CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18730, 7 December 1922, Page 8

CRICKET.

By Slip. IXTKRPBOVTNCIAL FIXTCRIIB. Olugo v. Auckland.—January o, C, and 8, at Carisbrook. Otago v. Canterbury.—January 2G, 27, and 29, at Carisbrook. Otago v. Wellington.—February 17 ,19, and 20, at Oarisbrook. AGAINST THE ENGLISH TEAM. January 12, 13, and 15, on CurUbrook Ground.

Another postponement of all grade matches took place on Saturday owing to tho weather. A lot of rain has fallen during tnc past fortnight, and wickets and out-bold are in a very sodden slate. Wo have been unfortunate in regard to weather conditions so far this season, and if 'matters do iot improve rapidly the progress made during the 1922 part of the season is going to be very slight. xno sucideh death of Mr Alex. M'Leau on a bowling green at Cromwell-on Saturday last came as a shock to the older generation of cricketers, for at one time

ne wa« a prominent figure on Dunedin cricket grounds, first as a player and later as a very keen enthusiast on the bank, tie captained the old.Opoho eleven in bis day, and was a useful and vigorous lefthand batsman. For many years he had been stationed at Alexandra South, Ipeing rector of the district high school in * that township. Prior to going to Alexandra he was for a long period first assistant in George Street School in the days of Mr I). A. M’Nicol’s head mastership. A. C. MaoLaren’s team of amateurs is hold up in Sydney owing to the shipping trouble. The members of the team, were to have sailed by the Ulimaroa, but that vessel was unable to leave at her appointed

time. It is to be hoped that the New Zealand dates will not be interfered with to any great extent, and Dial arrangements will be made so that the players may reach New Zealand without undue delay. The latest nows to hand is that a match is being arranged with a team of New South Wales colts, and that Mr Smith (secretary of the Board of Control) will keep in touch with shipping in the hope of getting the team across to New Zealand as quickly as possible. To recompense the New Zealand Cricket Council for this serious financial setback, Mr Smith suggests that the receipts from the Colts’ match be handde to the dominion authorities.

Games controlled by the South Otago Cricket Association are being contested by 12 -.teams —Freezer, Balclut-ha, Clydevale, Waiwera, Clinton, Owaka, Milburn, Waihola, Milton A, Kailangata, Lovell’s Flat, and Milton B. On Saturday last the winners wore Freezer, Clydevale, Clinton, Milburn, Milton A, a.nd Lovell’s Flat. A Dunedin visitor witnessed one of the matches last week, and ho informs me that the. form shown is quite attractive, and the enthusiasm unbounded.

For years past (says the Athletic News) cricketers in Neiv Zealand have seemed able to develop their skill to a certain degree, and then to have failed to make the necessary further headway which would have caused r them to rank as great players, instead of merely decidedly useful ones. Why this should be it is not easy to say for tho men themselves are very keen, the game is well organised in all the chief centres, and the annual competition for the coveted Plunket Shield serves to maintain the public interest in cricket. Anent MacLaren and his team of colts, it is worth recording that tho popular “Archie,” their skipper, has, in 20 years of first-class cricket ending in 1910, scored 18,33:1 runs, in 572 completed innings, at an average of 32.05 per innings. His highest season’s aggregate was 1886 runs, in 1903, at. an average of 47.86. MacLaren often said he regarded tho Sydney Cricket Ground as a batsman’s paradise—his record tor that ground is 845 runs for eigiit completed innings, an average of 105.6. In test matches ho had 61 innings, averaging 33. J runs per innings.

In his'book of recollections and reflections, “A Cricketer’s Cog,’’ G. L. Jessop pays a tribute to Freeman, of Kent, who is a member of A. C. MacLaren’s team. Jessop narrates that when ho was at Philadelphia in 1897, ho saw Bosanquet, in, Detween the fall of wickets, practise the “googly,” and that then Stodclart prophesied the success of the ball, providing any sort of length could bo maintained. Whilo believing that the batsman should go out to the “ googly” and attack the ball, he hints that this typo of bowling is still in its infancy, and that the time may come when the medium-paced bowler will acquire accuracy in dispensing the “wrong’uu!” He is sure that the “googly” has come to stay, and the side which possesses a good ‘‘googly” man is much to bo envied. For connrmation of this opinion see Freeman, of Kent—‘‘the last word in the criminal deception of batsmen.” Look out, Otago 1

Unlike Otago, Canterbury is still progressing with competition matches in spite of soft wickets and slow outfields. The fourth round was commenced on Saturday (wo have not yet completed onr second}, when West. Christchurch met Ricenrton, St. Albans met Lin wood, and Sydenham ’met East Christchurch.

Scoring all round was on the low side, all completed first innings being under tho century, with the exception of West Christchurch, which recorded 210, chiefly through the agency of W. Hayes (62, not out), W. J. Sim (50), R. C. Blunt (41), D. Alaclaren (27), R. D. Worker (25), and A 7. Hamilton (12). Riccarton’s bowling was entrusted to C. T Rix (two for 46). C. E. Evans (two for 62), R. Powell (one for 50), and K. Bain (five for 17)1 At the call of lime Riccarton hud lost three wickets for 27 (J. Powell, 13, not out). Linwood completed a first innings strike for 97 and St. Albans lost nine wickets for 95, so that this game so far is. in an interesting state. The ’successful Linwood batsmen were N. Jones (23), 11. Armitage (26), G. Condliffe (18), and G. \V. Russell (12). Bowling for fit. Albans, I). M‘K. Sandman (live for 36), A. W. Thomas (four for 29), and H. I'. Stringer (one for 29) did the damage. Three batsmen readied double figures for St. Albans (L. B. Brunton 35, D. W. Reese 17. P. Ala; tin 13). and the total reached 95 for nine wickets. Sydenham (94 and one wicket lor 78) are opposed by East Christchurch, whoso first innings score totalled 34 only. W. Patrick, the well-known representative player, was ~ bowled first ball by Howell, but in tho second innings showed his beet form with 37, not out. Other Sydenham batsmen who ran to double figures were E. Watts (29), C. Oliver (25, not out), and W. Skelton (16). W. Howell (six for 45), R. Goupland (three for 35), and M. Bi.gg (one for 8) wore the first innings bowlers for East Christchurch. R. Gregory (19) was tho sole compiler of a double-figure score for East Christchurch. Cunningham .(five for 15) and AlTiwin (three for 18) bowled unchanged for Sydenham. Four. centuries were scored in junior games in Chiistchurch on Saturday (Dwyer 128, Talbot IC9, Alorllock 164, and Tucker 165). It is to be hoped that Otago juniors—and seniors, too -will register tho coveted century one ,of these fine days, and give me the pleasure of recording it. locally instead of scanning the papers of other centres to discover century-makers which, so far as Christchurch is concerned, is of frequent occurrence. Tho championship round was continued in Wellington on Saturday on wickets somewhat dead after recent rains. Thorndon, Wellington, Potone, and Alidland secured Mctories. A feat me of the play was the ascendancy of the bowlers over batsmen. Brice (6 for 10), Patrick (5 for 29), Srnyrk (4 for 20). Finlayson (7 for 26), Watson (5 for 46), and Warno (5 for 46) bowled well for their respective sides. In tho Thorndon v. Hutt match the latter responded with 155 (Hughes 48) to 'J horndon’s 207. In its second -essay Thorndon’s display was disappointing, tho innings producing only 74 runs, of which L. Lomas contributed 23. Requiring 127 to win. Hutt just failed, and the last wicket fell with tho score at 113—a iour-point win tor Thorndon.

Midland v. Old Boys resulted in a threepoint win for the first-named, Midland 295, Old Boys 161 (Tucker 46, Barclay not out 33, Roualdsou 31). In their second effort Old Boys had lost two wickets for 118 (Konaldson 48, Collins 25. Barclay not out 24). - ‘ '

Peione secured a four-point win against Y.M.C.A. Petonc had declared on the previous Saturday—393 for nine wioiceU. YM.C.A.’s innings was a mere procession, the total being 31, while in its second attempt it succeeded in making 107, Cobcroft (27) and Fulton (23 hot out)’ being Y.M.C.A.’s principal scorers. Wellington v. institute provided a close finish, (bo former winning by 23 runs on the fust innings. Wellington 231 and five wickets for 52 runs; Institute 208.