REMINISCENCES OF THE SPORTING WORLD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19850, 20 January 1920, Page 4

REMINISCENCES OF THE SPORTING WORLD.

"Jissr nK this if whi.

MEMORABLE MATCHES AND HUMOROUS INCIDENTS.

PLAYERS OF THE PAST.

(Specially written for the ‘'Star/')

You are still holding your wicket up well,-' 1 said the “Star” man to Air If owke, when they resumed their talk- “ Acs," replied tho old cricketer, “ and I have a good few boundary hits to make, yet before the innings will bo declared closed. In nu\ last talk I spoke to you about the old United Chib, and .1 find that I emitted to mention one of our very oldest and keenest players, W. D. Aleares, who played lor Otago in the very early days and was considered ouo of their best bats. I have played against him verv many times, and most pleasurable games they were. He also sat on committee for many years and I found him a most sincere worker and one who devoted a great deal .ojii his time in building up the old game here to tho highest possible standard. OLD-TIMERS. “ Another old-timer who did a great deal for the pastime was Air Ferguson, of National Bank fame. No keener supporter of cricket ever stood in Christchurch. He was always ready to give any financial assistance to foster the game of which he was a good critic. Then there was G. A. U- Tapper, another member of the United, who played with pluck and determination, and as a dub treasurer was very hard to boat, as his record will prove. I must not forget Air Brittain, who still plays cricket with the Veterans, and is ns keen as over. If lie is not playing he is to be seen in the role of spectator at the grounds enjoying tho game. I can remember the lime when Atr Brittain owned and rode Royalty when ho won tho first Grand National (Steeplechase, in New Zealand. Tie must, he possessed with grand stamina, and it is very gratifying to see such gentlemen enjoying the very best of health. RECORD SCORES. “ Let me now 101 l you something about record scores in tho early days. One of the biggest that first comes to mind was that of C. Strange, an cjid. Midlandcr. who was a. verv powerful \ UtC T>' , l lfl .viiL?. in the match'between the Banks and Insurance Companies, no made the very fine total of 2°o winch stood as the record for many >oars, until surpassed by an innings by Valter Raphael. Playing for uancastor 1 third against fourth Valter made the record of 299 not out. • Marsha M, tho old Lancastrian and i opresentativo plaver. once made a ton fine score of 258 not out in NapierSOME BIG HITTING. Hie biggest hit I have ever seen was made by Toby Sheath, playing for United on llagley Park. The hit was hilly run out and ninn inns were scored. One of the largest scores in.' club cricket was that made hv the Gordon Club 0 f Auckland, 563, of which IT. B. Lusk contributed l(if), Tracey AJoreshy lot), and vours truly 140 not out. This held pride of place for a groat number of years until Knocked out by a. performance of Lancastev Park against Sydenham, when the formers total, I think, was in the vicinity ot 580. The principal rungetter was A. E. Ridley, who played a splendid innings of 169 or thereabout* Every bowler m the Sydenham team was tried. J. Hunk this score still Hands as the record of tho Dominion in omb cricket. LEAVING MIDLAND. It was with sincere regret that 1 had occasion to leave the dear old Al idland Uub, alter the happiest of associations. I was then living in Opawa. and round, tho distance to Hatdev Park Mas too far lo go to practice. '|f von can imagine one working where the Xixpro&s buildings are now nnd ,f Harli P X r >Cl °‘- k ’ ‘ holl diking «P to HagK, ark ana practising until dark, am when that was over taking Shanks s pony l 0 Opawa, you have an Hn , Ot T ! i° roasuu k,r m - v Icavinw AfidbH I J- as ,0I1 S ns I could. but I uas getting very dog tired and Mv'nhA 1 ' tn V' tr:iil! I >rnml 100 groat Ms old comrades n -erc greallv u P ?et, at ™ s, P n;, t'!°u and offered to place „ . au my disposal every evening f 0 go from tho cricket ground lm °luA,e Tpractier.lly acc «J>ted this offer', but o ii th .king it-over carel'iillv. althomdi T fully appreciated the very groat kind ness I knew the, old club An Id ot a fiord the expense. u

THE LANCASTRIANS. t tlnew in my lot. with Lancaster Lark a tact tor which T have never been forgiven until this dav. Strange to say Alidhmd was tile most successful club m winning the Chip. For two years in succession Lancaster Park held the premier position. The Park was a verv strong side, composed of some real -mod cne. voters. V. Crawshaw, 0 f Otago jnte,•provincial fame, was the captain. U was. Crawshaw, as many old cricketers will recollect. who enlight (Form.' natson beautifully at cover point, after Jus memorable innings of 175. Me was a splendid little hat and ;t verv tine idd. His partnership with • .him : Jtanios m the match between Canterbury am! Australia, when tliev put on rims against most formidable howling, was a very fine effort. ] can assure yon runs were hard to get against the Australians. This stand by Mum 1 and Fiawshaw was extremely popular, and they leceived quite an ovation on retnrnnig to the pavilion with the scores °l 'J' Find 3/ respectively. THE PERSONNEL. ‘• The names of the Park players will ti ro> T> to i >VUU ' a Hrong combination the Park was, <| hero was L. A. Cuff, a. ion rigorous hat, a good fast, bowler, and a fine field, with all the qualifications of a very classy cricketer, and witli more confidence in himself than any cricketer 1 knew: W. P. Reeves a very sound and reliable hat; Davev IJnnlop, m Uioro days one of tho verv best howlers in Canterbury, in fact he was most puzzling to play with his deadly^off-break and change of pace: then I-. S. V ilcling, a good vigorous batsman, a howler of the mixing kind and a good field : Bert IF- .Mans, one of onr very finest hats and a slow howler; A. -I. Labnti, one who wns verv hard to bent as an all round nlavor: nlso Hugh Reeves, G. Marshall am) Clifford Rid ey, ail very steady ami reliable ti ickelors. Billy 1* rith, another member. was then in his prime ns a- lefthand howler, and an exceptionally fine hold. \\nilo J was the wicketkeeper of the team. IN THE MODEL BOROUGH. “After playing successfully for a number of years tor the Park. I joined the .Sydenham Club, which in those days was a very weak combination, and the many hammerings we used to' get were enough to break anyone’s heart. J do not think wo won a match for years. "i\e had one advantage though— we always got two innings to ‘the other team s one. Sydenham was under a gioat disadvantage in regard to their omict \\ Inch ioiully unlit ior firstlate cricket. A\ilhont good grounds you cannot expect fo produce good eiickoters. But the members were not dismayed—they were about the most enthusiastic lot it lias ever been my fortune to meet. A meeting was hol’d to devise the best ways and means of putting the ground in the Model Borough in a satisfactory state, and a. committee of thirty was formed. The outcome of their efforts is a matter of history. BIG CRICKET. ‘‘ Perhaps I had hotter say a. word or two about the teams winch have played for New Zealand. The first New Zealand match against anv foreign team was played against New South Wales on February to. 16,' 17, 1894. Hiat was hoi ore- the Now Zealand Cricket Council was formed, and the match was played under the auspices of tho Canterbury Association. The following were the members of the New Zealand team:—L. A. Cuff. 11. Da Mans. A. M. J.ahnil, .1. 1). Lawrence, Palmer and Robertson (Canterbury); Holdship and C. Gore (Wellington), J. C. Lawton (Otago) and I. Mills and J. N. ]• owke (Auckland). The team was selected by Air A. Al. Oliivicr. The fohu shown by the New Zealanders was very disappointing, especially in halting. New South Wales made 147 and fitfS and Now Zealand 116 and 79, the visitors winning by 160 runs. The New South Wales team was under the management of Coleman Davis, and was captained by his brother Joe. Their father, a very old gentleman, usually stood umpire. As a matter of fact lie was too old for the position, although" he meant, well, and some of his decisions caused a good deal of dissatisfaction. The public soon recognised this fact, and I thought at several stages’ of the game something would happen. AL A. NOBLE.

“M. A. Xohle was nlnyiriK f 0) - \, nv South Wales and it was on'this lour Uiat he sained a real Inundation in his education in cricket, lie had only

managed to squeeze into the team, lou could see, though, by his nice rroo style that lie would develop into a, very classy bat, aml on his return to Australia, ho blossomed out as an all-round cricketer and one of the host, the world has ever produced. 1 had the honour of stumping him twice in . s , match, but 1 only got the decision once. The first 'time Xoblo wont out yards down the pit eh- The umpire was. standing about thirty.yards deep. It was as clean a bit of stumping for a verdict as yon ever saw, but on my appeal the umpire blandlv smd 1 Not out ’! The next time I inaue no mistake about the stumping, or the appeal either, and friend Noble returned to the pavilion. SOME DECISIONS,

*' v\vd Watford was another very free hat in the team, but. bo was very impatient and could not stay in' his ground. On one occasion T can honestly say he was down the wicket about three yards, but the umpire said tlia*. ho had never left his crease. I tomarked to Syd, * That is the hottest have soon ! lYhat do you think of it?’ Tic replied, • After that ! ought to make 100.’ The same thing happened to_ big Alex MM\ciizio. EB.'W.’s nod nui-out- were always given by Twelfth Man, as wo termed this old umpire. "Tlio match was of very groat.importance, and the players wore on their mottle to got the distinguished honour of making a score, and so wore the howlers timed up, too. ihit mere is nothing more disappointing to a. batsman than to get a wrong decision. They have to how to it, though, as a matter of cricket etiquette. Talking of umpiring 1 must relate a little incident which occurred to me when playing against Lancaster Park. Tlu gentleman who was umpire had a son who was playing for one of the teams. The match was a, very keen one and this lad was hatting. J caught him at the wickets, and 1 fancy oven now I. can hear the whole of the Midland team yell out as one man, ‘ How’s that?’ 1 Not out!’; came the decision. In the next breath the umpire asked the batsman: ‘ Did yon hit that, ?' and he replied, ‘ Yes. pa.’ Ho then apologised to me. but tlio point was he was still in.

LOST HIMSELF. “ On nnoi.lior occasion (leorge Turner was umpiring lor Midland, and 1m was a good one too. tint this time ho completely lost himself. 'Jum’ Barnes was bowling with both feel well behind the crease. ■Xo ball!’ was cried, and Mum’ then canto a. yard further behind. ‘Xo ball!' again. 'l'hen two yards. •Xo ball!’ again, and so it went on to about six no-balh, when he was about twelve yards behind. ‘ Turn's was a very even temper, but be lost it at Ibis juncture and said, 1 Damn it man, what’s tho matter?’ Poor old Oenrge admitted he had completely lost himself and that lie had been thinking that the bowler ought to have one foot

over the crease. Ho humbly apologised to ‘Jum.’ J have never seen such a thing happen in tho whole of niv career at cricket and that's why I think it’s •worth telling. THE POOR WICKETKEEPER ! “ The host description I can give of' a wicketkeeper is that ho acts Hie parr of an Aunt Sally. Ho is shied at and gron led at by everybody and gets moro kicks than ponce. He is always supposed to be at tho top of his form. Some fieldsmen throw in at him when only a. few yards away like a shot from a cannon. Sometimes right at the 'keeper’s toes, aqsl when ho stooas down to gather the ball in he gets it right on tho nose.”

(A further instalment will appear on Saturday next.)