NOTES BY LONG SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 54

NOTES BY LONG SLIP.

Mr Harry rMu^Tcne. manager of ihe Australian cricket te-am of 1596, is in Dunedin at present 011 a bu.-ine£, trip. The secretary of tho Dunedin Cricket Club has been instructed by his crmmitte© to write to Australia with a view of obtaining information 111 respect to securing a coach for next season.

The loss over the recent tour :>f th© M.C.C. team is estimated ay £1500. The ashes havo been learly Ixraght.

Victor Trumper is still rusticating on a station 111 N&w South Wales As a result of his holiday Australia's champion batsman is now in perfect health.

The secretary of the New Zealand Cricket Council reeohfd a communication by the last San Francisco mail from Loid Ha-wk^, stating ihafc ho would do all in his power to bring Mr A. E. G. Rhode's name before* the cricket authorities at Lcrci'- and the Oval, and trusted they would make him an honorary member. Mr I*. E. Lacey, secretary of tho M.C.C. at Lord's, also wrote by the same mail, stating that an honorary member's ticket would be sent Mr Rhodes, as requested by Mr Raphael. Mr F. L. Fane, the dapper little cricketer of Lord Hawfec's team in Now Zea'afld, has accepted th& captaincy of the Essex Eleven for 1904.

A proposal is on foot to perpetuate the inemoiy of the late Mr John Stanning, father of Stanning who toured New Zealand v. ith LorJ Hawke' 5 team.

Playing for the Rost" of England against Warner's team on their return lo England, Hargreave, of Lord Hawke's team, secured five wickets first innings for 106 runs.

In commemoration, of his recent visit to Australia Tom Hayivard was recently presented with a silver tea and coffee service.

H. Strudwick, who was second "keeper ' in the ZSI.C.C. team, says that so soou as he got tised to tho glare on Australian grounds he found "keeping" easier than in England. At the same time he thinks wicketkeepers get fewer chances in Australia, owing to the ball keeping, as a rule, %-cry low after coming off the pitch. Kermcde, the Australian bowl<r now in England, who is qualifying for Lancashire, before the mail left did some, good w-ork for tho county eleven against a district eighteen, capiuring seven wickets in the latter's first innings foi 46 runs. . Tho lapse of time does not make much difference to the success of the famous old Australian bowler F. K. Spofforth, for on a recent Saturday he took eight wickets for 24- runs. Talking of the thousands of people who never take any physical exercise .(says the Evening News) a contemporary instances the young louts who loaf about with their lianas in their pockets or lounge on seats in tho park. What we need are compulsory games. A football or cricket match, Park Pests y. London Larrikins, might be arranged 111 Hyde Park by way of a start. Mr J. A. "Murdoch, who was the manager of the Marylebonc Cricket Club's team in Australia, in replying to the toast of -his health at a complimentary gathering tendered him on his return to England, told a story, which irf said to have created roars of laughter. It was as follows:— "A lady visited the Zoo, and stood watching- one of the kangaroos. A keeper happened to pass, so she asked liim what it was. ' Oh.' responded vhe official, ' that's an Australian.' ' Good heavens !' gaf-ped the lady, ' why, my sister has married one.' " The absolute social equality of Australian cricketers (writes English cricketer A. E. Knighty its most striking to an English observer, and presents an ideal in this respect. "Whether it be ihe porter who carries your luggage, the gardener who mows the public lawn, the lawyer who settles your will, or the dentist who probe* your teeth, if they are Australian crickeiers — and such men are, and have been, for the caees ai'e not hypo-thetical--they are familiar in a most unique degree on and off the field ; and whether you be of the patrician order or a common carpenter, if you play cricket for England, you are treated in precisely the same way. Apart irom the actual cricket itself, it is tho one thing which English cricketers were compelled to notice, and, within limits, to admire.