CRICKETERS EXPENSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 62

CRICKETERS EXPENSES.

THE ARMSTRONG CASK The action -of W. W. Armstrong "«n -refusing to play for Victoria in" the match against New" South. Wales has been eevereiv criticised during the last few da-ys^feavs the Australasian). The Victorian Cricket Association, realisms the importance of the matter, held a special meeting. The- president (Mr Mackinnon, MX.A.) was in the chair, and Armstrong was also present. -It ha vine: been decided that the ( press should not be excluded, the' secretary (Mr E. D. Heather) explained what had taken place between Armstrong and himself. He eaid : I received an account from Armstrong on Monday, dated December 21, claiming dB4 (being £1 per day, including Saturday) for services employed and loee of time in the .match Victoria v~. South Australia test, month.., 'The- account was before the executive on the same evening, and it was not -passed. 1 'was instructed to inform Araratronjj ~ that, under the -resolutions -o£ the- ; association, passed .on September 15, 1903 r the- .maximum amount -could be paid to amateurs for nlaying in interstate matches is 10s per day. T wrote a, -letter and posted, it r to Armstrong on Tuesday night. Qn.Tuesday afternoon, at the South Melbourne Ground, I caw Armstrong. H« asked me if the account had been passed. I said it had not, and after telling him I had written to him I explained the position. He said he would not play if it wxe not paid. I aeked him to write ma a letter, giving me the notification officially He said he could not be bothered. . As coon as I left Armstrong- I told Mr M'Alister of what had occurred, and asked him .to see Armstrong. I also informed Mr Ahe-rn, and telephoned to Mr RushI- saw Armstrong again at 20 minutes oast II at the M.C.C. Ground on Boxing Day. He- asked me whether the executive had made -^3 fresh , arrangement. J. said, "No." He then said, "-Then I will not play." > Mr H. Skinner: Why was the letter not Written -at once and eiyen to Armstrong? " Mr Armstrong 1 : I did not receive it till fcalf pasfo'll on Thursday night. After discussion,- Mr Bean moved — "That Mr Armstrong's explanation -be.- not considered satisfactory, and that he be sus- ~ pended from playing in -any matches under the auspices "pf this association, and thal> & copy of this resolution be- forwarded to the Board of Control and' to each association represented on the board." The real question is, " Had . Armstrong any justification lor not playing in the match becauso an account was not paid? Once upon a time players put the game first, and money - afterwards. Now it is just the opposite. ■ AIT the evidence points- ,to the secretary being right. — (Hear, hear,) The real question at the bottom of this .is money v. the .game. Mr M'Alister seconded. He should Jiavo playedl 'In any case he should have done liis- best to play. We wanted to win this " match badly. Mr Henry Skinner thought the proppedpunishment far too drastic. He moved — "That A-rmstorng be severely censured, and •warned^ that a repetition will entail life disqualification." JMr R. - "V. Anderson (Richmond) seconded the amendment. The -Bresident spoke strongly against ■Armstrong. ■ The "executive, having retired for about * quarter of Jin hour, returned with a Suggestion that Armstrong should apologise tp the -association in terms- suggested by them, ' and their , recommendation waa as was a resolution expressing • confidence in Mr Heather's. action. ' The cHairman interviewed Armstrong, *?ho agreed to the suggestion, and enter ina ihe roonvfa-s^ain,'" he said: — " I now' see that my action in connection >ith the . New _ South. Wales match was •itferfy inexcusable, and detrimental to the fce«4 jntereeta of cricket, .and, as far as % am. concerned, nothing of this sort will occur again. I . still, maintain that I was Ifhaware of the -existence of the rule for payment of amateurs' expenses. I- am very sorry-for what has occurred, and in future games 1 hope some" -arraneement will be coma to on the matter. I am differently fftuated to what I used to be. I am in business, and my partner is frequently &W«.y in the country. - When he is dwav, and I have to ulay cricket- I have to leave the office with no one in charge." The President: I am glad you have mado this statement. I am sure your present (fcdtion is the ripjht - one. No one could -B*fend the position you took up. You (Jfrust realise that younger and less exJserieneed players take a man like you as their model; cricket would become in•foler&ble if such things ware allowed. "STou

are a great player, sen eminent player, and I hope you will use your influence to uplift the game. THIRD fIST MATCH. THE AUSTRALIANS BATTING. ADELADDE, January 10. The third test match was begun to-day in delightfully cool weather. The attendance was over 6000. Jones was unable to come to x Adelaide and Hayes, Blvthe, and Young were also left out. Roy Hill is Australia's twelfth man. Noble won the toss, and he and Trumpet began the innings on a perfect wicket. Trumper was almost speechless wrtE a , heavy cold. Noble began with a squaroleg hit to the boundary off Fielder. Trumper snicked Barnes's first ball for 3. Two overs yielded 11 rune. In Fielder's second over Trumper tried a leg glaneo, and was bowled off his mds. One for 11. Clem Hill, having a severe cold, was kept back in the hope of not being wanted till Saturday. -Macartney # was promoted, and set to business with the confidence of a veteran. Runs came rapidly. A.t 35 Noble back-cut a ball from Barnes straight to Hatchings at seoond slip. M'Alister opened with extreme caution. Macartney, with a pretty 4 off Fielder, made his total 50 after 55 minutes' play. The fielding was close and accurate, ana kept down the runs. A double change was made in the bowling, Crawford and Rhodes going on, but the .runs only came faster. Macartney twice in one over cut Rhodes to the boundary. M'Alister took 35 minutes to reach double figures. At the lunch adjournment two wickew were down for 79 1 runs (Macartney 40, M'Alister 16). When the same was resumed Fielder and Barnes bowled, and 10 overs produced only • 13- runs. Rhodes relieved Fielder at 92, S but the batsmen scored off him, and tha century was- reached in one hour and 5S aiinutes. Crawford relieved Barnes at 106, and in the second over had M'Alister caught at second slip. M'Alister had batted for 93 minutes. Tkree wickets for 114. Armstrong, who came next, was cautious. Braund relieved Rhodes at 130. At 140 he got Macartney leg before. The Sydney midget had batted faultlessly for an hour and 53 minutes, and had >it nine 4s. He did "not give a chance. Ransford, the next man, began vigorously. At 160 Armstrong was caught at short stop. ' " , , Hill, who' came in at this etage, batted steadily, but Ransford punished Fielder and Barnes. At' the tea adjournment Ransford was 32 and Hill 2, and the total was 182. . ,7i ' Fielder, and .Barnes were the bowlers after tea*. Ransford drove the former to the boundary. .With the total at 191 Hill , tried to-,smothex a. .Rood length ball from Barnes, • and was caugh^at the wicket. Hariigan ..opened- with a single off Barnes.' "With • all the Australian champion, batsmen, out, .the- Englishmen, who aad worked most -energetically all the day, eet -to work with redoubted vigour. Their bowKn® was accurate,, and the fielding brilliant in the extreme. Hartigan, with a - couple of braces off Barnes to leg, brought up 200, -which, had occupied 204 mmntes m compilation. Hartigan, at 6, had a, narrow escape, as he elanced a BaLl from Fielder iust over the heads of the slips. The next ball he drove for 4. Witk 215 up Ransford, trying to glance .Barnes, was bowled. He tilayed delightfully crisp cricket, .scoring all round the wicket. He had batted for 63 minutes, and hit six 4'e. — Carter joined Hartigan. Rhodes and Braund were rried with .the ball. Hartigan, batting stylishly, scored at a fair rate, but Carter took 25 minutes to reach 10. Rhodes ianded the ball to Crawford at 236. Carter got 4 off each bowler, and 250 went up for 252 minutes' play. Hartjgan reached 40 by square cutting Crawford to the boundary, and drove the next ball for 4 Fielder relieved Braund at 267. In his first over Carter, when 23, snicked a ball high to Braund. who, jumping, got the tips of his fingers on it, vbut could not hold "at At 273 Hutchings went on at Crawford's end, and got Carter Ibw with his The first ball of Fielder's next over bowled Hartigan. The Queenslander had clayed c splendid dashing innings of (S n-iinutes without a chance. He hit six 4s . O'Connor, and Saunders played out time , Of the Englishman Fielder bowled superbly all day, and Hutchings was particularly brilliant. , January 12.. i The third test match was continued m delightful, bright weather, before an attenddance of 15,000 people. The wicket looked as good as new. Australia's innings was soon completed tor 285 runs, the result of 290 minutes batting. The Australians took the field without Clem Hill, who was in bed owing to a severe cold. Roy Hill fielded in his place. Hobbs and Fane opened the batting against O'Connor and Saunders. Fane cut Saunders for 4. Before Hobbs scored he cut a bail to Noble at point, who failed to accept the chance. With both bowler? exceedingfy accurate, the Tiatsmen were not inclined to take any risks. Fortsminutes' batting yielded only 25 runs. At 30 Noble replaced O'Connor, who had sent down nine overs for 11 runs. Armstrong relieved Saunders at 37, and his first over - yielded 9 runs. ' At the luncheon adiournment, after exactly an hour's play, the total was SO (Hobbs 21, Fane 25). Saunders and Noble bowled after luncheon. The first over yielded 3 runs; but in his next over Hobbs was snapned up at the wicket. He was batting 69 minutes, and hit two 4's. . Gunn began, carefully with five singles, but a 3 and a 4 off Noble carried him into double figures, whict had occupied lunv <da minutes. Fane was playinsr soundly, and scoring steadily. At 86 O'Connor relieved Noble, and Fane drove him for 4. Macartney replaced Saunders. The score had orept up to 98, when Fane was run out through Gunn failing to respond to his call for a close run for a hit to cover. Fane batted faultlessly for 10D minutes, and hit j three 4's. 1 Hutching was next. A couple of singles 1 completed 100 runs, which bad been secured in 117 minutes. Hutohings, who had played vigoroxis cricket from the start, got to 20 in as rr>any minute 3, including three 4's. Gunn hit 7 off two balls from Macartney, but in the same over Hutchings drove; the ball back hard and low to Macartney,

who made a brilliant catch. Three for

[ who made a brilliant catch. Three for i 138. Braund was, clean bowled with the first - ball. Hardstaff started with a 4 off O'Connor. Armstrong and Saunders took up the bowling, and Gunn hit the former over the square-leg fence for o. At the tea adjournment Gunn had made 48 and Hardstaff 9, the total being 160. Noble and Armstrong bowled after tea. ■ Gunn completed his half-century in 105 . minutes. The next half-hour's play was quiet, but the score mounted steadily. At 189 a double change in the bowling to I Macartney and O'Connor was tried. In L the latter's second over Gunn turned the ball into his wicket. He was batting 130 • minutes, and never made a mistake. He hit one 6 and three 4's. Five for 194. i Rhodes joined Hardstaff. Two hundred went up for 210 minutes' play. Saunders replaced Macartney at 210. Ten runs were ■ scored from the first over, nine of them by i Hardataff, who was batting finely. Hartigan relieved O'Connor at 226. The new bowler had only two overs. Macartney i and Armstrong went on at a quarter to 6. Rhodes hit the latter to square-leg for 6. Hardstaff got 50 runs in 107 ininutee — a splendid innings, including eight 4's. . Rhodes batted patiently for 50 minutes. , The bowling of the Australians kcked venom, and a fast bowler was sadly missed. The fielding was good and sure, but never brilliant, except that of Ransford. Carter did good work at the wickets. January 13. The match was resumed with the tern ■ perature at 102 in the shade. The attend- ; ance yielded a gate of £263. Clem Hill, though improved ir health, still refrained from fielding. sj i O'Connor and Saunders bowled. Hardstaff was streaky, and in O'Connor's third over was clean bowled. Hardstaff batted two hours and seven minutes, and though he was at times uncertain, he played an I extremely useful innings, and hit nine 4's. ' Six wickets for 277. Crawford followed, but with 5 runs added . Rhodes was snapped up by the wicket- ! keeper. He played a nice innings, lasting , 85 minutes. Barnes joined Crawford, who hit two [ fine 4'« off O'Connor. Armstrong was ■ tried in place of Saunders at 306, and Noble took the other end 9 runs later. The hour's play yielded 56 runs. Barnes was > playing with great caution, and took 35 • minutes to maJke 10. Five minutes later • he drove the ball hard back to Armstrong. : Eight wickets for 320. Humphries kept up his .wicket without ■ scoring till the luncheon adjournment, when ; Crawford was 40 and the total 333. O'Connor and Saundere resumed the I attack. Qrawford .completed his 50 in 100 1 minutes. Runs came steadily from Crawi ford, while Humphries kept up his wicket. Macartney and Atmstrong were tried, and the latter in his second over beat Crawford, who played a splendid chanceless innings > of 110 minutee. . He hit eight 4's. .Fielder ran for the first stroke, but Macartney from cover brilliantly threw down Humphries' wicket. Humphries ' batted for 65 minutes, and the whole in- ■' rungs lasted 374 minutes. , Tie. fielding to-day was much better than on Saturday. Fielder and Barnes began the English attack against Noble and Trumper. A wide and 6 to' Noble came from Fielder. ; but Barnes, with the last ball of his first over, beat Trujaper. One^-wScket' for 7. ' Macartney, the next man, batted cau- • tiousiy, but Noble scored steadily. Half i an hour's play produced 27 runs. At 35 Barnes beat Macartney with a breakback. Macartney was in 33 minutes. Barnes had • bowled seven overs for 10 runs and two ' wickets. At 45 Crawford replaced Fielder. Fifty went up for 66 minutes' play. At 52 Barnes, who had bowled 10 overs for five maidens, 13 runs, and two wickets, was , given a spell, Braund taking his end. M'Alister took 35 minutes getting into- | double figures. When he had crept to 17 in. '48 minutes, Crawford got him leg before. ] Three wickets for 71. Armstrong opened vigorously, and the , i deficit was wiped dff after 105 minutes ; At 80 a double change in Hutchings and Rhodes was resorted to. Armstrong reached double figures in 12 minutes. Two 44 565 6 by Armstrong completed the hundred i* two hours. Barnes then relieved Hutchings. Noble reached 50 after he had been batting 130 minutes. • ; Fielder took the ball from Rhodes. Noble when he was 54, put up the bail to cover j point, which Rhodes scarcely reached. Each batsman scored 3 in the next over. Fielder ' liad only one over, as he had to retire indisposed. Braund took his end, and Barnes the other. The next over yielded 9 runs, each '. batsman hitting a fourer. Armstrong then i made a mighty hit straight over Braund s head, and Hutchings, on the boundary. . judged it nicely. Armstrong batted well for 55 minutes, but threw, away his wicket. Four wickets for 127. O'Connor helped Noble to play out time. Noble's defence was a masterly one. lasting two '. hours 40 minutes. The Englishmen's field- . ing was perfect. Scores : — [ i England. — First Imumgs. I Hobbs, c Carter, b Saunders „ 26 i Fa.no, run ouit .48 i Gunn, b O'Connor 65 Hutchings, c and b Macartney . 23 ; Braumf, b Macartney , 0 Hardstaff, b O'Connor 61 ' Rhodes, c Carter, b O'Connor . 38 ; Crawford, b Armstrong „, .. .62 Barnes, b- Armstrong y •• 12 Humphries, thrown out 7 . Fialder, nat out 0 ' Extras * ... • 21 Tota.l 363 ; Bowling Analysis. ; O'Connor, 8 for 110. Saunders, 1 for 83. Noblo, 0 for 38. ' Annftron^, 2 for 55. [ Macartney, 2 for 49. > Hartigan, 0 for 7. AtrsTBAUA.— • First Innings. Noble, c Hutabings, h Barnes . 15 I Trumper, b Fielder 4 . Ujaicarfcney, Ibw, b Braufld .. .. 75 I M'Alister, c Hiitohings, b Craw1 ford 28 1 Armstrong, a Humphries, b Fielder .. ..,, •'• 17 Ramsford, b Barnes .. .• ..j 44 i Hill, c Humphries, b Barnes .. 5 I Hartigan, b Fielder .. „ r ;) .. 48 I oartex, Ibw, l> Hutdhinga &» . 24 ; O'-Oojmot, not out . . „.! <"j y 10 > Saundars, b Fielder c -^ .'. 1 Extras • „f :V; •• 14 • Total „ «j . 4 ~ J1& ' 1 -■- a!,ua- --"

Bowling Analysis. Fieldsr, i wickets for 85 runs. Barnes, 3 wickets for 60 runa. Crawford, 1 wicket for 60 runs. Rhodes, no wickets for 35 runs. Braund, 1 wicket for 26 runs. Hutching^, 1 wicket for 5 runs. Second Innings. Noble, not out 63 Irumper, b Barnes 0 Macartney, b Barnes 9 M'Alister, Ibw, b Crawford .. .. 17 Armstrong, c Hutchrngs, b Braund 34 O'Connor, not out ■* Extras 6 Four wickets for .. .. 133 THE SECOND TEST MATCH. CHORUS OF ENGLISH PRAISE. LONDON, January 8. The Sportsman expresses gratification at the generous and truly sporting recognition by Australia. of the splendid, steady, nervy play of the "winning batsmen. " w The Daily Mail praises Humphries, Barnes, %.nd Fielder's magnificent display of nerve and pluck. The match was'*won by sheer resolution and dogged determination. It was the greatest victory yet witnessed among test matches. The Chronicle says the good sportsmanlike spirit characterising the contest was one of the pleasantest features of the test match. The Morning- Post describes it as a more thrilliagly dramatic conclusion than that historic match at the Oval. The Telegraph says it was one of the most remarkable games in the whole series of international struggles.^ According to the law of averages the Australians should win the rubber by the narrowest margin.