Cricket.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5427, 30 November 1895, Page 6

Cricket.

The origin of the game of cricket, which comes up for discussion two or three times a year in the English newspapers, is again forming the subject of an interesting controversy at Home. One theory, we gather from the mass of correspondence lying before ns, declares that the game arose out of the ancient "stoolball " others that it developed from " clubball," a 'pastime similar to rounders 5 while a third party regards a northern form ot " tip.cat," called " oat-and-dog," as the undoubted original of the present pastime. Strutt, in his " Sports and Pastimes" (1810), says, " I have bees informed that a pastime called 'stool-ball* is practised to this day in the northern parts of England, which consists simply in setting a stool upon the ground, and one of the players takes his place before it, while his antagonist, standing at a distance, toaseß a ball with the intention of striking the stool, and this it iB the busineßS of the former to prevent by beating it away with his hand, reokoning one to the game for every stroke of the ball. If, on the contrary, it should be missed by the hand and strike the stool, the players change places." In a note Strntt adds that he believes the player might be caught out. Mr Alfred T. Story, writing on the subject in the Strand Magazine recently, stated that he had played stool-ball when a boy, and that the stools were in the North of England called " oriokets." A more likely derivation of the name of the game is that given by Professor Skeat, as from the Anglo-Saxon cricc, a staff, and et, a diminutive, hence a little staff. One of the earliest mentions we have of the game of cricket is in Florio's "Italian Dictionary," published in 1595^ in which we find sgrittarc defined as "to make a noise I as a orioket j to play cricket-a- wicket and be merry." " Crioket-a-wioket " means cricket at the wioket. Mr Story suggestively aiks: Can it be that orioket grew originally out of a domestic game, in whioh children threw a ball at the garden wioket (i.e., gate) while it was defended by a player with a crooked stick or club, a sort of club-ball or rounders ?" He inolines to the view that the game owes something to more than one progenitor, and he. points out that in the game of "tip-oaf* the cat was by degrees out down till it assumed the shape of a ball. The game of cricket is believed to have assumed its present scientific Bhape in the reign ot Queen Anne, but the person who perfeoted it must, apparently, remain among the unknown benefactors of the human race.

! Peiskntationb.— On Friday afternoon the pupils of the Kaiapoi School presented a travelling bag, dressing case and silver serviette rings to Miss Johnson, the infant mistress, who is severing her connection with the school, after a period of thirteen yearß teaching. Mr Alexander made the presentation. Miss Johnson suitably replied, thanking the children for their very kind and handsome presents.— Yesterday after* noon the employes of the Christohuroh Club presented Mr Cool, who hat been manager of the olub for the past ten yeara and who is on the point of leaving fot Australia, with a valuable token of their esteem. The present consisted of a unique and artistic inkstand made of a handsome pair of polished horns splendidly mounted in solid silver, with the inscription, "PreBented to Thomas Cool, Esq., by the employes of the Christchuroh Club, N.Z. December, 1895." The gift was accompanied by a handsome gong mounted in solid silver for Mrs Cool. The recipient suitably replied, thanking them, on behalf of Mra Cool. Mr Cool leaves for Melbourne by the Hauroto on Thursday next.

Mbmoey Matties.— While one of the witnesses in the Hale case waa being cross-examined in the Supreme Courc yeaterday, counsel, who could not get him to remember oertain matters, while other* which had happened at the came time he could recolleot, remarked that many fools forgot more than they remembered, "I suppose I do," said the witness. An apology followed from counsel; ht had not intended to class witness iv that category. " Oh, I thought yeu fl|(jL»» w«fl