FISHER IN MELBOURNE. (From The Daily Times Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2286, 23 December 1897, Page 39

FISHER IN MELBOURNE. (From The Daily Times Correspondent.)

Melbourne, December 8.

Fisher, the Dunedin cricketer, arrived fn Melbourne withont beat of drum. His portrait found its way into Punch certainly, but none of the daily papers contained any news of his arrival, and the cricket writers of the weeklies did not mention him until some time had elapsed, and throughout the references to him have been gcant. So far his name has only been mentioned once in the Australasian, ihe writer (" Felix," Mr T. Horan) saying that he had been introduced to the visitor on the Melbourne cricket ground, and had found him as good and genial a fellow as his friend Dr Robert Burns, of Dunedia, had represented him to be. From thjs it will be seen that Fisher did not put himself forward. He was anxious, on the contrary, to have his name kept out of the papers until he had proved himself worthy of mention as a possible choice for the first test match. . He took up his residence at the George Hotel, at St. Kilda, and placed himself in the hands of Major Wardill, the secretary of the M.G.O. Unfortunately so far his performances have not justified his being tried against the Englishmen, and the Australian team for the first test match was picked without his claims comiDg up for serious consideration.

Fisher has played iv five matches. These have all been minor matches, and the reports of them onlr occupy a line or two vi

upaca in the daily papers, and do nob appear at all in * the weeklies, He played for the Melbourne Club in four of them, but only in one case could ihe eleven lay claim, even to the title of a second eleven. Fisher was choaen in an East Melbourne eleven to do battle against the Associated Flayers. The East Melbourne was a good second eleven ; the Professionals was a fair team, including Harry, the player who was originally choaen for the last Australian Eleven to visit Eugland, and who created some stir by insisting for a time on his right to a place in it. Fisher expected to be fairly on his mettle in this match. Unfortunately the day was the only real " brickfielder" of the season, a scorcher of over 100 in the shade. The match took place on a Wednesday, there was no attendance, and everybody must have remained in the Said under silent protest against the adverse fate that compelled him to swelter in the sun on such a day. The report is :—" B.M.C.C. v. Associated Players, played at East Melbourne on Wednesday, resulted ia a draw. Players, 129 (Woodß 41, X : r*an not out 24, Blake 14, Harry 14, Wilkinson 14); E.M.CC, geven wickets for 113 (John Howlett 38, A. Christian 31, A. Carter 30, including a fiver). For E.M C C. F. Layer took seven wickets for 81, J. Coburn three for 48. For the Players J. Lynes three for 13, Blake two for 33, Cave two for 33." The wickets were thus t<vken by Layer and Coburn between them. Fisher's average read none for 27. Layer is a ficst-class batsman, and was picked for Victoria against South Australia this year ; but he is no bowler, and is never bowled iv first-class matches.

On his performances here Fisher ia judged by the cricket-following pullic to be an overrated man ; but he has done much better in practice at the nets. For instance, one afternoon last week hs lowered the stumps of Wilson, one of the M C.C First Eleven, three times iv 10 minutes ; and Bruce would -have been out iv the field to him more than once. It is unfortunate that he has not*"been given an opportunity in first-class matches 1 , but this is scarcely possible in the regular Saturday games, as he woul-i' not be eligible to play in the pennant matches. He suffered a little from the change of climate and from tho effects of mat de mer after coming off the boat, bub this oiily lasted for two or three days. The weather has not been against him, being for the most part under 90deg in the shade weather ; indeed it ha 3 been perfect for cricketing, when getting into flannels is so thoroughly comfortable that one sighs to have to relinquish them. The wickets are thorough batsmeu's wiokets, no doubt, but it is only on a bats man's wicket that he can be tested ; and meantime a! I that can be said is that he has bolj "come eft'," though he feels that he is bowling quite up to hi 3 form. In the work of the Selection Committee for the test match the name of Fisher could not, it was thought, bs considered, as, although he posseses a reputation on the soft Now Zealand wickets, the committee could not judge hoy» he would Bhspe on the hard Australian wickets. In a letter to Iredale from Melbourne, Fisher said that he was iv good form, bat he had been ' given no opportunity in the scratch teams pittedagainst him iv Melbourne. He. said he was anxious for a show agaiosb men of the first rank, and had coufirieo.ee in his ability.