CRICKET.

Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 9027, 26 March 1898, Page 4

CRICKET.

NOTES BY " TRUNDLER."

So the Englishmen have shaken the dust of Australia from off their feet. Their welcome home will not be enthusiastic, for the tour as a whole has been a failure from a cricketing stand point. "Weak in bowling" was the general opinion at the outset, and when Richardson had to ease off owing to a strain, the attack was terribly weakened. The effect of the tour will doubtless be more beneficial than it itself has been, for it seems likely that the governing body at hoaoe will in future select the team.

The match of the local season was unfortunately spoiled by the miserable weather experienced last Saturday. The local team won in a low scorina; match of which the cricket display calls for little or no notice.

There is some probability that the Coromandel Club #ill Bend a team on Good Friday to play a return match with the Tararu Club.

I understand that the St. Albans Club have challenged Rovers to a game on the same date also at Parawai. During the week the High School and Tararu School teams met for the fif fti test match of the season. High School won a closely contested game and so won the rubber.

The work of the Selection Committee in choosing the ' rep " team tor Pafroa has met with very fay orable criticism. Clark's exclusion caused some comment, as did Rudkin's. Players chosen are reminded that Mi Carter must be notified to-day if for any reason they cannot undertake the trip. Hawke's Bay " reps " have been to Auckland and have gone home, no doubt well satisfied with the trip, for they certainly gave a better display than Auckland did. A spectator, who is no mean authority, told me that on the Friday the home team's fielding was wretched—catch after catch being 1 dropped. Hugh Lusk. for instance, had at least three lives in compiling his 50—a score which alone gave Hawke's Bay the lead in the first innings. Fannin's bowling was the feature of the match. The ground suited him to a nicety, and keeping a good length he got on a deal of work from both sides Our old friend Gr. Mills saved his i team from defeat, and given a little more time, would have probably turned the draw into a win.