AUSTRALIANS V. NEW ZEALAND FIFTEEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2231, 3 December 1896, Page 36

AUSTRALIANS V. NEW ZEALAND FIFTEEN.

A most important event in connection with New Zealand* cricket commenced last Thursday at, .Lancaster Park, when the farfamed Australian Eleven of 1896 tackled B chosen Fifteen of .New Zealand. The weather was fine overhead, bub a bitterly fcold southerly wind militated against the enjoyment of the~spectators and -the comforb of the fieldsmen. Tbe wicket was Rood, and the Australian captain (Trott) being lucky enough to beat Caff in tbe'toss for choice of innings, of course elected to go in. The Australians kept possession of the wickeb all day, the last pan being out at 20 minutes to 6. The batting pt the visitors throughout wai not noted for any exceptional brilliancy or rapid run-getting, but was more conspicuous for care and ability to place the ball between the ranks of eager fields* men «fe the watoh. The Now Zealandew

missed several catches, bob on the whole fielded well, the ground work being exceptionally good and sure. The bowlers were handicapped by \ the cold biting wind, whioh stiffened their limbs, and ab times rendered the deliveries | short-pitohed and inscourate. The Australians were batting in all a little over four hours for a total of 304, the fastest run-getting being whilst Kelly was in, as he and Eady pub on 90 runs in exactly 60 minutes. Iredale's display was a thoroughly sonnd and , correct one, and Kelly hit very hard, showing | great aptitude at the pull stroke. Eady, too, i proved himself a batsman of no mean order, and his runs were well got. Trott and Giffen j both played steadily and well, but Darling was over eager, and, after being let off twice in the ! long field, took no warning and fell at the | third time of asking. Wilding oarried off the bowling honours, and was hardly used enough. The game started ab 10 minutes past 12, j Darling and Iredale being the first pair of bats- j men to represent Australia. Upham started ! the bowling against the wind, Iredale facing j him, whilst Robertson was entrusted with the trundling at the other end. Play | was slow for an over or too until Darling lashed oub ab Upham and scored 10 in one over. Iredale followed suit- at Robertson's expense with a beautifully placed 4 to kg and a back out for 3, And both men were in double figures with 20 up for 10 -minutes' play. Just afterwards Upham bowled an eventful over. Darling -lifted him to Ridley in the long field, who dropped the ball, 2 resulting.Then came another couple, and the next ball Mills dropped him near the boundary, another brace being scored. Another couple was followed by a fine on drive for 4. Play slowed down for a while, bub 40 went up in 25 minutes from the start. Three runs later Penrce took Upham's plaoe, and at 47 had Darling caught ab the boundary by Mills. 47 — 1—29,1 — 29, and Giffen in. Both men scored steadily bat not freely, and ab 60 Neill took Robertson's place, and 70 came in sight within the hour. At 76 Upham resumed bowling. Ten runs later luncheon was announced, with the same batsmen in. The game was resumed ab 2 30, Robertson opening to Giffen, with Upham trundling at the other cud. A lot of slow play followed, neither batsman acoep'ing any, risks. The century came after 95 minutes' play, with Iredale 51 and Giffen 18, and Giffen signalised its appearance by cutting Robertson for 4 and then lifting him splendidly on to the cinder track on the leg side for 5. Pearce went on again at 109, and Iredale give a possible ehaoce in the Blips. Neill resumed bowling, and Upham soon made a smart catch at ehort-slip, .dismissing Giffen. 116 — 2 —29. Trott next; partnered Iredale and was soon busy, with Iredale holding the even tenor of his way and consistently increasing his ecore. At 138 Upham bowled with the wind, and Iredale was nearly caught in the slips by Williams. Hey bowled ab the other end, but made no impression. At 161 Wilding went on and foou gained a round of cheers by bowling Iredale with a slow one well up. 165—3—75, and Gregory in: The latter was not long in possession before he lost Trofcfc, snapped up at the wickets off the veteran. 176—4—29. Graham came next, bat at 184 Gregory lHffc, ran oat tbrcugh sharp, fielding by William-'. Trumble partnered Grabem, and by the latter's exetiqng 190 w*s j signalled, but 1 run la'er h? aljppei in playing at Pearce, and being out of his gr>uud was promptly stumped by -Niven. 191—6-13. Afoer a quarter of an hour's adjournment for afternoon tea, Wilding's first over nfbsrwards caused Trumble's dismissal, caught at the wickets, with 191 — 7—o7 — 0 posted, and the- cod seemingly iv eight. Nob so, however. Kelly and Eady got together and thoroughly defied all the bowling, whilst giving the field no chances. 200 was soou posted and the scoring taken on rapidly, mainly through Kelly's exertions. Tsds followed eetch other in rapid succession despite numerous changes in the bowling department At 233 Pearce went on, and was dealt with by the Australian wicketkeeper to the extent of 14 in one over. Tbis brought Baker on for a couple of overs, but they produced 20 runs, necessitating the burly Ofcago man's retirement into the long field again. Holdship went on at 270, but it was not till 281 was totalled that the long-looked-for separation was effected by Williams catching' Kelly in the long field off Upham. 281—8—53. Jones joined Eady, who beg-m to open out, and 300 was soon up, but 4 runs later the Tasmanian skied Robertson, and was caught by Pearce at the on boundary. 304 — 9—41. M'Kibbin, the last man, came in, but never got strike, Jones lifting the next ball to mid-on, where Wilding effected an easy catch, and 304—10—6 was hoisted. The match was continued on Friday in magnificentweather and upon a perfect wicket. Over 5000 spectators were present. The New Zealanders' first innings occupied the greater part of the'day, Jbut the run-gettiogwas- very slow, the efforts of raoefc of the batsmen being characterised by a painful lack of confidence. Jones's fait deliveries were the means of starting an early procession to and from the pavilion,- and it wa« only the stubbornness and determination of Williams, R'dley, Neill, and Wilding, helped in a minor degree by the efforts of Holdship and Hay, that prevented utter collapse. Jones bowled at a great pace, some of the Australian team averring that he has never trundled better during the tour. Giffen and M'Kibbin at the other end were both dodgy and successful. The fielding was sharp, sure, and keen, very few mistakes being made. New Zealand's second innings opened badly, Eady bawling Milk at once. Williams and Cuff, though, made a splendid stand, Cuff in particular playing brilliantly and scoring fast and well all round the wickeb, and 74 runs were scored in 50 minutes with both men still in. The game commenced at 12.10, the Australians taking the field p.nd beiDg immediately followed by Cuff and Mills. Gifitn started the bowling ab the south end to Mills, a maiden resulting. Jones took up the parable ab the other end, Cuff opening his soore with a single, Mills following euifc. Bat in the same over the Adelaide "express" bowled Cuff, knocking the bails 56 yards away, almost to the cinder track. De Maus next faced the music, and Mills gained applause by hitting G;ftV:> ro leg for 2, but with 7 on the score- j fcheefc Jon&s knocked MilU's leg stump out of the ground. 7—2 — 4. Baker was next bowled j with his second ball. 7—7 — 3—o.3 — 0. Williams took j the vacant crease, and De Maus pulled Giffen j for 2 and drove him for another brace— lo up. Williams opened with 3 off the same bowler, but after De Maus had added a couple Giffen bowled him off his pads. 17 — 4—B, and Neill in. He scored 2 at once to leg, and a single j sent 20 up. After slow play Neill played Jones ] to leg for 3, and Williams drove him to the on i boundary for 4—30 up. Forty came with comparative celerity, and wa« the result of an hour's play. Williams reached 2d by driving Jones for 2, but at 48 Giffen bowled him, aud the luncheon adjournment took plaoe with 48— 5— 21 on the board. Upon resuming Clarke accompanied Neill to the wickets. Four-byes coming off the first ball brought 50 up. Neill ran into doubles with a leg stroke for 2, bat at 55 he was excellently paughb bt Trumblo i Q the olfes. 55-8-12. cvud HqWiuj

in. He soon brought 60 up, but 4 runs later Giffen bowled Clarko. 64—7—3. Hay was next, and, snicking Jones, 70 went up. Holdship hit Giffen to the leg boundary, but soon afterwards Eady oaught him ab third m»n. 78—8—13 and Wilding in, Hay bringing 80 up with a stroke to the boundary ; but Trott; dismissed him next ball. 83—9—10. A. Ridley came next, and placed Jones for a triplet, and 90 was soon signalled, and principally through Ridley's efforts 100 was posted amidst applause. Wilding scored 5 (4 for an overthrow). At 107 M'Kibbin relieved Giffen, and Ridley drove Jones to the boundary — 110 up. M'Kibbin bowled Wilding with a good one, 115—10—14. Pearoe came ia and drew Jones for 4. Leg byes sent 120 in sight, but Jones bowled down Pearce's off stump before long. 124 — 11 — 6. Upliam joined Ridley, who scored 2 through the slips, but shortly afterwards he wai smartly stumped. 128—12 — 23. Niven fell a victim to Trumble in the slips, and Robertson, the last man, appeared only to bo bowled by the second ball. 129—14—0. The innings was over at 20 minutes to 5. In a minority of 175 runs, New Zealand followed on at 5.10 p.m, Cuff and Mills starting the batting again. Trott opened to Mills and Eady to Cuff. The latter drove the Tasmanian for 3, but the nexb ball bowled Mills. 3—l— 0, and Williams in. Two to Cuff and a big hit on to the cinder track for 5 to the New Zealand captain at Trott's expense sent 10 up. Cuff monopolised the scoring, having 18 runs to hw^credit. Twenty soon came, after 12 minutes' play, Cuff evidently relishing the opposing captain's deliveries, and 30 went up from 15 minutes' play. The next 10 came slowly, and when 40 was posted Cuff was 30 and Williams 10. The Wellington man then cut Trott for 4, all ran out. At 48 Trumblo relieved Trott, and Williams placing him neatly to leg brought 50 in sight. Cuff snick -d Eady for a 4 aud singles, and a triplet to Williams off Tumble sent 60 up after 40 minutes' play. The scoring continued apace, and when stumps were drawn both men were still in, Cuff having made 47 and Williams 25, the total being 74 for one wicket. The public were again treated on Saturday with a bright sunny day, marred a little though by a cold easterly wind. Some 3500 spectators were pr> sent. The New Zealand team batted with a lot mere confidence and dash than on the previous day, and fairly extended the Australians. Most of the men shoved a deoided ability to cope with the bowling. Williams 'gave a masterly exhibition of safe batting, blended happily with vigorous and ■ olean hitting, and the e«.rno may bo «aid of Bak«\ Cuff only added- three singles to his overnight score before a lightning delivery from Jones dismissed him. De Maus stared off in brilliant fashion and promised well for a loog , ecore, but M'Kibbin got in an extra good one and retired him. Ridley again gave a, plucky exhibition, as did Wilding, who, whien shaping well, fell a victim pace more to a weak off stroke. The Australians fielded well aud exhausted tbeir bowling talent in dismiss-ng the New Zealand team, but did not t-ucceed until the Utter were 73 on an 7 ! about an hoar left for play. There T?as a good deal of excitement in that period as to whether the runs would come in time or not. Dating forced the psca *t the start, and fie task s^msd an easy one; 'bat ! upon his di«mHß&l, ths bowling aud Qeidiog btiag good and keen, runs vm-fl hard to get, and' opiuiocs were somewhat divided as the clack erupt round. However, the runs were got just in the nick of time — mainly, at; tha finish, through the agenoy of risky singles. There was a slight hitch at the end as to whether Gregory's run out should count or not, bat «s the runs were actually got before that i accideut it is conceded that he is entitled to claim not oub. The Australians again, took the fi-ld at 10 ■ minutes past 12-, aud Cuff and -Williams i followed at once, the former taking strike to , Jones and snicking a 6ingle. M'Kibbin bowled from the other end, and by singles Cuff soon reached his half •hundred,' but immediately afterwards Jonea bowled oufehisleg stump. 78 — 2—50.2 — 50. De Maus next partnered Williams and scored a single off the first ball, following up this by i snicking M'Kibbin to leg for 3. Eighty up, | and slow play until Do Maus cut M'Kibbin for ; 3 and played Jones to the on for another triplet. Ninety went up, and De Maus became aggressive at Jones's expense, Williams playing quietly and confidently meanwhile. A good straight drive to the boundary by De Maue aroused enthusiasm, and he followed this up with a splendid cut for 4—loo4 — 100 up ; — but just afterwards M'Kibbin beat him all the way and bowled him. 106—3—24, and Ridley in. 110 soon went up, both men scoring off Jones, Ridley varying the monotony by cutting M'Kibbin to the boundary. Jones bowled round the wicket, but 120 came in due coarse. At 125 Giffen relieved the express howler, but. 130 wes hoisted ere long, and at 136 ■ Tt-umble took M'Kibbin'a place at -the bowling crease ; but seven, r ana came in his first orer, 140 going- up, and at the luncheon adjournment both men were still in, with the total at 144, Williams 49 and Ridley 17. Upon resuming Williams drove Trumble for 3, bringing his total to 52, and in the next over he hit Giffen grandly to leg for 4—1504 — 150 up, — and brought forth great applause in the same over by driving the veteran to the off boundary, and 160 was soon telegraphed, but at this juncture Ridley was run out by Graham. 160—4 — Jp, and Baker in. Williams greeted him with another beautiful leg stroke to the boundary, and 170 quickly appeared. After slow play a couple to B*ker saved the innings defeat. The long debit balance wiped off and the Otago man, batting vigorously, sent 180 up. At 186 Jones took up his original end, and bowled Williams with one that kept low. 186—5—73. The Wellington crack was loudly applauded on retirement. He bad batted three hours. Clarke joined Baker, and the latter spanked Trumble for a brace, and Bent 190 up with a lofty one, but at 195 Trumble bowled Clarke. Holdship went in, and the second hundred was potted almost immediately, soon followed by 210, both batsmen playins; confidently and briskly. Three runs later Holdship was caught in the slips— 2l4 — 7—lo7 — 10, — and Neill cam© in. Baker encouraged him by soickiag Trumble for 4 and driving him for 3. 220 up. Jones, though, soon bowled Neill's leg stump out, and 224—8—0 was signalled as Hay came in, M'Kibbin taking Trumble's place. His first ball bowled Baker, who retired after a good innings. 224 — 9—40.9 — 40. Wilding strode out and finished the over, and 230 quickly came, but the " express " settled Hay at 232, and Pearce joined Wilding. Jones suffered at the hands of both men. At 245 a short adjournment took plaoe for afternoon tea. On resuming, Baker fielded as substitute for Giffca, and M'Kibbin's first ball bowled Pearoe— 24s— ll— 4,— and the end in sight. With Upham in, a single was run, and the newcomer was run out — 246— 12— 0,— and with the total unaltered M'Kibbin bowled Wilding— 246— l3— l2,— and after a bye Niven was bowled. 247—14—0. This left the Australians 73 to get to win, and at 6 p.m. Darling and Iredale started the task. Upham bowled a maiden to Iredale and Pearce tackled Darling. The batuman scored 1 4 off his first ball, and after a single Iredale . pulled Pearca for 4* buo was bowled next ball.

9—l—4. . Gregory's advent was greeted with: applause, and Darling out Upham for 4—lo up. Darling, continuing his aggressive tactics, landed Pearce over the rails for 6 (the hifa of the match), and Gregory opened with a neat 2 to leg— 2o up. . With 30 up Pearce oaught and bowled Darling, and Graham appeared in time to run 4 for Gregory and be olean bowled byUp ham. 35—3—0. Trotts next essayed to stem the tide of disaster that bad overtaken his team. Gregory cheered him with a sweeb oub for 3 off Pearce. Little could be done with Upham, who was bowling very steadily, and the fielding being 6harp and keen runs came slowly. Gregory brought 40 up with another fine cut for 3, and treated Upham to a similar dose. Trott narrowly escaped being run out through Guff's good fielding, and signalised his escape by driving Pearce for 4, a 2, and 4 in one over— s6 up. Two more and Pearca caught Trofcfc off a terrific skier off his own bowling. 58—4 — 13, and 15 runs wanted to win in 14 minutes. Trumble opened with 2at once, and the excitement grew. Good bowling and brilliant fielding kept the scoring in cheok, and at 3 minutes to 6 o'clock 5 runs were wanted to win. A series of stolen singles won the game at 6 p.m., but through a misunderstanding as to the scores another over was taken, and Gregory, who was lame, claimed and got a substitute to run for him, who, in attempting a sharp single, ran him out. Considerable discussion ensued as to whether the Australians won by six wickets or five, and a diversify of opinion was expressed,, but it was generally conceded that as the runs were got before he was run out, the visitors won by six wiokets. Scores : — Austbalia.— First Inuings. Iredale, b Wilding 75 "Darling, c Mills, b Pearce 29 • Giffen, c tTpharu, b Neill ' 28 Trott, c Niven, b Wilding ... „. 29 Gregory, run out „, ... 8 Graham, 6t Niven, b Pearce ... „. IS Trumble, c Niven, b Wilding 0 Kelly, c Williams, b Upham 53 Eady, c Pearce, b Robertson 41 Joneg, c Wilding, b Robertson,.. ... 6 M'Kibbin, not out 0 Byes , ... 17 Leg-byes ... 4 Total ... 301 BOWLING ANALYSIS. Balls. Mdns. Runs. Witts. Upham 150 7 61 1 Robertson 138 5 59 2 Pearce 132 4 ■ m 2 N«ill 64 — 3*5 1 Hay 18 — 8 — Wilding 60 1 29 3 Baker 12 — 20 — Holdship 12 - 7 — New Zealand.— First Innings. Cuff, b Jones... 1 Mills, b Jones 4 De Maus, b Giffen 8 Baker, b Jones 0 Williams, b Giffen 21 Neill, cTrumhle, b Giffen 12 Clarke, b Giffeu 3 Holdship, c Jtady, b Jones 13 Hay, c Trott, h Jones 10 Wildine, b M'Kibbin 14 A.,Ri(Uey, at Kelly, b M'Kibbin ... 23 J'earce, b Jones 6 Upham, not out ' •... 1 * Niven, c Trumble, b Jones ... „. 0 Robertson, b Jones ■• 0 Extras 13 'Total 129 BOWLING ANALYSIS. Uallfl. Runs. Wkls. Jones ... IS4 150 8 ' Giffen J44 48 4 M'Kibbin 42 8 2 Second Innings. Cuff, b Jones , ... 50 Mills, b Eady 0 Wisliams, b Jones 73 De Maus, b M'Kibbin *24 Ridley, run out 20 Baker, b M'Kibbin 4.l Clarke, b Trnmble 0 Holdebip, c Eady, b Jones 10 Neill, b Jones ... 0 Hay, b Jones 4 Wilding, b M'Kibbin 12 Pearce, b M'Kibbin 4 Upham, run out • 0 Niv^n, b M'Kibbia 0 Robertson, not out 0 Extras 10 Total' 247 BOWLING ANALYSIS. Balls. Runs. Wkte, Trott 42 36 0 Eady ... CO 17 1 Jones 132 58 5 Trumble .„ ... ... 102 59 1 M'Kibbin 107 37 5 Giffen 54 30 0 Australia. — Second Innings. Iredale, b Pearce ... ; 4 Darling, c and b Pearce 21 Gregory, notjjut .' 25 Graham, b Upham 0 Trott, c and b Pearce , 13 Tiumble, not out 9 Extra >„ 1 Total for four wickets... 73 BOWLING 1 ANALYSIS. •Balls. Rnns.Wkts. Upham... ;.. „ '... 68 ' 28/ 1 Pearce ,>. * '63 44 • 3 The gross takings, including the stands, amount to a little over £550. '