CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15396, 7 March 1912, Page 10

CRICKET.

Bt r.oNr.at.ip.

Dili' of tlujfo unwiviatilo rooords whicli m' out.- Kirtii 10 Itonour lws Ix'i-n oslalilisluil this jumnier (save the Itl.uk!) by tin.' postponement for llio liftfi wx-asion oi all grailt: niatcln.'i under tho anspiccs of th.'t Otjigo Oioket Association. I ktivv rain on Friday night antl early on ivit.urday inoriiitig" so siUirattxl the various grounds tin* in Iho afternotin lliey were tinplayablo. Pools of water liko ininiaiiirc Ittkcs dnllitl tho surfneo of C'-tiris-brook, antl tho Caledonian Oniuiitl was in :i similar slate, while the North Ground, though not so picturesque, wa;; soddon and ilistfessful looking. 'llie wrelohed weallier has taken all llio enlliustusm out of tho players and loft little interest in (he r-ontesls for tho uroiuiorship. Not only liavo club fixttr 1 btvu seriously hampered antl inlet, d with, Lilt llio two representative matches reac.htxf no finality rmnig lo climatic inlluonees. Allogoihei- it has tx-on a situ-oa of blighted hopes untl disappointments wherein no true sUntliiuxl of piny li:w ht'on roaoltod >'0 much ilix's criekei tlopentl ii[>on iho weather Iliat auuthor stetson lilt,. I.he t,nt> passing :hrtiticli will liavo a disastrous effect 011 the future oi the game in Dunediii. The ptosenl soasi n has seen four local senior erickelers leave for other parts, reih'cing r.iir ciukel sttx;k considerably. Uutliorforil and Godfrey, of Christiinxik, w,"m (lie lirst to go. tho fonnor m Bore antl the latter lo Melbourne. Casey, nf Opoho, a promising cxilt. left for Wellington a few weeks aw, whillier has now ;one C. (!. Wilson, the old Otago taplain. At tlie end of Iho 111011IJ1 'Alex. Marlin, of (jiirishrcok, president of the W'etlnestlay Association antl one of tin; ihrco t-o|ivl<irs of. Olago rqiresontntivo le.".ins, leaves for Napier. ;,ntl al ill" comiiii'iicniiiolit of ltost soastui Hopkins, our lir-t ami lues! stylish IxilHtnen and onerg"lic lioltl. r;ii!s for Sydney. It v.-ill be roinetnbori'tl thtil ill Xovt*nifior of fitrst vt-nr llopkins leli Dunediii for Sydney, to eonio back iuimwiiutely for another 12 mouths. The time lor lotnrn to llis native town pmliably cannot tt-ino too kxui for tli_iiwdest it ml jxiptilar Carislrronk lialMiian. wiio has furnished one of the few bright sjxils 111 litis «t*astm's cricket. The Now Zoal.-pni Criekei Coiiutil lias written tho respective assoeiatfons in regard to the piti|V.isfl visit of a New Zealand Irani to Australia next season, suggesting that subwrintinn lists bt! opened. If £600 could bo raisctl by this imaiis and WOO by iiiatoiics—New /.calami v. Wellington antl Xew Zealand v. Auckland— lieforo llie tram's departure ihe otuiiK'il i» of opinion that Iho finances woultf'bc placed on sound basis. The Xm lyuitli Wales, Viclorian, ■mtl Queensland Associations have olToroil Iho council Ihe not iiroeootls of the matches in which he Now Zealand team will be engaged. Kcplitti hav ot to U> rcce'ved fr:>: 11 the Soul li Aiulr.ilian Association aud the Mclbiinrne C'.C. The Olago As:oiiiition l.iitl ihe propotnl iK'foro il on Tucdiiiy •veiling, Liit postponed consideration for I iuiler nii'cli.'ig In «miirclion with the promised Ausralian visit, iho council is seeking .llio ipinion ot the associalion us to the advisaj'.lilv of asking each s?loc*.c<l player to tiiiliiliulo £10 lowardls his expenses. In .lie present stale of iho lill.'tl.cvs of the •'iiincil antl the asscciatimis this is a ica--I,liable pixipositian. and no selected iluyer. if he ran alford tho sum, will be* :rud'ii' il. llcsidos, it will fnrni.-ii a t-.'.-i >f Iho true (iiiialciir spirit, pervading' in riekot circles in the Dominion. The liiliouliy appears to be that of getting In. mavary leave for tho best Now Zetland side to lour Australia for six or •iglit weeks. Tho matter of contributing iie amount of £10 towards oxpensos will n:t bulk so largely with the mcnilKr.* oi i:o t*■-. 111 as collirilmiing a period I two nnntlis awn\ fnnu business.' The two -•imhincd may ;x! a- a clotorient to *o;no ;f our hi s; players, ai:tl it v.oro ill-advisee II send .1 it-Jiai im thorouglily I't'iiresenalive of Now Zealand cricket. During lie winter months ways and means fin inning the necessary leavo of absence vill piolgibly be devised, anil tlie possible neiiilx-r.s of the team notified in time to ttake tirrtiiigciiienls. Albeit lit.- tptestkn of a Now Zealand tam for Austrilia was not discussed (o my extent ai Tnc?day's i.eeling of the >iago Cricket Asstx-iation, ono member oicetl the opinion Iliat lie was opposed to ho proposal, on tho ground that such 1 tour would b.' of no benefit to cricket :ol,orally in Now Zealand. While this feeing may pervade throughout the (Kurd \r-tx-intiu!i, the Canterbury Itody is taking t up willi vigour, ('niiiineiitiii': on this. 1 Christrhureh writer says: "Already tho <*oill to -os the .'itl)|ii-l c.l '-onconi Iti ocal erickttcrs. In Christchnrch we havo loon pi'iviicgid lo witness ail ,'t:nr pro-iiic-s at piav during tho past tun motilli-, jn! 110 tiouU t'lo final si'lecliou will <!■- ■end in it large extent 011 this si'a ; on'.* iig matches. The following flayers must time elose to the soleotiu-s' approval:--Vnckland llmtiin, Sale, Ollill, Sneddon. I sivlor. I ).i'-y-y>)l; Woilington--Gilil>cs, bice. Miillal'O Ulaeliltv.-l; ali.l Saunders; "aiiterbury—liciMc, I'nlrick, Lusk, Hontell, .N.iiitlmnn. Hickimut. and Boxsball; itago Condliir... Hopkins, .\l'Kar:n:i". Jowiies, aii)| Tt-iraiito. Here" wo have 3 natito-', v'liilo onlv M will bo required, it inns. Sneddon. Ollill, Giblio.;, .S'-»un.!oi>, icesjo, I'alri-k, lirrtm-tl, Hopkins, Dnwiies, r. 11 Coiidlille have all cxcelloni perforuiinees this yetir. but still 110 selec-or would lick Olliir, Saunders, and Downes. Seeing (cose ha*, been me mainstay of Ihe Oanerhlli'y Uii.-liii'.'. probably ono or two of lie ul.ove trio may Ik* loft tint. Tlie titlesion of Saunders lieing an Australian player mil engaged a« a co.-ch might in itself oad to his omission. Tho most serious uoblein in tho selection of tho team will ie thiil of llio colts. It is quite probable hat llorsp.'ol and Taylor, of Auckland, : iinduian and lliekmolt, of Canterbury, mild l>i' nol lie picked in Now Zealantrs iesi eleven, yet for the tour lo Australia II four ought to bo mm:!. Tho two Aiu-k----aiitl lads were not sot-ii al their lies! iu liiislchitri'li. Imi lliev are gootl bals:ue;i II tho ."iinu* lliekmott has a great reonl for his first season, antl has p:\ivetl litnsolf tho lino-it outliold seen in Christliurch this season. Santlman has tremeiiItuis |iossibili(io.< as n Ixiwler. lie is no loan liatsman, antl a tuagnificoiit field. For .iekol-koopor, ConillilFe. of Duuotlin. is the rsi favourite, but iu the opinion of some : those who toured Ivfore a second wicketleioor iniust Ik- soul. Hoxsliall luis not lorformod so well this year, tint still lie as exceptioinllv difficult Ixiwling to take 11 Oarltun, Santlman, ami ltee.-j\ and I of for the veteran as the reeerve stuniiwr. )ii iho principle that tho torn will benefit ho colls most, and as the four 1 have iinie,| ore i|tiile up to the standard of Nt w Icaland cricket, then tho selection heroine.; laroowod down, lirico is the only fas: xiwlor iu ihe Dominion, while Benin tt as done yeoman service as a medium-fast *'.vlor. Tbo pitv of it is that IWm it is ucli a slow lioltl. while (lllilf i, noi first lass. Of the senior batsinon, lilacklock - a siifforf from rheumatics, while it is r-tlorstood thnt that brilliant field. Sale, i_iil not be available for business reasons, f tho fol'owiug plavon could make tlio ri;i 1 v.otilii | H , saiisfiedßowlers—Heeso .'! OllilT (A.). Hrir>> (W.). Ilonnet; (C ; icket-kerper.—ComllilTo (0.). Ibxshal! batsmen—Honitis :A.), tiillvs (W I, lopkins ill.). Patrick (CM. Sneddon (A.)', lickmoit (C.). Horsixiol (A.), and Taylor A.'. It will bo seen that I havo omitted mil players as Lusk, Midlane. and Hlack.vk, but 1 hive done so for tho reasons latod alxue. although for a single test '.atcn in New Zealand, probably Ilick■ott, llor«|Kxil, and Taylor would not be .".-iSiilercd. lliekmolt s vorxitility in ovory eiiarlmoitt should make him a vorv useful ian in a tour. Finally, what linift be emoinbercd is that the team must bo a erfitt fielding side. It. is iu that departlent that special attention musi lv iwitl, s;xvially tho ability to hold catches." Another trihuto luis i-con paid to Mii'.iison, the well-known Cnrisbrcok ■icketer and groundsman, for the excellent iokots ho provides. In an interview Mr lav. treasurer of tile Auckland Cricket is-viation. antl one, of its selectors, who iv.uiipaniod the Auckland team on its

0 grounds I lie team had played on, said;|< "The host turf was on the Carisbrook II ' Ground. Uunediit, which .Mr Watson, the 11 ground man, had in splendid order. The ; s j outfield was perfect, Imt. unfortunately, ! ] llic wicket was s|>oi;i by rain. 11l: 1 Basin | l r Iti serve, \V<j!ii:i«loii, was the worst ground j I . thev played on. Tin- oullicld was very t 1 rough, ninl tin* wii-krt carried too trmeh 1 1( grass, enabling the lowlers to got a lot ' of ivork 0:1 the i»all, Imt. hardly to break j t ( 2ift, as tni'Mtionofl hy one Wellington j f 'i writer. Of the crowds they playi-d before .>' 1 | the Wellington public were the most in;- I t i partial. and they were not slow |<> rccon- 1 ' niso good work, either by liatsmon or field.-*, i I f moil. The Christchurch crowd took their • J (if font very well, anil applauded any good i " play by tlie visitors. In Dunedin the spec- 1 " tators were very pholituiatio. ' 1 •Mr IJay. of the Auckland team, mny t>os- I I fiblv like to know the reason wliv tlio •' _ spectators ill Diinodiu were " very plilcg- ! r irntir." This tuts the recson of it. Tito j ericket displayed hv la-.tli Olago and A tick- ' ;> land eleven*. was tame to a degree and ' j stodgy withal. The uimc lacked character ' 1 and atmosphere, while it was absolutely ' devoid of colour and brightness. It was 1 heavier and duller than a lest mutch with- ' out the atmosphere of first-class cricket. ' Tltoro ivn.< mil in the game to make 1 , Ihe spectators catch llicir breaths or brim; { . them to the edge of the seats. Play pur- - ; sued its .»lo\v length along. and the time ; j (night have been tinUmilrd. hi tmeiiierpris- [ f iug was tii<i hatting I'atlictihir'y was this • , the case with the Aiicklnnders. It was tlio 1 . most Irdiotts exhibition I can remember ' s played on a local ground. Ardent entlnisi- 1 ~ asts expressed t.he opinion that a few more J | such would play cricket, grounds empty.— ■ l.oxo Si.ii' ' , Continuing, M.- Hay said: ''Of 1 the ,-tjtithern player.-- met on the (rip 1 j Patrick, of Canterbury, impressed most, 1 but Ciibbrt-, tlio Wellington representative, 1 ( bus improved considerably in his Imlting. 1 liU.sk and Itoese did not show their best ' form with the bat, l«it itoese Ixv.vled remarkably well, ami his trundling wii.s better 1 ' than ever, Hiekmott was not up to ex- J {'fetation*, and .soetii.-, to rely 100 intuit on j ' a crouch stroke. IJoxshall wus all to iiiu-os, . and a Joiik way l»e!o*.v his form of lust. J vcur. the best wicket-keeper they plavrd 1 again,i being C-ondliiro, of Ot;!i;o, who would probably do letter if he dtoppc:! ' a lot of the useless stvle he inn,- afiWu ■ 'flu- stnndnnl of cricket in Wellington was • luittii higher t!i:m thev wore lo<| to cx|jr<-t. and tiny were not far behind the leading 1 ' provinces." 1 While the execrable weather has been • responsible lor taking the interest out of local cricket, the failure of the district 1 scheme is ;i to be Iho cause of the J - lack of enthusiasm in Wellington. A local • critic writcb: "This is just where t!ie ,li< j ' triet scheme is proving a deterrent to tin* ' ■ ndv.incetiiotil o[ erickct in 'fiw • players are iiy no manner of moans liappv 1 ! 111 their res|k-vtiv<> chilis, and on all bands •' you hour of voiin? ami activo players lalkitiL' ' about Bivinir up Ike Knine in' favour r'f • some other form of outdoor ?pnrK I .-.m : r liefo-e the •>'irtain is nttij: down in i • I !*r* p'Vso: i orii-ki.i -sysm, t<i a pr;i- [' |H'-.-il f*«r\v:'.r<l to revert to the eld r club systnn. I'or Mitiiethinc niitst bo (line B to reviv.* the lacpins interest in tlio best • itamo of all." i The cricket crisis in Australia is still -• acute. Most* Hill. Truinner. Carter, Ann . flron?. C.iltor. and Hansford are in! (join;: ; lo Kii(,'hi.ud. The Rotird of Control t'oclinod to accept the provisional riicoptmces a tendorcd in letters scut by the players iiumi- • tioml, word:-d ,k folimv-" i n'm jn ie- • oeipt of your letter of lh<> 19th inst.. and - in reply 1 to vt-it-c that it is inv in- . tention to accept the invitation, hut '[ wI serve mysolf the right to withdraw such ac- • cepumce if any thing should arise prior lo - the departure of the team, to render such I withdrawal in my opinion necessary." 1 ; Mr Clem Hill stated that at the instance of .Mr Warner he. representiiuj the players. • tret Mr M'Klhmw, chairman of Iho Ixvttd. 1 "Mr ll'HUioim*." said Mr Hill, "war- ruskoil i what 4 u.iconditional niccptance' nf the in- ] . vitstion miMiit. "No withdrawal,' rcnlieil . Mr M'Kihone. That practically settled the ! whole limit?. An acwphnco meant that vo £ i hid to (jo iri'i*spectivo of any development. • There - oiipil a nrosje-t of an aniioablo • until the chairman laid thai 'J down. There is no retiMin at all why the . whole team should not have been nicked at , once. The tiwm could then have soloiled 1 [ its niairi;or. If the twin a.s a Ikklv had , not -elccted Mr Lavor we would have been , qniti l ready lo fall in will) tlio viuw of the ' , majority. But the board foiled such a .-cheine impr.iclicabl". Can anyone 101 lus | why, except that they were anxious to eot . vid c.f lis? Wo are nht the servant,s of tie , Ix'ard. Yet t.liey talk lo us in a fashion , (lint would rouse the indipnut'on of the j 1 . hiiniblesl employee of all uriotfiuit employer , , have an honest ditference of opinion as ( ; to a detail. Tliev call it n principle. Well, . supposing it is a principle, which, by the , way, I do not admit. The board must re- v j member that it was np]minted to control in- ], r lornational cricket—not lo dominate it. It c ( lies aliViidy ('riven one of I':fiiroft player., , in tworld out of cricket. Now, by list , iN-nelicent methods i! Inus driven out some t ! more. They can plume themselves on their ii ; wonderful work. They hnvc at Inst site- , ceodod in putting Victor Tmmpcr out of the ' Australian Klevon. Tlicy should feel very 1 happy pbout t.hnt. What will thoy mv in c , about an Australian Blown coming ( lo battle in an Imperial contest with 'J rutn- j| l>er. Cotter. Armstrong, Carter, and li.ins- | i ford left, at homo! And why? .ht't b<*- ~ i cause of a litllo sqitabblo that wa.> .surely L caiKible of udjnstme-nt without losintr the (; F."*rvic(*s of the players 1 have indicated. 6 I am told that the board aro miclitily b "leased that they have at last, succeeded in liotindini; iho linest cricketers in the Corn- li nminvoallli out of th? cloven ihl is Initio ? for Aintralia in what must Drove a stilf c fi?ht. I venture to think that nmiy Alt'- « traliatis who have watched this siiuabble e jroiiiL' on for ronio time will a|;rce lliat f there sltould have Iknmi winio other solution than the dropping of cricketers whose r.li- 11 ser.co moans that Iho team is not tvpresontn- 5 til'o. It is time the public knew that f , this difference is not a matter of prinniple. j It is a mailer rather of personal suite. The board can protest as muoh ar, it likes uliotit. beintr swayed by ,t slern sense 1 of duty. It is swayed rather by a (• bitter hatred of certain plavcrs. not 'I as a body, but individually. It Iws allowed r that personal foelint; to dominate its good 11 sense. It has knocked representative * crickolers out of the loam. Aim! it says ;t 0 is torry, anil while it savs it, it has its 0 hiliguo in its chwk. I'inallv.' said Mr Hill, " I want to say that we did not kike up j' the position in the Mirf that wo could !! not bo ilono without. Wo snfficiontlv imii- 0 eatcd that when wo said we wore ready lo j abide by the decision of the majority <{ c the Imtn as to a manager. And wo intli- C ratal it further whon wo tool; the stop on I our own. We .ii<l not ask im y ~la.yflr who I ; I'td been lo Kngjind before to join us." 0 Apparonllv lliero was another phase of )! Iho !lill-M'Alist<*r episode, which developed J in Sydney the other day. It mav lie J 1 remoinbore<| that Iho Hoard of Control !' hold n private inquiry into the nrocoedings. but all that was vouchsafed the prers was that Iho matter bad boon satisfactorily u, settb*d. The official report to the lioard K by its secrelary, Mr Svdncj- Smith. iun„ who was an eye-witness c.f iho occurrence] " throws additional light on the subjcct. Ko|. A lowing is an extract which make; inslruc- " live reading:—'" Hill . a.skod M'Alistor ° where he not bis experience as a captain, ?. and he IM'AlL.'torl slated that lie had cap- g Ininod teams in Australia, and also enp- s \ tainod several mutoh<v as vicc-captain of C i the Australian Eleven in Knidand. and n ho considered lie had done all that was - necessary. Hill remarked, was it not a t! fact that Warwick Armstrng had refused w lo play under hitn as a cr.ptain in the OM n; Countrv? This M'Alistor d-'iiied, and Hill I' asked him lo name any inaleli in which " Armst.rong' took pari, and in which he 01 (M'Alistor) acted as captain. M'Alistor replied that ho had played under him as captain at I.nr.J; _on one occasion, when , 1( Noble had to leave the field, but that he jJ diil not play under his captaincy in other a matches, because hi' always „( o od down ! li when Noble was n,->t playing. Hill then 11 asked M'Alistor what matches ho bad over won as captain, and iisked hitn to write them do*yn on a sheet of paper, M'Alistor numerated several, and Hill remarked that they wore very second-rate matclie-.. M'Alistor said, 'At all events. I did quite d a* well as Victor Truinper had done in H captaining the Australian Eleven against ' •' Gloucestershire, when he almost made a n: hash of tbiiiirs.' Hill then staled. 'Fancy •' you cotniiarinir yourself lo men like Truni- '< per and Armstrong." M'Alistor replied. i c *\t all events. I ennsider lam as cnod a ;tl skipper, if not better, than the two players j tl vou have mentioned.' Hill tJien informed al M'Alistor that lie had no idea of oaniainc.y. '• ar.fi M'Alistor replied. 'At all events. I } reckon I am a better skipper than either I Trumprr. Antifrong. or vottrself." j" " Hill trot tin front his chair .thl informed ; '' M'Alisior that he had better take thi> po»>- j K tion o? captain and pick tho team iiinisolf. , S.i Hill then sat down again, and informed! M'Alistcr that he know absolutolv nothing : -' about skippering a side, whidi broudit forth i ct a retort front M'Alistor that ho (Ililll •" the worst skipper he had eve- *x>n. When a( this remark was pawed. .M'Alistor was lean-. tl; inr with bis two ham'.s in front of him. and v ' Ili'.l imnwH'iTe'v jumped up and said. 'Yi>ti have l>oen looking for a punch in th >! 'j* iaw all nicht. and -I will gin* vmt one,' j in-nvdiatoly leaning across the tabic and i i!l dealing M'AJist«r a violent blow on th« tide

of the faoe. M'Alistor .wis somewhat daiod, but jumped up and ni-liod round tlio tabic to whore Hill was standing, awl a fight ensued. both selectors grappling and trying to punch each other in the <ninl| space IxHweon ill" table and wall. M'Alistor sal down Ix'twoon the tolopltono-l/ix and the table, and Hill leant over him. Imt did not strike him whilst on tho fioor. 1 eventually manaped to sepsrate the Iwo comkitart"-, and 1 might state hero that whon the Rstilflo took place the table sk'wed round, and Mr Iredale was jaiiiinixl into the ,w----Ist. imd thus ixjworloss to act. I urtred Dill to get out of the room, but he wont! to the other end nf Iho table near tho door, : As soon as M'Alistor got on to bis (cot I : tried to slop him from rushing at Hill, but they again got to bolls. Tho furniture was' knocked all nvet the room, the pictures wore broken, and Hill grappled with M'Ali'ier. and foiorvl him on to the uib!e and windowsill : another couple of feet and both «*loetors would Ime been out nf the witwlmv, into tho street, three floors Mow, but Ibis was prevented by Mr Iredale loaning across and catdiitpr M'Alisior hv tho arm. whilst I pulled 11 ifj off hy the 00-jt-tails. As soon as 1 got Hill awTvy I at oico shoved him on! of l.ho door, .uid told hint l>o bad boiler stay nutflido. Mr Iredal? and mvs'olf hold-1 ing M'Alisior. ho shonlinß to Hill. 'You' coward! wiu coward!' lile<xl flowe<l front I M'Alistor's f,w copiously, and it presentod a sorry :;p,>:ljiclo. My <'l')i.h':,. collar, ha:. otr., won' (Mvero.l in blood. Aftor wltittT M'Alistor to sit down, I wont outside and interviewed Hill, and lold him that ho had ! betloi go homo. He sr.id.j 'Sid, 1 will nut i remain a member of tho ."-'election Coin- j initKv* aj>y longer, as I refuse to sit with j M'Alistor us eo-.-elcotor.' I replied tlvil T could not take that as official, but if i.o ' would pip the matter in writinc I woii'.l piace «amo before |.h" biviril. He said ho 1 would write his losigiiation out slraig.'it ! tiwny, but I refused to allow him to go inl.» 1 the room again, and fiid (lull lie could i write it out at tho hotel, and I would call ' for it. I then gave Hiil his lint. papers, etc.. and he said that ho had had enough the dav before at th.-* bn:.rd mooting, when Cokino! Kraton prai'tic.illv bratulrd him a ; liar in conneftion with t'uo publioat'<m of i ties lrlo?r*«in ht» r:-e'-ivi..l from .M'Alistor on ' the eve of the third test tualc.li. "I might alro stilt" that (hiring the d's lurh:ii::v Hill aocuswl M'Alistor of being druik. but in my opinion neilhor Hill nor M'Alistor was intoxicated. "' 11:--* two selector wore very hesited in their arguments I Wore the climax was roi/-!ied, and tho language was any thing but gentlemanly. " Mr In'da'o and myself Irok no part, whatever in tho arguments but endeavour-M in a joking way lo try lo get tho two selectors into a bettor humour, but without, "vail. I rourot exceedingly tliat this report has 1 icon nc<i*ssary, but can positively stain I lii,it this is ti true account' of tho proceedings.' 1 AI'STItAIJAN TEAM FOR ENGLAND. The following is the personnel nf tho Austriiliani team for England to lake part in the triangular lust matches: — S. K. Gregory (cant.) (X.S.W.) AV. I'.aidslov (N.^AV.) H, B. Minimit (N.S.W.I ('. G. Macnrtney, (N.S.W.) C. Kellowav (N.S.W.) S. H. Emerv (N.S.W.) G. K. Ilazlilt (N.S.W) J. T. Matthews (Vic.) W. CarkiM'k (Vic.) W. ,1. Whittv (S.A.) K. It. Mayno (S.A.) 11. Webster (S.A.) C. li. Jonnings (CJ.) J. W. M'Lar..,t (Q.) D. .Smith (Vie.). TEST MATCH STATISTICS. I'lavcd o: England won I; Australia won 1. Itun l -. Wkt3, Avge. Kngl.md .. . JSVi 73 117.8 Ath-iralitt .. .. ifi'J 100 2G.79 RESULTS. I'irst match, Sydney—Australia. 117 and :)l)6: Englur.tl. ,113 and 2)1. Australia won jv llti runs Second match. MclbauriK—linii'iiiict. ant? 221 fir two wickets; Australia. I£l tsnd i):). England w.in hy eight wickets. Third match. A:bhiid<s— Kiigland. jul ,u:u 112 for tlir.-j wtckels: Ar.3tra!ia 133 an.l I7G. England won l»y s:-v:-n wickets. Fourth match. Melhcurne--Ur-glmid. 553: Australia. 191 and 17: i. won hv an ler.ings and 2ii runs Fifth nut-.h. Sydney-England. 321 mid 211; Australia, 176 and 'JO'J. England won bv 7fi runs PAVILION OOSSIP. Tlio (\\ituro of tlio first div's play in tho lii'th te?t was tho tiniform'y high standard of the Australian buwlmg. Knglan<l, in four Lours 20 minutes, ctuld only score 201 runs rfl it, and lojt nx wickots in the procfjs. Mr Andrew Fisher, tho Prinu; Miiurtcr i..f Victoria, during the wcond to?l, remarked while iiobbs and Ithod<r3 and llcarnc were piling up runs, "No doubt its vcrra ycod cricket, hut give mo 10 mir.iiUu of Cut tor" Wcbito.- ajul itacortn«v t.ikx; the rcap.'ctive petitions of CatU-r' and Hansford in the Australian toiim for England. Webslc-r is tho Louth Australian wicketkecper. JTo is not so good as Carter, and probably lie. is not so skilful as M'Kew, of Halmain. Macartney would have been selected in ativ circumstaiicc. fliers was heavy scoring in Melbourne pennant tnatchos n fortnight ago. Carlton lc«i nine v.ickets for 317 n-ainst Richmond. «. Dick scorrd 117 not cut.. Prohran conipded -t n (or the lo>-s of (our wickots against houtl. Meltxmrno. licit iin<K> 152 not out. Cohen IM, and Upton 75. Caution ca|;turod six '.vicTicts for 68.f0r Kitzroy ogainat llclbourns. Tnimp.ir, to a pressman: —" The board litw brought tho i»«ition to bedrock At least, a sect'ou of it lvas. I hivve gone so fat aa I could, and 1 can do no more. I lutvo done what 1 could ill tho past in the interests of the gatno, iuid I have boon subjected to a good mapy slights, which 1 have passed over. However, the board, 1 reprat, Kus brought, matters to bcdrock, and they can stay thcro so far as I am concerned." Only Ave Im-lore in II a-sidr mntchos between New South "\Valoa and England hare taken seven or more wickets) in one inniiisw far 35 vear.t, no Har.litt's |KTfornMiiico in ti: i return match Iwtwocn Now South Wales ami England enables him to join tho great quintette. The maator of thorn all was C. T. li. Turner, who did the trick seven times. Turner only bowled in 13 matches, and iiis average for 101 wickets was 11.87 per wicket. E. Eviuis accomplished the s-even-wickot feat onco, J. ,1, Ferris once, and L. A. Minnott once. llobbs alono of tlio English Eleven in Australia approached brilliancy, lie adapted himself to circumstances as no other man on the side did. And ho did not liko many of tho risks that Australian batsmen tako It ha« l>oon for yours tho custom for English crickutors to write bcok.t on the ganvo. CrickotCTs cannot Ixs made by books alone, but lliwo Airvo lo whai aro to the Rnglish cricbcior tho main joiiiU to bo obsorvwl. It will be found that groat imJiortanoo is attached to defcßaiw batting. J'ho rulo broadly i s block everything on tlio wicket; hit only that which it is safo lo hit. Much the sntno thing is told to every young Australian batsman. But he does not practise it; tho Englishman doco. The odds are generally speaking, against tho bowler, Wtd to it is that the patient tutting of the Englishmen has brottgivl it,s rctvard. Hie Anstrahcin nov.Mpaiws oomioent r-evcrely on the uusatis!«ctory condition of Australian crickot, "Thcro is, unfortunately, a bad spirit dominating the men who hove obtained control erf crickot iu this countrv at ptwnt." says the Molbournc ATgus Iho main objwt of both Uat and interstate crickot control—South Australia constistutoa an oxoeption— foems to bo to rule tho crickot world in tho way trade union officials rule the labour world Their own interests -their .a!lf-iinportan:e and solf-lovo—possess them to the total exclusion of tho interests oi tho game. It is on the playing field that matches mid rubbers uro won. and tmlwa tlio players are trailed fairly and considerately they are no! likeiv to provo a nwtcli for oppono-nU at onco animated bv a com mat purpose and inspired by a common entiiu-i- ' 11 sin I'epixncntativo cricket is a stronuous businors. requiring tlie utimet fitness of nerve and brain as well as of body; and men who go on to the field smarting under a sense of grievance, as cortuin Australians liavo been doing, are in no oondihon to do themselves justice."