CKICKET CHATTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 60

CKICKET CHATTER.

Canterbury this year enters its cricket season large in importance as the bolder of the -Flunkctt Shield, won so well from Auckland, and therefore is in the premier position m the opening of the year Madame Melba is a vice-president of the Sydney District C.C. Mr John M'Cormack the tenor m the Grand Opera Company, has bean made an honorary member of the bydney Cub, and intends putting in some time at the practice nets. Syd Gregory' means to secure a place in big cricket this season. For Waverley against Sydney he madia 96, and with W H Jones (83), a new left-hander, he made a bi°> stand, which enabled his side to close its inaiings with six wickets down for 350 Smith, the M.C.C. " keeper," was understudy for A. A. Lilley for six seasons, and has sucoaeded that excellent stumper. The feature of the first round in Sydney cricket was the routing of last season's premiers—Gordon—by Central Cumberland. An :nnir.gs and 22 runs to spare is certainly defeat most decisive. Hazlitt played the leading role with the ball for Central Cumberland.

Charlie Macartney failed to reach double figures in the first innings of Gordon against Central Cumberland, but in the second innings the little batsman got going, missing the half-oentury by a single. Trumpar played crisp cricket for his 47 in Gordon's second innings against Central Cumber lard. He was, however, uneasy at tim.es when opposed to- Hazliti Fast bowls* Scott has ©truck form at the very outset of the ■season. Ho captured five of ■the Middle Barbour team in their first innings for 23 runs,, sacuring three wickets in one over. There are not a few who declare that Scott is quite as fast as Cotter. supporters are very .anxious to see him in big crioket.

Hazlitt has made an early impression for Central Cumberland. He clean bowled Trumper for lees than double figures in the opening grade match of the season. Hazlitt will surprise a. great many of his followers if he does not again figure against Warner's team.

Hazlitt's bowling was in a great measure responsible for the innings defeat of Gordon, last season's premiers,. by Central Cumberland. He secured nine wickets (four for 44 in the first innings, and five far 29 in the second) for 73 runs—-a splendid performance. Syd Gregory has signalised his return to the cricket field by scoring 96 for Waverley 5 against Sydney. Last season the veteran batsman did not don the pads owing to the death of his brother Charlie. Syd is now in his' forty-first year, and it wias as far back as 1894-5 that he madie his famous 201 in the test match on the Sydney Cricket Ground against A. E. Stoddiart's team, which included fast bowler Tom Richardson, Peel, Briggs, and Lockwood. No man could have striven more strenuously during the winter months to prepare himself thoroughly for the ensuing campaign than the renowned Warwick Armstrong (writes " Felix "). In the M.C.O. gymnasium ho could be seen hard at it evening after evening, iand if diligent endeavour is deserving of fitting reward, then this solid and consistent batsman and bowler should, and no doubt will, acquit himself in a manner worthy of the splendid reputation he has so ably won on the cricket fields of England and Australia.

The AH Indian team have brought their tour to a conclusion with a record of 23 matches played 1 , six of which they won, 15

being lo;<t, and two drawn. They seem quite satisfied with these results, for what they desired was experience against superior teams, and it must be admitted that little favour was shown them by .picking weak •elevens against them. Extract from the annual report cf the Wellington • C.C. makes doleful reading.-- ' Tho balance sheet for the season 1909-10 showed that the liabilities exceeded the .assets by £lll 33 lid, and: that amount has now increased to £2ll 10s 9d. The season was commenced with an overdraft of £241 12ra 3d, and outstanding liabilities of £73 8s 6d. The. former now stands at £227 3s lid, while tlie outstanding accounts owing by the association amount to £lB2 7s 4d," One of the best features of the M.C.C. combination is what may be called its "all round" strength. There are so many men wnc- oan shine i n more than one department c± the game. Australian teams for England show even a. steadier increase in numerical strength. The first, m IS7B, numbered 12. Then six teams at 13 were followed by four of 14. In 1905 we .sent 15, and in 1909 Australia wa.s first to reach the 16 mark. Manager Laver is included in these last two teams, he having p-.iayod, as intended, in several matchas on each tour.

London Sporting Life, in dealing with the team a few weeks ago, correctly classifies the -English attack as follows:—" Its strength depends largely upon the form of Barnes. He will not start weary after a. long summer of three-day matches, as may those who aoe tha ®.ock bowlers of a first-class county. For the rest, there is ample variety, all styles and paoe3, from the sheer, undisciplined pace of Hitch, to the sustained .accuracy of Iremenger; from the lively, fast-medium, lefthanded deliveries of Foster, to the slow lefthanded Wcolley and Rhodes." After that was written, Douglas, the best amateur fast bowler in England, was included in the team.

Douglas- toured America with the M.C.C. team, and New Zealand under Cantain Wynyard, doing well with the ba.t and ball. He can stonewall when neceissory. J. W. i Hearne, .as a 15-year-old " ground boy" at Lord's, took four wickets for 11 runs against a Royal Academy team At 18 be was playing for Middlesex, and scored 71 against Somerset, also bowling successfully. Last year he jumped into the front rank as a and stylish all-rounder, and retained his place in the season just closed. C. P. Mead's strong defenoe and hitting powers have brought him several centuries since 1906. In 1937 he made 287 for Hints Club and Ground v. E>. J. Morant's E'even. Unlike most left-handers, Woolley bats as strongly to the en and leor as to the off. He bowls from a great height and with a dteoeDtiv'Q flight. Kinneir and Vine are batsmen of the very stubborn order, and eminently useful for long first-wicket partnerships. Vine started his career as a bowler and fine deep fielder. Nine years ago, for the South of England, he took seven Australian wickets for 31 rums. In recent years he-has shared many big firstwicket partnerships with C. B. Pry. In 1909, against Yorkshire, he tcok three and ahali hours in making 37, his line in the book showing 3,2, 2, and 30 sing'©3. District cricket was discussed at great length by the Canterbury Cricket Association at a meeting recently. The chief bone of contention was the question of boundaries, and the East Christchurch Club held out that unless the boundaries were imimi&diately altered or eliminated so that it could obtain more members it would, disband, aa it was impossible to continue in the way it was going. The other members of the committee, while 'sympathising with the East.Christchurch Club, thought that it was too Late this season to do anything in the direction of revising boundaries, and that the East Christehurch Club should make on endeavour to keep going, until next year, whea the matter could be thoroughly gone into.