CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 53

CRICKET.

Notes by Long Slip.

The weather was fine for cricket on Saturday, and local followers of the game were favoured with ideal conditions. Wickets on -the whole were good, but the scoring throughout was generally inconsistent.

It was generally expected that Grange would secure a win over Opoho, but the three-point victory was not altogether looked for. -However, this came about owing to superior cricket on the part of Grange, in whose camp there is consequently muoh rejoicing. Showing some forethought and a considerable knowledge of human nature, the Grange captain wisely "declared" with five good wickets " down " for 103. This brought the full total to 264. As matters turned out a sufficiently large total to give the Grange the 3-pomt win. Previous Saturday Opoho had lost five good wickets for 73, leaving Jenkins with 29 not out and Kilgour 1 not out. I remember wishing these batsmen well and a century each, but this was not forthcoming. Jenkins only added 4 more to his total when he was caught by Ferguson off Bcal, while W. Kilgour failed to improve on his previous total of a single, and was unmercifully caught by Brydone off Downes. The end was near, for Jno. Timlin came and went another victim to the epidemic — catching; Turnbull put on 11 and "carried his bat," Webb compiled 5, and that useful man— sometimes — Mr Extras accounted for 12. Thus the 'whole side waa out in the first innings for a century. -And I had wished two members of the team a hundred each! So is this game_of cricket played. The bowling of Downes, Ferguson, and co., backed up by good catching, was responsible for the Opoho downfall. ■ Grange took the crease to show Opoho how to do things, and rattled up 100 for the loss of five wickets. Of the total "declared" Downes, C. Beal, and Ogg did the bulk of the run-getting. The Grange bowler was dealt with as he has often dealt with others— clean bowled by Chadwiok; C. Beal got out in that always unsatisfactory mannei-— Jbw; while Ogg was unconquered at the finish. These batsmen showed good form at the crease, but the lesson was lost on the Opoho players. The second innings of the hill team with three exceptions was something less than a rout and approaching annihilation. Out of a total of 98 three good men and true — Turnbull, Jas. Timlin, and Lear accounted for 65, leaving the balance to be made up by seven others, assisted by 'extras. Little or no comment can be made on the debacle. It; was mostly bad batting, and that which was not due to thi6 cause may be set down good bowling. Downes came out with five for 55. It is now history that Carisbrook A defeated Albion by 92 runs on the first innings, and it will be remembered that there was a complete rout of Albion in that team's first strike, which accounts for the victory on one- side and defeat on the otheV. Albion's rout was accounted for last week — good bowling against bad batting. Something has to go, and it is generally the batsman. This week the tables were slightly turned, Albion coming with a good run of superior batting at the wrong end of the proposition. However, it is a fine thing to be able to put up a fight at the finish of a game, even if a^ victory has already been acclaimed. To continue the story from last week: Oarisbroolr A's iaßt wicket fell for nothing more sensational than loß— figures which were worth more than that on the centre wicket. This remark applies, equally to Albion, who were under the disadvantage of the "short boundary." Wanting 92 to save the innings defeat, Albion took the crease, every man determined to make xuns. The determination succeeded in so far that the Albion" eleven put together the " respectable" total of 189. Thie gives pause to ask why a big total is called "respectable" and an insignificant total is not dubbed "not respectable." Whaf matter? There it is. Of Albion's respectable score Williams, Hiddlestone," N. Cramond, and Macfarlane were the principal contributors, and certainly the principal actors on the Albion side of the cricket drama. Save for these batsmen the scoring was inconsistent, and the remaining batsmen all consequently looked up with on eagle eye of suspicion. Why this should be so I do not <pretend to know. -• Williams, who opened with D. Cramond, played a good innings for 33, in the getting of which he exhibited several crisp strokes. The batsman was a trifle lucky, perhaps, "but some batsmen are lucky and then do not make runs. Williams can therefore be forgiven on the score that his star of fortune followed him. . D. Cramond, who does not take his cricKet more seriously than" a picnic, was out early—that is, lor a Oramond. That promising youth, who rejoices in ihe name of Hiddlestone, compiled 21 in quite \ good style. Several of hie strokes were splendidly executed and well timed. Macf&rlane, of whom Frank Shaddock makes 6tich anxious inquiry, batted splendidly for his contribution of 44, and is herewith congratulated on his innings, which was good to look upon and full of merit. The same compliment is extended to N Oramond, of whom other good things were" said last week. By the way, N. Cramond is one of the most promising o^ thnt. -well-known i-ricketing family. Altogether Albion are to be congratulated on their performance even if it did happen at the wrong end. The bowling of Oarisbrook was chopped and changed about, but the most successful of the trundlers were Fisher, Rulherford, and Harraway. f he fielding of the A< team, however, was poor, and lacked elertness. Is there any excu^for>*azy A question was asked at the N.S.W. Association's meeting on January 20, as to how the guarantee of £10,000 to the Marylebone Club stood. The secretary of the Board of Control, Mr M'Elhone, said he was not In a position to say, as he had not" yet received all the balance^sheetß.j In answer to an interjection, he said _ approximately the English team had received £5000. , . _. . j. A movement is on foot in Brisbane to signalise the success of their Queensland representative, Hartigan, in the recent te3t match. The Australians were unfortunate in not being able to play Cotter, the Sydney fast { bowler and big hitter, in the feet match on

the Adelaide Oval. Cotter received an injury to his groin through putting his foot in a hole while bowling in the match in Melbourne on Tuesday. The ""affection gradually increased, and on Thursday was so painful that Cotter sought medical aid, and he was advised not to play in the third test match.

Clem Hill has compiled 36 centuries in first-class cricket, a very fine record considering the little "first-class" cricket played in Australia. In test 'matches he has played 18 innings exceeding 50. M. A. Noble has made 1599 runs at an average of 31.35 per innings for Australia v. England, having 15 times topped the half century. He has also taken 104 wickets. A world's record , wicket-keeper feat in any class of cricket is said to stand to the credit of Major Trevor, who caught six, and- stumped two in one innings for Dr Conan Doyle's Eleven v. Mr J. V. M'Millan's Eleven at Undershaw (England), on August 2, 1898. Three Australians have each made four centuries against England — viz., S. E. Gregory, 201, 103, 117, and 112; V. Trumper, 185*. 135*, 113, and 104; O. Hill, 188, 160, 135, and 119. % England has two batsmen who have each scored five centuries in the test matches — viz., A. C. MacLaren, 120, 109, 124, 116, and 140; and the Hon. F. S. Jackson, 103, 118, 128, 144, and 113.