CRICKET. NOTES BY SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 43

CRICKET. NOTES BY SLIP.

In the representative matches of Australia in 1898-99, victor Trumper closed the season with the greatest aggregate, his figures being 873. Hill is second with 841 and Iredale third with 781.

A match was played during the Easter holidays between the Roxburgh and Coal Creek Clubs, and resulted iv the former, who were weakly represented, being" defeated by an innings and 11 runs. Scores: Roxburgh, 42 (Quin 12) and 19 (Quin 14); Coal Creek, 72 (T. Dewar 18, A. Manuel 10). There was an imposing collection of eight " blobs " in Roxburgh's second innings. The following are the ager of the members of the Australian team now en route foi England:—J. Worrall 35, H. Trumble 31, J. J. Kelly 31, A. E. Johns 31, F A. Iredale 31, W P. Howell 29, O. M'Leod 29, F. Layer 29, J. Darling 28, E. Jones 28, S. E. Gregory 28, M. A. Noble 26, C. Hill 22, V Trumper 21. The averagf age of the men is 28i years Several of them, notably Worrall and Trumble, are really older than the age given, inasmuch as a month or twe kence they will have completed another year. Five members of the team have not yet beer> to England — Noble, M'Leod, Howell, Lav'er, and Trumper.

The annual match between the northern and southern portions of the district over which the South Otago Cricket Association has jurisdictiop was played at Milton tm

Easter Monday, and was won by the SoufcK by 19 runs. The winners scored 72 (Butlini 24, F. Thomson 16, Allan 10) and 30; while" 1 the North made 32 and 51 (Bowie 16, John-T, stone 11, Buchanan 10). Edwards (six for HjT' in the first innings of North Otago and Bowief (three for 14- and five for 10) for the South were the most successful bowlers. I Tasmania's and New Zealand's entrant®* into interprovinoial orioket introduces a,' physiological problem (says the Bulletin)) Ought not these two additions to give us sturdy, lasting players, for bracing climatic conditions are in their favour ; while from the opposite cause South Australia and Bananaland should produce " that-tired-feeling • ; man? Yet it is almost vice versa. ! < An Invercargill team visited the Lakes during the Easter holidays, and played matohes, against the Arrow and Queenstown Olubs, winning both on the first innings. In the matcb at Arrow the scores were: Arrow, 28 and 109 for seven wickets; Invercargill, 88. For the visitors Robertson played a capital innings for 24 (retired), Raymond and Burke (with 12 each) also showing good form. In Arrow's second innings Dr Thomson and lllingworth were chief scorers with 20, W. Anderson (17, not out). Street (17), and Fletcher (16) also shaping- well. The Queenstown men made 40 in their first attempt and 104 in the second, the chief contributors being J. MeI haffey (27), Gardiner (19 and 13), Fraser (15), I Dewar (17), and Stevenson (13). Invercari gill's first innings produced 160. of which I Burnes scored 46 and Bowler (Gore) 42. | The following by "Short Slip," of the | Sydney Mail, bears on a subject which lias i attracted some attention lately in this colony: 1 ' *' The question as to how long is a ball to , remain in the wieketkeeper's hands before it can be considered dead, as provided for by ,' rule 35, is a. vexed one, and though I have ! put the question to numberless umpires afid j other experts I have never yet been able todiscover at what time the- ball shall be dead • when in the wioketkeeper's hands, except, of j course, ' over ' has been called I think myj self that the only occasions on which the ball j is dead is between overs, while passing from '. wickelkeeper to bowler, at the fall of a wicket, ' , and when a boundary stroke has been made ; For the moment 1 cannot think of more cases. j I. was playing on one occasion for Second i Albert against Second University, on the 'Varsity Oval, and had made a stroke for three. The ball was returned direct to the bowler. The running had left me breathless, and while I was walking in the vicinity of the wicket at the bowler's end, regaining my wind, I unconsciouslj wandered off the crease. The bowler, Rygate, who had been toying with the ball after it had been returned \ to him, approached the wioket, and removed i the bails, and I was given out. Passing the 'Varsity skipper (Barff, the Registrar ot the | Sydney University), he inquired what was j wrong, and I referred him to the umpire. Just as I was entering the pavilion Barff called to mo to return. I did return, but all : the^same I believe I was out, simply because it is so difficult to fix a time when the ball has actually settled in the wicketkeeper's or bowler's hands. So fai as leaving the crease • without the intention of making a run is concerned, there is the case of Sam Jones, when playing for Australia \. England in 1882. Murdoch had hit Steel to leg for a bingle. Lyttelton returned the ball to the , wicketkeeper, who failed to take, and Grace, ;at point, fielded it. Jones then left' his create ! for the purpose of pitting the wicket, and the t English captain, taking advantage of the , youthful batsman's thoughtlessness, ran Jones out. Thorns, the umpire, immediately gave : him out, as he was bound to do. On that ■ occasion Grace was justified in what he did. ) The game of cricket should be played strictly according to its rules, and.w.hen it is so play«d there will be considerably less annoyance i»t what is regarded as unsportsmanlike condiv"^ Everyone will know that the game must £.""» carried on in the- keenest way." | A team from the Opoho Criokefc Cluk, ( with gome friends, travelled to Naaeby on Good Friday to meet the local club. The visitors speak in the most glowing manner of the treatment they roceived at Naseby' , Thi3 was the first visit of a Dunedin cricket ; team to the goldfields, and the Naseby '. crieketei-3 did their best to make it a pleasant : one. The visitors were met at Ranfurly by J drags, provided by the local club, and were i driven to Nasaby. whore they received a hearty welcome. On Saturday the nmtch ! was played on the cricket ground, where a j good wicket had been prepared. ' The Opoho proved 100 good for the local men, winning by an innings and 49 runs. The Naaeby players evidently laoked practice, but played their up-hill game in a splendid fashion. The local team scored 48 (Costelloe 24) and ; 46 (A. Marslin 19) to Opoho's 143 (Kilgour i not out 50, Nichol 37, Lear 17, Nees 11). Afternoon tea was provided on the ground by the club. In the evening the visitors . were entertained at dinner in the Royal Hotel, and afterwards at a smoke concert. A pleasant evening was spent with songs, : recitations, and speeches. ' The chairman (the Rev. Mr Christian), in 0 happy speech, proposed "the health of the' visitors, and expressed flic hope of seeing them up again ; soon. Mr P. Nichol replied on behalf of I the Opoho team, and thanked the Naseby I players for their unbounded hospitality i The Mornington Cricket Club were invited ' to spend the Easter holidays by the local cricket olubs at Tapanui, and came back with such pleasant recollections of the trip smd the cordial reception given them by the local teams that it has been decided to make an I annual fixture for the same place. Two I games were played on Saturday — in the morning against Tapanui, and in the afternoon against Heriot. The Tapanui, batting first, compiled 134 runs for three wickets, when their innings was closed, Mackie (34), G. ' Someryille (74), and Reid (not out, 12) being the principal scorers. Mornington followed with 101 for three wickets, W. Gillies (not out, 49) and Orchard (not out. 37), when the game ■ had, unfortunately foi both teams, to be stopped owing to the time limit. In the after' noon the Heriot captain, winning the toss, sent 1 in the Mornington, who were all disposed of for 49, J. Williamson (14) being the only batsman to reach double figures. Heriot ibh 1 lowed with 80, thus winning by 31 runt. Mai* I colin (30) and 0. Todd (18 doing best foi theis . aide.

His Excellency Lord Ranfurly left Ai? inland for Rarotonga. On Sunday morning last a- four-staliUd stable and barn, situated at Shag Valley, about 12 miles from Palmersto'n, the property •of Messrs A. and- E: Murray, of Puerua, near Balclutha, were found burnt to the ground. The buildings, which were left all right on the preceding evening, contained a quantity of empty sacks and odds and ends, valued about £10, belonging to tho tenant, Mrs Rendall, and these were destroyed. The building itself is believed to bo insured The origin of the fire is a mystery, but it is possible that swaggers may have • camped in the place, which is situated about a quarter of a mila from the homestead, and were careless in their dee of -Batches .