NOTES BY LONG SLIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2807, 1 January 1908, Page 60

NOTES BY LONG SLIP.

Accompanying the Otago cricket team on its northern tour are several well-known, cricketers, including Messrs J. R. Burt, W. Sparrow, J. Melville, and W. Latham. The moral support of the team is very strong. It is generally admitted that the Canterbury bowling is the weakest the province has had for years, and Otago players are pondering how they were dismissed in a first innings for the wretched total of 92. " Why," said one player, "the bowling was just pie, but we failed to realise that, and made it difficult." Prior to the departure of the Otago team for Wellington on Thursday night the manager and captain called the Otago players together to drink the health of the Canterbury team and the Canterbury Cricket Association. Mr Wilson, iru proposing 1 the toast, congratulated the Canterbury team on its victory, antJ neartily thanked the Canterbury Asociatiom for the kindness and consideration shown to the Otago players during- their stay in Christchurch. The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm. At t2ii3 little impromptu gathering Eckhold, the Dunedin player, was presented by Captain Wilson with the bat with which the young cricketer compiled his 59 not out for Otago in the second innings' against Canterbury. In the "dressing room at Lancaster Park after the Otago-Canterbury match had been won and lost subtle efforts were made to draw out Downes and Fisher as to -their intentions so- far as Wellington and Auckland were concerned. The Otago captain called for three cheers for Downes and Fisher going as far as Auckland. Needless to say, the cheering was" loud and hearty, but it failed to draw the Grange -representative, while Fisher announced his- intention of going as far as Wellington. Again on returning to headauaxters at the 1 Royal Hotel, when the toast of the Canterbury cricket team was proposed, Downes wa.| cheered again " on his going to Auckland," but aIL efforts failed to bring him up to the mark The team left for Wellington without Downes, the Grange man returning to Dunedin by the second express on Friday. Some idea of the strength of Otago s bowling in the opening of the match against Canterbury may be gleaned from the following figures representing the runs scored in the first 10 overs- off Downes and Fisher : —

* Represents a wicket. f One member of the Otago team has cause to remember his visit to Cbristchtu-eh. > He was canoeing on *he Avon one balmy evening after a hard day in the field when, being - unused fco the mysteries of the art of propelling a oance, the " frail bark " capsized, and he was unceremoniously turned out, fully dressed, into the riyea\ The cricketer swam for dear life for the shore, which he* reached amid the" laughter of sundry other cricketers on the bank. When asked why he did not walk out, the partlydrowjied one said: " Why, I thought it wae over my head!" The Bath must have been refreshing, for next day he came out and played one of the bee* innings on the .Otago The Canterbury Cricket Association did everything possible to make the members of the Otago team enjoy their -stay -m Christchurdh. They were made hon. members of the principal social clubs in the, city and treated moet "royally." 3 Boats on the xiver were nlaoed at the team s disposal, and the players made pleasurable use of the privilege. The team was most hospitably entertained everywhere, and altogether the players had an. enjoyable time. The match Otago vr -Auckland for thePlunket Shield will take place on the Auckland Contain on. Thursday,. Friday, and Saturday, January 2, 3 and 4-. Is it anxiety to ensure the beet possible team to represent Otago on the northern, tour? The Otago Cricket Association decided that no member of the- team would be asked to contribute in any way to the cost of the tour. ■ " ' Apropos of the foregoing it will be remiembeTect that when the Oiiago team toured the- colony soma yeass ago the. players were asked to .contribute the sum, of £5- per man towards the expenses of the Tlie late Harry Boyle, the Australian international cricketer, died in his sleep. Just before hie death Boyle sent a~telegiam congratulating Kansford on scoring a century against the English team. The old Australian eleven batsman, VV. L. Murdoch, is now residing, in. Paris. Belfi the Sussex professional anoV A.uclcland coach, has optimistic views of the future of cricket in New Zealand, and to a recent interviewer remarked: There arepeople who believe that football, and not . cricket, is New Zealand's national game, and that the temperament of the ]New Zealander is against his rivalling the Enghshm»n and" the Australian at cricket. But why should it be so?" asied Relf. - You have here splendid climatic conditions for cricket, much better tran they have in South Africa, and even better ' than they have in Australia. The grounds, too, are excellent. There are good grounds atAucklacd. and I under,<tand at Dunedin and Wellington. With good training, why shouldn't you play cricket? I see no reason why New Zealand cricket should not be as good as South African or Aua.He had. much'to say o» tne cheery and practice of cricket. The> mistake of playing forward too much, the absolute necessity at choosmjp "the right baE' ta punish,* the futility of .trying to score on good balls, and' the uselessnesa of trying to bowl at the wiokete on such a wicket as the match was" played on. "The good bat is the man w-ho knows a good! ball w.hen_ i* comes along) and devotes all his attention to stopping it, and when, a loose one- corces along, recognises it a* once, and punishesit. Ke must know, too, where his strokes sa-e going. A^s'the ball is coming; to him. hs& must bear in mind -the position of the fieldsmen, and make up his mind where hie. will place- the ball." && went on. to emphasise the absolute necessity of length 1 in bowling. Length, which meant command of the ball, must come first, then, variation of pace and 1 spin. - Relf Bas done much to help Auckland: to win the shield', but he does not mindr saying- that,, for the sake of cricket- in NewZealand, b» hopes' it- will not stay there very long; It is a- splendid ideav he thinks, and to- get the best results from, it, it should be won By one province after another. " "I*et the provinces keep chasing

each -other for it, and yon wiH see orick^B going ahead quickly." "" .. It appears to be generally considered that F. A. Tarrant is ineligible to represent Australia- in the teat matches. Yet it has " not been officially so determined. Ikrrant can never play for England against Australia. He iej_ and always will be, an Australian cricketer, just as I*. O. S. Poidevin, W. L. Murdoch, arid A- B. Tiati: are. For international cricket there, should be> some qualification to apply specifically to test matches, English, Australia, and South African. S. M. J. Woods, Sydney bornand reared,- was an English' resident (at Cambridge University) when he played for the 1883 Australian Eleven against Ikigland. J. J. Ferris played for England against South Africa; W. E. Midwinter had the unique record of having played both for and against England and Australia in teat matches. Victoria's 699 is a new record for that. State's team, the 602 againet New Zealand on the Melbourne Ground in 1899 being the only other innings exceeding 60&. It has been surpassed five times by New South "Wales, with totals of 918 and 807 against South "Australia, 805 and 77& against Victoria, and 839 against TasmaniaJohn Tunnicliffe has severe 4 his connection with Yorkshire. He has accepted the, post of -coach' at Clifton College, aniJ will commence his -dutiea at Bristol oa January 1. There are 600 pupils at Cliftoa College, and Tunnicliffe will combine ab athletic outfitter: business with the duties ' of coach. _ • „ ' W. W. Armstrong's 231 is the- biggest, innings- ever ' played for Victoria, P; A.' M'Alister's 224- against New Zealand having taJten the highest rank in that way for many years. -In Sheffield Shield crTckefc (says Sydney Referee) W. W. A.'.'has made eight centuries, and in this respect is easily first among - Victorians, though for other Slcates Clem Hill and M. A. Noble are well ahead, the former having: 'made 11 and Noble 14. He averages J*B~ tuna per innings in the Sheffield Shield competition,, having scored 2131 rune. P- A. , M'Alistev with 224- against New Zealand,, is the only other player -who- has topped 200 for. Victoria. By the way.M'Alister has made., at least.- ona hundreds for Victoria against England, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, and New Zealand. S. F: Barnes, of the M.C.C. touring team, has done wonders for Staffordshire this season, but the majority hardly realise exactly how wonderful ,his feats have been. For hfs county, - and in * championship ; matches only, his bowling figures are: — 246 1 overs, 82 maidens, 505 runs, 79 widkets ; " average, 6.39. For the Nocth Staffordshire and District League his figures it read: — 171.3 overs, 50' maidens, '34-2 runs, 95wickets; average, 3.89. "" He has also- been, useful with; the- bat, and- ia a fasfc bowle*whoso success is chiefly gained when .things are' going, "well. . * ' . - i • W. W. Armstrong has made 17 centuries in -first class cricket, four .exceeding, 200-^-t viz.,. 303 v» Sussex, 284- v. Gentlemen o£. England, 231 v. South Australia, and .300 N y. Queensland. The greatest number o£ balls ever sent down _in one innings in Australian representative cricket— rviz.,- 522 for 300 runs and five wickets — were ■ delivered by - George Gifren against Slfcoddart's team in 1895. Apropos ■ of. the. death of Barry Boyle, the Australian international, a correspondent, writing- to the Australasian, says: — "In the Australasian of November 30 reference is ma.de to the unflinching pluck and courage of the lat& H. F. Boyle as a fieldsman in> standing: up to the fiercest hitters at silFy, mid-on, a post in the- field, I believe, created by him. Tn. the early eighties one>' of the- Australian teams was playingGloucestershire ; I was. a spectator at the match, played it Clifton. . W.G., then in, full possession of his magnificent punishing powers, was batting. ■ Getting well hold of a half -volley, he drove it -with all his force to Boyle, at silly mid-on^' The power behind the hit was such as to drive 1 tha _ ball clean through "Boyle's hands, and hit " him with full- force in the chest. Down went poor old Boyle, but, sticking to the ball, the great W.G.s account was finally settled for that innings. Such wae the astonishment of W.G. that, standing at th& wicket, regarding the prostrate form ofBoyle, he awaited the umpire's decision before finally- retiring. The catch ha» since - been~ referred to by Dr Grace as a marvellous piece oL fielding. Rather a, good story has been told about Barnes, a member of the, English cricket _ team.. One of the great social events of the Midland Cycling; and Athletic Club's season was the annual cricket match between the dub- and the Enfield Cyclings Lmk xhe Midlandere had fared badly in .these- matches, -for their; team usually consisted of crusted veterams.. But one year they persuaded Barnes to give them a lift.',; He, went "incog.," and ereat was the consternation; of the Ehfielcters when the stalwart i-young stranger scattered, their stumps like ninepins. "Who -is this fellow?," said a Midlander, who was in the know. "Ke seems a likely cricketer." "Oh, he's one' of pur novices,"' was the reply. -"A novice, indeed! He seems a pretty warm . one, then. But who is. he?" "Oh, he's-^ U vicar's son." 1 _ After tEe "match, the teams '- were treated, . and the winners were congratulated, rhe. speaker (the person who • knew all "about the tricky then, turning to Barnes, slyly? said: "They tell me our young frienoL.here is a vicon's son,;; tshould say, judging from tha " way in which_ he Sas mown us down to-day, that he is a ■"Vickers, Son, and! Maxim."' Thi» incident, it should be mentioned, happened before Barnes made his. name in. first-class -_, cricket. ~~ To those who know I>r E. M.^ Grace,, whose forthcoming marriage is exciting much interest, it seems almost, impossible, , to believe that moate than -half a- century a-go he was doing doughty VTeedsi on the _ cricket field against a_n All-England Eleven which included such gianta as Caffyn, George Parr, and the redoubtable Julius CaeSar. So brilliantly did "E-ML' r " acquit himsel* ins one evtch. match, in. 1855' (he was not yefc I* at the time)', that (says the -Westminster " Gazette) Mr Clarke* the manager of the eleven* gave him a- bat as a memento*' of his clever fielding^ Foot years- lateriplay-* ing for/ West Gloucestershire, Dr W.^ (?.. Graca informs us that E.M.° had alfc&dy. scored 150j when -he himself went 'in. ana added 51 — a truly amazing feat for two Boy 3of 11 and 18 respectively. * N& won«exi - as W.G. records-, "my father and mother - were delighted and very proud 1 ." In. 2562 E:M. created a- great- sensation in *. mstcft - between the Gentlemea of Kent and MLCOL by taking every wicket in the second innings, and crowning this feat by scoring

192 not out. Tnily, there were giants in i those daysIn a match which does not rank as first * class, H. V. Bay ley, the Tasmanian, once delivered 590 balls for 68 maidens," 167 runs, and one wicket. It was for Tasmania against East Melbourne Club in 1879 on the East Melbourne Ground. In chronicling tnis feat, "Boyle and ' Scott's Guide" stated that Bayley "has a Vlry long walk in delivering the ball, and it is computed that -he waited nearly seven miles during this performance." It was a two-day match, end as. East 'Melbourne batted the whole of the time for 742 runs, it was drawn. The gjorious uncertainty of pricket was never better exemplified than in , the case of the first day'e play of the |Otago- Canterbury match. It .was a day of surprises. Fortune favoured Rees"e, i *t.he Canterbury captain, in the spin of -the coin, and he sent bis team in to bat on a perfects wioket and an outfield true as "a billiard table and as. fast. " Canterbury made an indifferent start, losings three good batsmen for 36, but the northerners finished up with the respectable total 'of 210. Otago opened disastrously, and misfortune and bad batting followed the team' throughout, and at the drawing of stumps on Tuesday night Otago had lost nine wickets for 71. -^ ■i It is generally agreed that even' with the inclusion of Reese and Lusk Canterbury is not the side Otago has met in previous years". On the day's playf however, must •be said thfit the Canterbury players proved * themselves better men, and they are now in Buch.a,good position fhat nothing but sheer j . cricket- fighting on tbe part of Otago can eave'jthe'game for tbe-southern province. I ' Canterbury opened with Lusk and. Pat- j rick to the bowling of Downes and Fisher, j Runs came very slowly, both bowlers keep- I irig the batsmen quiet. Lusk was the first to" go/ - He was at the wiokets "45 minutes for 8 xuns. The crack Canterbury batsman could do nothing with Fisher, who w;as bowling splendidly, and in Lusk's case twice beat batsman, wicket, and wicketkeeper. Aokroyd bad hard luck in being Tun out. The ex-Otago "" player drove Downes hard down the pitch. The ball struck tbe I wioket at the opposite end arid rebounded into the field, when Wilson picked it up and smartly returned to Williams,' who had ', the balls oflf> before Ackroyd;" who had run ; down the- wicket "for the "run,- could get ' back to 'his crease. * x Patrick, batted "very solidly" for his runs. He showed jio brilliancy, but waited tor the proper' ball to •jsome along, and displayed good .defensive powers. He was at the crease" 45 minutes for his score of 19, and was,. out to a. smart' catch by Williams behind the wickets. - At this stage matters were not too •• rosy for Canterbury, _theree batsmen i being send pavilionwards for .36 runs. • A different complexion was put on "the game with" the Reese-Moorhouse partnership, this pair taking the score from 36 to 104 before Mooriiotiso' . hajl tis _ witskefc \ shattered by Downe3. - Moorhouse is something of an ancient of days so far as -cricket is 'concerned, but he "is an aggressive bats- , unap. — j&ot altogether a pretty- bat to watch, hut a bard' hitter who. gets true value out of^ evety stroke. -" H Moorhouse " mixed " his- hidings — some of his strokes , were delightful,* crisp," and" clean, but others, "again, - were- weak.' •■ He got the majority of '. his .-iuns'on the -off witb- 'driving and cutting, and was at {the crease just over the" hour \ for his "runsV J, \\ .. -■ Reesej wio'"~was credited" with being a reckless batsman in 'the Auckland match, was * very restrained against tbej^ Otago •bowling, and though ' he ' made his nins by good cricket, never ' really ? opened out, though several- of his driyqs and cuts came j crisply off - the bat and raced along -\the turf like lightning. It was scarcely, any use j chasing . a ball once, it broke through the | cordon . x>f . fieldsmen when it came off i -Reese's bat. As showing how patiently the 1 Canterbury idol played the bowling, it need only be- mentioned that he was at tbe orease nearly two hours for 49, -and, as one enthu-. siast put it, the restrained batting £urts. Reese, however, was in to play thefgamo for his "side, and he did -it to such purpose that 139" runs, -were on the telegraph < before he -was.d ismissed.. Reese's score included five bits to tbe boundary, and hjt was out in a sensational manner .to Fisher: He drove one hard over tbe Carisbrook bowler's head. - The bail struck, his head v and rebounded . 3iigH into the air'behind 'him, where Austin. .quick, to seize an opportunity, ran in and brought off the catch. Was there' ever a CJanterbury-Otago match in which Boxshall did not provide some excitenlent and sensation. ~ He did. so to-day by giving Siedeberg * chance at covfer before he had scored, -and sb.y running out\with a total -of 46. It was pn (expensive " life," and had Siedebergf • J>een in bis usual form he must have got it. The ball' came awkwardly "to him, but Siede I•berg, failed "to reach it with one hand. Boxshall got his runs mainly on the leg side, atid was particularly severe .on - Mackersy, off whom he scored 17 in one over — four 4's and a single. - ' ' * 'The Otago attack was of a high standard, and the old pair — Fisher and Downes — again "divided the honours." I never saw Fisher bowl better than he did in the first innings of, Canterbury. He bowled a splendid -length, coming" across a bit, but trundled with hard luck. On three occasions he beat /batsman, wicket, and keeper". Downes, too, ibowled well, and had all the batsmen •"playing"" him. Mackersy was the least successful of the other bowiers tried, and it f?as tbe general opinion that the Otago captain should have given Torrance a 'better 'chance. t The Otago fielding was excellent, not to say briljiant. *■ The men saved innumerable boundaries by their smart picking up- and, chased the ball like terriers on the field. What of the Otago batting? It was deplorable. Otago has given many bad exhibitions, but never under .*uch' perfect conditions. The v wicket was perfect— a trifle faster than our players have been used to, — I>ut a wicket on which''Otago players should tave^been capable of hoisting over 300 runs. -On paper " it is a stroner bafiinpr side, but *rhen- one saw wioket after wicket fall. and. ')bhe batsmen out to strokes which would, discredit casual, juniors) one paused >(or ex-,, iplanation. ' It was first and foremost in the jnajority of cases an insane desire to get on to the "off theory." They- could, not leave the off stuff alone. The bowling was easy, lacking^ sting throughout. When _it •was not playing at .the " off theory," arid 'falling in the fljips, tEe Otago batsmen were Taking- cock stfokes,_and being caught else; .wherdfjn. the field, _ A^iin'a proverbial ill-luck again followed Jitm in big cricket. . Playirar at a -half Volley, ne . edged „ik into -tbe slips, and was snapped up .by Crawshaw -at third .man. •JSphfe was only, the beginning of, the trouble. Wftteop, ffho felt like making runs, cut his •

I first ball off Crawshaw hard to Moorhouse s at point. It was a brilliant catch. Two 's wickets had fallen foi' four runs when Eck- * hold took the crease The Dunedin man 6 opened promisingly with a couple of crisp 1 cuts, and he looked like getting runs, but J with 7 to his credit he spooned one softly c back to the bowler— a deplorable stroke. A. t Adams got back on to a ball which edged *■ off his baij, and was taken, at the wickets t by Boxshall. Mackersy could not leave the * off stuff alone, and after being conceded a J "life" in the slips, did not take warning. ; * and succumbed shortly afterwards to »ij catch in the slips by Anthony off Crawshaw. » It was a procession of disconsolate batsmen * to and from the batting crease, and five * wickets were down for 20s when Wilson and Siedeberg became associated. This pair v ' played solid cricket, and for a time saved * the rout, the total being taken to 64 before * Reese bowled Wilson". The Otago captain * ', batted well, choosing the right balls to hit ) and driving with' good nower. He ran ' i many sharp runs, ' and this in his present condition proved disastrous. After five runs ° had been added to the total Siedeberg fol- *; lowed his captain back to the pavilion. The , | Cariebrook man batted very solidly, driving , j with great power, but the fielding of Canj terbury was so sound that it was difficult to . get the ball . through. ' SiedebeTg was at c the wickets just over the hour for his runs, rj anw was out to a half-hearted stroke; — caught j by Crawshaw at cover point. Fisher succumbed to Reese first ball—caught in the" 7 j slips by Lusk. At this stage' the scoi^e was j ! 69. Two runs later Frank /Williams failed j. to get" fully on to one from Reeee, and was j caught- at cover by Crawshaw, who was a fielding well. Downes was Une last man in, and opened his account by lifting Reese for , a couple. At 6.15 slumps were drawn for r the 'day, Otago having lost nine wickets for ' j 71, compiled in two hours. _- - j There was no sting in the Canterbury bowling, and Otago's downfall was sgnply "\ due to wretched batting. Bennett kept a ■ j good length,- but was playable all the way. ' r Crawshaw, a« High- School boy, swings down > ,; j a good fast ball on the "off, and relies on l i getting his wickets in the slips. Reese was , -■ the successful of the Canterbury , c , bowlers. { \ ! The. fielding of Canterbury was splendid, ' f j few balls getting through to the boundary.. , g The lofty fielding was disastrously accurate s fo"r % Otago. Orchard and Reese did particu- c larly good'iwork for Canterbury. j It might be mentioned that -Hie light was t indifferent during the Otago innings, and j at one stage the Otago captain had an idea' I of appealing against the light. ' i i The - "weather was dull and threatening c for the second day's play, and a. ©old wind t i blew across the ground: The wicket rolled a out like a shirt front, and the outfield was c again fine a,nd~ fast. The match was re- r eumed at 2 " o'clock with Downes (2) and f Torrance <(4).- The pair played solid crioket^ c until Torrano« was .bowl&cL by Bennett witt a ball which the Dunedin expected T to .break. The innings closed for 91, hay- c ing occupied just over two 'hours. With j a lead 'of 119, Canterbury took up the second strike 'with' the first innings pair, Patrick s and Lilek^ ' to" the' bowling of Fisher and c Downes". The' batsmen treated the bowlers .. with' the greatest' respect, and the fielding J * of ■ Otago was ( so clean' that few balls "were r allowed' to get through to the boundary: t The cricket was- slow, -and 'after 30 minutes' play Patrick was snapped.up at the wicke^g T by Wiriams. ' Ackroyd came and went j. without, adding to the Canterbury total, _ being cleverly caught by Austin '-at silly mid on. Two wickets were down for 26 ' when 'Reese ioined Lusk. Both batsmen 1 waited for the " balls to hit, and it was" j { noticeable that they did riot make tho ' mistake of' several of the Otago batsmen, j A the ball being kept beautifully along, the x turf.> With his score at 17 and " the Can- £ terbury total of 48 Lusk playeS Fisher on j to his wicket. The outgoing batsman was at the crease three-quarters of an hour for his' score. Lusk was really never very j -much at, home to either "Fisher or Downe"s, L c but he ' liked . the Carisbrook left-hander ! t least of tEe pair. Lust's dismissal brought t Moorhouse to the crease as a partner to j Reese, who was batting -well. At this stage Eckhold was doing good __ work say- 8 ing boundaries off Reese's drives. Moor- { house, who had made a score in the first j < innings, gave a very difficult chance to ' c Eckhold; who ran in from the deep field, j. and just failed to get under the ball. It j i was a great attempt, and >it would have j been a marvellous_ catch, if it had been y. brought 'off. ' As in the first innings, the Reese-Moorhouse partnershuo eventuated at I \ a time when runs were baaly-'wanted, the j pair -putting on 44 and taking Canterbury's c 'total to- 92; when Reese cut Austin hard ,^ to ,Fisher at point, the Carisbrook left- j. hander bringing off a good c&tch. Reese a was at the crease just under the hour for his score, which included six hits for 4. The Canterbury crack again batted well, j. timing the ball, beautifully and -sexecutirig 1 a all his stroke?, particularly on tho. off, with f rare finish^ " He is certainly Canterbury's € crack batsman. Reese never gave a chance s throughout his two innings, except those \ which brought about Kis dismissal. Moor- ] house got his runs in a similar jnanner \ to his first innings — a mixture of several c ' excellent strokes, square cuts, top drives, v and several indifferent hits. He hit hard j and 'often, and put plenty of power behind c r-hp blade. At 36 Moorhouse survived "a c confident appeal for a catch at the wickets, j and to appreqiate the decision lifted Downes high over the rails for 6. It was \ tha 'general opinion, that Moorhouse was out to the catch behind the wickets, but -, the umpire's verdict was in favour of the batsman. With the total at 167 Orchard, a who compiled 36, was well caught by Eck- t hold at mid-on. The out-goinpr batsman r put his runs together by fine cricket, being s very aggressive on anything a trifle loose. \ The iOanterbury total was 173 for six j wickets when Cuff joined Moorhouse. The c score was taken to 239 before the last r wicket felL •. < -v Otago went to the wickets at 6 o'clock in j a, bad light. A. Adams -and Fisher were -y the pioneer, batsmen, but the latter was i bowled by Reese without scoring. Williams T joined Adams, and this pair played out s time, 'the score standing at 5 runs for the \ loss of one wicket. The wea-ther is fine, \ but the wicket is wearing. . c The bowling of Otago was again of a r ', high standard, Fisher in particular bowl- - insr well and keeping a, good length. ] i Downes bowled well, but Torrance and N \ 1 Austin did not appear to trouble the bats- i ! men. Otago fielded in rare style, the ■ \ picking. up and/- returning being excellent, j t J Eckhold and Austin, in particular, did , s good work. The former, out in the coun- . i ! try. saved numerous boundaries as the ! r I ball earn© crisply off Reese's bat. _ j■? \ Austin and Tijrrance., were tried • a

it the -bowling crease - for the econd time. The Carisbrook man bowled veil, and came out with four wickets for 16 runs. Ibrrance also bowled well, ceeping an excellent length and frequently u'st beating the wicket. Fisher bowled luite up to his best form, and had heart>reaking luck in just missing the wicket. Canterbury carried their total to 239 >efore the last wicket fell. Moorhouse, who a a batsman of the unorthodox type and sho does not appear to be a player likely 0 get runs, compiled his 86 by powerful Irives past coyer and square cuts to, the xmndary. His back cuts, too, were well sxecuted, the ball coming crisply off the >a,t. Agains£ this Moorhouse made some rery windy strokes -at Fisher, who freluently beat the batsman's wicket. It was in expensive " life " for Otago. when MoorI'ouse gave a chance behind the wickets vith his score at 36. Orchard, who is a rastly improved bat, compiled his total >y clean, well-timed strokes all round the vicket. Bennett, tor the last wicket, was 1 trifle lucky in getting his 28. He had a larrow escape of a run-out early in his s&reer, but the umpire decided in hi« avour, "though the batsman appeared to >c just outside the crease when the bails vere removed' by Willians from a smart hrow.-in by Fisher.. The Canterbury inninge " icoupied three hours and three-quarters, ["he fielding of Otago was excellent, Austin, Vdame, and Eckhold doing splendid work uad saving no end of runs. Otago were up against a big proposition. \.t 6 o'clock the Otago captain sent, in Alan and Fisher to face the bowling of ; Jeese and Bennett. The light ,was bad, is -it had been all the afternoon, but it ] »as generally thought that the Otago pa4r vould play out time — a matter of 15 ninutes. As in the first innings, .disaster tappened early. Any luck that was going lid not come Otago'3 way, and Fisher vas clean bowled first ball by Reese. Williams partnered Adams, and succeeded - n playing- out time, though the Albion nan put one dangerously near the hands of j \.ckroyd at point, the ex-Dunedin man lavinp to jump for & difficult catch. Play was resumed at 11.30 on Thursday >n a" wicket that was showing signs of year. ' The weather was again beautifully me, and the conditions -were ideal for the fame. Williams did not last long, and. ifter playing carefully for, 15 minutes .was ilean bowled by Reese with, a ball .whlcji mocked back his leg stick. This was not be worst, for Austin came in only to lose Man Adams, who was playjng every ball vith the full face of the bat, and looked as f he would have to be dug out, as in tnej iase of his innings against Warner's team, j when he stonewalled Thomson, Hargreaves, 1 md Co. for three Jiours. Bennett, howsver, got Adams early, the Albion bats- , nan playing forward and edging one to me slip, where a safe pair of hands icoepteel the catch. Flay had been in progress fojr 30 minutes vhen Siedeberg and Austin became aseoiiated. The pair started very cautiously. | Austin, remembering his ill luck in tbe | irsfc innings, let the off stuff severely | done, but Siedeberg was on occasions m- , slined to nave at go at Bennett, who was^ j jitehin'e ihenr -up- for the trap in the slips, i vhere Lusk and Anthony; were in readi- j less The Canterbury fielding was clean, j he picking up and _ returning being cer- : airi and wonderfully accurate. Few balls j vere allowed "to get through, and as the Mtsmetn. were ' playing for their lives the. ;ate of" run-getting was slow. Siedeberg vas making some nice strokes past cover, >ut there was a man on the boundary vho was picking' them- up with deadly iertainly. The bowling appeared e >asy, but ,he batsmen were making-itditbcult. iney vere playing for keepsr .and were taking 10 risks. SiedebeTg was scoring more reely than his club mate, and one beautiul pull stroke saw the ball sail high over he boundary for 6. It was a. great ■ stroke, vorthyyof Trumper, and was v greeted witn rantic applause. The next over Siedeberg irove Reese 'hard and low past cover >ver the boundary. Siedeberg was getting ;he bulk of the bowling, and was scoring i -runs to Austin's 1, and was batting veil. -With his score at 37 SieUeberg maae t half-hearted stroke at a ball pitched on be off from Crawshaw, and was easily jaught by R-eese at o°™*- He *£* at -. the . row 66 mimito for his runs He mixed lis attack and defence very judiciously and licked the right balls to hit. Several of lis off drives were well-timed, and, com,ined good driving power with finished ■xecution. The stroke which brought about ri« dismissal was one which he would never la ve made if he had been in the , pink >f health. It just lacked that touch of rim which would' have sent .the ball soar-* ng over the fieldsman's head to the boundlTlex. Downes opened in his usual sensaional manner. He lashed out at thd nrst >all,~ which flew like a bird past. Ackroyd A cover, arid the ex-Dunedm cricketer ailed to get his hands on it. Downes was ver impatient, and could not content nimelf witn> the life, for shortly afterwards ie hit out at a well-pitched baft from Bennett, lifting it high over the bowler s lead to Ackroyd, who ran in from the leep-field and. brought off the catch Austin ?as batting carefully and well, selecting the >roper balls to hit and playing sound lefence. Otago had a long w^ty to go to iurpass Canterbury's total, and the pros)ects were not over bright. - Wilson came in at a time when runs were jadly wanted, and hopes were entertained hat the Otago captain would play the gam© ; vhich characterised his first innings, it , ras noticeable that the ball was hanging i, bit on the wicket, and not coming hrough. The first ball from Reese was learly fatal to the Otago captain, but lie - 'ot the second' and third away in successive uts to the leg boundary. Austin was still ilayino- the game— sound defence with judiious -attack,— and was scoring his runs nainly by fine off drives along the carpet j vith an occasional one past forward cover, i fust on the luncheon adjournment Wilson . vho was not so steady as in the first nninps, hit out at a ball from Reese and ; >layed it easily into the hands of Crawhaw at extra-cover. It was an easy catch, fed the fieldsman had no difficulty in wringing it off. Six for 110 was the state >f the game when the adjournment was nade for luncheon. . i On the resumption of play Austin took [ Sckhold out with him to the wickets. Both latemen scored slowly after opening, Playng almost strictly defensive cricket. Efikiold was playing the bowling "straight back o the bowlers, but Austin was scoring ingles by sound driving and accurate plac- [ ng. With his 'score at 39 Austin had a j utrrow escape of a run out* He was halfpay up t^ie wicket, and but for Crawshaw , ,t extra-cover, failing,^, make a smart

■return would^jindoubtedly. . have lost his wicket. Shortly after this incident Austin brought up hie 50 with a drive to the boundary off Crawshaw. -' He" was going well, batting in quite his- * best style ; '. but his time had come", for, with the addi-, tion of 3 runs to his total,- he was clean bowled by Reese. Carisbrook mas played the best. cricket of any batsman on the Otago *ide. It 'was an innings full of merit. •_ Every stroke was well timed and splendidly executed." 'At no^sts^ye of the v game did he become reckless. The feature of his play was his sound defence, accurate placing, and excellent timing. Austin compiled his 53 runs mainly by forward drives, and was at the crease just over two hours. At the conclusion of his innings he was accorded a well-de6erved ovation. At* 3 o'clock Watspn and Eckhold were associated, and the Otsgo score was 146 for 6even. wickets. Hope was not altogether dead, but at the rate of scoring, even if the batsmen were able to hold -ap their wickets, it would have taken them all their time to get the required runs. Eckhold was playing sound defence, presenting the full face of the bat to Crawshaw and Reese. On occasions the Dunedin man was getting a clipping square cut, but the fielding was too certain for the ball to get^ through. • Watson was sent out with the .injunction that not less than a century was expected from his bat, and the Carisbrook man cer-tainly-played for '. the, much-coveted figures even if he failed to get" them. Lusk was put on with his slow long breaks, a.nd Bennett was "mixing" them at the other end. , At 3.15 Otago was just. 2oo runs behind . Canterbury, with Watson and Eckhold playt ing a splendid uphill game. The Oarisi brook player took 20 minutes to get into double figures, which, he did with a clipping drive along the turf off Reese. The ball would have Taced over .the boundary, - but Canterbury "had a 100" yards sprinter out in the long-field, and he "wtte sweeping them up with deadly certainty. While Watson was getting. an - occasional crisp late cut, j Eckhold was plodding away, content to ' hold up his wicket srad square out any- ' thing loose. He was , doing ,this to some purpose, quietly and unpretentiously, but was getting the runs, and the Otago scor& slowly mounted. The, batsmen were well Bet, and Reese rang on frequent changes .of bowling. With the total at 179 Patrick, a. slow- bowler, and Moorhouse.va right-hand medium, 'were bowling to Watson and Jickhold. Patrick and" Mobrhouse 1 were taken off in favour of Cuff and Bennett Despite the 'frequent, changes the ., Watson-Eckhold ' partnership was still going •well, and all efforts to- bring about * se jP* ratl <g*.^P,,* o rthis stage, had proved futile. ->With Ihe ! Otago total at 19> the^Ganterbury captain ! was seeking anxiously for another change. His eye lighted on Orchard, and -the 1 biKsest break bowler in Canterbury was ' put on to break - m> a partnership. Orchard's first ball, which broke over a foot, puzzled Watson .bat he swung Jhe ,nex{ to the leg bovndary. The ftrobrook player brought up the second century with a crisp off drive to, the boundary after three houTS and three-quarters batting. Just as the hopes of the Otago supporters were rising in the expectancy of a close ! finish the useful partnership was broken, i Watson losing his wicket to Orchard, to 1 whom . the Oariebrook man had been m 1 some difficulty. The .partnership P^™f « ! 75 runs «and Wa,tson, wlio had played sterilingWickgt all .round the wicket,- was at the crease one hour and 15 minutes., He never, gave a chance, and hit five 4s. _. J-5 was an innings full of merit, and well deserved the ovation which greeted «• Mackersy was not at all happy, and Swi not shape like making runs He was smartly stumped by Boxsha.ll, who had been keeping wickets well throughout the win 4"Pfl At 4.30 Otago 'wanted 143 runs to win, and this was the state of -the game when Torrance famed Eckhold. The last wioket make a great fight, and "put on 37 run 3 before Torrance was dismissed by a good 'catch by Barret at cover point who was fielding substitute for Cuff, who had to lea.ye early in the afternoon to catch a The match -#as all over at 5 o'clock, Otago's inninge closing for 253 as a result of four hours' batting. Torrance and I/Ckhold were received with hoarty cheers on^ returning to the pavilion. > " The match was lost and won on the farst innings. , Had the Otago batsmen made anythino- like a decent stand in the first inninge the match would have produced a- ! close and interesting finish. .As it. wao, ! they made the comparatively weak Canterbury bowling difficult and played strokes quite unworthy of them: The Otago eide, as played in the match rjust lost, is worth I 'anything over 200 runs, and this' would have been the position had -the batsmen T>layed up to form in the first innings. In the second strike Otago ,made i a gaLant .fight and a splendid recovery. The cricket was solid after the first three wickets tell, and' brie is- at a loss to know to whom to give the most credit— Austin for msfimehed innings, marked by patient pricket and_excellent timing; Watson for his stylish exhibition ; or Eckhold for his solid game. The last-named was at the wickets two and ahalf hours. He went in immediately ai^er the luncheon adjournment at 2.15, and .was undefeated at 5 o'olock. He played solidly throughout, scoring the majority of his runs by crisp cutting and leg bitting. He never once lost his head, add played as carefully at the finish as he did at the opening. The element of luck which is inseparable from the game was with the home team and aeainst the visitors. The ■ winning of the toss meant a great deal to Canterbury, and they made good use , oi the advantage besides, getting rid of Otago in the first strike for 92. How close the finish/ would have been can be worked out had Moorhouse been accepted at 36 in Canterbury's second innings and Boxshall taken by Siedebergj at cover before he had scored in the first innings. These were the only chanoes unaccepted and regretted by Otago. though it is -generally admitted that Moorhouse was fortunate in gettingthe umpire's verdict in his favour. The Canterbury bowling was not strong,' but the fielding was of a high i Btandard, Orchard and Reese in particular doing splendid work. ' ' Carisbrook E defeated St. Martin's Kp., 2at Cariebrook by 10 runs. Scores:—Carisbrook 85 (Coventry 20, M'Hutchon 19); St. Martin's 75 (Leckie ..36, M'Donald 13). For Carisbiook do Lautour (two for 1). Fraser, and MlTutohon bowled well, as did M'Lennan and Leokie for St. Martin's.

•ownes 'islier 1 0 1 0 2 3 1 0* ff * 200. 0 013138