CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 301, 29 January 1910, Page 8

CRICKET.

THE N.S.W.-VICTUKIA .MATCH. By Cable—Press Association.—Copyright SydiH'y, January 2b. Heavy rain prevented the match New South Wales v. Victoria being continued to-day. NOTES. (By 'Third Slip.") The first scries of matches of the sccunit round oi Cap fixtures was concluded on Thursday" last, when Rovers gained a two-point win over linglewood, and Carrington Koad a three-point win over Waitara. The Rovers-lnglewood match proved intensely exciting, as towards closing time, 0.30. it was justa toss-up as to whether Rovers would gain a win on the rust innings or Inglewood | an outright win, the latter thus gaining 'three points. Weston, Trice and Hasell, for the winners, batted splendidly, the first-named especially showing a variety 'of capital scoring strokes. The feature of Inglewood's innings was the fine performance of Clegg, this player [showing a return of his' old form, except that he has lost a good deal of Ins old-time power in off-play. He was itbly supported by Crombie, Pullan, and Matthews. Elliott for the winners, and Billing and Harris for the losers, met with "most success in the bowling department, whilst Arden stood out head and shoul'ders' above everybody else by his splendid fielding. j Waitara made a very feeble showing ! i against the bowling of Carrington Road, and again suffered an innings defeat. On continuing their innings Carrington Koad lost both Pcrham and Gwillim f«r the addition of two runs; but Robertson, Benbow, and Southall livened up matters very considerably, the former l>y some hard hitting, and the other two I)'y their smart running between the wickets. Waitara were eventually set the task 'of getting 100 runs to save an innings' 'defeat, with about 2V 4 hours in which to do it. However, it was not to be, as Eggleston was the only batsman -who showed any confidence, and even lie was missed in the slips by Southall before teaching double figures. W. Skeltoii bowled very well indeed for Waitara, especially on the second day. The four Carrington Road bowlers' finished tip with about equal success. Prom the list of fixtures already published it looks as if the smaller associations of the dominion are to be ignored as regards the visit of the Australian team. It s'eems very hard that these associations, which have all through supported the wishes of the New Zealand Cricket Council, should now be set on one side, and that the two associations which were instrumental in nearly causing the abandonment of the tour should be ultimately toadied to 'by the Council, which has fallen in with their views and suggestions nem con. I certainly think that the Council should nave given the first consideration to those who stood by them, even at the I risk of offending the two malcontents.

There seems to be far too much of the money-grabbing disposition in our cricket of the present «TaV: v It is admittedly very satisfactory t'6' show a profit on those matches, and with such an attractive team as is visiting us a profit is almost a certainty in every town they play; but even should this certainty not 'come off, I think many will agree with me that it would be worth losing a few pounds to have the pleasure of watching the play of such a first-clas's team, especially when it comprises possibly the 'finest batsman in Australasia, W. Bardsley, and poss'ibly the finest all-round cricketer in the world at the present day, W. Armstrong.

If our as'soeiation is overlooked in this matter, and even if they should be sidetracked till the end of March, I think they should take early steps to protesi most strongly against the very Vacillating conduct of the New Zealand Cricket Council.

A. E. Relf speaks' in the highest terms of the Auckland team that administered such a decisive beating to Canterbury, 'and i.s of opinion that if they went to 'England they would beat more county tr-am.s than would beat them. A curious incident occurred in one of 'the Auckland matches, between Grafton 'and North Shore. One of the Grafton "batsmen, D. Hay, who had as many lives as a cat when making a total of 11, [■got off on one occasion in a very extraordinary manner. He played a ball j Straight back towards Hadden, who was 'waiting to catch it. The ball never Teached the bowler, for it was caught while in the air by a ball hit bv a bats'man playing in a fourth-grade match, the pitch of which ran parallel to the senior wicket. Hadden's face was ■n study when he straightened up, for the ball was almost in his hands. It was a remarkable occurrence that two 'balls travelling in the air at right angles should happen to meet in this manner, and even the oldest cricketer on the ground could not recall a similar incident.