SPORTING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 903, 25 February 1908, Page 6

SPORTING.

RACING.

The autumn meeting of the Masterton Racing Club is to be held on Thursday and Friday, March 26th and 27th, the programme for which is advertised in another column of this k,sue>. The stakes for the first day are valued at £7OO, and the second day £SBO. Nominations for all events except the Maiden Hack Race close with the Secretary at Masterton on Friday, March 6th, at 9.30 p.m., and acceptances for the first day, and entries for the Maiden Hack race, on Thursday, March 19th at 9.30 p.m.

TARANAKI NOMINATIONS

The attention of all horse owners and trainers is directed to the date of nominations for the Taranaki Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting, which close with the Secretary, Mr M. Fleetwood, New Plymouth, on Friday, February 28th, at 9 p.m. The Taranaki Cup, of 300 sovs, 11 mile on the first day,_ and the Paul Memorial Handicap of 200 sovs, 1 mile and a distance, on the second day, are the principal races on the programme, but the other events are well endowed, and should enlist good entries.

CRICKET.

THE TEST MATCH

Received February 24, 7.47 r-.m,

BY TELEGRAPH - PltlWS ASS( C .VTIOX. SYDNEY, February 24. Frequent rain and squalls prevented play being resumed till 3.30. Considering the soaking the wicket had got, it played fairly well. GUNN UNBEATEN.

Uunn maintained his place at the wickets right through, but there was evidence that the team were anxious to get their opponents on the heavy wicket before it recovered. "PLAY THE GAME." Barnes really threw his wicket away, making no attempt to get back after starting on a second run. The crowd were not too well pleased with these tactics, inviting the Englishmen to play the game. The innings closed without any interesting feature from a cricket point of view. Noble and O'Connor commenced the second innings for Australia. O'Connor gave a chance to Braund shortly after starting, but it was not taken.

Both batsmen were out to play out time in the hope that a better wicket would be theirs to-morrow.

Rhodes, Crawford and Barnes were tried in quick succession at bowling, with a view to upsetting the Australian skipper's tactics. Noble's bat then broke, and a few more minutes were consumed. Stumps were thnn drawn, neither batsmen having lost his wicket. Scores: —

The weather is overcast; but there are indications of it clearing. The attendance was small to-day. ENGLAND—First Innings. Fane, b Noble 0 Hobbs, b Saunders 72 Hutchings, run out 13 Gunn, not out 122 Hardstaff, c O'Connor, b Saunders 17 Crawford, c Hill, b Saunders 6 Braund, st Carter, b MacArtney 31 Rhodeo,, c Noble, b Armstrong 10 Young, st Carter, b MacArtney 0 Jones, b MacArtney 0 Barnes, ri>n out 1 Sundries 9 Total 281 Bowling analysis—Noble 1 for 62, Saunders 3 for 114, O'Connor 0 for 23, MacArtney 3 for 44. Armstrong ljfor 29. AUSTRALIA. First Innings 137 Second Innings. Noble, not out 11 O'Connor, not out 4 Extra 1 No wickets for 16

The Wairarapa representative team will commence its Hawke's Bay tour on Saturday, March 14th, leaving Masterton by the mid-day train. On the following Monday the Hawke's Bay Wednesday representatives will be played at Hastings, and on the Tuesday and Wednesday the Hawke's Bay Association will be played at Napier. The arrangements for the accommodation of the visitors have already been attended to by the Hawke's Bay Association. Those local players that can make the trip are requested to notify the secretary as soon as possible. The following have signified their willingness to plav : Smart, Hart, W. Gallon, W. Hawke, and Logan.