CRICKET.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13843, 24 December 1908, Page 9

CRICKET.

(By "Mid-cm.")

The Saturday competition was continued on December 19. New Ply-

mouth and High School met on Tukapa ground-, the former winning easily by 44 runs, with three wickets in hand. The School batted first, Grey and Severne opening to the bowling of Whittle and McLaren. Grey, Sinclair,

and Me Arthur were soon disposed of, but Severne and Ward made a determined stand, bringing on a change of bowling. Williams, relieving McLaren, in his second over got Ward caught in the slips. Two balls later Monk put up a ball in the same spot. Both catches wero well taken by Lash. No one else made any stand, and the innings closed for 80 runs. Several runs were- lost by faulty judgment between wickets, Severne being the principal offender in this respect. Whittle (three for 28), Williams (four for 16), and Lash (three for 10) divided the wickets between thorn. Weston and McLaren opened for New Plymouth. The latter mis-hit one from Severne and paid the penalty. The same bowler got one past Weston in the following over. Whittle was soon out, but Lash and Muldoon mado a good stand. Tho former was in a. good run-getting mood, and just missed his half-century by two runs. Parker and Johns played out timo, the score being 124 for seven wickets. Severne and Grey both bowled well, and it was probably an error of judgment on Sinclair's part to take the former off when ho did. The fielding of the boys was not nearly so smart as usual. Tho running between wickets when Lash and Muldoon we#e in. and later on between Lash and Parker, should serve as an object lesson to them. McArthur was in good form behind, the wickets. United Service B played Egmont Village on the Recreation ground. The former won by 31 runs. Finlay (43) and Tressider (16) made the bulk of the runs for Service, no one else getting double figures. Egmont Village only put up 55 runs, Southall (eight for ' 24) finding the wicket to his liking. United Service A played Fire Brigade oil the South Road ground, and, thanks to the hard hitting of Hartigan, who scored 23, won by the small margin of 12 runs. Colvile and Mackay for once failed to score together, both being clean bowled by Bullot. Fire Brigade made 55, extras heading tho score with 16. Danks (12) was the only batsman to get into double figures. L. Bullot (seven for 32) bowled well for the Brigade, and Colvile (three for 9) was the most successful for Service.

On Thursday, December 17, the unfinished junior match Carrington Road v. Ingfewood was brought to a conclusion on the ground of the former club. The visitors won by six wickets. Carrington Road batted three men short in the second innings. The following are the players chosen to represent North Taranaki at Wanganui on Christmas Day and the day following: — M. J. Crombie, D. Clegg, G. Gudgeon, T. V V. Mackay. T. R. Southall. A. H. Steeds, W. H. Perham, M. Robertson, T. King, J. C. Stunner, and W. Richards. It is very unfortunate that neither Hasell, Fred Robertson, Inman, Nicoll, nor Scholefield was available, for no team could be called a representative one of North Taranaki which did not include those players. However, the selectors have been obliged to construct the eleven out of the material available. The team is fairly strong in batting, but is weak in bowling. Southall, with M. Robertson behind the sticks, should give a good account of himself in this department, and Gudgeon can always be depended upon in a representative match. M. J. Crombie is the only other bowler left. They are certainly a good trio, and all are good stayers; so we will hope for the best. Taken all round, the team is a very fair combination and should give its opponents a lot of trouble. The following is the position of the clubs in the Saturday competition to date : —

The Rev. A. H. Colvile, who has played for United Service A team this season, was presented with a pipe by his clu'bmates, on the occasion of his playing his last match for the club. Mr' Colvile's batting average for tho Saturday club works out at 20£ for eight innings, and in bowling he has captured 30 wickets at an average of 5{ runs per wicket. # Congratulations to J. R. Sinclair, of New Plymouth High School, who was awarded a prize last week for proficiency both in his studies and in athletics*. Being the possessor of height, which gives him a fine reach, and a nice style, ho is likely with good coaching to' develop into a first-rate batsman. Ho is, I hear, sailing in a few weeks for England to study for the medical profession. All cricketers who have come into contact with him will join with me in wishing him all kinds of uood luck. Tho secretary of the N.T.C.A. has received word from the Manawatu Cricket Association that they will be unable to play in Now Plymouth on January 1. They will, however, arrange a match here later on in the season. Failing this match on January X, a game Saturday v. Thursday players will be played. The Saturday men can put a strong team in the field, and an interesting game should result. In a school match in Sydney recently, one of tho boys bowled his first throe overs for five runs, in tho fourth over ho bowled fi'iK botsmon out, and with tho first ball of tho following over bowled another batsman — thus taking seven wickets with successive balls.

A you np: follow plaviiiK cricket near Bnthurst recently had his jaw broken with a blow from tho ball.

On this season's- form Barnes is ono of tho best batsmen in Australia (says a Sydney exchange). His latest innings confirms tho impression created by bis bntthm n gainst Globe that he has developed in iudginent. and is now able to make full use of his undoubted gifts

and skill. In tho match under review Barnes scored 106.

Referring to the team to represent Canterbury against Auckland tho Weekly Press states that it is a wry solid one in all departments. Tho following twelve have beta chosen u> mike the trip: — A. Anthony (Rioenrlon). J- H. Bennett (Sydenham), (V Boxshall (East Chrieiehuroh), E. Humphreys (Linwood), H. B. Lusk (West Christchurch), T. J. Malono (West Christchurch), S. A. Orchard (Linwood), K. M. Ollivier (West Coast), W. Patrick (Sydenhair.), D. Keoso (West Christchurch), A. Sims (Enst Christchurch). and B. B. West (St. Albans). There are no fewer than nine very capable batsmen, in the dozen, including Ollivier, who js ji resident ot the West Coast, but is entitled to play for his province by virtue of having boon born in it ; and Sims, who has just returned from England, whore ho has boon very successful as a batsman during the past season. The team is itslso strong in bowling. Bennett, ! Humphreys, Malone and Reoso being a capital attacking quartet, whilst all but one of the remainder bowl for thoir 'clubs. With one or two exceptions, it is a brilliant fielding sido, and on the whole the team is good enough to inspire the hope that Plunket Shield may be brought back to Christchurch. Thus tho Sydney Referee: — Tho selection of the next Australian touring team is not easy, though to sonic extent it is simplified by several of the oldstagers and others ot 1905 having drifted out of first-class cricket. However, the tact ot an old-stager like S. E. Gregory having picked up his host form since his last visit to England does not make easier tho task. On Australian form, S.E.G. would bo ono of the first chosen, and yet on English form of the last two or throe tours his selection would appoar to bo open to question. The inter-State matches will, no doubt, decide a good deal for the selectors. The time is ripe for Australia to repeat tho work of 1899, and bring into the team some of tho most brilliant and promising of tho younger men. Tho talent is hero, and it embraces bowling as well as batting.

The death is announced ol John Gould, tho slow log-break bowler and right-hand batsman, so well known in Sydney, and occasionally as a New South Wales representative. Ho was noted in the early 80's as a wonderful boy cricketer. lie was a slow bowler, with abnormal leg-break, and a firstclass batsman, who always seemed best at tho pinch when the ball was "doing a bit." With the New South Wales team in Now Zealand in 1894 he was the most successful batsman, a mattpr of no littlo distinction, seeing that the party included M. A. Noble (then a colt). A. C. K. Mackenzie, 8. W. Austin, Joe Davis, Leon Moore, and other good performers. Ho played against Lord Sheffield's team tor Now South Wales, and in one or two other representative matches.

Club. Played 1. New Plymouth 8 2. United \Ser. A 8 3. High School... 8 4. United Ser. B 8 fj. Egmont Villago 8 6. Fire Brigade... 8 11 Won. 6 5 4 4 4 1 Lost, j 2 3 '4 4 4 7 Pts. 12 10 8 8 8 2