CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 64

CRICKET.

NOTES ii¥ LONG SLIP. “Curious.” —Macartney is a _ left-hand bowler and a right hand bat. Wordsworth is a right-hand bowler and a left-hand bat. Fisher and Torrance also trundle with their left hands, but are right-hand batsmen. There was not a great deal of excitement aroused ovei the batting exhibition given, by either side in the _ Albion-Cans-brook B match. And the wicket must to a large extent be held accountable for this, it presenting a worn appearance, and as a result the bowlers he,ld the upper hand right through. Most of the runs scored were got in front of the wicket, and Wordsworth especially got his 29 —the highest score recorded during the day—in a workmanlike style, the left-hander timing the ball nicely and driving with plenty qf power. The Albion fast bowler was still unbeaten when bis side’s last wicket fell. Shepherd also got his runs in an aggressive manner, as did Hiddlcstone, but_ the latter ba-tesma.n was lucky once or twice in getting his hits away from tho fieldsmen. Macfarlane hit up his runs in stylish fashion, and is a most promising batsman. Godfrey (25) was top scorer for Ca.nsbrook B, and while he was at the wickets never gave a chance. Godfrey received a few of Wordsworth’s fast ones on the body, as did several others of the Carisb rook batsmen. Macartney hooked a few rising - balls from Wordsworth's to by in fine style, and looked liked making a score before sending one back to the bowler. Siedeberg started off witli plenty of confidence, but appeared to lose sight of one of Wordsworth’s fast deliveries, and paid the penalty. Fenwick, after batting well, gave a difficult chance, glancing a ball to by, Drake snapping up the catch. A couple of fine catches dismissed two of the Carisbrook B team on Saturday. Chadwick taking a straight drive from Hiddlestono’s off his own bowling with Ids loft hand ; while Drake’s effort, which dismissed Fenwick, was also a piece of good fielding. The bowling honours in the first innings of the match at the North Ground, rest with Macfarlane and Chadwick. Macfarlane got five wickets for 12 and Chadwick seven for 39. Macartney's three wickets cost 62 runs, while Wordsworth secured four wickets for 84. Siedeberg, Macartney, Godfrey, and Drumm succumbed to the latter bowler, however. The Carisbrook B-Albion match has now reached a very interesting stage, and should provide a close finish next Saturday. Albion (12l and two for 56) have a lead on their opponents of 53. who should make a better showing in their second strike. It was tho general opinion of those who wore in a position to see that Macartney was run out in attempting a short run when at the wickets with Siedeberg. The umpire, however, ruled otherwise. ■ As it turned out, the decision did not make a great deal of difference to Carisbrook’s score, as shortly after the Australian eleven representative cocked up one to \ybrdsworth off the latter’s bowling, and retired to the pavilion. During the course of the Albion-Caris-brook B match at the North Ground on Saturday the spectators were inclined to encroach on the playing area. The North Ground has not at the best of times too much space, and when this is further circumscribed by the crowd edging out on to the ground the fielding suffers. Several times during the course- of the above fixture boundaries oculd have been saved by the fieldsmen, but once the ball had pierced the ring formed by tho cricketing enthusiasts watching the game the fieldsmen were obstructed, and tho ball slowly made its way to the boundary fence. The Albion Club authorities should try to take stops to remedy this evil on the continuance of this match next Saturday. The match on the bill between the Grange and tho Opoho was devoid of any sensational Incidents, and as the game nowstands it is almost a certainty that the hill team will score its first win for the season. The Grange batted first and knocked up 131 runs in an hour and a-half's play. Og.g—who declined a trial ball —succumbed to Callaway’s first delivery for the day. Henderson had bad luck in being struck -high up In the body, .and while bis mind was intent in protecting himself from, injury the ball dropped and found a resting place against his wickets. G-alland, -a young player of considerable promise, was top scorer with 41 to his credit. He made some nice strokes, and played the bowling with confidence!. While he - and Popple were together they succeeded in adding 50 runs to the score. Popple’s contribution being a solidly got 24. ■’Callaway, with his free, easy style, bowled -unchanged, anil came put with -the respectable average of six wickets for 49 rums. He is certainly a bowler of judgment, and never attempts to sacrifice pitch for pace. His deliveries come in with a sharp nip from either side, but principally from the off. The Opoho batsmen were pioneered by Kenny and Kilgour. As is well known, the farmer is of the stonewall order, and only secured 12 runs in an hour’s play. Kilgour scored fairly freely and; succeeded in nutting 44 to his credit before being smailtly taken at the wickets by Beal. Everyone was- pleased to see the little ihlllite once again demonstrating that he is ■far from being a back number. Callaway got 24 and -Casey 26,(n0t out) of the 129 runs for four wickets accredited to the Opoho. “Last week 'Canterbury defeated. Otago bv four wickets, and Auckland defeated Wellington by 10 wickets,” says Sydney Referee. “B. T. Callaway was not available for Otago, whose schemes have thus not produced quite the success anticipated, though Southland has since gone down very heavily against them. To what “schemes” Sydney Referee refers will hardly be understood by Otagocricketers. So far as Callaway is concerned our local Cricket Association made not the slightest attempt to secure the Canterbury and Australian representative’s ee-rvi-cea, he being transferred to Otago as o result of the exigencies of his everyday vocation; in fact. Callaway waa in Dunedin some time before a largo number

■of local cricket enthusiasts wore aware that lie was coming' here from Christchurch. Furthermore, * ■ Callaway was available for Otago, but owing to Ins quite recent trane-fcreri-oa _ from Christchurch was not very desirous to travel north again right away. Nor was any . ci ksciieniing’ M indulged jh by the local association when they secured the services of either \\ or (Is wo rl 1 1 and Macartney, these cricketers coining here on their own free will and without any pressure whatever; in fact. Wordsworth applied Cm the position of coach in answer to an advertisement in Australian papers, and received the appointment as the most eligible of the several applicants who applied for the position. Macartney’s advent in Dunedin was chiefly with the purpose of trying to open up a business here in his own interests, and though it is not denied that ho was offered inducements to play cricket, while here, certainly there was no “ scheming ” about the transaction. Sydney Referee apparently takes it for granted that these three above-named cricketers weite imported into Dunedin with the sole object of enabling Otago to win the Plunket Shield. This is just where the Sydney paper errs. Wordsworth and Macartney—Callaway does not enter into the argument at all —have been introduced into Otago cricket with the object, first and foremost, of improving local cricket, and the intention of the Otago Association is bearing good fruit. If in addition an Ota,go Eleven ca.n win. the Plunket Shield, well and good. This also will help along the game locally. To insinuate, however, .as I said before, that the local association’s first intention is to win the Plunket Shield with the aid of outside cricketers is entirely at variance with the real facts of the case. We have heard of the “curse of Cromwell.” The “curse of cricket” is something new indeed. It comes from New GuineaMajor Boyd describes in the Brisbane Courier his experiences in Papua, and says that he could not get carriers, as all ■the villagers, including the Samoan missionary, were busy playing cricket. The craze for cricket seamed to have spread all over civilised Papua. Even where the young Papuans could not speak English they .learned to shout the cricketing terms, “play,” “out,” “stop,” “run,” and “how dat, umpire?” The traveller says that many of them handled the bat very gracefully, bowled swiftly and straight, and fielded quite up to the average. The only drawback from an exploring standpoint was that if carriers wore wanted while a match was in progress, nothing would induce the natives to leave till the game was over. “It was,” said the major, “becoming the curse of New Guinea.” Sydney has unearthed another demon howler in the person of Scott, of Petersham, But his “demonical” propensities are not made manifest after the manner of Spoffo.rth, in repeatedly scattering- the wickets of his adversaries. The new “demon” trusts to the primitive and prehistoric method of slogging his opponents out. This, of course, is not intentional ; it is merely incidental to the stylo of bowling practised by the Petersham express. This particular style is reminiscent of Cotter in the erratic days of hie callow youth. Scott's chief fault is in bumping the; ball down with great force almost at his own. feet, and the rebound generally sends the ball like lightning in the vicinity of the batsman’s head. It is :a blessing—for the said batsman—that Scott is not quite as fast as “Terror” Cotter. He did quite enough damage as it was. In the Queensland match he had the batsmen on tenterhooks all the while he had charge of the attack. At one period the Cricket Ground presented the appearance of a. hotly-contested football final Cricket suddenly seemed aft exceedingly dangerous game. The services of “Sawbones” were badly needed. Scott put his trade-mark on nearly all the Queenslanders who opposed him, Redgrave received several .nasty smacks. Insult was added to Hartigan’s injury by the ball, after wounding his arm, running on to the wicket. Thomson stopped one with his ribs, rolled over in agony, and was taken off the field. Fletcher did not escape scathkss. Crouch got a resounding crack on the head that was heard in the pavilion. Then, scattering his favours indiscriminately, Scott smashed the wicketkeeper’s finger, and Harvey retired pavilionwardis. To save bloodshed, Scott was withdrawn from the firing-line and replaced by a bowler whose style was more in keeping with twentieth century decorum. It is frequently the case (says an exchange) that the “Dead March” is whistled by spectators when there is slow batting; but with Scott fairly on the job, there are more unlikely happenings than an opposing team marching on the field to the accompaniment of “Just before the battle, mother,” and “Let mo like a soudier fall.” In regard to the foregoing the following letter, based on the above howling performance. has been forwarded by an esteemed correspondent: —“This is all very fine for the man outside the ropes, hut what about the poor unfortunate who has to enter the arena, and provide laughter for the unthinking, or unfeeling, populace? It seems a remarkable trait n’.n the average human nature that, provided a man. Is not seriously injured, a severe clout got by the other fellow is looked upon, as a huge joke, and little or no sympathy is extended to the sufferer. But to get back to the incidents referred to in the newspa,pelclipping I forward: is this a class of bowling which should be encouraged? Here we are told that a particular bowler ‘winged’ five batsmen. Small credit to him, .say I. A bowler who has not sufficient control of his deliveries to avoid knocking players about in this manner should not be given charge of the ball. Cricket is essentially a game of skill, and to provide pleasure, and if batsmen are to be subjected to this treatment by erratic bowlers who have no greater claim to be classed as bowlers than, the fact that Nature has endowed them with the physical power to i-ook in balls at express speed. then, I say. this pleasure is lost. Rarely do we find one of these “express delivery” howlers who has any idea of where the ball is going to land. He rushes up to the wicket, head 1 down, shuts his eyes, and lets go. The ball may pitch half way up the wicket, or it may land ora the fly in the wicketkeeper's hand. It may be well to; leg, it may be to the off, or it may land on the batsman’s cranium. By luck it may hit the wicket. It requires no brain-power or head work to do this class of bowling, but sheer brute force. _ Give me every time the bowler who uses his head, ami can pitch the ball within an inch or two of the spot he desires. Such a man will rarely ‘wing’ a batsman, because ire has complete control, of his deliveries. He is * bowler. But the man who tosses up the ' T with ilm one central idea of pace, regardless of wish

or consequences to the hateman, is a- non. Rescript. Ho may got' vvlckcts— probably does, but in no sense clods' lie deserve to be classed as a bowler.” , . The New Zealand Times states that it. id probable that investigation will be made by the Wellington Cricket Association regarding alleged misconduct of certain members of the" Wellington, representative team

which visited Auckland at Christmas time in a,n attempt to capture the Plunket Shield. , , , Some exception, privately (says a Wellington writer), has been taken to the attitude of the association in holding- aloof from the pooling scheme. The objectors consider that it showed a -a. ok of sportsmanlike principles; that the strong unions should aid the weak ; that the helping hand of financial assistance should be extended to the small unions to enable them, in the interests of the game and “sport.” to have a match. The persons who have talked like this are possibly sporting philanthropists—in theory and at the expense of someone else. Wellington’s previous pooling venture, when she was- in a sound financial position, was a dismal failure. It resulted in her gradually receding from a posibon of affluence to one of penury. And yet there are those who expect her to take another dose of this nauseous nostrum ! Cricket costs money to keep going. The players know that better than the criticising looker-on, and if they ignore the financial side of their operations; then there would soon be no association in existence. When everyone is out for keeps it is foolish to talk of “sport.” It’s a mere meaningless word then. Nobody with a knowledge of the position will blame the Wellington Association for the attitude it has taken up. T. Adams’s score for Carisbrook A on Saturday was made by free and aggressive cricket. He treated all the bowlers alike. Two chances are down against him. and be made a few strokes that could not be called “correct.” Nevertheless, his was a bright innings. Rams den. a new man in Dunedin cricket, made a good start in, the A team, his 26 being made by solid batting, combined with the “style” of a run-getter. Dunedin’s bowling - was very ordinary on the good wicket. Torrance is not the bowler of last season, and hie -slow ball was always good for 4 runs: the batsmen never failed to see it coming ! Mackeray as usual was useful, and could have been used a great deal more, and to advantage—especially when Adams was hitting - the other bowlers freely. Eckhold’s long hops were relished to tho tune of 37 runs from 4 overs. Condliffe, Dunedin’s wicket-keeper, was unwell, and should really not have taken the field. About half-way through the innings he relinquished the gloves to Wilson, who astonished everyone by his dexterity. The two bits of stumping by which he disposed of Ramsdsn and Adams were really fine. The Dunedin B beam, who are leading for the Second Grade shield, mads short work of their opponents’ bowling, the said opponents being their clubmates in the C team. Graham, Aspinall, Leys, and Thompson all batted in senior form. .The brightness of the display may be judged by the fact that 256 runs were put up, despite good fielding-, in less than two hours. The C started well, but are now in a hopeless position with eight down for 110. Another interesting match on the Caledonian Ground was that between the two leading teams in the Third Grade competition—Dunedin and Christian Brothers A. Tiie schoolboys, on a splendid wicket, put up 188, to which Dunedin replied' (finishing on Monday evening) with 191 for four wickets. The match was played in excellent spirit, and it was pleasing to sec the interest evinced by the younger players, to whom we must look for future rap. men. Collins and Waklin, of the School, and Twcedie, Johnstone, and French, of the Dunedin, show great promise. Among the few spectators who watched the Opobo-Grang© cricket match on Saturday was Mr Alex. M'Lean, at- one time captain of the Opolio team, and' a valued member of the Otago Cricketers’ Association. Mr M’Lean is at present on hciliday leave from nis school-teaching duties at Alexandra. A. D. Nourse has been showing excedent form in Durban for the Greyville C.C. On October 9 he played an innings of 104 for them against Zingari, the next highest score in flic total of 194 being 17. He made his runs in two hours and threequarters, and hit -a 6 and seven 4’s. On the following Saturday he took five of the Casuals wickets for 6 runs and contributed 61 not out towards a total of 170 for three wickets (innings declared closed). The Casuals were dismissed for 13, King and Nourse bowling unchanged. Since this information cam© to hand - Nourse has further added to his batting reputation by scoring 129 fqr Durban last week again?-, the Marylebone team at present touring South Africa. Up to the moment of writng Canterbury’s performances have been sorry reading i deed (says the Canterbury Times). It is hard to realise that the Red and Black? should fail in every game. Certainly a. hot side from Otago was beaten by fou. - wickets, but this result was due to two men —Lusk and T. Carlton. In Wellington ou - .’ boys had to submit to a humiliating defeat by nine wickets. Sims was the only man not available, and as Bennett and Orchard were spectators in Wellington it is presumed that the Wellington match was merely an experiment. There were too many colts in the team, and it was unfortunate that Bennett did not play, as the wicket was such that he might have paralysed the Wellington team, for the wickafc was a poor one and developed spots, so dear to the heart of the bowler. Barring W. Carlton with the bat and Reese with the ball no player can look back with pleasure on performances in the match. Certainly Hayes fielded marvellously, but tho colts as well as the veterans dismally failed. The result was that our representa - tives lost by nine wickets to a team which lost, to Auckland only a few days before by 10 wickets. Now that M. A. _ Noble has definitely announced his intention of giving up representative cricket, followers of the game are looking - round for the successor upon whose shoulders the mantle of M.A.N. must fall. But in. both the State and Federal arenas it must bo admitted that there is no cricketer whose outstanding abilities and judgment ©tamp him as eminently capable of filling Noble’s shoes. But it is an AM maxim, true on the cricket elsewhere, that no one ia indlsv -..bk V»v. (says an. exchange) felt fin Gift’en, of Jack BlaokKam, i 1 ro**. but as tUsso giants in turn , T v

.younger men a new champion filled the 7 breach, and Australian cricket moved steadily onward* As there are to he no nternationaj engagements for some time the question of selecting an Australian skipper may well be left alone for the present. Noble was born in Australia on January £3, 1875. Fie came into prominence during the tour of A. E. Stoddard's first team in Australia, scoring 152 not out for the Sydney Juniors. In the season of 1896-7 for New South Wales he scored 71 and 153 not out in the Sheffield Shield competition. Tho successor to Georg© Giffen as Australia’s •>est all-rounder, he did not go to England until he had established his reputation in Australia. His first appearance on 'English soil in 1899 at Crystal Palace resulted in an innings of 116 not out, and at the end of the tour he was third on tho j batting tables and fourth in the bowling. : Noble has made a great record in Aus- | -•alian tours of England, and as a member of Darling’s team in 1902 his performances entitled him to be considered without a superior as an all-round cricketer. With . a huge innings of 284 against Sussex—the behest score of his career—he nearly emu- i

Hed W. L. Murdoch’s 285 not out. on the a.me ground in 1882. In test matches he •a,s equalled George Giffen’s feat of com•iiing- 1000 runs end taking 100 wickets. The resolution of the Otago Cricket Assolaiion at its meeting last week to chalmg© Auckland for the Pinnket Shield in e event of a- satisfactory team being •.ail-able is the decision gcnsrally a.ntici--ated. Several representative players have non approached on the subject, and ltd two exceptions have expressed their ~)i!;ty to make the trip if selected for the am. The two representative players .o are uncertain in the meantime arc -r-ssrs Fisher and Sieclobarg, but it is an--iipated that the difficulties presenting .omseives will not be of such a serious .-.•erre as to debar them from joining the •cm. The barrefits to bo derived to icket in Dunedin and to the Otago • ioket Association by the possession of 0 Blanket Shield are so comprehensive, id the prospects of winning the trophy ■cm Auckland this season are so hopeti. that our . representative players should Dee special efforts to form a strong coinnation to meet the present Plunket lick] holders. Last year, it may be re--.embered, ' Otago had tho shield orally won, but owing to a decision iving been com© to' that the match be -cited tt> three dajs, Auckland, wanting T runs to win, and having lost several >kets, on the’ third day adopted stone.l,l tactics, and tho match was drawn. No •oh absurd conditions will imperil the •aspects of the province should Otago de:',3 to challenge this season, for it has n-~o been' ptdvided that Plunket Shield eh.se-'should be played to a finish. The Plunket Shield was presented to the civ Zealand' ‘ Cricket Council during ’ the -C6-7 Cricket season, with the condition ■at it was to be awarded to the province at, in tho opinion of the council, had tho ■wt record -for the season. Many of thedogates to the council claimed that >ckla,nd should sbe the first possessor of c- shield, but others thought that Can--wlvjry’s claims were paramount, and on a He : being taken the championship shield handed over to the Canterbury Assoaricn. Auckland challenged, and the first .unket Shield match was played in nrisrohurch in December, 1907. The ..u-oklanders won by an innings and 135 ms. Taking the shield back with them, 1 Aucklanders have retained the trophy ■c-?,- despite the efforts of Canterbury, olliGg.ton, taaid Otago to wrest it from era. ,

Dear, Long- Slip.—When in town during m holidays. I. wandered out to the Caris-,-ook to sec Otago and Southland play, .’bile there I got into conversation with no of New Zealand’s oldest and best-

-i-own cricketers. During the course of • ir talk I mentioned seeing the great l.nofforth playing there. This was taken < xception to by my friend, who mainlined that this player never played at t'arisbrook. I should like if you would i-'difle this point by looking up the files i i your paper and stating who is correct. f wrong, I have been labouring under ihe delusion of seeing one of Spofforth s i nit ten by one of Otago’s men right over the tops of the bluegums which surround tie ground, the said trees being, of course, much smaller than they now arc. —I am, rtc., A Lover of Ceicket, Lawrence, January 8.

[Spoffoj;.tii (the “Demon”) visited Dun;Jiin on .three occasions. The first visit was with the Australian team of 1878. The ; :atcfc against, Otago was played on the Caledonian- .Ground, and 1 was drawn. Otago utayed with 22 men, and scored 124 and 13. The Australians made a poor stand .-gainst the bowling of Glen (three for 16) and Millington (five for 33). The match was abandoned owing to heavy rain on the '■ bird day/ The next occasion on which f poffigrth played in Dunedin was in 1880. '"big match was also played on the Caledonian Ground. Otago scored 83 and 90, ; nd Australia 112 and 105. Australia won iy 44 runs, Spofforth bowled unchanged, : nd secured eight for 47 and eight for 37 ■ espectively. It was not until 1886 that I'poffoi‘th again played in Dunedin. This j afcch took place on Carisbrook, so you i -c right in your contention, that you saw I‘pofforth play at Carisbrook. Otago r :ored 63 and 158 to Australia’s 60 and 162 •■'■-.r four wickets. Spofforth’s figures were '•’io for 34/ The report of the time states that “Spofforth was not in form, and was •etting '‘knocked about a good deal.” — rioxo Sr.iriT An old'•cricketer, listening to the cheers •hich greeted' Clem. Hill’s fine perform- ■ ucv on the Melbourne Cricket Ground - the match between South Australia a.nd Victoria on the. 3rd inst., said. “He’s .-. fine batsman ! A verv fine batsman ! ' mt he’s no’ bettor than that man. in the : voy suit over them, was in bis day. He '.as a champion, if you like!” His com- • vnion, a.mere youth, looked in the direc- • ion pointed out, and said, “ Who do you There never was a bat like Clem. T ill. unless it was Victor Tmmwr, or ‘ Annie Hansford. or Bardsley !”. The old i ran looked shocked at the youth’s ignorance. as he answered, “My boy, that’s a member of the first Australian Eleven—that’s ‘ Billy ’ Murdoch, the greatest batsman of his day.” Seated in the members navi-lion, Mr Murdoch was enjoying his •first interstate match for many years, He has retired from the game now, but (the Argus says) bis, eve is as keen as. ever, and bis face lighted up as ojd friends 'leoognised him and greeted him. LOVELL’S. ELAT v. K A IT A NG AT A. A Lovell’s Elat team went to Kaitangata -rn Saturday last and played a drawn game. the Flat put on 181 for. six

wickets, and then “declared.” Kaitangata had lost six wickets for 35 at 6.30, when stumps were drawn, as no time had been fixed. For the Flat W. Fraser played a magnificent innings for 116 (not out), scoring all round the wicket, despite the long grass. W. He.vitson (14 not out), Dunlop (12). and Bowie (11) also batted well. W. Patterson (20) was the only double-figure scorer for Kaitangata. Fraser (six for 14) also took all the Kaitangata wickets. Harrison (two for 41) and Cornish (none for 29) howled best for Kaitangata.