NOTES BY SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2010, 1 September 1892, Page 30

NOTES BY SLIP.

Preparations for the coining cricket season on the Oval have been commenced by tho veteran W. Houdley. The Warehousemen's Club have taken half the ground for the season, aud the other half— that leased by the Otago Daily Times Club last season— is at the disposal of any club which may desire to secure it. With the ground also go the services of Hendley, who will, as usual put in, when required, some of his favourite "twisters." Hendley goes Home in March for a trip. M. Moorhouse, formerly of Christchurch and Wellington, was .apparently in great form in a matoh played on July 16, between Ewel and Merton. After capturing three of the wickets in the former's innings, which only realised 49, he was responsible for 104 out of a total of 249 scored by Merton for the loss of five wickets. In a cricket match between Somersetshire and Yorkshire the former county made 592 in an innings. Hewett scored 201, Palairot 146, and Hedley 102. Hewett and Palairet opened the innings, and tthe first wicket (Hewett's) fell with the score at 346, which is a record. Thus the Athletic News :— " At last a longfelt want is supplied. Now a panacea for all the wrongs which cricketers suffer is offered. Shall it be refused ? Who among you has not experienced the galling /throbs of disappointed ambition when perhaps with 48 or 98 runs to your credit you have been dismissed— bowled, stumped, caught, or anything else — just as you were within measurable distance of obtaining your- coveted talent money, or, if you are an amateur, the gift in kind ? How excruciating is the torture in that few; moments when you hear tho hard metallic voice of the umpire ringing that dreadful word Out, only to be followed by the pain of having to face a surging multitude in order to get to' the calm recesses of the tent. It is all very well. for the crowd to cheer and applaud, and it Is hard for you to try to look happy as you raise your cap and show the baldness bub what about the money lost, ort ho.g ift that's never ,given? At length we h'avflla remedy for such grevious wrong. A contemporary has published an interview with the secretary of Tho Cricketers' Inniugs Insurance Company, Limited, and tho ingenious gentleman who officiates as scribe for the concern has given a wonderful account of the new company. ' ■,-,.' " With a scientific accurateness and a complete insight into human nature, rules have been laid down whereby any man who has obtained over 45 rubs and not 50 shall receive under his policy the sum of LI ; if -he scores more than 40 and not 45 the company will pay 10s ; if over 30 and below 40, ss. Of course certain complications have arisen which are not decided yet, affecting the tariff and laying down laws which would discriminate between such men as Shrewsbury, who generally makes a big score, and a man, say, like Martirj, whose great forte is bowliag. The idea- is a beautiful one, and is worthy of the brain that conceived it. The success of the company, according to the high priest of tho society, depends upon the efforts of the umpires, who will be appointed-agents. With a delicate suggestiveness the secretary asserts that they are sure to be successful, for what cricketer would be so .stupid as to decline to listen to tho voice of the charmer, especially when he was the umpire ? There was nothing surer of ultimate triumph than this comprehensive scheme. lam rather afraid (continues tho Athletic News writer) that secretary is too sanguine, while admitting that there is sometimes a hardship when a man climbs to 49, and virtually earns IPs 6d, to experience the soirws of losing all by the inability to make another run. The plan has something to commend it, but a lot to condemn it. 'Of course, this is not a joke." Aithur Shrewsbury,' tho famous Notts batsman, has written a capital article on " Cricket and Cricketers." It is principally a defence of his own stylo of batting, and ho blames bowlers for affecting the off-theory and not bowling at tho wicket. Shrewsbury goes on to say: — "In tho bowling department the Australians have taught us all a great lesson. They can do more with tho ball than our own bowlers, and do it twice as quickly. The ball is therefore watched with greater difficulty. The Australians do nob bowl for maidens, but are always experimenting with the ball. To see Spofforth in his day and on his wicket bowling at tho best of English batsmen— they never knowing whether a fast or medium pace ball was being delivered, for Spofforth's action was always the • same, sometimes with, and sometimes without break, and he all the time worlring as if his very life depended upon his individual effort— this was a treat to witness. It is supposed by many who follow cricket that as Lord Sheffield's Eleven have been defeated by Australia in two out of three matches the colonials could organise a team which could beat a representative team at Home. My own opinion is that should they bo ablo to bring over the best side the colonies could produce (which could not be possible) England

with an equal share of luck. would win nine* matches out of 10. How is it possible for them to be as strong as they wore eight or 10 yearsback P How many of tho following names are missing from their ranks, all of whom were playing first-class cricket at the time I speak of, viz. : — Victoria — Palmer, M'Donnell, Boyle, Allan (the equal of any left-handed bowler 1 ever encountered), Horau, Bonnor, Cooper, and Midwinter ; New South Wales— Murdoch, C. Banncrman, Spofforth, Evans, Garrott, and Massie? I don't include A. Banncrrnan,. Jones, G. Giffeu (South 'Australia), Moses, nor Blackhara in the above, for they are playing still, taking part now in representative matches, as they did at the time I have mentioned. With two exceptions — Turner and Lyons— are any of the new men up to the standard of those enumerated? They are dwarfs among giants. Both New South Walea and Victoria could have each placed a stronger team in the field then than Australia can now." A London cablegram states that Lancashire beat Notts by an innings and 69 runs. This leaves Surrey the champion cricket county with 13 wins, two losses (both at the hands of Notts), and one draw. Notts is second, and Somersetshire third on tho list. The rapid advance made by Somersetshire may be regarded as one of the surprising features of the season, and Yorkshire, who started splendidly, and were for some time at the top of the tree, must have failed badly in their later matches.

[Now First Published.]