CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16293, 28 January 1915, Page 8

CRICKET.

Notes by Long Slip,

It is interesting news, and good news indeed, that Mr J. N. Crawlord, the Otago Association's coach, will, at the conclusion of glade matches in March, apply lor leave of absence'to pay a flying visit to Australia on an important mission. The honeymoon will be spent on the trip kick to New Zealand, as Mr Crawlord is anxious to leturn as soon as possible. Congratulations!

In last week's notes a suggestion was made in re holding ut the conclusion of grade matches a Country Week in Dunedin with a view not only to encourage cricketin the country, but to endeavour to discover talent which may be blooming and blushing unseen in some of tho country districts. 1 have spoken to two or three enthusiasts on tho subject since, and they expressed approval of the idea. I have also spoken to Mr Sdie, of Edievalc, who was one of the gentlemen responsible for tho South Melbourne team visiting the Central Districts two seasons ago. lie stated that it would be an excellent thing for country cricketers, and he had no doubt that teams from the country would willingly conic to town, paying their own expenses, for a Country Week. Mr Edie recognised thai the Otago Cricket Association could not pay the travelling and accommodation expenses of the country players, but he thought there would be no difficulty v>n that score. Country players would be keen to come to the city if they could be assured of games against town teams. Last season I was in communication with Mr Todd, of the Central Districts, on this subject. Perhaps he would take it up this season by getting into communication with the Otago Cricket Association early. Country cricket and country cricketers have never received the attention which they should from the controlling body in Dunedin, probably on tho score of the expenses; but as I am assured this can be got over by the country players themselves th :'i'e is no reason why the Otago Association should not take lip the question of a Country Week, especially as outside of the Southland match to be played at Invcreargill next month there will be no other toreign cricket to engage attention.While on this subject. I note t::at the South Australian Association has just held a Country Week—the first of its kind in S.A., and with such good results that tho scheme is recommended as an annual one. Some 35 players from all parts of the State took part in' the games. The most important possibility of the "week" was the development of the wickets in the country. It was recognised that, to come <>ft' the matting wickets on to the l.urf required :i deal of practice, and the country players made the utmost, possible use of the Onuitrv Week in town for play on the turf. Now. in Otago it is practically all matting wickets that the country players p!av on. but turf wickets are not an impossibility even "out- back." but the enthusiasm of the countrv cricketer must be encouraged before lie is going to spend time arid energy 'li the preparation of a turf wicket, (liven a ehance. sueh as would be olVered bv a Couutrv Week, playing against town teams, the country cricketer would quickl-.-real is" (lie vilue nf the turf wieket, arid would be eager to play a'l the season through under the lv-t condition®, and would set al-out preparing his own turf wieket. There are nossib'liti-R in the scheme of countrv cricket, hut it requires a controlling borlv like the Otasro f'reket Asso" : ntion to take it in hard for its development. There is always the possibility of covering talent in the country, th""?rhf the fact that the discovered has too often to remain in tho country retards his develop-

ment,. Was not Hill llowell, tin l bowlor of Darling's 1899 team which loured Kngland, discovered in (In- country'/ and now wo hear of another discovery in I hi' backb'ocks in the person of Iremonger, who is said to i»' the coming left-hand do-aI'T in Auktriilin. and who issaid to have strong claims for inclusion in 1111 Australian Kleven to-day. Ilcmontcor was brought up ill the liaekbloeks of Queensland. nnil is said to have practised cricket with milk-cans as wickets. pieces of pine hats, and old oranges gathered from his father's orchard as balls. \Yhrth"r these facts are true or not, he certainly got, the ground of his cricket in t.lie country, and only stepped out of it into city cricket for two or three seasons. To-day lie is hailed ay the greatest, left -handed bowler since the days of Ferris. Since then Iremnriger lui.« been playing in Melbourne, ami the other day went far to prove the contention that he is a discovery by taking 13 wickets in the inter-State match against: South Australia. The discoveries made in country cricket, in Australia may also be made in Otago, but it requires tho joint action of the country association pnd players with that, of tho city to bring it about. Anxious gazes wore turned skyward on Saturday morning, for the heavens were overcast and rain threatened. "I wish it, would do one thine or the other," remarked an enthusiast, who was seeking: a game and was in doubt about if. The rnin, however, held ofT until all the matches had _got properly st-arted and everything was in full swing for an afternoon's cricket. Then it came down —at, first a gentle shower about 3 o'clock, which drove players to the shelter of the pavilions; but at half-past 3 and well on to 4 o'clock there was a perfect, deluge, which put further cricket for the day outside of the question. The matches were therefore abandoned, and, in accordance with the grade rules, all tho teams are credited with a draw.

It wras exceptionally hard on the Grange that the rain should have fallen when it did. as it robbed the club of what promised to be a good collection. There was a fine attendance at the North End to s"o J. N. ,Crawford and his colts batting—this team is always assured of a good following,—but when tho collect,ion was being taken up the rain came down steadily, and as there appeared to bo no prospect of further cricket the spectators scattered. As it seems unlikely that there will bo another such attendance this season on the North Ground it is unfortunate that tho Grange Club lost tliis chance of passing round tho hat.

The cricket, itself promised to he more than usually interesting; but it. did not pot, far. Grange won the toss and derided to hat. Chad w■ ok and Malcolm opened to the bowling of Crawford and Shepherd. There were 10 runs on the board when tho Grange -wickctkeeper was thrown out. Eekhold filled the crap, hut the ex-Dunedin player was splendidly taken in t.he slips by Bell off Crawford. It was a really brilliant, eateh taken low down off a fast one. The fieldsman had no time to think, and action, however, was quicker than thought on this occasion, for ho simply put his hand down and took it literally "off tho ground." Popple, who followed, just reached double figures when he played ono back to Crawford. A partnership t.hat threatened to prove useful, hut was interrupted by tho rain, and finally dissolved by that element, was that between Paterson ajid Malcolm. Both men played good cricket for their scores of 18 and 27 respectively, and were not out •when rain settled the issue. Two senior matches were started at Cansbrook—the B's engaged against Opoho and the A team against Albion. Neither match got far, tho rain interfering earlier with the play here than on the North Ground. Practically only half an hour's play was possible. In this time Carisbrook B had iost two wickets for 48 runs, and the A team had lost one for 52. Nugent, batting for the B team, showed very good form in, his score of 23, making several nice off drives, and was unlucky in getting a nasty smack on the finger off a fast rising ball from Casey. Tuckwell, too, was batting well when the rain fell, and shaped as if ho might carry his not-out innings to some length. Casey, the Opoho fast bowler, was rocking them down in good style and making pace off the wicket. He secured tho only two wickets that fell during tho dav for 16 runs.

The Otago team will plav its final representative match against Southland at Invercargill next month. Southland has already chosen its players for practice, and it might be advisable fo? Otago to follow suit. The Southland match is not regarded seriously as "a general rule, particularly when played at Invercargill; but no representative fixture should be treated lightly, and there is every prospect of Southland putting up a good _ game against Otago this season. Practice, too, should be conducted on systematic lines, and any players who do riot turn up for practice without reasonable, excuse should be promptly left out of consideration by the Selection Committee. Bert Craniond, the dashing Dunedin batsman, has left to take up his appointment at Invercargill, where there are already a number of oljl Dunedin players. He will be an acqtiisit-on to Southland cricket.

To an ex-Otago player belongs the honour of putting up a fresh record in senior cricket in Christ-church. Carl Beak the ex-Grange batsman, playing for East, Christchurch against Kaiapoi, contributed 205 not out on the first day of the match, and carried this score to 242 not qut last Saturday. This record surpasses the previous best —that of Archie Ridley," who made 217 not out against Ricearton gome years ago. It would bo rather interesting to name the cricketers who, only moderately successful in Otago, have gone elsewhere to make reputations.

I note that W. Patrick, captain of the Canterbury team on the recent northern tour, has been speaking quite concerning that tour, and incidentally has been praising northern hospitality. " Wellington folk," he said, " w;'re very good to the Shield-holders, and their impartiality in the bestowal of their favours created a very goerl impression with cricketers." How different, one might add, if it were not for fear nf raising the question. Patrick states that the Auckland team gave the most trouble, and was easily the best side apart from Canterbury. It is well to know this, even if Otago 'is not again given the chajice of meeting Auckland this season, of which there is little Patrick states that Hiddlestone, of Wellington, is that province's best batsman. He describes the • x-Otago representative as one of the dashing kind who stood up to and punished the bowling. Otago could rather do with the old Albion player and his type these days. _Roy Minnett, the young New South Vt 7 ales bowler, who captured eight wickets for 50 in the recent interstate match against Victoria, was presented with the ball, silver-mounted on a silver pedestal, with which ho accomplished the performance, said to be second only to that of Bill Howell, who took nine wickets for 52 in a previous match. Warren Bardsley, the New South Wales captain, stated that on his form in the match against Victoria Minnett was one of Australia's finest bowlers to-day. The subject of our sketch, Mr C. W. Rattray, was born in July, ]863, and was educated at the OUgo Boys' High School and Christ's College, Christchurch. In sporting circles Mr Rattray is well and favourably C. W. Rattray -s well and favourably known, having' represented Otago both ill football and m cricket. As a footballer he played fo.- the I)uni-d;ii Club. A solid and hardworking forward he won representative honours in IfcSO, playing for Otago against Canterbury when 17 years old. Mr Rattray also represented Otago against Canterbury in 1834, and against Wellington the following year. Although a tine footballer, the subject of our sketch was better known for his long and favourable association with Otago cricket, both as a representative player and captain of Otago teams. He learnt the rudiments of cricket at the Boys' High School; but it was at Christ's College, Christchurch, having the benefit! of the services of a Cambridge coach, that l.e acquired a distinctive style and finish. As at football, so at cricket, it was in 1880 that he first won representative honouis, really gaining a double blue in that year. It was in 1(80 as an ex-Canterbury colt that he played for twenty-two of Otago against Murdock's team, the second Australian team to visit Otago, and in the following season played for Otago against "All England." lie also played for Otago against Tasmania in the season of 1884, and in the same season played his first match against Canterbury and against Auckland. Mr Rattray played in subsequent matches for Otago, and in 1892 took part in the first northern tour of ;m Otago team which included such wellknown players as J. C. Lawton (the Otago coach), A. (i. Hell, W. Parker, W. .lohnston, J. Croxford, F. Harper, A. 11. Fisher, F. J). Clayton, 11. D. Stronaeh, and J. Hope. Probably the one match which the subject of our sketch looks back upon with the most pleasure as it certainly was the most memorable in his career, was \iiat in which lie captained the Otago team against Canterbury at Christchurch in the season of 1895. when Ota,go won by four wickels after a, strenuous light. Mr Hattray proved in that match not only that he, could be relied upon in emergency, but that, as captain lie could rise to the occasion. And there w ere doing* and incidents in that game that required the temperament of a captain like C. W. Rattray. The cricket, alone was sufficient to engage his attention, but when was added the sensation of the match referred to as the ' Downes incident." the best qualifications arose in the Otago leader, who handled the situation, as he handled his team, with

rare tact- Tho incident, may well lio reterred to heie. l)owner> was bowling, and I). Ree.-.e was the last; man in ('anterbury's second innings, Reese was backing up, and was repeatedly running out. of his crease before the ball was delivered. The attention of the howler was drawn to this by Jim linker, and when R< ese next, attempted to beat him. Downe.s, instead of delivering the ball, whipped til" bails off, and Reese, on appeal to the umpire, was run' out. The Canterbury puVic was indignant, and even the Canterbury plavcivi spoke insultingly to the Otago men for what, was really a perfectly legal action. It was in tl'.is match, too, that A. K. Clarke, the most, siylish and prolnlily the fines: batsman whoever played for <!ti,go, figured so prominently by compiling in rare .style 41 in the. first and 64 in Ola.go's second innings. Th's match, then, is probably the one which Mr C. W. Rattray regards as the most memorable in his career. A,s a captain he was a great success, and we lind him leading Otago again against: the Australian team of 1E96 in that exciting m itch, played at Carisbrook, in which A. Fl. Fisher and A. Downe.s bowled so well, the former securing six for 30 anil five for 39. and tho latter three IVir 42 and four for 38. He played for Ufago again : n 1397, but after that, season retired from representative cricket. Mr Rattray was a free and styl'sh' batsman, with a fine off drive; but his favourite stroke was the square and late cut which he used to execute with rare skill. A useful man on his side, an clcellerit leader, and, above, all, a thorough sportsman.