CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2232, 10 December 1896, Page 35

CRICKET.

NOTES BY SLIP.

* . * In another column I present tables showing the leading batting and bowling averages up to date of players engaged in the Senior Cup contests. By publishing these particulars at frequent intervals during the season I hope to ensure accuracy in 'the figures, and I shall be glad if secretaries of clubs will awisb me towards attaining this end by checking the averageß that are given in the Witness and by promptly pointing out any errors that may creep into the tables. • . • If Alexander, of tbe Albion team, can be depended upon to keep up the form he showed on Saturday when batting against the Opoho Club he must have strong claims for consideration at the hands of the selectors of the next Otago team. Ho played confidently, took no liberties but scored consistently, kept the ball down well, and timed his strokes very nioely.

• . • A. Q. R»ins has left this week en route for Western Australia, where he is to be associated with A. B. Tonalin — who, like him, was a member" of the Garisbrook Club here — in the management of a warehouse which the well-known firm of Sargood, Butler, and Nichol is establishing at Perth. Rains received a 'send-off on Saturday night lass from the Carisbrook Club, and on Monday afternoon the heads of the departments in the local warehouse of Sargood, Son, and Ewea bid him farewell over a glass of champagne. |. • . ' No player in local cricket has BCorejj, so heavily in this year's Cap matches as Kinrig, of the Duaediu Club, who has seemed to find nothing amiss in any of tbe bowling he has had to play. He has not yet been fortunate enough to i make much of his opportunities in representative matches, but he played confidently enough ] against the Australians to warrant the hope ! that ha will do just ; ce to himself in forthcoming important marches. • . • It is worthy of note, as those who study the tables of Cup averages in this issue will I doubtless observe, that the names of some of ; oar usually most reliable bat3tnen do not ! appear in the bitting lilt, the explanation being ! that their average does not run into double figures. AmoDg these may be mentioned i Clarke, Johnston, Fisher, and Clayton, not to I mention Rain?, who only played in two I matches. • . • While on the North ground on Saturday I noticed that W. Gollar, who is now playing for the Opoho Second Eleven— like many other oid representative players Gollar has dropped iato junior cricket — was given out to a very doubtful catch. He played a ball towardscover point, and a fieldsman throwing himself forward just gob it inte his hand*, bufc ss the fieldsman, recovered himself tbe ba''l bounded back out of his grip. I cannot thiuk that the ball was so secured by the fieldsman as to constitute a catch, .and several of tne fieldsmen seemed to ahare that opinion ; but the tfmaire at the bowler's end thought differently. - As it appeared to ma, Goiter's dismissal was tffeoted in a doubly doubtful manner, for besidss-the qnestionableness of the eaten" the bowler's delivery -Was more than questionable. •" ,<• A » •.• "Interested" supplies the" following cricket notes from Central Otago :— -The cricket season has now fairly commenced, tfie two most vigorous clubs — Alexandra aad Blacks — having played home and home matches, and the Alexandra Club one with the newly-formed Excelsior Club at Bald Hill Fl&t. Laka Wanaka Club has played matches with Lowburn and Bannockburn, losing the former and winning the latter ; but I have not seen the details, so am unable to insarb them. Roxburgh and Naseby have also teams in the field, but have not bo far played any inter-club matches. In their first match with Blacks Club Alexandra made the record soore for the goldflelds, 74- for one wicket, and 187 foe an innings, Barneide 36, Jones 37, and White 57, being the chief contributors. The Blacks team also bitted well for 138 (P. Muley 33, Daniels 16, Pitches 13, and A. M 'Donald not out 17). The chief bowler for Alexandra, was Burnsids, who secured eight wickets for 44-, and for Blaoks Pitches five wickets for 48. In the return match at Alexandra Blacks scored 7* (Pitches 11, Daniels 19) and 40, and Alexandra 38 (Himmel 11, Crombie 10) aad 80 for seven wickets (Laidlaw not out 42). White eecured five wickets for 17 and Barnside eleven wickets for 35 in the two innings for Alexandra, and P. Maley seven for 40 and Pitches four for 43 for Blacks. In the match Alexandra v. Bald Hill Flat Alexandra scored 91 (Jones 27, Laidlaw 21) and 59 for «ix wickets (Jones 21, Williams 19), and Excelsior Club 49 (Crom^ie 17) and 15. Burnside for Alexandra took eleven wickets for 24 arid Jorins three for six ; and Smith four for 20 and Crombie three for 16 were the principal bowlers for the Excelsior Club. Though the irregular intervals in which matches can be pUyed somewhat check the interest' in the ' game on the goldfields, there aro many genuine enthusiasts in the various centres, and there will be a goodly number of interclub matches before the season is over. The quality of the batting, bowling, and fielding in the two matches in which the Alexandra Club succeeded in defeating their old rivals at Blacks showed a marked advance on that of former seasons. If any of your Junior Cup teams are deairous of a trip during the coming holidays they would be certain of a oordial welcome and an enjoyable game at Alexandra or Blacks, where really good wickets are provided, or any of the other cricketing centres. • . • A match, Trinity v. Taieri, played on the Taierf ground, was won by the visitors by one wicket.' Taieri went first to the wickets, and were all disposed of for 47, D. Stevenson contributing 19 and Oliver 10. Kennard bowled well for the visitors, and took seven wickets, performing the hat trick. The fielding of Trinity was perfect. The visitors made 48 for the loss of nine wickets, Scott contributing 17. .• . • A cricket matoh between Waitahuna and Milton was played on the Waitabuna ground last week. Milton went in firat, and were all disposed of for 35. Waitahuna made 138 for eight, wjokets, declaring thejr innings closed at five minutes to time. This club has been successful so far this season, having beaten Lawrence on 9th November by 101 to 78. • . • The Carlsbrook Club is losing the services of F. D. Clayton as well as those of A. G. Rains. Clayton is being transferred to the North Island. The loss of two suob players at one fell' swoop will weaken Gariabrook very considerably. • . • At Christchnrch on Saturday, in the Senior Cup matches, the United Eleven scored 234 (Collins 56, T. D. Harman 49, R. D. Harman 24) against the Lancaster Park Eleven, who have started badly with 9 for two wickets. The United Thirteen compiled 187 (Reeve* 31, J. Wood 30) against the Midland Eleven, who have scored 24 for one wicket j and the Sydenham and Addington Thirteen made 74 against the Lancaster Park Thirteen's 168 for five vriokjt* (Pftvitb not oat 97, R 3. tab&tt 50).