AUSTRALIAN AND FOREIGN CRICKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6129, 16 March 1898, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN AND FOREIGN CRICKET.

The following letter, which appears in the Sydney Mail, explains much that has probably exercised the minds of the cricketing public : — Sir, — While in conversa tion with one of the English cricket team I ventured to remark how unfortunate it was that Stoddart had lost his form. I was informed of the following, which I give you for what it is worth, and which I con- ] | sider sliould in some i'orm be made known to the Australian public: — The English captain, on the arrival of the team, showed at practice excellent form, far better than that of Eanjitsinhji and M'Laren, and the team was confident of the success of its I captain. Stoddart was then struck down by a severe attack of influenza, and again when in good form (his innings at castle was a fine display) he received the news of the death of his mother, and this is the secret of his failures since. My informant told me that the mother and the son were very much attached to each other, and that he was always talking about her, and seemed to live only for her. The bereavement has had a very serious effect upon Stoddart. Yet, notwithstanding the severe blow, he is making great efforts to help the side along, although he can take little or no interest in the game, and has no inclination to play. My object in sending you this letter is, if possible, to prevent uncharitable remarks being made. With such a heavy load at heart, it is impossible for any man to do justice to himself on the cricket field.— Yours, &c.,H.(ioi,dthorpe. A Manchester contemporary remarks upon the elastic imaginations of the young men in Fleet Street, London, England, who writo reports on cricket in Australia as seen through their own office windows. This a very expensive process, for it costs fourteen shillings and some odd pence per word. Supposing the telegraphed score reaches half a dozen newspaper offices at the same time, it becomes a race against time between half a dozen florid writers as to how much " artistic verisimilitude " they can give to bald and unconvincing figures in half a dozen special editions. Some day this millinery journalism will happen on a bad thing. Pict-Jrfe-Uj) auticipates some such catastrophe as this : — CEICKET AS SHE IS WEOTE. (The Telegraphic Substratum.') STODDART RUN OUT 99. . (Special Cablb by otjr Fleet Street Correspondent.) Stoddart hit freely all round the wicket, his strokes on the leg side be'mg particularly brilliant, and boundaries came frequently. The spectators were roused to a high pitch of enthusiasm, and change after change was tried without avail. It seemed certain that he would reach the coveted century, when, in a moment of over-eager-ness, he started \\p the pitch for a short run. Gregory at cover-point fielded the ball with his usual unerring accuracy, and before the English captain could regain his ground, Kelly whipped the bails off. It was a close thing, but Mr Stoddart admits the fairness of the decision. As he wended his way back to the pavilion, he received an ovation, the vast concourse cheering for several minutes. (The telegraphic substratum as subsequently corrected.) Stoddart not out 9. Howrll, the Australian bowler, is to be married shortly. . The London Daily News writes as follows : — " The race problem now confronts us in a fresh place — the cricket-field. One of the best bowlers in South Africa is a coloured man, but he has been disqualified for Union matches at the Cape. The Cape Times has a thoughtful article on the subject, manifestly regretting the decision, yet accepting its inevitableuß3s in the actual circumstances of the case. The white people at the Cape have so taken to heart Olive Schreiner's eleventh commandment, ' Keep your breeds pure,' that they shrink from the very companionship of colour "in sport. Sport in England is a leveller of class distinctions, but it has no such virtue in regard to race distinctions in mixed populations under the domination of the whites. And the worst of it is that the coloured races are taking to cricket with a will. The Hottentot likes it ; the Kaffir thinks he likes it ; 'kerticket 1 is played even in Japan. The difficulty at the Cape, we are told, lies not so much. with, the blacks as with the browns — those who have the drop of white . blood which gives honour with one race, and the drop of black which robs them of it in the estimation of the other. One name will, occur in this connection, to all, and it has not failed to occur to the Capa Times. It is but the exception that proves the rule. 'An Australian Parliament had almost to pass a special Bill to enable Prince Eanjitsinhji to play in Australian cricket, and it is almost past hoping for that we shall ever be able to watch the wrist play of the most lissome and graceful bat in the world, on any pitch in South Africa.' So .much the worse for South Africa, and in more things than in cricket. But there is no gainsaying the fact. .'The man of colour, if he finds his chains fall off him when he touches the soil of England, feels them riveted on again the moment he lands in one of England's colonies.' " According to the Sydney Bulletin Australian Eleven players had great fun with Howell when he first played in big cricket. They used to get around him in a circle and ply him with questions about bees and bee-keeping, all pretending to be deeply interested; but the big man has dropped to the game now. The latest idea i 3 to seek an explanation from Noble as to how he makes the ball "curve" in the air. The explanation takes something like an hour. Noble, who has been asked the question several thousand times now, hasn't yet tired of demonstrating the process, but he will drop to it by-aud-bye. They call him , " Rats." Playing at Johannesburg recently Lohmann secured eight wickets for 20 for [ S. B. Joel's team against the " Press," who I fell for 61. Mr Joel's team succumbed for 58, of which the famous Surrey bowler made 30 (not out). An anonymous enthusiast in South Africa has made a magnificent offer with a view to having an English team there in 1898-9. An effort will be made to gee Dr W. G. Grace to accompany the team. Mr F. E. Lacey, who was recommended to succeed Mr JET. Perkins as secretary to the Maryleboue Cricket Club by the committee, has been elected to the position. Mr Perkins was voted a pension of .£4OO per annum.

Theft of Timber. — As several lots of timber, to the value of about £3 or £i, have been stolen from the Midland Saleyards, the matter has been placed in the hands of the police. Rhodes Convalescent Home. — The tenth annual meeting of contributors to the Rhodes Convalescent Homo was held yesterday afternoon. There were eight contributors present, and Mr Heaton. Rhodes presided. The report showed an increase in thfi average daily miuiber of patients during the year, and the balance-sheet showed a credit balance of .£260 18s okl. The report was adopted. • The committee was re-elected as follows .—Messrs E. Heaton Rhodes (chairman), A. Cafrick, 0. Clark, .7. Enabling, W. R. Mitchell, G. E. Rhodes and W. D. Wood. Votes of thanks were passed to the Auditor, the Matron and the Secretary, and the meeting terminated.