were- content to play the bowling, although a little aggressiveness on their part would certainly ensure tliern more runs and make tho game more interesting from the. spectators' point ot view. The Opoho batting calls for little comment. I f ivo wickets arc down for 33 runs, and unless the unexpected happens Duncdin should notch it four-point win.

Torrance bowled well, capturing two wickets for 3 runs, and Mackersy two for 20.

Just a hint to batsmen, both senior and junior; It would save the umpire a considerable amount of trouble if the batsmen, on coming to the crease, would tell the umpire what 110 (tho batsman) requires— cent™ or centre and leg. Unless asked for a particular block, an umpire invariably gives the batsman "centre." It is annoying sometimes to find that after having gone to a deal of trouble to give tho batsman "centre," that he requires some other block.

All things considered, it cannot be said that, Albion made the best possible use of the conditions prevailing 011 the North Ground for the first strike against C'arisbrook A. 'Ihc pioneer batsmen piada an auspicious beginning, and inspired confidence in those who were to follow, but facing Fisher bowling with the wind the tnil-enders failed rather dismally.

The saeond innings promises well, and tho Xorth-enders have now established' a serviceable load, which suggests a good victory over Carisbrook.

Tho two colts, Hiddlcston and'Jl'Farlane. started well, and gave a good.exhibit-ion of cricket. Both bate in en showed- fine form at the crease, ami marked their efforts by accurate timing and clean hitting. M'Farlane, who is really the most promising young cricketer in town, played exceptional fine cricket- All his strokes were clean and well timed, while his driving was powerful. MTarlano's score included three Vs. one 3, and a 6, and was going well when Blamircs, making a splendid' catch off Fisher, brought about his end. MTarlane should have a chance for representative honours this season.

Another lii<oly colt is Cra-mond, who enmcs of a good cricketing family, and who has much still undeveloped ta'.ont. Cramond got into double figures before being bowled by Fisher. Frank Williams was in scoring mood 011 Saturday, and while exhibiting good defence was not- afraid to open his shoulders when the chance came. The big fallow claimed in Jiis score of 27 four 4's and 0ll.» 6.

The changing over of Fisher to bowling with tho wind also brought about a change in tho complexion of events. On the dismissal of Williams, the Carisbrook lei'thar.'Jor .sccur-cd thvo-o more wic&ets in rapid fuieci\viioti, and the whole side were back in the pavilion for 122—a very moderate total after tlic promising start. Hiddleaton and M'Farlano again opened, nnd at tho drawing of stumps the score stood no wickefs for 56. It looks all over a victory for Albion; but one never knows, and "it is Quite unsafe to prophes-y in cricket. Carisbrook scarcely made the showing one expected against Albion, but there were circumstances, quite apart from indifferent witting, which accounted in some measure for the comparatively weak display. It may be said that some of the Carisbrook batsmen -did not relish Wordsworth's fet ones. That may bo true enough. I am not going to dispute the point. My own opinion is that it was not Wordsworth's fast ones which the batsmen were afraid of so much as the erratic ones sent down by the professional. Wordsworth was no doubt bowline; at great pace, but it was pace which so sacrifioed' length that the batsmen never knew exactly where the balls —which got up sometimes in an alarming manner—were going to pitch. Now, this style of bowling may possibly bo an effective means of unnerving batsmen, ultimately to their distress, but it. is certainly not the stylo calculated to improve tho standard of our young cricketers. It was with that object, I take it, that Wordsworth engaged by. tho Otago Crickct Association.

In my juvcmls at football the player who carried his arm *11 a elint; or limped on two sticks in town on Saturday night was mado more or less of a hero. No doubt lie felt a tritto heroic himself. And, again (if lie Jiad any sense), lie would not! But 0110 scarcely cxpects those trophies of war to be carried off the .cricket field. Yet I know one Carisbrock player who came off the North Ground on Saturday ''wounded" 011 the right shoulder where a "bumpy" ball had struck him. And tho irony of it was that he was caught oil ipand given out!! That's what hurts. Some of the balls were eo erratic that on on« occasion Watson walked halfway down the wicket and patted the turf! It may bo claimed by somff that this was not the best of taste. I don't know. But I do know that it illustrated graphically more than all the sermons that might have been written on the incident what was happening.

Mr Frank Laver, the manager of tho Australian Eleven, who ivill arrive in Adelaide by the Orient mail steamer Orsova, in a conversation just beforo leaving London, referring to the complaint of critics Hurt tho Australians were reticent and exclusive, remarked: "As for that, three excellent rules which we drew up for ourselves, and which, I trust, will bo observed by succeeding elevens, were these— To grant 110 interviews during th"e> tour; to ask members of tho team not to write for any publication whatever; and to accept as few _ invitations to dinners as possible. Obviously it. is inadvisable, in a .great centre of journalistic activity liko liomlon, to have the players bothered by reporters, seme of whom, if we are to .judge from their criticisms of us this summer, are incapable of putting a fair ccn'(■ruction upon anything. A section of the Lnglish press was grossly unfair to us at the outset of tho tour. They welcomed us us a lot of mediocrities, and when wo won our first matches they explained that fact away quite airily by attributing it, to the immense number of chajice.s missed off our batsmen. Then in May, when wo had our bud time, losing three matches iu lesa than a fortnight, they gloated in a very unsportsmanlike way over our discomfiture. And what did these same critics do later as wc slowly turned tho tide in our favour? They rounded 011 their own men, their own idols—men who had honourably represented England in many a tough fcgnt, and called them 'has-beens' and all tho rest. I cannot imagine how such ungenerous, such unfair criticism, is possible 111 the leading London newspapers, .the only effect of slanging players after they had been chosen for England was to destroy their nerves and mako matters easier for us. The chief reason why we refused hosts of invitations to dinners was that we came to England to uphold the cucketmg honour of tho Commonwealth, ?•? niL we lo k cc l' ourselves <i : u 0A ? " mncrs nlcn " houra and bis heads,' and in justice to those whom wo represented wu were bound to refuso them. Of course, wc fujly appreciate the spirit 111 which the*; invitations were oxtended. It is a fact, too. that the players, . 11 matter of choice, prefer to dine quietly at- their hotel with a few guests, and thou g 0 off to a theatre or musio hall, instead of listening io a lot of speeches. The popularity of the Australian* is not declining. Jiverjrwhere wo haw been splendidly received,' ami despite tho verv wet summer tho financial result (which I am not at liberty to mako publio until tha accounts have been placed before the Australian Board of Control) has bean hiyhly satisfactory. Indeed, we havo had w, nc record attendances this tour." PAVILION GOSSIP. . icpoiled that A. C. M&clarcn has joined a Manchester firm of motor engineer#. Albert -Eelf did some fine bowling in i layers v. Gentlemen. Ho bowled unchanged, and sent down It overs for 9 runs and three wickets iu a total of (M. Annngeinenis hivo been made to renew 0 Connor s eugugeiucut by the South AusItalian Cricket Association, Ho will accordingly remain iu the State. X. C. Tuliiol, who was out here with the JI.C.C. tejm, has accepted iJic invitation of the M.C.C. to go to South Africa this winter as second wicket-keeper. Dr Fooler, lato of Dimedm, is a very attractive bit, wilii a tanuency to get out of liia crdnso when making Iris strokes. All round ihe wicket Foster is a taking and kttraciive bat, living the wood on very effectively. The slip-cjtiii,;ug in<u.'hina presented to Esst Melbourne by Messrs Laver and Jl'Alister lis giving immense satisfaction in practice. All cricketers who have h:d a "go" at tiie nuchir.o speak highly oi lie ;. csichy slip work it '

O. llazlitt's 110 wickets tor 132 against South Australia is, in its way, a. record for a Victorian bowler in first class cricket. Hugh Trumble secured no wickets [or 103 against South Africa, and J. V. Saunders roue for 100 against ;h« last English team. South Australia's 590 is the highest total that State has ever made against Victoria, .102 having been mode in IS3I, when George Giffcn was practically unsliiftable by the bowlers of Victoria. South Australia's biggest innings against .Sew South Wales is 575, when -Clem Hill played his famous 35G not out at Adelaide,

A meeting of prominent men of Bombay lias appointed an influential commit tea to arrange for a representative Indian cricket team to visit England in the earliest year possible, and to collect funds for the purpose. It is hoped that the Jam of Xawanagar (Prince Ranjitsmhji) will captain the team. Letters on the subject have already been sent to Lord Harris and Mr A. C. Madarea.

When W. G. Grace got his famous 152 against the Australians at Kennington Oval in ISoD the first ball he received hit the wicket without removing the bails. As \\'. L. Murdoch and George I'almer were walking out YV. L. said to Palmer: "I believe, George, if you got in a. fast yorker to W. G. first ball yon'd get him." I'almer replied, "I'll try." He got in the yorker, it shot under the leviathan's bat. touched the wicket —but the bails remained on.

C. (i. Macartney's 224 not out for Gordon (Sydney) against Redfem was made in lQftG-7. and the 144 pgainst Bitrwood in the following season. In leoking through Ilia records ot the Gordon Club a Sydney writer finds that only 13 hundreds have been made in the First Grade, five standing (o tlio credit of Macartney, two each to K N. Hiekson, G. Jordan, and one caeh to Arthur B. Clarke. F. A. Iredale, A. G. JfUan, and P. Johnston. In addition C. 0. Macartney scored 125 and Gordon Black 102 for the club in the Country Week match of 1905-G against New England. A Chriatchurch appreciation of a professional: "Carllon's innings waa a treat to watch. Ho plays with a perpendicular bat, and his attitude throughout is that of one who is there to mako runs. His off-driving was very powerful, although it was to mid-eft and the bowler that his chances were given When possible his hook stroke to log ia brought into play, and then all round" tho wicket be is looking for the useful siuglc, being a brilliant exponent of a short run. lie used his feot to advantage, and often Ik- v.-o'.iW run out. of his ground a couplo of yards, either for a drive or merely to play

Tim Xov South Wales scicctcrs, Jlcsn'sG. F. Harbour, F. A. Iredale, and E. Hume, havo selected the two Now South Wales interstate tsams. Tho first, to play South Australia at Adelaide on December 17, clc., and Victoria at Melbourne on Boxing Dav| etc., consists of: A. Diamond (Burwooo), captain, W. Bardsley (Glebe), J. C. Barne3 iHedfern). H. Carter (Waverlcv). H. L. Colliim (Sydney), S. H. Emery (Rcdferti), C Kelleway (Glebe), L. A. Minr.eU (North Svdney), W. J, Stack (Universitv), V. Trumper Gordon), E. L. Waddy (Oantral Cumberland), Iv. I', Waddy (Central Cumberland), Gow f ,", lU L C - E ' Gotr >' take the Places of V. Irumpcr and 11. Carter, if the latter are unavailable.