NOTES BY LONG SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 58

NOTES BY LON G SLIP.

Mr A- Barron, the well-known Canterl»ury cricketer, has been transferred to Wellington on relieving duty, but" in all probability he wilt bfe permanently stationed in the Empire Oity. Mr W.. Howell, another cricketer, left for. Sydney on Friday, en route for England. ' Tha Australian Elevfen were banqueted by th© Surrey County C.C. at Kenmngton Oval, all the members excepting victor Trumper being present. The great batsman "fignts shy" of banquets and other Feastfl or festivities of that order as though he were a "bashful maiHen of 15." Four partnerships exceeding 100 runs have been made for the Australians in England, «md M. A. Noble has been one fcf the partners in eacfi. O. B. Fry, who scored 156 and 106 for Sussex against the M.O.C. and Ground at [Lord's last match, has made two hundreds in a match on four occasions, particulars of Sfche other feats being 108 and 123* Sussex W. Middlesex, in 1898; 125 and 229, Sussex jp. Surrey, in 1900; and 138 and 101*, fiussex v. Kent, in 1903. O. B. Fry has developed into the modern Colossus of English cricket. Be> is th« only batsman £n the world who has attained this remarkable dietinction four thnee, though W. Gr. £rrace and R. 23. Foster have each done so three time?. In the above match P. F, Warner, playfing for the M.C.C., made 20*. The large Slumber of runs he get* in English cricket is teure proof (says Sydney Heferee) that P. F. {Warner is a more dangerous batsman than Ihe has shown himself to be on Australian Jsvickets. ■ Umpiring in a test match (says C. B. Cry) is an honourable but not very pleasant cask. One point about it is nol generally understood. It is thisi An umpire usually (umpires by habit — that is. he watches the game more or less subconsciously, and gives »is decisions more or lees mechanically; in fact, he umpires just as a. batsman plays fitter he is set. In a test match the umpires are so impressed with the importance <>f the occasion that they reconstruct their jnethods of_ watching and deciding; then fNrerything is conscious — they are trying all US time. The result is they find the work

a great strain, and are never quite comfortable. They are never quite set. Apropos of Trumper' s injury in the test match. In the case of an accident on the cricket field a substitute xmist be allowed where an injury or and illness has occurred eince the commencement of the match, the consent of the opposite side must be obtained as to the person so to act, and the place in the field which he shall take. No attempt is ever made to put a substitute in the position of wicket-keeper ; it is recognised that the other side would object. Ther« have been cases where a certain fieldsman has been objected to, notably by Darling, when he requested the withdrawal of Tyldesley, and also by W. G. Grace, when he declined to allow S. E. Gregory to field for H. Moses in Melbourne in January, 1892. Both instances were in test matches, and both players objected to were reserve men. Reminiscences of early cricket were recalled in an interesting manner at a meeting of the New South Wales Cricket Association the other evening by a letter from. Miss Beatrice Driver, a niece of the late Mr R. Driver, M.L.A., who was president of the association. She a«ked the association to accept a group portrait of the first English team that visifed Australia; also portraits of the three Gregorys — Edward, David, and Charles — at the time when they represented New South Wales against Victoria, whose players were J. Conway, S. Cosstiok, and T. Willis, in a single-wicket match in 1871, when the brothers won by 5 runs, after three days' play; and also the cricket balls- used in the first international and intercolonial matches, in 1862 and 1856 respectively. TWO CENTURIES IN A MATCH. LONDON, May 28. Bosanquet, playing for Middlesex against Sussex, imaclo 103 ancl 100 not out. DISTRICT CRICKET IN CHRISTCHURCH. -', -CHRISTCHURCH, May 23. A sub-committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association reported to a, meeting this evening in favour of the inauguration of district cricket. Owing to several of the present clubs having vested interests, and the probability of opposition to an out-and-out district scheme, two alternative proposals were outlined : First, an out-and-out district scheme; and, secondly, a scheme for district senior matches. For the former proposal the city and suburbs would be divided into the .following districts: — St. AJbans, Riccarton, Sydenham, Liinwood, Christchurch West, And Christchurch East. A club should be composed of members who had resided -within the special district for not less than four months prior to October in each year. The district championship matches should take place of those for the Senior Cup. The allocation of the grounds for the several clubs was arranged. For the alternative scheme of district First Grade cricket, it was recommended that for a, trial the present clubs should be left undisturbed so far as membership and practice were concerned, and that First Grade matches be arranged from players of the present clubs. There should be sis competing teams, representing the districts in •which players resided. The members of the associated clubs residing in each district should appoint their own Selection Committee. Bona fide members of district teams should not be allowed to play in Second, Third, or Fourth Grade matches. The meeting was in favour of the <second scheme for a beginning, and decided to submit the reports of the subcommittee to a general meeting of cricketers, fixed for June 10, with a recommendation that th« second proposal be given effect to next season.