CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2006, 4 August 1892, Page 30

CRICKET.

NOTES BY SLIP.

A movement is on foot to form a North Canterbury Cricket Association.

J. W. Trutnble, of Melbourne, who is at present in England, scored 116 for Richmond against Wimbledon on June 23.

In the county cricket mabch between Surrey and Sussex, the former scored 413. W. W. Read went in first and carried his bat through the innings for 196.

The bowling of Barlow, the old Lancashire stonewaller, was recently described as being " not now worth twopennyworth ot gin." Barlow is, however, doing well in inter-club matches.

The oldesb^cricketer living, C. A. Absolou, who has been associated with cricket in the South of England for 61 years, completed his 75t,h year on the 30th May. His step is said to be as firm and elastic, and his eye as keen and bright, as those of scores of men who haven't half his weight of years to carry. From the notes supplied to the Weekly Press by one of the New Zealand athletic team, I learn that Cuff, playing for tho Brighton Teachers against Willmgdon, scored 77 out of 106 while he was at the wickets. The bowling against him included that of Jesse Hide, the Sussex County professional.

Middlesex have a better record than either the collective total of 523 runs scored by them against Gloucestershire in June, or the individual contribution of 224 made by S. W. Scott (who, be it noted, is in his 39th year, and has been playing county cricket for 14 years) to that total, for in 1886 the metropolitan county ran up 527 against Yorkshire, and A. J. Webbe on that occasion carried his bat right through for no less than 243. S. W. Scott's big score is four runs short of the highest individual effort at Lord's, Gunn having made 228 for the Players against the Australian team of 1890.

The excellent batting, at a critical stage, of W. H. Patterson, together with a downfall of rain, which prevented any play on the third day, enabled Kent to make a creditable draw in their match with Lancashire at Manchester of what seemed likely on the first innings to result in a severe defeat for them. Lancashire, who batted first/made the capital score of 260, to which Albert Ward, who was missed af ber making a single, contributed 69, while Watson took out his bat for 46, and Briggs aud Sugg made 35 and 32 respectively. Watson's bowling was very destructive in the first innings of Kent, which closed for 127, but on the hop county team following on they scored 257 for six wickets. W. H. Patterson, who remained at the wickets for nearly three hours, played a brilliant and faultless innings of 114, and five others got double figures, Alec Hearne doing best with 37.

Cambridge University in their first match away from home made a very successful appearance, as they defeated Surrey by 80 runs. The county were without Lohmann, whose presence in their team might have made a considerable difference. The Cantabs, batting first, 1 scored 218, P. H. Latham, from Malvern Oollege, who was being tried in place of one of the regular eleven, compiling 64- (not out) by correct and free cricket, while E. C. Streatfeild (38) and W. M. Scott (32), the latter also being on his trial in the team, gave vigorous contributions. Surrey started most unpromisingly, losing five wickets for 60, of which Lockwood had claimed 32, but thereafter J. Shuter, by cleaji and forcible hitting, scored a faultless 93, and Henderson added an invaluable 61, the innings eventually closing for 267. In their second hand the University again treated the bowling with little respect, and they were not got rid of until they had scored 291, F. S. Jackson making 61, W. M. Scott 56, and P. H. Latham 54. Set 243 runs to win, Surrey only got 162, the principal scorer being Abel, who played an admirable innings of 47

Dr \V. G. Grace has (says the Athletic News) been opening his month on the subject of "slow defensive" orioket. He declares it is eating the life out •? the game in certain districts, aud ifc is to this that he attributes the falling away in the gates. In the same breath the great doctor speaks of Alec Bannermau's play as being " invaluable " to his side in one of the matches in which Combined Australia managed to beat Lord Sheffield's eleven. The champion can never be accused of killing the game, and it is to be hoped that his words will be taken seriously to heart in certain quarters. The Rev. R. S. Holmes, in the very readable "Notches" which he supplies to Cricket, referring to the success of the Surrey amateurs with the bat in the match against Notts, says ; — "Aud here is the silver lining that makes my eyes glisten again. Key and John Shuter, Who for some time past have been dead off oolour, came back to their best form with 41 and 53, whilst later on in the week against the Light Blues the ever-popular captain put on 121 for only once out. That is truly delightful to all genuine lovers of the best sport. . . . If Walter Read will only get some of his old ideas back into his head we will have some re«il fun soon."

Walter Read, it appears, has since gob some of his old ideas back into his htead. He was not a great success with the bat in South Africa, aud he started the season badly in England, but playing against Middlesex on June 14- he scored 75 in an innings, which was quite up to his best reputation, and he eclipsed this latter performance last week when, as we learn by cable, he carried his bat through an innings of 413 put together by Surrey against Sussex, his own contribution being 196. The vigorous batting of G. Brann was in

large measure responsible for a defeat inflicted by Sussex on Gloucestershire, at Brighton, in the second week of June. Tin; western county scored 125 in the first innings, S. A. P. Kitcat (nob out) making 41 and Painter 30, and Sussex responded with 228, of which G. Brann's sharo was 133. He was only batting two hours and 20 minutes, an* in proof of the severity of his hitting it need only bo stated that his figures included as many as 26 4's. In the second innings Gloucestershire put together 205 (O G. Radcliffe 59, S. A. P. Kitcat 48), and Sussex, left with 103 to win, obtained the number with the loss of three wickets, Guttridge scoring 43 of the number.

The exceptionally good all-round cricket tho Middlesex and Yorkshire elevens had been shewing in the earlier fixtures lent additional importance and interest to the first match of the season between these counties, which occupied Lord's on June 16 and the following days. Tho play, too, was thoroughly worthy of the occasion, and after a match full of variation and incident Yorkshire won in brilliant stylo with four wickets to spare. Middlesex batted first and made 292, the highest contributor being S. W. Scotb, whose 80 was a fitting corollary to his brilliant performances of the .season, and was absolutely free from mistake. A. J. Webbe scored a faultless 66. T. C. O'Brien made 55, and A. E. Stoddart 43. Yorkshire replied with 228, saving the follow-on by 14 runs, thanks chiefly to Wninwright, whose 73 was an exceedingly good exhibition of free and well-timed hitting, and to Peel, who made 54. Tho second innings of the metropolitan county realised 184, S. W. Scott giving another Found exposition of cricket for 54, while seven others got double figures. Yorkshire were loft with 249 to win, and the requisite number was bib off for the loss of six wickets. In his long career Ulyett has never perhaps been seen to batter advantage than in this innings. He scored 111 by batting that was judicious as well as confident ; and E. Smith made 38 and Wainwright (not out) 37. "Nobody thought," writes the Rev. R. S. Holmes, " Ulyetb had an innings of 111 in the box. It is delightful. You have never seen the* last of these old 'uns ; they are always renewing their youth." The Notts eleven gained a brilliant victory over Lancashire at Trent Bridge on June 18. Lancashire going in first on an easy wickeb scored 217, bke feature of tho innings being tho batting of S: M. Crosfield, who, captaining tho team, took in his bat for 82. Notts made 178 in their first hands, Gunn contributing 54 and Barnes 37 ; and in their second innings Lancashire put together 182, tho highesb scores being Baker (51) and A. T. Kemble (nob oub 31). Notts were left with 222 to win, but by brilliant cricket these were obtained for tins loss of only four wickets. Gunn again headed the list with 56 (not out), Shrewsbury mado 19, A. O. Jones (a Cambridge freshman) 38, Barnes 37, and Flowers 31.

Following up this great performance, the Notts eleven obtained a grand victory over Middlesex by an innings and 14 runs— only four minutes beforo the call of time on tho third day. The Notts team got in first, and their innings lasted for nine hours, producing 466 runs. Shrewsbury was tho hero, as off his own bat he scored 212 by an exhibition of scientific and watchful cricket which was worthy of the reputation of such a master of the art of batting. His only mistake was when he had got 158, and he was at tho wickets for eight and a-half hours. J. S. Robinson contributed 72, Attewell 59, and Shacklock 36 to tho total. Middlesex in their first venture made 195, E. A. Nepean contributing 61, S. W. Scott 55, and West (not out) 32, and, following their innings in a minority of 271, A. E. Stoddarb batted so finely that it seemed likely at ono time that a draw would be secured. The dashing amateur made no less than 130, aud his innings was a brilliant exhibition of resolute hitting tempered, when required, by sound defence. A. J. Webbe (32) was the next highest scorer to a total of 257. Thirteen runs bo get before the end came, as a last resource Sherwin, the Notts wicket-keeper, took off the gloves and went on to bowl, and the movo proved immediately successful, for " Mordecai " got two wickets for 9 runs.

[Now First Published ]