CRICKET.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 14398, 5 January 1911, Page 4

CRICKET.

THE SECOND TEST. WIN FOR AUSTRALIA. By Eioctrio Telegraph.—Copyright, MELBOURNE, Jan. 4. There was charming weather and a fine attendance when the Australians resumed their innings this morning. The wicket was as good as at the start. The match was full of incident and excitement. It was generally considered that the South Africans would achieve a victory at first, but as the game progressed, and the prospects of a win by them became uncertain, the interest and excitement increased. Trumper and Kelleway took the score to 237. Trumper, as in the first innings, chopped a ball on to his wicket. Ho scored 159 in 171 minutes, hitting fifteen fourers and one sixer. His purpose was to make runs while Kelleway kept up his end, the latter in an hour making only fourteen runs, Armstrong was in for ten minutes for two. Then ho opened out and hit four fourers successively. Carter got a hall, a googlie, which puzzled him. As he changed his mind at the last moment ho cocked the ball up to short leg, and Sherwoll walked out from the wicket and took an easy catch. Cotter came in, and the, spectators expected a merry scene. Ho began by hitting two pretty hard, but then quietened down for some time. But the Africanders, expectant, set five men on the boundary for him, and he was unable to restrain himself for long. He let go at Llewellyn, and sent the ball away to the boundary. Comaillo, fielding for Znleh, who was suffering from sciatica, made a fine run to long-on, and caught him. This was as fine an effort as Nourse's ill the first innings when Whitty was dismissed. Whitty hinged at two balls, but at the solicitation of Kelleway just kept his wicket up while Kelleway endeavoured to force the pace. The innings lasted for 2-18 minutes. Although 300 runs were compiled in 22 minutes, the fielding was first-class, a feature being Shcnvell's wicket-keep-ing.

Tho South Africans, wanting 170 to win, started with great hopes. Strieker opened with Sherwoll, but only one run was scored when Cotter got Strieker leg before. Faulkner had a great reception, but tlm partnership was shortlived. There was tremendous excitement when Whitty dislodged the bails and got Sherwell, who had made 16 out of tho 28. The ball completely boat him, whipping in from the off. Nourso made two, when an appeal for leg before wicket was successful. Three runs later, Sinclair succumbed leg before to Whitty. Faulkner batted for nearly an hour for eight, and then gavn an easy chance to Kelleway at mid-in. Llewellyn and Snooke carried tho score to 62, when play was adjourned for tea. Up to this stage Whitty had bowled three for six in nine overs, of which five were maidens. Cotter had bowled for an hour at his extreme pace, and it is questionable whether it lessened at all. After the adjournment Sciiwarz began well, with two good off strokes at the expense of Cotter, when he was beaten by a yorker, Znleh, hampered by sciatica, which prevented his fielding, hatted steadily, but tlie Africans went to pieces—wlijv, they were unable to explain, Tho wickets simply rattled down, Whitty bowling with deadly effect. The innings lasted for two hours. Tho people were amazed at the collapse, especially after tho South Africans’ superb form shown in tho first innings. The following are the scores:— AUSTRALIA. First innings 348 Second Innings. Bardsley, st. Sherwoll, b. Schwarz 11 Trumper, b. Faulkner 159 Hill, b. Schwarz 0 Gehrs, st. Sherwell, b. Schwarz ... 22 Macartney, c. Snooke, b. Llewellyn 5 Hansford, c. Sinclair, b. Schwarz ... 23 Kelleway, h. Pegler 48 Armstrong, b. Llewellyn 29 Carter, c. Sherwell, h. Llewellyn ... 0 Cotter, c. Comaillo, b. Llewellyn ... 15 Whitty, not out 5 Extras 7 Total 327 Bowling Analysis.—Nourso none for 18, Snooke, none for 24, Schwarz four for 76, Llewellyn four for 81, Pegler, one for 24, Sinclair none for 22, Faulkner one for 65, Strieker none for 10. The wickets fell: One for 35, two for 35, throe for 89, four for 94, five for 176, six for 237, seven for 279, eight for 279, nine for 305. SOUTH AFRICA. First innings 506 Second Innings. Sherwoll, b. Whitty 16 Strieker, 1.b.w., h. Cotter 0 Faulkner, c. Kelleway, b. Whitty 8 Nourso, 1.b.w., b. Cotter 2 Sinclair, 1.b.w., b. Whitty 3 Llewellyn, b. Cotter 17 Snooke, c. Armstrong, b. Wbitty 9 Zulch, not out 6 Schwarz, e. Kelleway, b. Cotter ... 7 T’earso, c. Kelleway, b. Whitty ... 0 Pegler. 1.b.w., b. Wbitty 0 Extras 12 Total 80 Bowling Analysis.—Cotter four for 47, Whitty five for 17, Armstrong none for four. The wickets fell: One for 1, two for 28, throe for 31, four for 34, five for 46, six for 66. seven for 08, eight for 77, nine for 80. THE NEXT TEST. MELBOURNE, Jan, 4. Subsequently, the same team was chosen tor Australia in the next test match at Adelaide, with Matthews as twelfth man. THE SOUTH AFRICANS. DAN REESE’S IMPRESSIONS. A POPULAR FALLACY CORRECTED Mr. Dan Reese, who returned to New Zealand a few days ago, after a trip to Australia and Tasmania, was interviewed by tho Dunedin Star. Ho saw tho South African cricketers playing

both in Melbourne and Sydney, and the impressions he formed of them' are extremely interesting, for Mr. Reese is not only proficient in playing the game, but he is an acute observer ns well. First of all he corrected an idea which has widespread prevalence here. lie had been speaking of Faulkner, his great all-round value to the team, and the distinctivo stylo of his batting rk compared with that of the rest of the team. “He is the only ‘Bosey’ bowler in the team, added Reese. Those words came rather as a surprise, for we have somehow come to look on the South Africans as a team containing nearly half-a-dozen bowlers of that type. “Over here,” continued Reese, “people speak of the ‘Bosey’ bowling ns ‘googlics.’ But it is not the same thing at all, and in Australia they differentiate very strictly between the ‘Bosov’ and the ‘googlie.’ The ‘googlie’ is the slow, dropping leg-break ball, which has been known hero always. The ‘Bosey’ hall is the one that comes back from the off, although delivered with a log-hre-ak action. Now, Faulkner bowls just like Sandman, in Christchurch. Faulkner bowls a leg-break usually, and then Bends one down, still with the leg-break action, which whips in from the off. In the Sydney match, where he took five wickets, for 40 runs in New South Wales’ first innings of 287, he always troubled them with the ‘wrong ’an.’ ‘‘Now, Schwarz bowls the off-break all tlie time,” continued Reese, “He gets his break with what is apparently a leg-break action.” (Reese explained Irow this was done, the hall getting its spin from the outside edge of the hand.) “His dangerous ball is the straight hall. He gets top spin on this instead of side, spin, and it whips very fast off the pitch.” . , . , , “Schwarz doesn’t break from leg at all, then?” Reese was asked. “Very rarely. If he trios it he loses his off-lireak. ' His bowling is very like Alick Downes’—ft rather high-tossed ball, breaking from the off. It is a hi.- break—the biggest since M Kibhin’s day. The Australian batsmen ‘leg’ him a good deal —step in front of their wickets, as batsmen used often to do to Downes. If Schwarz had a leg-break as well he would Ire unplayable. That is the opinion over in Australia, and I agree with it.” In reply to a question as to the relotive nace of Faulkner and Schwarz, Reese' said that Faulkner was perhaps a shade the faster. ”1 can’t understand \ogler. continuocl Rt’oflo, running through tho team’s bowlers. “Ho has a beautiful stvle, and a fine swinging action. He Irmvls a medium fast leg break, and a fast off break. He has done some splendid irerformances in England, but in Australia he can’t get wickets. I lio pitches are too good for him. He can turn the hall a little on them, but what use is that on a good Sydney wieket? And if he is not getting wickets, it throws all tlie bowling on to Faulkner ami Schwarz. I’ogler is just a medium fast bowler, something like Rennet’s pace, but be is not class enough to liowl an Australian side out. The Africans have no fast bowler and Llewellyn, the only left-hand bowler m the team, is"not likely to prove very dangerous on Australian wickets. Beene was very much taken with Faulkner’s hatting. . Faulkner has strokes all round the wicket, ami while he allows a defence almost as impregnable as Tom Hayward’s, his strokes are so gracefully made that one never tires of admiring them. Ho is the only batsman in the team that can im compared with the first half-dozen in the Australian team for stylo. , , Nuurse is in Reese’s opinion the next best bat to Faulkner. He is a big man and he bats left-handed. He stands right round facing the howler, and grips the bat right down at the bottom of the handle. He has a very solid defence, and is very, very severe on anything pitched on his legs, though he is inclined to walk into his wieket. Of the other batsmen, Reese says that Llewellyn has not vet; reproduced his English form, except, perhaps, in the Queensland match. "Strieker and Zulch are batsmen of the solid type, who have fine records in their own country; but they have not done much so far in Australia, though Strieker lias shown form once or twice. Snooke has a fine reputation, hut has quite failed to got going. Schwarz is the most dashing bat in the team. Ho is out for runs all the time. I’enrse is also of the fast-scoring typo, and I think this tour will make a bigger improvement in him than in anyone.” Of Klienvell’s wicket-keeping, Reese has a very high opinion indeed. ”1 have never seen a finer wicket-kroner in my life,” ho said, enthusiastically, “and' 1 don’t think the Australians have wen -such a wicket-keeper since the days of Blackham and Jarvis, except, perhaps, during the two years wlu-n violins whs so brilliant. Shrpvf'll does everything so gracefully, takes tho Hull perfectly, and never shuts ibe bails unless ho gets the batsman out. This led to a discussion of the South Africans' fielding. “They are a very keen fielding side, but they have not the cleanness and finish of the Australians. Thcv have not had tho practice on turf. Llewellyn is a very fine infield, but no one in the team has that low under-hand throw which made Syd. Gregory so dangerous at cover-point. Generally speaking, their throwing m from the out-field is bad. CommaiHo is their best out-field, and in England ho was spoken of as one of the best in the world; hut how can a man lie that when he can’t throw from the track to the wieket P But tho team make up for a lot Ire their keenness in tho field. Their catching is good. Both Faulkner and Voglcr catch very well indeed in the slips. , . , . . “Their running between wickets is not nearly ns good as the Australians ; but it must not be forgotten that m this respect the Australians lead tho world. I saw the partnership between Trumper and Bardsley in the New South Wales match, and I have never seen anything so like ‘tip and run before And neither of them spoke a word. It was like the old TrumperDuff (lavs. Where the South Africans lost 20 funs between wickets tho Australians gained 20.” Reese went on to speak of a matter of verv direct interest to New Zealanders. '‘The Africans are terribly keen on coming to New Zealand. There seems vet a possibility of this being arranged'. They are not sure if all ot them could arrange for extended leave, in view of the time that such a tour would run into, but seven of them are already in a position to come. 1 thins that if Mr. Abe Bailey makes a trip to Australia in time to see tho third Test match it is felt that leave could lie arranged for all ot thorn. 1 was discussing the matter with a prominent Australian before leaving for New Zealand, and lie expressed the opinion that it proper representations were made it is just possible that tho final match of the tour (against South Australia) might ho waived in order to let tho team mako tho Now Zealand tour, lu tins oaso they would havo to leave Sydnev for Auckland immediately after tho last Tost match in Sydney, and they would thus have the whole ot March for their tour in this country. They would come on particularly reasonable terms, especially if during their trip they were enabled to sec some of our tourist attractions, such as Rotorua. This would necessitate in not more than four centres. If this could

he arranged, a visit from such a fine lot of follows would form such an attraction that an attempt should bo made to got them over.” Asked how the financial side of the Australian tour was panning out, Reese replied that the gates so far compared favourably with those taken by Warner’s and A. 0. Jones’ teams at a similar stage of the tour, but wore not equal to those of Maclaren’s team, which were verv high. He added that the Australians are anxious to receive a New Zealand team at an earlv date, and to return the hospitality that has been extended to some of their teams when touring in New Zealand. NELSON v. WAIRARAPA. Per Press Association. MASTEHTON, Jan. 4. Tho cricket match Nelson y .Wairarapa was continued to-day, victory going to the Wairarapa by five wickets. In the first innings Wairarapa made 308, Beechev 112, Smart 55, Waugh 40, Waters '29, and in the second innings five wickets fell for 36. Nelson made 146 and 197 (Richmond 84 not out, Cooko 31, Louisson 22). NORTH v, SOUTH TARANAKI. (Notes by our Eltham Correspondent.) January 2.—1 witnessed the North and South 'Taranaki cricket match todav. The high wind made things particularly unpleasant. For some reason or other play did not open till after lunch. North Taranaki were poorly represented—at least, the eleven plucc'd in the field were surely not the best available. Batting first, they fell for 38 runs, three men failing to score. The poor score was mainly attributable to the fine bowling of M‘Carthy (six for 12) and Baker (three wickets for 2 runs). Tho ground fielding was excellent, whilst Dunlop accepted two catches (Gwillim and Bowloy) tliat were both smart pieces of work. Goldstono also hold a fine catch that accounted for Marsh. The South batting was disappointing. 1 fully anticipated seeing 150 go up, o« tho Northern attack did not seem very strong. Stuart, the Eltham man, was badly run out, as Pratt watched him sprint down and nover moved. Two men at ono end, and a goal wicket down. Baker (Eltham) hit out at everything, but in trying to send a hall from Gwillim to Wanganui missed and retired bowled. Pratt and M’Carthv took tho score from 15 to 0-1, when M‘Carthy was nicely held by Osborne off Cooper- Pratt made -io, and tho others making a few brought the score to 99. A lead of 61 was useful, but it did not disturb Smith and Gwillim, who opened to M'Carthy and Pratt. Smith gave a glimpse of his Toko play and knocked up 10 off M‘Carthy’s opening over. Gwillim also suffered from “hititus,” and 10 came from Pratt’s first over. Tilings looked promising here, but M'Carthy’s next over gave one run. In Pratt’s next over Gwillim ran to 13 and then was clean bowled by Pratt. Smith punished Pratt, but at 14 also fell to Pratt, and two good wickets were down for 33. Perliam was in some time before scoring, and was joined by Bury. Perliam and Bury got boundaries off Pratt, and the latter rung on his first change, Dunlop. The Stratford man was slow in getting his length, and Perliam and Bury improved the prospects of the Northerners. Before tho close of the play Baker replaced 51‘Carthy, and Cooper (Hawera) succeeded Dunlop. Baker obtained Bnry’s wicket, whilst Barry missed a chance given by I’erham off Cooper. Pcrham will resume operations to-morrow, but the game looks like a win for tho Southerners. Although the Northerners have had a few games, their fielding was only fair and the placing of the cloven not dono to tho best advantage. Pratt particularly got some of the Northerners nettled hv stealing runs after the fieldsman held possession of the ball. Before leaving cricket, the Southerners cannot he complimented on the manner in which tho arrangements were conducted. Scoring was conducted under difficulties, whilst there were no refreshments available, for players or umpires. Tho second day's play may see these omissions attended to. There were a few spectators present, who enjoyed Pratt’s batting. Southall was the man Now Plymouth wanted to-day. Had he been present the Southerners would not havo held their opponents so cheap. January 3.—South Taranaki defeated North Taranaki by six wickets. The winners should have done much better, ns they were up against a weak eleven. Still, it was a win, and will give the players a little confidence when meeting' other elevens. The South team can be improved somewhat, and there should bo two or three changes made.