THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 1271, 12 February 1910, Page 4

THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM.

I Some particulars of the performances of the Australian cricketers now in New Zealand takan from the New , Zealand "Times" will be read with interest. W. W. Armstrong (Victoria) has been playing first-class cricket since ! 1899. lii the 1900-1 season he batted ; with great success, and the following ' season, in the second test match against A; C. MacLaren's eleven at Melbourne, he put oni 120 for -the last wicket, in partnership with R. A. Duff, a stajid which undoubtedly won the gam© for the colonials. Ho got a place in Darling's 1902 team and averaged 26, also capturing eightyone wickets for 17 runs apiece. He was also a member of the 1905 team for England, and headed the batting average with 48, taking 130 wickete at the average cost of 17 runs. His averages for the last three seasons in Australia have been 55, 85 (highest in inter-State games), and 73. He ia a fine batsman and a dangerous bowler. Bowling from a great height and keeping an excellent length, ho has -great command over the ball, and, with a deceptive flight and break from leg, is always difficult to hit. He is easily one of the finest all-round men now playing cricket in any part of the world, arid could command a place in. any. representative team. He was a member of itlie last Australian team in England. W. Bardsley, Now South Wales, first appeared for his State in 1903-4. In two appearances in 1905-6 his best effort was (34 v Queensland, followed in 1906-7 by 107 v West Australia. He scored a century on the occasion of his first appearance against an English team — 108 in th© second innings of New South Wales, in February, 1908. He was one- of the most brilliant members of tho last Australian eleven. He is a left-handed batsman, with careful defence and a number of scoring strokes. C. Kelkway, New South Wales, has been very prominent lately, scoring a century in the. match against South Australia, .and being amongst tho leaders in the Turner benefit against the Rest of Australia. He is a fine bat, and also a. bowler of some merit. Facy, Tasmania, is one of the island State's best men. He is chiefly notable as a fast bowler. N. Dodds, Tasmania, is a useful wicket-keeper and a free bat. He got 81 against Victoria in 1908, and in all inter-State matches in- the season 1907-8 secured an average of 21 per innings. A. J. Hopkins, New South Wales, has been known as a good all-round player since his- first season, 1899---1900, when his average was 35. In tho 1901-2 season he made 117 against Victoria and, went to England with tho 1902 eleven. He was also a member of Darling's 1905 team and averaged 29. His inter-State average in 1906-7 was 56. He wont. to England last year with the Australian team. Whitty, New South Wales, macto his first trip to England last year, rlo performed consistently, his batting and bowling figures being both creditable. ■ E. R. Mayne, South Australia, is a reliable bat and change bowler. His first appearance in inter-State cricket was in 1906-7, when he averaged 28 for the season. In 1907-8, for South Australia, he made 74 against A. O. Jones's eleven, and in all matches during the Australian 1907-8 season averaged 41. E. L. Waddy, New South Wales, played in his first inter-State match v Queensland, in 1896-7, but it was another nine years before he again represented his State. This was in Kelly's benefit match, when he made 60 and 75. In the 1906-7 season he averaged 38, and in the 1907-8 season 24. S. H. Emery, New South Wales, is a young player who can handle both bat and ball well. He has been playing excellently -in .' Sheffield Shield matches lately. Against Victoria, he got seven for 28 ,and five for 85. ' D. Smith,. Victoria, is another youngster who has recently come to i the front. He is a brilliant batsman, and has been of great use to his State c during the season just closing. .' j C. R. Gregory, New South Wales, 1 tbe wickct-kepor, is a very safe and steady man. Hcwas considered to

have an excellent chance for inclusion in tho last t ••• :.-.:• ■: PREVIOUS TEAMS. The first visit New Zealand ever had from an accredited New South Wales team was in 1895. Two teams -—one in 1890 and another in 1894— were brought across by Mr. Colcman Davis, which were representative in all but name, and quite able to ~!iv.-!<I their own with our players. The manager of tho 1895-6 team was Mr. John C. Waine, and tho captain L. T. Cobcroft. Folowing is a summary of the matches played on this tour :— Played. Won. Lost. Drawn. 5 3 1 - 1 Against Canterbury — Won. by sis wickets. Against Otago — Won by six wickets Against Wellington — Won by 226 runs. Against Auckland — Drawn-. Against New Zealand — Lost by 1-42 runs. Tho first unaccredited team in IS9O played seven matches — against Auckland, Canterbury, Oamaru, Otago, South Canterbury, Wellington, and Auckland — winning all except one by large margins. The only one they failed to win was against Auckland, which was drawn. The second team in 1894 played eight matches— at Auckland, tiawke's i>ay, Wellington, Canterbury, South Canterbury, Otago, New Zealand and tho North Island, winning the. first and last two. That against Canterbury was lost by an innings and 7 runs, the other three being drawn. The first visit of an Australian reresentative team to the Dominion was in February, 1905, the team compris- j ing McLcod, Newiaiiu 1 , Cotter, vwii, i Gehrs, Truniper, Hill, Armstrong, Noble, Gregory, Ho well, Hopkins and Kelly. They played six 'matches altogether, against the four prinicpal provinces and two tests, winning four and drawing 'two " games greatly in their favour. Against Auckland the visitors won by an innings and 16 runs against aWellington 15, drawn (Wellington 183 and 214 for nine wickets, Australia 433) ; against Canterbury, won by eight wickets ; .against Otago, won by an innings and 175 runs. The tirst test game was played at Christchurch, and drawn. The Australians batted first and scored 297 for ■four wickets on the first day, Hill (118) Trumper (84), and Noble (42), all being in good form. On the Saturday, Armstrong made 126, being not out, the hillings realising 533 runs. Olliver took five wickets for 113. When the day's play ended, New Zealand had made 102 for five wickets. Play could not be resumed until 2.30 on Monday I owing to rain. New Zealand brought j their total to 138, and then followed on. They made 112 for seven wickets, playing out time. The second, and last, test, played at Wellington, resulted in tho New Zealanders sustaining a crushing defeat. On the first day, the home team made 94 on a slow wicket, Howell taking four wickets for 20, three with successive balls. The Australians had scored 51 for one wicket when play ceased. On Friday, they did what they liked with the soft bowling, winding up the day with 519 for seven wickets. Trumper and Hill were in brilliant form, making 172 and 129 respectively. On the Monday the visitors took their score to 593 for nine wickets. New Zealand only made 141 in their hopeless second innings task, Armstrong taking six wickets for 51. Armstrong headed tho batting average of the tour, with 102.66, Noble being on top in the bowling with twentyeight wickets for 10 runs apiece. Tho last team from the other side came across in February, 1906, from Melbourne, and included W. W. Armstrong, C. McLeod and V. Ransioid. It had a triumphant march through the country, winning six of its eight matches easily, and drawing two, one against Otago, and the other against New Zealand, at Christchurch, in which Tucker and Monaghaft saved the situation for New Zealand.