NOTES BY SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 46

NOTES BY SLIP.

Another bad day for cricket on Saturday last ! Slow wickets, a dull light, and occasional rain ! Well, it cannot always be thus, but it is distinctly disappointing to cricketers to find their afternoon's enjoyment spoiled week after week. Two representative engagements are well in sight. On the 23rd and 24th inst. the match between Southland and Otago is to be played here, and the Southland Association already has its men practising "in view of that event. A fortnight later the Victorians will be here. It is much to be hoped that we will have some fine weather before these dates in order, that our men may get into something like trim. Harkness has not yet been able to resume playing. It is hoped by the Carisbrook Club that his finger, which was broken in the Otago team's northern tour, will have mended in time to enable Mm to play against the Grange. Clarke has definitely dropped out of the Dunedin team. It is a, great pity, for he should have years of cricket before him. In his place the Dunedin Club has secured a new man in Reardon, who has yet to prove his quality. Seideberg has been promoted to the position of a leading bowler for Carisbrook, G. Austin and Hope both standing aside in his favour. And there is no question that against weak batting his bowling is very effective. What has become of the Umpires' Association? Is it defunct? If not, how conies- it that players are obliged to take turn about in standing umpire in senior matches? The first match of the season between Clyde and Cromwell was won by the latter by 26 runs on the first innings. Scores: — Clyde, 4-1 (Laidlaw 11, Simmonds 11) ; Cromwell, 67 (Jelley 20, Tidey 14). Heriob defeated Waikoikoi by 10 wickets on the former's ground. The 'Koi team made 23 and 34 only, while Heriot scored 53 (A. Edie 10) and 6 for no wickei. Albert Edie, for Heriot, was in splendid form with the ball, takinjj seven wickets for five runs in Wttikoi*

■ koi's first innings. R. Edie took fix for 11 in the second. The return match between the Dunedin and Grange Clubs excited most interest on Saturday last, bub there does not appear to be any prospect of the former club repeating its triumph in last year's return match. The game was played on the Caledonian ground where Sanderson had a good wicket ready, and as the bowlers had a greasy ball, the conditions were all in favour of batsmen. Geddes won the toss from Johnston, and decided to bat, and he took Mackersey out ■with him to face the bowling of the Downes brothers. The Dunedin started badly. Mackersey and Skitch being both out for 9. Reardon, a, new man, with Geddes, took the score to 19, when. Geddes let out at one from A. Downes, and was splendidly caught on the boundary by J. Downes. J. Wilkie filled the breach, and saw Reardon caught in the same place as Geddes had been taken. Craniond joined J. Wilicie, but the latter lashed at one from A. Downes. and put it into the safe hands of J. Downes. Five for 27. R. "Wilkie came next, but soon lost Cramond, who was bowled by A. Downes. Mackenzie filled the gap, "and the score was taken to 44, when it. Wilkie was daught by Turnbull off T. Downes. Wycherley saw 10 added to the score, and then he placed one from A. Downes into the hands of Turnbull. Latham, joined Mackenzie, and this proved the best partnership of the innings, the score being taken to 73, when A. Downes got one past Mackenzie, who retired for a serviceable 19. »Stalker, the last man, stepped out next, and had a hit, but, after making 5, placed one into the hands of Smyth, who accepted it, and the innings closed for 79. A. Downes" secured the fine average of nine for 38. He showed all his old resourcefulness and "\vas well backed up by the field. The Dunedin should have made more runs than they did, but they all fell into the trap A. Downes had laid for them. When it is said that the usual pair opened the Grange innings, everyone understands that Baker and Johnston went to the wickets. Reardon, in whose all-round abilities the Dunedin captain seems to have a £ood deal of faith, was entrusted, along with R. Wilkie, with the attack. Johnston did not seem at home to the deliveries of Reardon, but his downfall came from the other end, R. Wilkie getting one past his defence. Chadwick joined Baker, and both batted confidently, and the score was- taken to 48, when J. Wilkie, who had relieved Reardon, bowled Chadwick, who had compiled 16 in a nice, free • style. A. Downes filled the breach, and made 11, when he was caught off Mackersy. Turnbull joined Baker, who seemed well set, and ! the score was taken to 108 before Baker was ' well cauglit by Latham of? R. Wilkie for a j sound innings oi 49. Haydon joined Turnbull, but after making 4 was bowled by Skitch. Henderson filled the vacancy, and 6 were added to the score, when R. Wilkie got one past Turnbull, who retired for a steady , 19. Smyth filled the gap, and made 5,, arid j was then caught by Mackersy off R. Wilkie. j W. Johnston, jun., came next, and, with ! Henderson, played out time, the score stand- j ing at 124 for seven wickets. R. Wilkie se- j cured most wickets, but the bowlers were ' greatly handicaped by the greasy ball. j There was scarcely a handiul of spectators to witness the play on the Carisbrook ground. There were"" certainly not enough to pay for the services of a gatekeeper if one had been employed, and yet two senior championship matches were in progress on the ground. Tn the match between the Carisbrook A team and the Albion, the home eleven batted first on a rather slow wicket. Fisher and Broad opening to the bowling of Corbett and Dawes. At 5 Broad was well caught by Dawes off his own bowling; while 24 saw Fishei's dismissal. Austin and Liggins raised the score to 43, when the former was smartly thrown out by Williams, and at 66 Joel bowled Liprgins. Cuff did not assist Siedeberg in increasing the s-core ; but Rattray baited in really good style, with >Siedeber°- talcing the score to 126 before he was bowled by Joel for a good contribution of 26. Siedeberg succumbed to,the same bowler at 135, having compiled a useful 42. " Siedey " stole a run while he was at the wickets! Thompson. "Hope, Butler, and E. J. Austin raised the score to 141. at which to f al the lasl wicket fell. Joel and Corbeii were the most successful bowler* for the Albion, en eh securing three wicket?. Cummings and" Thomson commenced for the Albion, the latter being bowled by Siedeberg at 4. Three runs later Cummings put his leg in front to the same bowler. Bipck and Alexander were the only batsmen .who troubled the bowlers, the former contributing ]3 and the latter 11. The remaining batsmen assisted in raising the score to 45, the innings closing at that total. Siedeberg and Fisher bowled unchanged throughout the innings, the former getting seven wickets and the latter two. < The match between the Opoho team and the Carisbrook "Bees" stands at a rather interesting stage. The former, who batted two or three men short, totalled 129. M'Gavin played nicely for 41, and Nichol contributed a really good innings for 25, in the compilation of which he made several fine hits, while Echoff also did well with the bat. Havnes and H. Harraway made a rattling start for the Bees, and C. R. Smith (22) and Burfc (27) subsequently scored freely, so that when stumps were drawn the tally was 102 for eight wickets. I In Christclmrch last Saturday was an ideal day for cricket, the hot sun being tempered by a cool breeze from the east. The wickets were good, but on the slow side, allowing the bowlers to get a good deal of work on. Most interest centred in the match between Midland and United. The Midlanders were quite outplayed on the day's play, and will probably j have to make a. very long score in their second innings to avoid defeat-. Their first innings ! realised 131 (Cobcroft 44, Wheatley 38). while the United have three wickets down for 144 (Wigley 79, Sims 41). The Lancaster ParkSydenham match, was remarkable" for the low scoring, and so far the game is in a very even state. •Sydenham have made 74 (T. W. Reese 25, Savage 12. Gasson 12), and 48 for no wicket (T. W. Reese, not' out, 29, Savage, not out, 19), while the Park scored 108 (E. Bates 21, Cant 18, Toomer 16, A. Wilding 16, H. C. Ridley 16), "pro." Robertson capturing nine wickets for 52. " Felix," in the Australasian, expresses his surprise at the omission of the Victoria Association to utilise Over's services in repre-

senlative cricket. That player has been neither caught nor bowled this season, and his average is 271 runs per innings. "Felix" writes: " Over's omission from the team to play against Tasmania is too ridiculous to be discussed. It is only quite recently that he positively forced his way into the M.C.C. first eleven, though had be been an amateur instead of a pro. he would have been there long ago. The M.C.C, however, being the only club that can afford to engage profssionak, have always made a point of giving preference .to amateurs. In fairness to other clubs this is no doubt all right, but it is rough on professionals, who deserve the distinction which is denied them," and of these Charley Over is certainly one. To read the names of some players who have been chosen for intercolonial honours in preference to such a performer is enough to make one forswear the game for ever. No wonder old cricketers take to bicycling, golf, and bowls. The only wonder is that they don't also take to the bottle to drown their disgust. It is still more surprising to find that Over is not included in the AI.C.C. team aboxit to visit New Zealand. Why he has been passed over is perhaps only the business of the M.C.C. committee, but it certainly cannot be for lack of skill or generally good and creditable condaict.' Tiie secretary of the Cricket Council has received a cable from Major Wardill at Sydney states that the Victorian team have decided to accept that programme which includes Wanganui and excludes Nelson. The list of fixtures published last week will therefore be adhered to. The return match between the Ocean Beach and the Dunedin Cricket Clubs in the second round of the Wednesday Shield competition look place -on the Caledonian ground last week. The Dunedin team, on this occasion, managed to reverse the' result obtained by the Ocean Beach in the first round, and won an interesting game by a few runs. Thomson (21), Key (11), and- Donovan (10) were the highest scorers for the Beach team, all showing good form. Skitch (25), M'Ewan (21), and Millar (10) proved the principal factors in running up the Dunedin's score, and deserve every credit for the manner they played the bowling of Duff, Jones, and Fox, who were well on the spot. Faulks, Brooks, and Millar divided tne wickets for their sid«.