CRICKET. NOTES BY LONG SUP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2500, 12 February 1902, Page 52

CRICKET. NOTES BY LONG SUP.

The following fixtures have been eieciaeci pn by the Carisbrook Club, if they can be irranged: — Caiisbrook v. Rest o£ Dunedin, ou Anmveroaj"? Day, March 23. Carisbrook v. South Otago Association, on Cup Dar, February 26. ' Gsfrisbrook v. Oamaru, on Good inUay, March 26. , A match' has been arranged with the United Club of Chrietchurch to be played on March 29 and 31 (Saturday arid Monday in. Easter -week). - ' J. C. Baker's selection of the teara to represent the South Island against the North Etand r to be played at Wellington on February 28 and March 1 and 3, has given general satisfaction in Otago. Of the eleven players selected seven are from Otago. the four remaining players being chosen from the ranks of the Christchurch Clubs. The South Island team is the best that could possibly be selected, aud if the eleven players picked arc able to make the trip 'to "Wellington (which is doubtful), they ahould give the North Inland team a great ,gams. In the bowling department four of the players are in the front rank — Frankish, Callaway, Downes, and Fisher — and in bat.ting the whole team, save perhaps Williams /(and. he may reppat his Christchurch performance), can be looked for to make runs. It is a- remaTkabJe coincidence that the two wicketkeepers chosen in the match North Island v. South Island, to be played

■at Wellington at the end of present month, Vire named Williams — Arnold Williams representing North Island and Frank Wildiams representing the South. It is also .worthy of note that the rival wioketkeeper, 'Arnold Williams, learnt his cricket in Otago, ■where present crack w ickrtkeepcr Frank (Williams also picked up hie knowledge of the game. There is a doubt amonp one or two of the Otago players selected in the South Island team to make the trip to Welhnjrton. . Baker, Geddes, Wilkie, Austin, and 'Williams are looked upon as certain to go

"to Wellington, but both Downes and Fisher are spoken of as doubtful. In the event ' 6f the two Ot-xgo bowlers being uuablo to " get away, a selection of two players from ' ' Canterbury will probably be made. i i The fact ia, a great mistake has been made 1% fixing the North Island v. South Island Aatch for February 28 and March 1 and 3. at would have' suited players much better rif the gameJiad taken place immediately on the conclusion of the Otago-Canterbury match at Christmas. The Otago. men were in Christchurch, and it would have meant that the New ZeftJac4 Socket. Counciygould.

have^onljr had to 'pay the exnensejs of the Otago men. from Lyttefton- tc Wellington instead of, as now, from Duciedin — a saving of passage money as well as a saving of time. Hawke's Bay team were in Wellington at Christmas, and as far as they were concerned, no travelling expenses would have been incurred. Then it would only have remained for the Auckland and Canterbury players w;th Otago (who, as before stated, were in Christchurch) to make the journey. Again, Christmas time is much more suitable for players to get away, and as Hawke's Bay, Otago, and Canterbury have already been on tour, it is not surprising to hear that several of the players chosen have doubts about again being able to leave their business for a second trip. Trott is reported a doubtful member of the North Island team to journey to Wellington, yet he would have been certain if the North Island-South Island match had been fixed for, £a3 r , December 30, 31, and January 1, as he was in Wellington with the Hawke's Bay team on December 27. The Otago and Canterbury members of the South Island team could have proceeded to Wellington on Saturday, December 28, at the conclusion of their fixture on Hagley Park that afternoon, and met the Hawke's Bay team in Wellington, the only players requiring to make a special journey being the two Aucklanders and the one from Taranaki. I know it is wise to write after an event, but if the New Zealand Cricket Council had the North %. South Island .fixture in their minds at the time the interpiovkieial matches were being played, it would have., required no great" amount" of forethought to see what an advantage it would have been to have arranged the inter-island fixture to suit the travelling players, besides a saving of passage money to the council and the certainty of the players chosen being present. Though cricketers are not in all cases ia accord with Mr F. J. Ohlston with regard to one or two of the men chosen by him for the North Isl&ad team (wires my Auckland correspondent yesterday), there can be no getting away from the fact that the side as constituted is a strong one, sound all round, and and one that should give a good account of itself. Hay, Kallender, Luck, Richardson, and Midlane have been practically chosen for their batting, but a glance at the remaining members who constitute the team show that the bowlers, almost without exception, are rnn-getters. Tucker (the slow bowler). M'Carthy (a good right-hand off-break bowler), Dent (a leg-bre-ak bowler -with more pace than usual), are all f«ur bate The wic- ; ke^ccepcr. Williams, i« alno a fecund bat. while the professional. A. K. Trott (whose delivery is very deceptive with regard to pace), is too well-known, to cricketers in this colony both as a batsman and bowler to call for recapitulation of his doings. It will suf- • fice to say that Mr A. C. Maclaren, leader of the English team now in Austarliai has stated that had he considered Trott available, the Anglo-Australian erioke-ter would have been one of the first men he would liave chosen for the present tour. The remaining member of the side,- Upbain, is one ; of the beet fa*t bowlers i» the colony, and it will be remembered that on the occasion of ; the -visit of the last Now Zealand team to j Australia he stood at the top of the bowl- ( ing averages. D. Hay. toe of the two Auck- j land players chcaen to play iv the North Island team, played a magnificent inninge on Saturday, when batting -for United against Paruell in the Senior Cup competition. He scored 179 before being retired, caught out. The T'rited man is also one of the best fielders wp have, and in hh present form would no doubt have given a good account of himself in the inter-island match. I hear, however, that it is not at all likely that he will be able to obtain the necessary leave of absence. Our other rep , J. A. Kallender, lies only recently retureied to form with the bat, and in his three latest innings has reached the covetsd century and scored 60 and 53 respectively on all three occasions. His batting has been a treat to witness; his driving and catching being little short of perfect. Carisbrook wicket was ki tip-top order for run-getting on Saturday, and Rattray, who won the toss against Albion, had no hesitation in sending his men in to bat. Mills, Austin, Siedeberg, and Burt had the Albion bowling tied up, and compiled between them 242 runs, the remaining eeven batsmen contributed 36. and, with the assistance of extras (22). brought up a total of 300. Geo. Mills is to be congratulated en making over the century. His score of 109 included 11 fours, 1 three, 8 twos, and 46 singles. The number of singles is above the average, but is probably accounted for by his injured finger. Saturday's score brings Mill's average up to 48 for six innings, and as it is the firrt century compiled in Cup matchee by « Carisbrpok player, Mills wins Mr A. Fisher's bat. It is also, so far, the highest individual score, and consequently carries with it the vice-presidents' (Messrs Crosby Moiris and H. D. Stronach) silver cup. Siebeberg's contribution of 54 not out was a fairly creditable production to the bateman. 1 say fairly creditable, for Siedeberg obtained his runs on a batsman s wicket and against bowling which had the sting taken out of it by having had 188 runs made off it by the previous bats. At the same time, this player would, if he devoted more time to practice, be in the forefront of bats in Otago. Burt and Austin compiled their runs in a stylish manner. Both batsmen treated the bowling with scant ceremony and scored freely. "Albion bowlers were fairly bowled to a standstill on Saturday. The first three Carisbrook bate knocked the sting which the bowling possessed in its initial stages to almost the cover off it in its dying moments. The remaining Carisbrook bats were treated to pure lubbkh tossed up for the express purpose of having them caught in the field — rubbish out of which the flash of a good ball gleamed only occasionally Nino trundlers on the Albion side were tried to bring pbout the downfall of Carisbrook, and failed, Siedeberg and Harraway playing out time, with threo more men to go in and 300 to go on with for next Saturday.

Roth f'orbott and Spence sent down good balls enrlv in the day, but could not got any work on — not a turn, — and as their efforts to make a separation amongst the first incomer* of Carisbrook were unavailing they were changed, but not until over 90 runs had Leen scored off them. Tho change was successful, in 6O far that the batsmen were caught out. But with what tort of bowling? Rubbish, and the wor-t of rubbish at that, out of which, as I ha\o sail before, only tho flash of a good ball glraired occasionally. It may have boon one way of getting out troublesome batsmen, but it was decidedly bad cricket.

With the bowlers at (ho morcv of the bats it was no wonder that the field became tired on such a day as Saturday, and during the course of a long lejvther-cliasiog afternoon

was loose and/langnid — bright only in -spots, ■and precious- few spots at that.

The Albion skipper would do well not to repeat hi 3 tactics of the match at Carisbrook on Saturday. Trumbie, the Victorian, has expressed the opinion that all good bowlers should be able to bowl one ball high in the air, so that it comes straight down on the wicket. However, he did not say that all the balls of the over should be bowled in this way. It is true that such balls aro very disconcerting to a well-set batsman, and there is nothing against trying one or two of these, but when it comes to bowling over after over of that class it is no longer cricket. The spectators must be considered, and they will not come out to see this sort of thing, which does little good to the national pautime and an infinite amount of harm.

Grange and Dunedin match, played on the Caledonian ground, furnished Alec and Tom Downes with an opportunity of securing eight Dunedin wickets at a cost of 33 runs, and further furnished the spectators with a sight of seven good batsmen on the Dunedin side making seven runs ! But of the total of 33 for eight wickets, one bat (J. Wilkie) very kindly compiled 25 for his downfallen companions, and is not out to boot. Another Dunedin bat (Latham) assisted with 5, two others made 1 each, four others nil, and extras furnished 1.

Such fa score (33) for eight wickets by a team which numbers amongst its .eleven some really first-class bats clearly indicates want of confidence in themselves and a fear of Downes's bowling. Several of these bats were bowled before they stepped to the crease — in othet words, they " funk " Downes.

Roberts, Anderson, Johnstone, and J. Downes were mainly responsible for the Grange score of 147, and compiled on their club's behalf 101. The remaining seven batsmen assisted with 33, and extras were responsible for 13. Roberts (27) and Anderson (45) showed exceptionally fine cricket for their scores, the cutting of the latter being particularly good. It is a significant fact that the bulk of the Grange score against Dunedin on Saturday was obtained by the colt 3of the clvb — Roberts (27), Anderson (45), and J. Downes (18).

Opoho ran up the tidy little score of 277 against Carisorook B on an Opoho wicket on Saturday. Eight Opoho bats got into double figurps, chief of whom v.-pre Watkins (56), Chadwiek (41). M'Uavin (40), Kilgour (37), Eckhoff (21 not out), and Lear 19. All the batsmen mentioned faced the bowling with confidence, and played it accordingly. The B team have 18 towards 277, and will resume the uphill task next Saturday. At a committee meeting of the Carisbrook Cricket Club, held on Friday evening, it was decided to hold a carnival at Carisorook on Wednesday evening, March 5. The programme has not yet been definitely fixed on^ but will probably include the following items, among others: — (1) Fancy dreßS football match Iby the Pirates Football Club, (2) physical drill and exercises by volunteers, (3) display by gymnasts, (4) amateur obstacle race by D.A.A.C, (s)^ gymkhana, (6) tugs of -war, (7) ehort fireworks display. (8) fancy dresß ball on the turf, (9) 'band items. The ground is to be lit up with electricity, a band "will play from the centre, of the town to the ground, *nd will give selections during the .evening. Another band will supply dance music = throughout the evening, and anyone who wi=he3 will be allowed to dance. There will be fruits, sweets, and supper stalls, ami probably fiome side shows. The Ninth Contingent are to bo iuvited. Clowns will amuse the people. Everyone will be allowed to wander over the ground at will, except on those parts roped off for the perfermers. The proceeds are to go to ground improvement, and if there is enough money the club will consider the advisability of getting a professional coach from England or Australia next year. It behoves all cricketers, therefore, to do all they can to aid the Carisbrook Club to make the thing a success, as by so doing they improve the interprovincial cricket ground of Otago. in which they all must naturally be interested, and the importation of a professional coach to Dunedin is admitted on all hands to be what we want here. Footballers, again, are no less interested in this worthy object than cricketers, as by improving the ground by claying and raising it, as is intended, it will make the ground second to none in the colony for football. Those who are interested in athletics will also be benefited, as the track stands in need of improvement. In fact, this is a question which lovers of sport of all kinds are interested in. It has been often said that this is not a sporting community, but I am 6ure that when it conies &> the point Duuedin will not be far behind the northern centres. A nice point in cricket ethics cropped up. in Albert Park, Melbourne, a couple of Saturdays back. A ball had been driven hard to leg, a fieldsman went after it, and threw in a ball which was taken by the wicket-keeper, who whipped off the bails. Umpire gave it " out," aud the game continued. When that innings wae completed, it was discovered that the game had been played out with a strange ball, which the fielder had picked up and thrown in by mistake.

Mr P. A. Watt writes in indignant terms from Kaihiku. with respect to a paragraph published by me last week on the subject of a cup match v. Kaihiku. He ?ays:— "ln the Times of Wednesday last vo'u have a very scathing criticism of the decision of the South Otago Cricket Association ou the Kaihiku v. Waiwera- match. You have been lather premature in your judgment, as you have ~t>nly heard one side of the case, and that a highly-coloured one. So false are the statements on which you have ba*ed your criticism, and particularly those relating to the action of the Kaihiku flub, that I have been authorised to give them an unqualified denial, and to express eurnriee that you based your article on such unlikely grounds, without first endeavourina; to piovo the truth of your information." It woul'l have been more to the romt if Mr Watt had rreciselv indicated wherein tho Rtatpmont? to which ho gives "an unqualified denial " vreto in error. A general asfertion that they are '"false"' is not of much value. But, a^ Mr Watt ha* imrugr.ed their iccuracv. let me re state them in an c-nfleavour to discover the respect-3 in which rlicv arc false. The statements of fact made by me. were six in number. They may be recapitulated as follows: — (1) The captains agreed to draw stumps at 7.40 p.m. (2) Between 5 and 6 o'clock play was stopped for 20 minutes by a shower. (3) When the teamb were ready to resume, a further adjoin nmont was mnd<* at Kaihiku's request to partalc" of refreshments they had r>rovidcrl. (4) The game them stood: Kaihiku, all out for 24 runs ; Waiwera, six wickets down fur 43 runs, i&^ Wh.en refceshmffnta

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. (6) The Waiwera accordingly agreed to stumps being drawn. Fortunately, it is possible to . test the accuracy of these statements in a manner that cannot be regarded as open to dispute. Mi R. R. Stewart, hon. secretary of the South Otago Cricket Atscciation, who objects to the opinion I -have expressed upon the decision of the association in the matter, w rites me officially in the following terms : '"Your notes on -the Kaihiku-Waiwera march are misleading. As placed before the meeting, the following is a statement of the circumstances : With two hours and a-quar-ter to play, the match was stopped on account of bad weather, with the scores as mentioned by you. The Waiwera captain then remarked to the Kaihiku captain, ' I suppose you are full up,' to which the Kaihiku capfain assented. Waiwera took this as an agreement that the Waiwera team had won tho match, but Kaihiku understood it differently, thinking that the Waiwera captain referred to the weither. The secretary of the Kaihiku Club at once wrote me, and explained the position of the match, and asking what should be done. Now, all matches in South Ota.go encket are decided on the first innings, if two are not played, and if the first innings are not completed on each side, then the captains cau arrange. No' agreement was come to in this case, as each captain misunderstdod the other, therefore I informed the Kaihiku Club that the match was drawn, as it was unfinished, and there had been no agreement as 'to which side was to win. I was requested to call a meeting and decide the matter, but through art oversight I omitted to set the dispute on the order jj^per, but when the omission* was discovered at the meeting it was decided to discuss the question, and the decision was as you state. It is unnecessary for me to point out to you what may happen in two hours and a-quarter, especially in a country cricket match, and that is the way the meeting looked at the question. The Waiwera captain was entirely to blame, and his query, 'I supose you are full up?' is open to many constructions." Tnis letter confirms, in a remarkable degree, the statement cf the facts as given by me. The only point on which the official account varies from mine is in the construction that it puts on the Kaihiku captain's remark. But that is immaterial, for this reason: Whatever the remark lnrant — and the construction placed by the asso» ciation upon it invites the comment that the iimpires, and not the captains, are th& judges as to whether, when the weather is bad, play should be continued or not — there was no play afterwards. "All matches in South Otago," Mr Stewart says, " are decided on the first innings if two are not played, and ifthe first innings are not completed on each side then the captains can arrange." There was no necessity for the captains to arrange in this case. Wniwcra had. with the loss of six wickets, beaten Kaihiku's score. If there had been any suggestion of an " arrangement." what simpler than for the Kaihiku captain to close his innings? He would then have won on th» first innings even in a manner that would have satisfied the South Otago Association But that farce was not necessary. innings were not "played. . The weather 'stopped any chance or that, and as Waiwera were clearly ahead on the .first innings, they were, under all the rules governing the point, clearly the winners. It was simply- a bad decision on the association's part that compelled Waiwera to continue 'the match on a lecent date and defeat Kaihiku, with an innings to spare.

The following matches have been arranged for the second round of the Junior Cup. Secretaries meet at Wain's Hotel on Wednesday, at 8 o'clock, to arrange grounds: —

February 15.— Dunedin No. 2- v. Albion No. 2; Carisbrook A v. Dunedin No. 1; Albion No. 1 v. Grange; Carisbrook D v. Opoho; Dunedin No. 3v. High School ; Privateers v. Ro3lyn ; Ravensbourne v. Hendley.

February 22. — Duuedin No. 2 v. Hendley ; Albion No. 1 v. Carisbrook U; Carisbrook D v. Dunedin No. 1; Dunedin No. 3 v. Grange; Privateers v. Opoho ; Ravensbourne v. High School ; Albion No. 2v. Roslyn.

March 1. — Dunedin No. 2v. Ros'yn ; Carisbrook D v. Albion No. 1 ; Dunedin Xo. 3 v. Cansbrook U ; Privateers v. Dunedin No. 1; Ravejisbourne v. Grange ; Albion No. 2 v. Opoho ; Hendley v. High School.

March 8. — Dunedin No. 2 v. High School ; Dunedin No. 3 v. Carisbrook D; Privateers v. Albion No. 1 ; Ravensbourne v. Oarisbrook U ; Albion No. 2v. Dunedin No. 1 ; Hendley v. Grange ; Roalvn v. Opoho. March 15. — Dunedin No. 2 v. Opoho; Privateers v. Dunedin No. 3 ; Ravensbourne v. Carisbrook D; Albion No. 2 v. Albion No. 1; Hendley v. Carisbrook U ; Ttoslyn v. Dunedin No. 1 ; High School v. Grange.

March 22. — Dunedin Jfo. .2 v. Grange; Ravensbourne v. Privateers; Albion No. 2 v. Dunedin No. 3 ; Hendley V. Carisbrook D ; Koalyn v. Albion If o. 1 ; High School v. Carisbrook 17 ; Opoho v. Dunedin No. 1.

Jim Baker and Alec Downs figure in an article in London Sportsman just to hand, entitled, " Ten Years of First-class Cricket in Australia— l69l-92 to. 1900-01." The popular captain of the Grange tops the average of New Zealanders mentioned with six innings, 164 runp. 27.33 average, 56 highest score. The next New Zenlander mentioned in tho batting averages is D. Reese, with four inningfi, 102 ruiifc, 25.50 average, 88 highest score. Other New Zealauders are H. De Maus, six innings, 133 runs, 22 16, average, 47 highest score ; H. B. Luck, six innings, 131 runs, 21.83" average, 59 highest score ; L. A. Cuff, six innings, 126 runs, 21.00 average, 41 highest score ; T. L. Cobcroft, six innings, one not out. 84 runs, 16.60 average, 59 (not out) highest score ; A. R. Holdship, six innings, 96 runs, 16.00 average, 69 highest score. Alec Downs is mentioned in the bowline analysis in London Sportsman of " all players who took 10 wickets in first-class cricket in Australia during tho- ten years (1891-92 to 1900-01)": In two seasons 316 runs. 11 wickotb, 28.72 average. Franki&h, two =e;i-ons, 358 runi, 12 wickets, 29.83 average. Two players .it present in New Zealand mentioned in averages of 10 years' first-class cricket in Australia from 1891-92 to 1900-01 are Syd. C'allaway and Albert Trott. Iri batting, Trott has four seasons, 31 innings, five times not out, 622 runs, 23.92 average, 85 (not out), highest score; Callaway, five tcasons, 50 innings, Eix times not\out, 799 runs, 18 15 average, 71 highest score. In bowling — Callaway, five seasons, 179^ runs, 83 wickets, 21.61 average ; Trott, four teasons 1443 runs, 66 wickot«, 21.86 a\erage.

Rangitsinjhi tops the batting average of " all players who went to wickers 10 times in Australia in first-class cricket during the 10 years 1691-92 to 1900 01," with one Bea-

runs, 60.89 average, 189 highest score ; Clem Hill second to Ranji. with eight seasons. 77 innings, eight times not out, 4111 runs, 59.57 ' average, 365 (not out) highest score; "V. Trumper third, five seasons, 4-6 innings, twice not out, 2265 runs, 51.50 average, 292 (not out) highest score; Maehjreu fourtß, two seasons, 40 failings, four tunes not .out, 1840 runs, 50.11 average, 228 highest score. Geo. Lohmann, the great Surrey cricketer, who succumbed to consumption at Matjesfontein. South Africa, on December 1, is "buried in the little Matjesfontein Cemetery within a yard or two of the grave of General Wauchope.

Unfortunately for the Englishmen, it Is quite- likely that Barnes will, not bowl any more in the present tour. He was in bed_in Adelaide with his knee in splints, and even if he should be able to get on to the field in two or three weeks' time, it will be doubtful if his leg will stand the strain of a hard day's work.

" Tom " M'Kibbin, who was a member of the Australian team which toured Eugland in 1896, played in a match at Perth recently. That he has lost none of his knowledge of bowling is demonstrated by the fact that he captured nine wickets for 69. With the bat he scored 3b runs in one innings. Writing of the later stages of play in the third test match, "Observer" says: — ' I doubt whether Datling will lake part ia the ' other two test matches. Domestic affairs and the busy time on -a. sheep .station, call "him back to Stonehenge, in Tasmania," at* tiie close of this game, and it may be that' he will be unable to go with th&.-Australians_ to England." _ : Another writer says: — "Rumours having gone about indicating Darling^ probable abfsenee from the remaining tesfc'inatches andr 1 from the nexj Australian Eleven for EngI Jandsl may stale that there is every prob- , I ability of his playing at Sydney and Mel- | bourne aud going to England. At present I j believe his wife is in delicate health, and I while that is so Joo is not the man to be " ! away from homo, but if she makes favonr- ! able progress,- Australia will not lose Darj Hag's valuable assistance on 14th inSt. at i Sydney." j In a match played at Back Creek, between teams representing Post Office and B.UA.'.C, - aecently, Harry Trott, the cx-Austfaliao ; Eleven captain, took five wicketa for 39 and ' made 114. His fcore included 14 4's and six s's. The P.O. won by 87 run.s, the ! ."cores being 192 ami 105. i It was most unfortunate for tho Kuglish- \ men that they were without the services of Barnes, who on the second day twisted hi<* knee. Had ho been able to oontimie his bowling, Eays " Shortslip," in Sydney Mail, I believe the visitors would have won the third test match. His misfortune was Gunn's opportunity, biTt; tho latter, though " he bowled well in the first innirigs, was not aa useful as Baioes would have been. Australia has now won two of tho three contests- played. The" third will go down rathe ahrfals of the game as ono of the most-re-markable ever played, and the Australians thoroughly deserved their win, a3 did th© Britishers ■ when, in the great match in Syd-ney.-they secured a victory. The contest ran into six days, of twice the allotted tuna.' in England. From the outset to thefinisu the game was full of incidents. News has just come from India of a remarkable piece of aedrhiK at" Bombay by the Pafsee cricketer" ATH. Mehta.-who, decord-; ing to report; is* ' coming to" England next. ! spring, and intends to qualify for a arstclass county. Playing for H. D Mehta n team v. the John Bright C.C. on December 8 he made 30 rua3 (three 6"s aud throe 4s) in an over. His score of 69. which was made in 15 minutes, contained five 6's and nine T Hayward, the popular member of Maclaren's team, is to be accorded a testimonial benefit during the next English cricket season. The date fixed w July 31, and the match, Surrey v. Yorkshire. A bumper benefit is certain, given fine weather. Other professionals who will have benefits during the season are W. Storer (Derbyshire), W Gunn (Notts), V. Barton (Hampshire) ami G. Hay (Derbyshire, one of the M-G.O. ground staff at Lord's). Gtmn's benefit will be Notts v. Surrey, at Nottingham, May ia. Maclaren, the English Eleven ciplam, has decided that Blythe shall be given a rest after the present test match is concluded, and the bowler will, consequently, not he in the team to represent England against Australia in the next test. The ligaments of Blythe's hand have been . found to be badly strained. Speaking to a reporter of the London Sportsman, after the news of Maclaren s victory in the first test match at Sydney,, Ranjitsinhji said : The batting of the Australians in this match has certainly been very much below par, and I am quite sure that they will do infinitely better ia the matches to come. Sydney has always been the favourite ground with the English team, and we must not be disappointed if at tre other two places our men do not do ouite so well. The turf and the light at Sydney are more or less akin to English surroundings than in the other two places, and that makes a lot of difference. I am glad to see that the English team met with such a warm, reception after their victory. At the annual meeting of the representatives of the Scottish cricket clubs in Edinburgh, it was stated that the Grange club wore endeavouring to arrange a visit from, the Australian Eleven to Scotland next summer, and that there were hopes that the Colonials would play a match at EdinbuTgh on the three days beginning June 26 or 30. It is quite one of the most remarkable things in the history of the game, gays a« writer in English Cricket, boat the Australians, in choosing their side for the first test match against - • Maclaren' s team, sliould not have thought it advisable to go outside the team which visited England in 1899. It would seem almost incredible that not a fdngle new man should have risen up during the intervening years worthy of a place in the team, and we are afraid that it does not promise well for Australian crioket that such things should be. _ The aggregate of 1271 scored during the third test match has only been exceeded three times. The following is a list of tho biggest aggregate?: — 1514 for 40 wickets, Sydney, December, 1894. 1364 for 34 wickets, Melbourne, March, 1895. 1292 for 31 wickets, Sydney, December, 1897. 1271 for So wickets, Adelaide, January, 19021182 for 25 r/ickcts, the Ova!, August, 1899. 1133 for 30 wickefs, Adelaide, January, IS9B.

The match just concluded was th© 59tli of the series. The results were : England. 27 wins : Australia, 22 wins ; draws, 10. Of the three matches played ,by Maclaren'g team, England has won one and Australia two.

For the third time Clem. Hill has been uuforltmate in just failing to reach the ccn-

two new records in test matches which '■will take ~a lot of beating. In three successive innings he has scored 89, 98, and 97. He has also put up a "record of 195 in a match, without reaching the century in either innings. The best records in this respect are the following: — 97, 98—195, C. Hill, Adelaide, 1902. 60*, 88—149, M. A. Noble, Manchester, 1899. 32, 104—136, R. A. Duff, Melbourne, 1902. 42, 93*—135, Ranjitainhji, Notts, 1899. Hill just missed by 5 reaching 200 in the match. There are 6nly six instances of an aggregate of 200 in a test> malch. These »re: — 201, 16—217, S. E. Gregory, Sydney, 1894. 62, 154*—216, Ranjitsinhji, Manchester, 1896. 149, 64—21&, G. Ulyett, Melbourne, 1882. 211, W. L. Murdoch, Oval, 1834. 124, 83 —207, P. S. M'Donnell, Adelaide, 1881. 161, 41—202, G. Giflen. Sydney, 1894. During the progress of the third test match two player 3, Clem. Hill and T. Hayward, carried their aggregate runs in test matches into four figures. At the same time Joe Darling beat Shrewsbury's aggregate of 3277, which has been the record for many years. The following table shows the liso of all players who ha\e made over 1000 runs in test matches : —

A good story, illustrative of th& uncertainty of cricket, and of tho vicissitudes of «jven tha greatest playcr3, is told of George ' ILohmann. the famous Surrey cricketer, who <lied recently. Lancashire were playing Surrey at Old Trafford, and the match finished early on the second day, Friday. jLohmann was thinking of recuperating during a quiet week-end, when a telegram "was received asking if he would play on the Saturday in a local match at Flowery jP*ield, which is somewhere near Hyde, -lohmann did • not. want to play, but pressure was brought to bear upon him not to telegraph a refusal. In order to kill such tin idea he- asked what he thought was a prohibitive fee for the afternoon, namely, '£15. But a message came back, just as ILohmann was preparing to leave Old Trafford, that the terms were accepted. So ■he Surrey professional, at the height of his powers, had to make his appearance at 2?lowerv Field. The distriot was placarded "with bills announcing that George the Great would play. He did,--but the local batsmen ouilted him all over the placd, and he did 7'ot, secure a wicket, while he was bowled ■f.Tst ball and never made a run. "This is no Lohnuvnn," said the crowd, and so angry *>nd even, threatening were some soectators that the famous professional hurriedly packed his bag and was glad to be whisked off to the railway station in the friendly eVlter of a cab. English cricketer Tvldesley writes Home: "iHave just returned from the Adelaide <\ricket ground and fe^l very tired, tho "running about I got on Saturday and aEr^iT -to-day (Monday) having made, the muscle oi bit legs quite sorer-have never felt like this before. We have had a bad day. The ■wickets are supposed to be of the bfst. but everybody aerees and are saying that this in. ■the worst "wicket they have-ever plsycd upon. •They (the Australians) have been playing football, on it up to a week ago, and the Jiot weather has come too Fcon. and the groundomen did not use sufficient water to tttart with, the result being that George Giffon is just the man to take full advantage ■of his opDortunities. We have mrde a bad •tart, and instead of us playing our own jrame we tried to stop them, and the rcace of the -wicket was too much for some of us. A few had bad luck including my?elf. I /cut a ball which should have goue rafe. but 5t unaccountablr rose and was spcured at short slip. I hnve not got used to the Tjeculiar li?ht and the surroundings yet. We Jiave had a Fcorthing day, the beat being 150 degrees in the fiip. G^od crowds came+o_ see the match, the ladies in oarticular Taeinp present in large number* 1. Evervbodr •'S taken ur> with our fieldinc Stoddprt's first team lost her° at Adelaide: yet they won the rubber, and wp hope to do the same.

3". Darling .. .. A. Shrewsbury .. S. E. , Gregory . . G. Gifien .. .. A. C. Maclaren . . CHill A. C. Barmenna.a "W. G. Grace 1. Hsrwari In. N.O 39 1 40 4 4S a 53 0 35 3 25 0 50 2 36 2 25 2 ).' Total. 1293 1277 1272 1233 1174 1137 1105 1093 1005 H.S. Avg. 178 34.02 164 35.47 201 28.2.5 161 23.35 124 36.63 183 45.43 9i 23.02 170 32.20 137 43.69