NOTES BY LONG SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2505, 26 March 1902, Page 52

NOTES BY LONG SLIP.

Carisbrook A acrain secures the cup with. seven ivins, one lo^=, and ccic draw, and the Grange are runners-up with five wins and four losses. The position of tire othei teams cannot be determined until a protest lodged by Albion against Cansbrook B is settled by the Cup Committee. Dunedin No. 1 ha\e a« unbeaten record, the Hc.iley being a good second with one defeat, and Albion No. 1 occupying third position. The Albion President's Cup team have also an unbeaten record for the 26 matches played. In the play-off foi the' final with the Green Island the Green lslr.ud team won, but the match was awarded to the Albion owing to the Green Island playing two men who were not members of their club, being a breach of Cup Rule No. 6. At the conclusion of their match on Saturday the Albion Senior Eleven preso.ited Mr W. A. Robertson, who has scored for the team for some seasons, with :i set of razors as a slight appreciation of his services. The weather on Anniversary Day being very xinfavourable for outdoor sport, the Albion members took advantage of the opportunity to prepare their pavilioi for the Winter Club. Many willing bauds got t. work and papered the walls, and when other improvements are carried out the pavilion should be very comfortable. Cricket is looked upon all the world over -a* purely a summer pastime, but wo in Dunedin have of necessity to play in all weathers in order to complete the round of fixtures arranged during the seasci Saturday was far from 'being an ideal clay for the summer game, but so eager were the players to mako the most out of the last day of the cricket season that in <=pite of the rain-soaked wicket and flooded outfield at Carisbrook the match Cari brook B v. Albion was played out and the Carisbrook A v. Dunedin continued until rainfall put a stop to further play. On the North ground botl Grange and Opoho players donned flannel: and were precarccl to bring their game o. the previous Saturday to a conclusion. A steady downpou.', however, set in shortly after half-past 2 o'clock, making the wicket so greasy that it would have been impossible for either bowler or batsman to have stoo< up to the game Under the circumstance the north-end players very wisely aban doned the match. At Launceston. on a recent Saturday, exNew Zealander Cuff, playing for Tamar against Eslc, scored 164 (not out) and completed his 1000 runs for the season in all matches. In the match Auckland v. North Shore, played on Saturday, March 15, E. MacCormiek made 108 (not out) of a total of 293 In previous matches agnnst North Shore MacCormick has made 175 and 76 aud on each occasion, as on this one, he ha* been not out. The English team touring the West Indies defeated Jamaica by an innings and 159 runs. On February 11 the Englishmen defeated 16 colts of Jamaica by f.*i inuinga and 149 runs. Here is a cricket story. A total stranger, with no knowledge of the game, had been impressed by the provincial captain, and sent out to act as umpire. In the first over a hateman was caught very smartly in the slips. "How's that?" '"Marvellous! marvellous! But who's got the ball?" The amateur meir.lbers of the Engbfh team who have never previously been to Australia hava been made life members of the Melbourne Cricket Club, and the professionals have been given^a present of £25 each. The "Sydney Cricket -Ground trustees have presented to each^of the amateurs a photograph of the Sydney ground, taken during the fourth te=t match. On thp last day of the fifth test match, (says a writer in Sydney Referee) it was a bowler's wickpt. the lower rod in paiticular beini; \ery nasty. The visitors made a roal'y good fight for the riiius Jones at la«t at the wicket* looked like the batsman he i* He went in for the hitting game, and made some good strokes. Tyldesley watched the ball beautifully, _ and is the best bat on the side c.i a queer pitch. On the last day Noble, sending them down at the bad end, bowlpd well. The fielding on both Bides was magnificent, the Englishmen, perhaps, having a bit more dash. Although the Englishmen wca only one test match, and were a long way from being a great <-ide —uncertainty and want of solidity were pronounced —it was only by a fluke that they did cot win the rubber. The first mate!) was theirs by light of conquest; the third th.-y lost by Bheer illluck through Barnes'z breakdown, and the last was k>3t by the weather pure and simple. The Englishmen in the West Indie* were defeated at Barbadocs on January 24, in their first match, by an e'even of Barbadoes. by an inuings and 71 n;«f. Fane made 50 m the Englishmen's sproud innings, and Bosanquet took six wicket 3 for 89. The return match elided i'l a victory for the Englishmen by eight wickets?. Hollins madp 58 in the fir^t inning- and Dillon 46 in the ppcond. On January 30 the Englishmen, against a team representing tho West Indies, were beaten by an innings and four runs. The Dunedirf a*id Carisbrook A match was continued till the Carisbrook's aeore reached 57, Mills and Rattray being in possession when rain stopped the play. Bowlers had very little chance with thp slippery ball, b\it I think the 186 Carisbrook required to get would have taken some making if the ball had been dry. The Dunedin No 1 won the toa= a?ain=fc Roslyo nnd elected to bat, and put up 60 for the loss of one wicket. Drumm contributing 26 in splendid style, making >ome pretty cut». Fleming (21, not out) and A M'Kenzie (11, not out) were in possession when play ceased. Tho Dunedni have thu> gono through the reason without a defeat, and thoroughly deserve the title of champioos. They havp only failed to reach thft century once in a completed innings. Their highest score was 252. The Roslyn were the only team to make over a century against their bowling, making 144 to Dunedin's 189. The closest match wag with the Grangp. whom thpy only defeated by 22 runs The followhifr are the scores made against them :— Carisbrook V 22, Hendlev7l, Ravenfbourne 31, Dunedm No. 2 65, High School 97, Cari&brook D 56, Opoho 84, Albion No. 2 29, Albion No. 1 55, Privateer* 90 Grange Second 64, Roslyn 144, Carisbrook D 91, Albion No. 2 17. The following arc the spores madp by the Dunedio No. 1:— Against Caritbrook I* 192; Benipx^ 124 ior six wicteta; Raventhouine,

57 for seven; Dunedin No. 2, 232; High School, 100 for three wickets; Carisbrook D, 125; Opoho, 134; Albion No. 2, 152; •Albion No. 1, 161 ; Privateers, 152 ; Grange, 86; Roslyn, 189; Carisbrook D, 131 for four wickets; Albion No. 2, 139; Roslyn, one for 58. The Hendley are a good' second in the championship, suffering only one defeat, at the hands of the Dunedin No. 1. The Dunedia Club had to abandon their picnic on account of the bad weather, but they intend to hold it early next seaeon. The following members of the Albion proceed by the 8 a.m. train on Good Friday to Naseby to play their annual match with the local "club: — Bartholomew, Corbett, Cummingn (2), Cameron, Dry, Hunter, Israel, Peake, Shelton, Thomsou, Wiasor, "Robertson, and M'Connochie. Either Australian cricket has declined during the last few years or the teams now playing in representative cricket could be strengthened. In every test match Maelaren's team has had the best of it during some portion of the play. The weakness of the team has been the weakness of almost all English teams of late years— their lack of tenacity. They do not fight it out to the bitter end like Australians (says Sydney Referee), nor like the old professional teams which visited us in former years. But in ability up to a certain point they were *qual at least to the Australians, who, as a ream, to my mind, played anything but firstcla« s cricket. If the best English Eleven had been playing against us this last summer, or even if the present side had Wilfrid "Rhodes with them, Australia must have been defeated. The keen fielding- of the Australians in the recent test matches has given new life to the ancient taje of Spofforth and the swallow. Spofforth, who in his prime was as much of a demon cover-point as a demon bowler, had allowed his attention^ to wander during a game. "Loolo out," shouted the captain. Spofforth saw something black whizz towards him, made one of his lightning grabs — and bagged a swallow. Many Englishmen affect to disbelieve the tale, but that it is possible is illustrated by the fact that the veteran champion, "W. G." himself, has also done che same thing, though not when actually engaged .in a match. While he was superintending some weeding operations on the border of the London County Cricket Club ground at the Crystal Palace, the swallows began to fly low and fast from some adjacent eaves. Flicking at one of the birds with his umbrella, "W. G." was surprised to note that, despite the pace of its flight, he only just missed it. Remembering the Spofforth story, he laid down his umbrella, and when the next bird flew at all near essayed to catch it in his hand — and did so. The bird, •■luffed and mounted, now adorns "W. G.s" drawing room. A farewell dinner was tendered the English and Australian teams by the Melbourne Cricket Club on March 6. In responding on behalf of the English team, Mr A. C. Maclaren said the Australians did remarkably well in winning three of the first four tests, after having lost the toss on each occasion. He waß perfectly contented with the way his men had played, and he would not deny that they had been fairly beaten. With regard to the Australian team chosen for England, he thought it was thoroughly' representative, still it would have to fight hard in England. / The late Johnny Briggs was only sft sin in height, but he had the heart of a giant, and an insinuating way of bowling that lured many a hundred batsmen to destruction. His left-hand deliveries came in from both fcidps of the wicket, and as he never quailed under punishment, he would feed a player with a penchant for hitting with the most persistent patience. He was a great bowler, and in many a Lancashire match was never changed. At one time he was a splendid free batsman, and what' is colloquially termed a hard "puncher," while as a coverpoint he possessed cat-like agility — especially before he developed "embonpoint." He had his mannerisms, but he was the greatest little cricketer who ever walked, and with the exception of Allan Steel, the cleverest and most complete player who ever wore the Red Rose over his heart. Wherever the Saxons in flannel go forth, there will be mourning for "Johnny Briggs," the cricketer. He wag a good husband, a fond father, and, take him for all in all, a man of splendid instincts. Dearly would he have loved to live and see his boys cricketers. Alas, poor Briggs ! The committee to select the England teams against Australia in the forthcoming test matches in England is similar to that of 1899, save that W. G. Grace's place is taken by Gregor M'Gregor, who will be recollected as the wicket-keeper of Lord Sheffield's team in' 1892. The selectors are empowered to invite the assistance of a couple of leading amateurs. It will be a very good thing for English cricket if A. C. Maclaren be one of them. With the likelihood of Ranji. and Jackson being available, England will have a great side this year. With all the men in form, the following would make a great combination to test the Australians— viz., Ranjitsinhji, Fry, Jackson, Maclaren, Hayward, Tyldesley or R. E. Foster, Lilley, Braund, Hirst, Barnes, and Rhodes. Almost tragic was the death, described in the Daily Mail, of a certain Lieutenant Fellows, whe had just scored 56 runs, booted and spurred, in an African cricket match, when the order to^'"saddle up" came; in a short time he was in action, and shot dead within a couple of yards of the Boer lines. This was one of Kipling's "flannelled fools" !