NOTES BY SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 32

NOTES BY SLIP.

Fifty-two matches have been played between Victoria and New South Wales, of which the former colony has won 28, the victories of New South Wales numbering 24-. The contests date back to 1856 and home-and-home matches were iuslifcuted in 1879. H. H. Massieleft Dunedin on Thursday last by the steamer for Melbourne en route for New South Wales. He was one of the excursionists by the Tarawera on her first trip to the sounds, and has altogether had a good time in this colony. One can gather Borne idea of the strength of the Melbourne Cricket Club by looking at the report of its meeting held recently. It has on the books 27C0 members. The credit balance is £1.000. No wonder then that the club is in a position to take half the risk of bringing an English eleven to Australia next season, although with cricket as popular as it is just now there is not much risk. A match between Victoria and Tasmania was played at Melbourne in the last week in January and was won by seven wickets by Victoria, who were practically represented by a second elsven, the best team of the colony being absent at Sydney at the time. The Tasmanians scored 196, to which Kenny Burn contributed the top score of 35, J. Saviguy 33, N. K. Westbrook 24, J. Watt 22, and B. J. Bidy 20. To this Victoria replied with 327, of which E. Bean, (not out) subscribed 103, It. Houston 72, B, A, Barrett 42, and I. Drape 32 In their second innings' the representatives of the tight little ■ ibland made 191, Eady scoring 55 and Burn 30, and Victoria hit up 62 with the loss of three wickets and thus won the match. I wonder if the remarkable similarity between the New Zealand record for a partnership made by Cuff and Lawrence for Canterbury last month and the American record, established in August last, has occurred to anyone. Both records were made for the first wicket, and not only were the totals almost identical, but the individual scores were strikingly similar. Cuff, it will be remembered, scored 176 and Lawrence 123, seven extras bringing the total for the partnership to 306. In the American match, Tyers scored 170, Cobb 126, and there were nine extras, the partnership producing 305 runs. Last year the Otago Daily Times establishment ran a cricket club. Its victories were few — I believe there was one about which the players can boast — and their detents ware many . The club quietly did. Its burial, if not attended with much pomp and circumstance, was decent. Bub the cricket flame in the breasts of the nimble compositors was not extinguished, and it ha 3 burrt out afresh with conspicuous lustre this season. The Thursday half-holiday gives the Times employees an opportunity of taking on teams from other establishments in the city, the hands in which have less show of practice than they have, and it is a mistake to suppose that the compositors are not cricketers, fctratagem has played an important part in many a hibtoric Btruggle, and it is not wanting even here. For cool artifice commend me to the Times cricketer who, the other day, when it was important to waste time, as his side, although in a lead on the first innings, were being hopelessly mowed down in the second innings, and had defeat staring them in the face unless they could consume the few minute 3 left for play without losing their list wickets, managed to get his hat blown ofi his head away down the Caledonian ground and who, rather than trouble the other side to get it for him, leisurely went after it himself and recovered it. He saved the match— his side, who had 36 runs to win with three wicketß to fall, claimed the victory by 11 runs on the first ! innings — and who will say that the means were ! not justified by the end ? Mr C. Bills, of George street, offered a walking stick of New Zealand wood to the highest scorer in the New South Wales team in the I Otago match. This was won by E. Noble, who played sound cricket in each innings. Otago cricketers earnestly desire that the Canterbury association will send their best eleven down to Dunedin for this year's contest. In such a ease a record attendance may be looked for and a keen mateh — by no means a "bird" for Canterbury . The New South Wales cricketers confirm the verdict of the Auckland team a month ago, that the Otago bowling is the best in the colony. They declare also that the batting here is as good as anywhere else in the colouy, but that the batsmen are more inclined to take risks, while they regard Fisher as the finest fieldsman in New Zealand.

The Ofcago team which is to meet Southland at Invercargill next week will, 1 regret to say, be far from representative. The straitened state of the association's finances necessitates that each member of the team should pay his own expenses Hence these tears. I understand that Lawton may go dowD, and that Parker, Baker, Currie, Kmvig, Gooch, D. Smyth (Oceana), and Wells are also likely to be in the team.

Doig, of the Opoho team, had a large hand in securing an easy victory last week for the Gore Club over Mandeville. The latter were disposed of in the first innings for 25 runs (G. Beecot 12), Doig capturing seven wickets tor 12. Gore made 109 (Hartley 37, Gibson 19, Robeitson 10), and in their second innings Mandeville lost eight wickets for 45 (A. G. Bell 28).

Alec Downea having signified hia inability to take part in the match at Lancaster Park this week between the New South Wales and Now Zealand teams, his place was promptly filled by the selection of IS. V. Palmer, of Chriatchurch. And thereby hangs a little tale ! The committee of the Otago Cricketers' Association met on yesterday week and, as recorded in the last issue of tfoe Witness, passed the following resolution : — "That in the opinion of this association our men have been unfairly treated by the managers of the New Zealand v. New South Wales match in having the final selection of the team made before the selector had an opportunity of judging for himself the merits of the men whose names were submitted for his consideration " The explanation given by Mr Ollivier 01 his Felection of the Intercolonial team before the Otago match was, " I could not wait until after your match as I could not get the players from Auckland." This is a fairly valid excuse, and jjerponally I do not think that Otago could complain of being placed on the same footing as Auckland and Wellington in having two representatives in the team, but I have a very strong conviction — and the conviction is, I am aware, shared by nearly every person in this province who takes an interest in the game — that when it came to tilling Downes's place in the team tbeco w.t,s no occasion for the haste which Mr Oliivier displayed.

Before the vacancy was filled, Mr Ollivier had the resolution of the CKago Cricketers' Association beiore him, and it was not unreasonable to rxpsct that he would have p*id some slight attention to is. His answer has been t^io (selection of Palmer, before the Ofcago team had a chance of showing what they were capable of doing against the visitors. This was grossly discourteous to the Otago Association, and I imagine that Mr Ollivier will not find

many Apologists for tho precipitancy with which he has pitchforked the sixth Canterbury man into the New Zealand team, and left Ofcago with only one man in it. The haste, indeed, with which the vacancy was filled was indecent and inexcusable. Had Mr Ollivier desired to bring another Auckland man down to play in the intoccolonial match it would have been perfectly reasonable for him to make his choice a week before the mabch, bub where a vacancy was caused by the withdrawal of the name of an Otago man, and there was a Christchurch man available whom the selector considered fit for a placs in the team, ib would have been a very trifling concession to the wishes expressed by the committee of the Ofcago Association if the selection had been delayed until after the match between the New South Wales and Obago teams in case, peradventure, there might turn out to be in the Ofcago Eleven a player with claims for inclusion in the New Zealand team at least equal to those possessed by Palmer.

As it is Mr Ollivier has offered a direct insult to Otago cricketers by implying that there are only two of their number whose claims for selection in a team representative of the colony are worthy of consideration. The reply which they at once returned to that insult— a heavy score against New South Wales with the best of the draw with the visiting team — must have been not a little humiliating to the gentleman who had such a poor opinion of their powers that, nob think* ing it worth while to wait until they had measured their strength against the visitors, ha passed them ignominiously over and gave Downes's place to Palmer, Mr Ollivior's action may have tho effocb of causing some little friction between the cricketers of the two provinces, who have always hitherto manifested the best of feeling for each other, and it has at all events disappointed and disgusted the supporters of the game in Otago. While feeling strongly that an undeserved slur has been cast upon our cricket, I should like to say that I believe Palmer capable of doing good service in the New Zealand team — only wo have players hero who could do as well, and probably better. If a third-rate player were selected it would not, I fancy, affect the result of the match, for the visitors should, on public form, be decisively beaten, but for all that — we have our grievance.

The score of 264 made by Otago Bgiinsb tho Now South Wales team is, it is interesting to note, the highest total ever made by an Otago Eleven in any contest. The best score previously recorded was 200 runs, made iv the second innings against Canterbury at Lancaster Park in 1889— on which ocoasioi Harper, afoot scoring 69, was out by a memorable stroko, as, in his desire to top Cuff's 70 for Canterbury, he changed bands with the bat, hoping to place a ball from Marshall, who was put as a dernier rcssort to bowl underhand slows, through tho only two men on the off-sido, with the result that ho popped one softly into point's hands — aud the second host; was 185 in tho second innings agaiti&t Canterbury iv 1878, W. G. Dixon and George Clark each contributing 30 runs to that total. The performance of the Ofcago team in tho match just played was, it will be seen, a good deal better than the best previous one, but the batsmen all declare that th'J bowling against them was poor stuff. Austin's deliveries required to be watched carefully, but the bowling of tho others was not better than is met with in ordinary club matches, and it was certainly treated in an unceremonious manner— by "none of the team more bo than by Fisher, who, receiving his customary indulgence from the opposing side, whose fielding was decidedly patchy, played with even more freedom than usual.

The best innings on Saturday, however, was that played by Lawton — not because he got the top score of the day, bub because his cricket was sound and orthodox all through. It was for his own sake very unfortunate that he should have thrown hia wicket away in the manner he did, bee luse he had quite taken the measure of the bowling and shaped at it as if he could remain in for the afternoon. As he scored 52 and 29 against Auckland, his batting average for representative matches this season is the admirable one of 46 1 runs per innings. Baker displayed a good deal of freedom and banged the bowling about a lot in quite characteristic style. Boddington, on tho other hand, did not bat in the dashing style which marked his play last season and in the beginning of this. He has slowed down a good deal lately — this was apparent in the recent Cup match between the Opoho and Grange Club", aud it was also noticeablo la*t Saturday. If he did not score quickly, however, bia play was generally sound. Clarke had nob got set when his career was cut shor f , ard Ma r- Neil was just fealing his way when Austin tempted him and a low drive into the hands of the big New South Welshman, Mackenzie, necessitated his retirement. The merry rate at which the runs came was maintained almost till the stumps wore drawn, for although Harper and Downes played with extra caution in the last few overs so as to be not oub, both scored freely. The Grange man relished the bowling greatly and punished it vigorously, while Harper, who has now acquired the patience ho used to lack, made a number of effective strokes which recalled his batting of Tour or five years ago. When the play was resumed on Monday morning, Harper himself felt that he was good for a score, but in making a drive in the second over of the day the bat he was using, having a smaller handle than he is accustomed to, slipped round in his hands and from the mishit Gould, who=e fielding at mid-aff was of a high order, caught him very cleverly. Downes, however, rattled up a rospectablo contribution before he was disposed of. Hia batting was chalks better than any he has previously shown in important matches and there was not a single fault to be urged against it. His hitting was clean and well timed, and with the exception of a hard drive clear of the field, which ratbled up against the pavilion, his strokes were all along the turf. Hope played in characteristic style, and placed the ball very nicely in short strokes when be found that the oufcfioldsmon were standing very deep. He made a mistake in calling Currie for the run which cost the latter his wicket, for there are not mauy of our cricketers who are so active between the sticks as Hope ib, and Currie is not one of them. Everyone felt sorry for Parker, who was caught out before he had taken the measure of the bowling. The 264 runs which formed the total of Otago's innings were obtained from 478 balls, whereas in Christchurch it was from 806 balls that the Canterbury team obtained their 331 runs. Verb, sap. The wicket was as easy when the New South Wales team went in as it had been for the Otago innings, and the batsmen were helped by a few showers of rain, which placed the bowlers at a disadvantages. Downes was, perhaps, handicapped more than the otbers,for, when he cannot obtain a grip of the ball, his deliveries are quite innocuous. The first of the visitors was got rid of cheaply, bub Mackenzie — whom the spectators were especially anxious to sco batting— gave a good exhibition, and received able assistance from Cowloy, whose forward pl«.y to a large extent smothered tho bowling. Both men kept tho ball down and gave the field no chance, and the partnership was becoraing dangerously fruitful of runs when

a beautiful ball from Lawton beat him and scattered his stumps. When Downes, who found it difficult to keep a tooting and sent down four no balls, wan replaced by Hope, wickets fell somewhat rapidly, the left-hander's leg break troubling the visitors, who, on tho other hand, coming from a country where the off theory is greatly cultivated, did not seem to be bothered by balls that broke back. When Gould, who was sufferirg from an attack of cramp, was joined by E. Noble, there was more than a prospect that the New South Welshmen would have to follow their innings, but these two played the best cricket of the day, their valuable partnership adding 88 runs before Clarke captured Gould's wicket. The other wickets gave somo little trouble, the laßb one adding 15 runs.

My apologies to Currie ! Last week I expressed the opinion that his inexperience in big cricket might find him at fault in the encounter with the New South Wales team. It affords me pleasure now to record my testimony to the merits of his performance. Hio "keeping" was distinctly better than Searle's for the visitors, and he took balls outside the leg stump as well as on the offside and over the wicket cleanly and well. The New South Wales men themselves, while remarking that there were good wicketkeepers wherever they had played, were struck by Curries performance and complimented him upon it. The Albion colt has undoubtedly the makings of a rattling good man behind the stumps and his bitting, too, was marked by confidence. The fielding 'generally was good. Mackenzie and Gould were bright and shiniDg lights on behalf of tho visitors, but there was no better fielding in the match thau that of Fisher, whose ambidextrous skill gave him a pull over all the others. Harper, Clarke, Parker, E. Noble, Davis, Moore, and Miller also earned applause by their efforts Before passing from the fielding I should men' ion that MacNuil's manage* ment of his bowling on Monday was by no means successful. He clearly recognised this himself, for on the next afternoon he used tho talent at his disposal with good judgment.

The play on the third day calls for very little comment beyond that given in the description of the match. It was virtually a foregone con* elusion before a ball was delivered that a draw would bo the result, though, had the visitors not delayed the proceedings so much as they did, a definite issue should have been arrived at. It was hardly consistent in the New South Wales team, after complaining of what they were pleased to call " sharp practice " on the part of South Canterbury in not playirg on and enabling them to claim a victory, to place every possible obstacle in the way of finishing the Otago match, the explanation undoubtedly being that "circumstances alter cases." The Otago team had nothing to gain aud everything to lose by remaining in long iv their second innings, and much of the bitting and a great deal of the running between the wickets wan reckless. It is not to be supposed, thert'forc, tlvit 114 runs represented what they were capable of doing, and I may point out that Harper, who seemed to have tairly got going, had cruelly hard luck iv losing his wicket as he did, while MaoNeil was also unfortunate. The visitors had loss than two hours to bat, and thoexcelleuco of the bowling deetroyed any hope they may have had of polishing off the 180 runs they wanted. As it is, E. Noble, who again came to the fore with a splendid exhibition of defensive, and towards the end, of offensive cricket, was the only batsman who was at all comfortable, and when stumps were drawn and there were still 105 runs wanting, the game was certainly in favour of Ofcago.

A telegram has been received at Wellington from the manager of the New South Wales cricket team, agreeing to play a match in Wellington on Monday, Tuesday, and Wedneeday next, befora returning to Sydney. The match will probably be against the North Island, as it is believed Mills and Fowke will be able to stay and represent Auckland. At a meeting of the Canterbury Cricket Association it was decided that the New Zealand team wear the same colours as is worn by the New Zealand representatives in other branches of sport. The receipts for the three days of the New South Wales match amounted to £244.

A match was played on the Caledonian ground last Thursday between teams representing A. and T. Inglis. and the Otago Daily Times, and refculted in a victory for the latter by 11 ruua on the first; innings. Scores : — A. and T. loglis, 39 and 65 for two wickets (innings declared closed); Times, 50 and 19 for neven wickets. For the losers Spraggon (18), White (37), and Lambert (29, nob out) were the highest scorers ; for the Times M'Connochie (17), Stadsfield (9), and" Ferguson (7) were the chief contributors. Spraggon and White for the losers and Souness and Minn for the winners shared the bowling honours. The United defeated the Rosebuds on the Exhibition ground on Saturday. The scores were : United, 50 and 48 (M'Farlane 17 and 11); Rosebuds, 24 and 32 (J. Wright 11). Mullins and Evans bowled well for the winners, as did J. Wright and Wilkie for the losers).