NOTES BY LONG SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2499, 5 February 1902, Page 52

NOTES BY LONG SLIP.

Jack l*eake, of the Albion senior eleven, bad the misfortune to fall down the stairs of ithe office where he is employed on Saturday, and had hie shoulder dislocated. This lithe second ocasiqn on which Peake has met With, disaster to his shoulder, a similar injury [occurring during the football season. Saturday's accident wa» to be regretted, because it prevented his batting for Albion against Dunedin on Saturday. It was principally in the field -that Peake was mussed, for he is recognised as one of the jsma/test fieldsmen on the North ground. Albion fielding was particularly loose on Saturday. Ball after ball seemed to get '' past several of the players, and when they did turn Tound t© ohase it there was a (general leg-weariness about the whole proWodiiSg that was painful to witness. Saturjday's game tequired «very man to be in (his place antt on the alert, but there was only one bright spot in the fielding department of the Albion during Dunedin's second inninge. The game was anybody's right up jib the winning hit, and within half an hour jof that strik© It looked as much Albion's game as Dunedin's; It was not until Dunedin wanted six runs to win that the field became alive to its responsibility and livened iip to work. Alas! too late. Hunter, who iSelded in place of Peake, did good work and -be alone is exempt from this eondem- ■ nation. ' The" North ground presented a very animated appearance on Saturday, when several: ■hundred turned out to witness the finish of the Albicn md Dunedin match, and also ■the Grange and. Carkbrook, which goes to •how that, cricket is becoming much more •popular tjian it has been. And with such exciting finishes as the last two matches j .Lave furnished it ought to give a better stimulus to cricket generally. The absence of Geddes, Uttley, Black, Hunter, and Gibson from the Albion ranks ./was very" much felt on Saturday, and with their full team they would have gone very near beating their opponents. As it was, every .credit is due to them for the excellent display given, one and all contributing to the score. The batting of G. Cummings was a good display jof sound cricket. In each innings be ficorqd consistently, having 15 and 21 respectively. His hitting waa well timed and very clean, «nd with a little watching he should fie one of Dunedin's coming batsmen. * M'Kaiy and Kay. who were prpmoted from the junior ranks, both justified their (inclusion. M'Kay in particular determined to make as many as possible, and with that end in view he laid on the wood, and in the first innings, going in last with Spence, .the two between them put on 42 runs bo j^ore M'Kay fell a victim. In the second innings he batted quite as vigorously. The wioket-keaping oi Williams was quite op to rep. form,, he taking the ball in fine i style from the field, a feat in which he exjeela above all others. When the South [island team is picked I hope to ccc his name on the liefc of chosen. l\The Albion team were very lucky in getting .rid of R. Wilkie so cheaply in both j innings, Williams being the applicant for 'the. honour by taking him behind in the jCrst finings and stumping him the second

,<ime, !{ , 'Hamann proved himself to be a very consistent bat, and with a little coaching should jiie very -prominent next season. He has improved wonderfully since the colts' match. i Xhe bowling of the Wilkie Bros, seemed to have come of the . Albion men in trouble, the fast jrorkers of R. Wilkie beating the batsmen. Coubett, for the Albion, secured the best kverage, taking 10 wickets at a cost of 78 runs, which is very creditable for a senior

match. \ Speice seemed to be bowling very well, getting a splendid length and beating the ibatsmep time after time, but could not get

the wickets. j \ Excitement ran very high when the Dunodin wanted 12 runs to win and three jivickets to fall. It was, " Will the Albion do it?" But Fate seemed to be against them. With 7 runs to get and two wickets to fall, Albion seemed to feel they were out of it, but tried very hard. Corbett's third ball Cross put up to mid-off to M'Kay, .■who made an attempt, but failed, thus losing nil chance the Albion had of winning a ■well-congested match.

To Cjoxford the Dunedin's thanks are .principally due for their win. Going in j. with determination, he opened out and treated oach bowler alike, running up 21 in quick time. At the; last two matches on the North ■ground boxes have been placed at the various gates to receive any small donation spectators were prepared to give for the improvement of the field. If those gentlemen •who frequent the ground on a Saturday afternoon would each contrive to give a small amount towards the expenses, they would be rewarded by seeing the ground in first-class order, and fit for any team to play on.

Both teams batted one man short, the Dunedin being without the services of De Ja Mere, who failed to put in an appearance, end the Albion lest Peake, who dislocated 1113 arm in the morning. The latter's abecenee from the field was greatly felt Dunedin No. 1 Junior team got the biggest fright they have had this season from the Grange on Saturday. Requiring 65 to win they had lost seven for 60, and the eighth wicket fell with the score unaltered. Aa Tom Downes was bowling Bplendidly and the fielding was very keen, there was just a chance of Dunedin meeting their Waterloo, but Captain Fieklen proved the right man in tbe right place and made the winning hit.

In the third-class matoh between the DunBdin No. 1 and Central Mission No. 1 another Jf close finish eventuated, when Dun^d.n won by the narrow majority of one run. The Dunedin Seniors owe their w.n to a large extent to the plucky batting of W. Skitch and Jim Croxford at the critical

Etage. . An incident of considerable interest to .-(Cricketers, and one which was much die-cussed-on the North ground on Saturday, occurred during the second inninsrs of Dunedin. Reardon was batting, and played a .ball from Spence to the slips. The fieldsman quickly returned the ball to the wicke'keeper, who, with one action. _promnt!v Jcnocked off the baih. Tbe batsman hrd unconsciously' stepped out of his crease to pat down a piece of turf at tha precis 0 moment the ball landed in the wicketkeeper's hands. Reardon. who retired somewhat ungracefully, does not dispute for a moment the fairness of the umpire's decision, hut he contends that Wilhams's action was unsportsmanlike In lustice to Williams I must say that ii he had bad .time, to think*

he would not have stumped Reardon. But it occurred in a flash ; no sooner was the ball returned than the bails were removed. It was a natural action on the part of the wicketkeeper in question, and a natural action on the part of any keeper who has been behind the sticks as long as Williams has. When a ball 19 thrown in to a wicketkeeper by a fieldsman, the wicketkeeper's hand containing the ball goes at once to the stumps, and he appeals just as naturally. If the action had been a cold-blooded attempt to get rid of a dangerous batsman, it would have been decidedly unsportsmanlike, but such was not the case, and I cannot accuse Williams on Saturday's incident of doing anything underhand. If Williams had thought of the position for a moment hewould not have stumped Reardon. He had no time to think; the ball came straight from the fieldsman into his hands, and in one action it went to the sticks, then the appeal was just as natural as the stumping, and the batsman was out.

Playing for the Hawtrey Comady Company on January 20 against New Plymouth, Monk, the ex-Carisbrook bowler, was in good form with the ball, and made 13 runs with the bat. The theatricals won the match on the first innings by 78 runs. Scores: New Plymouth, 55 and 31 for five wickets; Hawtrey Comedy Company, 133 (Redgrave 66, Hammond 18, Monk 13, and Poster 12).

The good stand made by Opoho in their second innings on Saturday was quite refreshing after their poor display of-^the previous innings. .Opoho never seem to make a stand again/t Carisbrook A, and their score will perhaps give them a little more confidence for the future.

Watkins batted very nicely in both innings, and more will undoubtedly be heard of this sterling player before the season is out.

Kilgour was to the fore in the second innings with his 32 not out, and otherwise helped his side in the field, running one man out with a very nioe return. In a second-grade match P. Spraggon did some showy hitting, smiting the ball over the fences, and putting one in mind of- his brother, R. D. Spraggon, of a few seasons back.

Chadwick's average of five for 58 against the A team was a very creditable performance.

Burt's picnic on Saturday was the canse of three or four absentees in the Carisbrook A and Opoho match. Ho-wever, these players were perhaps justified in saying "We can't be with you always."

Playing for United against Midland on Saturday, A. Sims played a splendid notout innings for 123. He was batting in his best style and never gave a chance. Nearlyall his strokes were along the turf. Next best to Sims in the same club was Wigley with '2. Ollivier succeeded in notching 35. Playing for Lancaster Park against Sydenham, Orchard made 59, Wilding 51, and Ridley 30.

The fourth test match commences in Sydney on February 14.

Overheard at the recent test match. Maclaren batting in good style. Lady: "Oh, Maclaren will score heavily against the Australians." The Other Lady: "So he ought to ; he married' an Australian girl, and I suppose she has told him all the tricks of the Australians' bowling." But she hadn't — at least, not "all" the tricks. In the Harley papers, issued by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, the following reference to the national game occurs. The Earl of Oxford and his friends were making a tour in Kent in 1723. At Dartford, "upon the heath as we came out of the town, the men of Tonbridge and the Dartford men were warmly engaged at the sport of cricket, which, of all the people of England, the Kentish folk are most renowned for, and of all the Kentish men, the men of Dartford lay claim to the greatest excellence." An extraordinary decision by the South Otago Cricket Association has been brought to my notice. The facts of the case, as related to me, are the following: — A one day's association cricket match was played in November last at Kaihiku between the Waiwera and Kaihiku Clubs. The captains agreed to draw stumps at 7.30 pm. The day was not favourable for good cricket, and between 5 and 6 o'clock play was stopped fc 20 minutes by a shower. When the teams were ready to resume, a further adjournment was made at Kaihiku's request to partake of refreshments they had provided. The game then stood : Kaihiku, all out for 24 runs ; Waiwera, six wickets down for 43 runs. When refreshments were finished at 6.15 p.m., as Waiwera had a win on the first innings, the Kaihiku captain thought it was not worth while to continue play, there being not a possibility of completing a two-innings' match in the time allowed. The Waiwera accordingly agreed to stumps being drawn. The teams were called together and the win to Waiwera announced without a dissentient voice or the expression of a desire to continue play. Subsequently the Kaihiku sent a protest (the captain refusing to have anything to do with it) to the bouth Otago Cricket Association. That body, without notifying Waiwera of the business before it, or receiving a report from the Kaihiku captain as to the arrangements made-, has now decided that play will have to be continued for two and a-quartcr hours longer. This decision I have already described as extraordinary. It is impossible ou any ground to (support it. The captains are the executive p-gents of the sides. Whether the Kaihiku Club was satisfied or not with the action of its captain in forfeiting the match, it was absolutely bound by it. On the face of it, however, it is clear that Kaihiku's chance was hopeless. If play had been continued, the match coulel not have been concluded, and Waiwera would have won on the first innings, for the match was a one-day match. The South Otago Cricket Association, in a hi<?h handed fashion that cannot bu faNour-

' ably regarded, disregard 1 ; the authority , -winch the Kaihiku captain had a right to r-\eicise. and not only orders extra play fur a period equal to the time that remained after the abandonment of the match, but I al=o for the time occupied in consuming refreshments provided by the Kaihiku Club. | arid e\en for the time durincr which play was suspended thronsrh the occurrence of j ram ' This decision is worthy of inclusion among t'>e curiosities of cricket that from tune to t;>.ne are pubh-hed. We may next hear of the South OIaRT A-.socianon ordering the co"ir u-ince of an inning!- which a laptain has < lc~cl Writing f-oni Aclel.-vdr- to the Melbourne ' Argus on Thursday ab mt the test match, "Observer" 'tates that ".-^though Jones i- ; not chosen in this match, it may be iegarded as almost a certainty tliat he Mill go homo with the next Australian K'e\en. and I think J. M'Kenzie, of Adelaide, will be the second wicketkeeper of the team. The Si'daer men think highly, of the fier-

formance of Carter, one of their club wicketkeepers, but the impression is that his hands would not stand the hard work of the tour, while M'Kenzie has constantly taken fast bowling, and his physique would enable him to share the work of the tour fairly equally with Kelly."

L. C. Braund has joined the ever-increas-ing band of cricketers who have made centuries in test matches. Altogether, 55 centuries have been registered since the series began, 23 in England and 32 in Australia. Braund has had a comparatively short career, and his centuries can be counted on one hand. Up to 1898 he played for Surrey, and then for two years he stood out of the county competition while putting in his two years' residence to qualify for Somerset. In 1899 he played three times against the Australian team, and made his first century in a match between Grace's Eleven and the Australians at the Crystal Palace. His list of centuries is — 1899, Grace's Eleven v. Australians, 125. 1901, London County v. Surrey, *115 ; Somerset v. Yorkshire, 107 ; Somerset v. Hampshire, 111. 1902, England v. Australia, *103. In the first-class matches of Maclaren's team he has now played 10 innings (four times not out) for a total of 262, giving an average of 43.66. * Not out.

"Sydney Bowler writes: — Why is Howell persevered with in test matches? What has he ever done in a test match? There are dozens of better cricketers in Australia

than he, and the sooner this fact is recognised by selectors of teams the better for the outlook of Australian cricket *in these matches with England. We read in this morning's papers that he will "rest" for the fourth test match! Howell has played in 11 tests, and according to the figures you recently published he has in those matches taken 20 wickets for 848 runs, averaging 4-2.4 per wicket ! In addition he has not made 100 runs in all his test matohes ! As a bowler he merely helps to play batsmen into form. In the three test matches this season he has got three wickets for 216 runs, a performance in keeping with what he has done for his club.

The Board of Control to govern the test matches in England will consist of Earl Howe (president), Mr W. H. Patterson, Hon. Alfred Lyttelton, K.C., M.P., Mr V. E. Walker, Mr A. G. Steel, K.C., and the Earl of Lichfield as the six representatives of the Marylebone C.C., and a representative each from Yorkshire, Middlesex, Lancashire, Sussex, "Warwickshire, and Surrey. As the Board of Control will appoint a subcommittee -from their own body to pick the England Eleven for each test match, it is not likely that any member of the present English team will be on that committee.

The following interesting reminiscences of past test matches in Adelaide are by "Point." in Adelaide Observer: — The old order changeth. Only 17 years have elapsed" since the Adelaide public were first privileged to see a test match, yet not a single player who participated in that game is now considered good enough to take part in the historic struggles, and only three of them — George Giffen, W. L. Murdoch, and Arthur Shrewsbury — are still playing first-class cricket. All three champions in their day, they are now only shadows of their former selves. Old Giff. is still, at 41, as keen aa ever, and he probably felt a tugging at his heartstrings on Friday when he walked to the gate in* front of the pavilion as the Australians went out to field, and gave them a last word of encouragement. Three men who played in that first test matoh in Adelaide — Percy M'Donnell, Johnny Brigge, and Sootton— have gone to that bourne where off theory no longer worries them, though, as a matter of fact, it never troubled M'Donnell in this world. Three fine cricketers they were, each in his own line of incomparable value to his side. It was Percy M'Donnell who, in 1884, played those two innings for 124 and 83 which for gracefulness of style have never been excelled in Adelaide, not even by Victor Trumper, in making hie 65 on Saturday. Such cutting as Percy Mac's had never been eeen in Adelaide, and has nevei been equalled since. Place his fieldsmen however ingeniously, Shrewsbury could not block those wristy cuts, most of them late, whioh flashed the ball past third man before he could move a step. The chorus of mournful "Ohs" on Saturday when Trumper ran himself out took one's mind back 17 years to the afternoon when M'Donnell, on the verge of the then rare double-century distinction, was run out by his partner. An idea of the strength of the English bowling in that matoh may be gathered from the statement that mercurial Johnny Briggs did not bowl a ball. Attewell, Peel, Bates, Barnes, Ulyett, and Flowers did all that was necessary. I wonder what Maclaren would give to have the Bobby Peel of those day 3 in his present team? The third of the dead and gone trio who helped to inaugurate test matches on the Adelaide Oval, poor William Scotton, did much -towards winning that game for England. Who that saw his innings Mill ever forget how for six solid hours he defied the bowlers ? using his reach to play forward and kill ball after ball without any attempt to score? His contribution was 85 in six hour*. Compared with such a stonewaller, little Quaife ifi a wild hitter, even though at one time in the present match he did have spell of 20 minutes without scoring. More than eight years elapsed before another test match was played on the Adelaide Oval. Then Lord Sheffield's team came here, scored 499, and won easily in an innings, owing to rain spoiling the wickst for the Australians. One cannot readily call to mind lain falling in circumstances which more remarkably favoured the one and prejudiced the other side. Until the middle of the second afternoon, a Friday, unless my memory serves me badly, the weather was fine and the wicket perfect; but suddenly, wr-eu nine of the Englishmen were out for 490, a March storm burst over the ciiy, and when the game «a» continued next day the pitch was hlo «o much glue. That was the only test in which South Australians saw the matchless W.G., but he made only 58 before Bob M'Leod be<it him. One write= -'only 58" becaut-e that was a modfrate score for che champion of champions on a perfect \wtket. The Adelaide public have not been particularly fortunate in regard to batting exhibitions by " star " cricketers, from elsewhere. When as a young man. nearly 30 years ago, W.G. first came to Adelaide with his name on nearly everybody's tonsjue, be failed utterly — m the first innings caught by Alexander Cuoks K-aniiig back over the boundary off Artliui Lungley, and in the second clean boy, loci by Andrew Scott — three men Ti'ho at on. o br.-ame celebrities . among local ciickcU it- Grace" 358 in the teat match was lii^ best performance in Adelaide. Many new faccb were seen in 1895, when another test came along. There were A. C.

H. Lockwood, Frank Iredale, Albert Trott, and Bruce. Harry Trott was there, too, but he had played against Lord Sheffield's team. This was Albert Trott's match, for he scored 38 and 72 irithout being conquered in either innings, and wae so unplayable on the crumbling wicket when the Englishmen (vent in the second time that eight wickets fell to him for 43 rune. A.nd yet three months later the Melbourne" people showed so little prescience that they quietly allowed him to drift away to England, when the addition of a few shillings a week to his salary as a ground man would have kept him in his native land. Now one of the best cricketers in the world plays for neither one country nor the other in test matches, though he would be a pearl without price to. either of the elevens competing on the Adelaide Oval at the present time. The '95 game was a peculiar one, inasmuch as after Australia had been dismissed for 238 and their opponents for 124, and all the batsmen had taken to croaking about the wicket, the home team ran up 411 in their second try. In addition to "Albert Edward's " 72, Frank Iredale and Bruce played fine innings for 140 and 80 — the graceful left-hander's was a particularly charming effort. Fielding such as has never been ex celled woe mainly responsible, for the downfall of the English in their first innings, and many who were present will doubtless recail that bound into the air by Jack Harry at mid-on when ne caught the unlucky Brookwell, and the splendid catch Jack Worrall made "when running away from the wicket — it was just -such a feat as Olem Hill's which dismissed Blythe on Saturday.

The only other Adelaide teat was thaiplayed exactly four years ago by Stoddart's second team, whan Australia scored 573 and won with an innings to spare. Incidents of that game are. still fre3h a iho memories of most South Australians. On Saturday while Hill and Trumper were making hay of the English bowling, one's memory cells had not to be searched l ong for a parallel feat, seeing that in 1898 Joe Darling and Clem Hill put on 148 for the second wicket; in 98 re in v tea. Clem Hill is not popularly regarded aa a hitter, because he does not balloon the ball, but few batsmen score faster than the champion, who, in 1893, raa up bis 81 in. 98 minuted Ranji, who could not write as well about cricket as he could play, remarked about that time that Hill was not the best of starters, yet in that game Clem cover hit Jack Hearne, most acourate of length bowlers, " three times to the boundary in_the first over he had from him! That was the match in whioh Joe Darling completed his century by bitting a sixer. His total, 178, is the best individual record in Adelaide tests. Maclaren and Ranji both failed in the first innings, but in the second the Lancastrian by a fine effort compiled 124, and the Indian marvel played a good innings for 77, though it was a dull effort compared with hie 175 in the Sydney test of that season, when he had the fieldsmen at their wits' ends to block his fetrokes.

Darling's capacity for losing the toss is little short of phenomenal; whether he spins or calk it is the same. In England the Australians got so accustomed to Darling losing it that Kelly always put on the pads for wicket-keeping, and rarely had to take them .off again. He has lost three times running to Maclaren on this tour, and the English captain, on returning to the dress-ing-room, rather excused his own success by •aying, " Oh, I won it easily. Joe is no good at all at tossing." Nothing could have been finer „han the outfield work of the Australians in the third test match. Hill, Trumper, Armstrong, and Duff reached everything possible, and there was an admirable cleanness in picking up and surety of return as well worth watching as the batting. Gregory at cover and Noble at point were over watchful and made no mistake, while Kelly at the wickets, in epite of his injury, was as good as ever. Owing to the strains to Noble and Howell the lion's share of the bowling fell to Trumble, who sustained his end with unfailing consistency. Though Noble polished off the three last men in 35 balls at a cost of 7 runs the honours certainly rest with the Victorian, whose figures, like Howell's, altogether belie the merit of his work. Unfortunately we did not see either of the Welshmen at his best, and M'Leod did nothing, so that the attack was muoh weaker rhan it would have been had the Sydney pair been fit and well. Armstrong provided a little variety in the shape of leg breaks that gave the batsmen some trouble. A benevolent-looking old lady at the third test match in Adelaide, whose acquaintance with the financial jargon was evidently more intimate than her knowledge of cricketing terms, exclaimed when informed, albeit wrongly, that one of the Englishmen was "stumped": "Oh, poor fellow, I am so sorry. These trips must be very expensive, but why don't they get up a subscription for him."

In anticipation of some exceedingly lively cricket in the third test there was a cheer of welcome as Jessop came in. It wa9 come time before he had a chance at the bowling, which Quaife was monopolising. Oiice the little Btonewaller made a very dangerouß hit off Noble, but Gregory, who was fielding at mid-on, was unable to reach it. At last the hitter's opportunity came. He smote Noble into the long field for a single and then faced Trumble, whom he treated similarly. It was a big hit, it would have been a fiver on a email ground, but the Adelaide Oval is not small, and Trumper was waiting in the country, and in his hands the ball found a resting-place.

To visit the Australian dresßing-room before the start of the third test was (says an Adelaide writer) to be reminded of war or football, but not cricket. Half the, team ■were being anointed or bandaged, or professionally treated in some way, and the veterans of the team were indeed a battlefcarred lot. The phrase was once, I believe, printed " bottle-scarred," but it does not apply to this eleven, and never will while steady Joe Darling leada and, has such a solid lot behind him. If I had a son just coming into international cricket I should have every confidence in sending him to England with this side. At present they have only on© need — a medical field haversack, and a copy of " What to do till the doctor comes."

" Maclaren'a position as tv» amateur in English cricket," writes the Bulletin's London correspondent. "is being seriously attacked by the St. James's Gazette. It asserts that the crack bat k going to HampsTiire as assistant treasurer, at an absurdly large salary for such a position in auch a club, meeily because his cricketical abilities have made it worth while to seduce* him from Lancashire. ' Lord Harris points out that Lacey — paid secretary of the Marylebone 0.0. — always plays as an amateur, and, if he, why not Mac? 'My lud ' says he himsalj fold lu^ hotel and tr&yjeiliasL eiffieWM

paid in the Australian tour, and he thinks it proper all amateurs should- be similarly treated. The discussion has aroused so much, interest that it is not unlikely the M.O.C. may feel compelled to clearly define 'what is an amateur?' "

Rumoured again I'nat Maclaren is to remain in N.S.W. — as a master of a leading N.S.W. R.C. college. It was as head master of King's School, Parramatta, the last time. "No doubt Mac would gladly stay here, if the billet was a sufficiently tempting one, especially after the hard knocks dealt out by 'Ome papers over his appointment, at a salary, as " assistant treasurer " of the Hampshire Club. Maclaren prdbably can't understand why he should not be allowed to follow in Dr Grace's steps as a "cash amateur."

The .members 01 ihe Hendley Cricket and Zingtui-Richmond Clubs met last evening fov the purpose- of bidding farewell to their clubmate, Mr Wm. Cameron, and presenting him with a suitable souvenir in recognition of his valuable services to the two clubs. The presentation took the form of a. travelling bag, dressing case, and handsome cigarette case, all suitably inscribed. Mr G. Smith, for the Zingari-Rich-mond Club, and Messrs A. Smith and Fish, for the Hendley Club, spoke in very feeling terms of the esteem in which Mt Cameron was held by the members of both olubs ; and Mr Cameron suitably responded. Songs were sung by Messra SjnitH 12), Collie, Cameron, and Mahone. Mr CamDron leaves for Palmer3ton North by toujoitow'j express. A mutch was played on the Lower -/eserve*. Baielutha, on Saturday between the locaj-elub pnd » team selected from the Ouths Mounted Rifles. The local club, batting Its*, put tat -»thei 57 ruiio, J. Deaker being ohief score? with 19. The Mounted Rin*3 conld only respond with 40. of which Trooper D. .Murra* and L'eutenant P. Watt contributed 14. md 9 respectively. For the club, Deaker " saptured five wickets io.- II jun- and V. <iray thro» <or 8.