Stoddart's Team.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8054, 1 November 1897, Page 4

Stoddart's Team.

Mit A. C. JlacLarkn-, one of Stoddart's team, says the team compares favorably with the last eleven which visited the colonies, and is a splendid all-round combination. Speaking of the individual merits of the players, MaoLaven said Briggs had been bowling well during the past season ; in fact, better than he had seen him during his seven years' experience. A left-hand bowler was wnntcd, tind as Peel was not selected, Briggs was considered. as the next best man. it is needless to characterise Ranjitsinhji's play, as his stylo has been well advertised. On a really good wicket liis batt ng is simply wonderful, and Australian wickets should' suit him better than any he has yet played on. Australian bowlers should look forward to a bad time when he faces them. Mason is a tine, free batsman who scores quickly and makes the greater proportion of his runs in front of the wicket. Druce makes runs at a great pace, and is bound to score freely on Australian wickets. He is a splendid field in the slips. Wainwi-ight performed meritoriously with the bat last .season, and .scores freely, as a rule all round the wicket. His bowling, however, is not equal to what ifc was three seasons back, when bo was one of the first bowlers in England. In the field he is brilliant. Hirst has saved Yorkshire from defeat many times when the wicket helped him at all. Hcarne is a fast bat, and nt times piles on the inns. As a bowler Hearnc is one of the finest in the world, and on a sticky wicket is almost unplayable. Haywood is a good all-round man, and sure to score in Australia. Ho secured a great many w ickot s for Survey this season. Storer is a fine wicket-keeper, and cum handle the bal with effect. Board is not equal to Storer as a wicket-keeper, but is a fair bat. I must say we have a very consistent batting team, and there is practically no tail. 1 think I am correct in saying that ten out of the thirteen have made centuries during the last English cricket season. 1 think the new players will create n decidedly favorable impression. In bowling wo are more i-on-sistout than the last team. On fa«t wickets Richardson is a terror, as all Australians know, and ho ha<? been bowliint at bis best this season. On a sticky wicket Hearne would make the wickets fly. Lords was bis favorite ground, and there, aided by the hill, he was twice as good as anywhere else. Then there is very little distinction between Haywood, Briggs, Wainwright, and Hirst, who will form n very strong combination.