The Game of Cricket.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 24, 11 December 1912, Page 7

The Game of Cricket.

How Auckland Won Ito Spurs— Auckland's Best Tour. RICKETERs, in estimating Aueki Z land’s place in the Dominion world of cricket, are inclined to form their conclusions on Plunket Shield matches, but this province laid the ■the field many years before the arrival in New Zealand of Lord Plunket. Just about this time of the year, 39 years ago, •ihe city was a-buzz with the doings of the cricketers who had returned from sheir first southern tour with a record of yictories that has never since been by Auckland or any other province of the Dominion. In that tour of 1873, Canterbury, Otago, Wellington, and Nelson were met and defeated, and the members of the eleven w.ho bad gone away untrumpeted and despised were received back to their native borough as conquering heroes to be brass-banded and banqueted.

Ambitious. In those days there was no cricket association, and the game was pursued lonly by enthusiasts whose love of the game was prepared to meet all kinds of difficulties. The name of Christchurch •was great iu the land as the home of cricket in New Zealand, where one could see real Englishmen playing the game ■according to English traditions. Still there were a few Englishmen in the far north, also a few Australians, while the ryimber necessary to keep the game ■going in the matter of competitions was ■eked’out with a few white natives who had been seized of the desire not to be outdone, even in cricket, by their fellows •from over the seas. As they gained in number, skill, and confidence, their eyes (were turned to Christchurch, the Mecca •pf the cricket world. They wanted to prove their mettle, and at last a visit (to the Cathedral City was mooted, diecussed, and eventually determined on.

The First Towring Representatives.

Naturally there was much heart-burn-ing concerning the selection, but the promoters, imbued with the greatness of the event, made ability on the cricket (field the absolute qualification, against which neither rank nor station in life counted. From Tauranga to the Thames the candidates were canvassed and tried out, and the ultimate selection was: — W. W. Robinson (captain), S. Alpe, W. w*. Buckland. F. Bellairs, C. Clayforth, A. E. Cotton, J. Dixon, F. Dufaur, A. King, G. Lankliam, J. Mumford, Sweete, and ft. J. Tates, with L. Coupland as umpire (Mid C. Arthur and T. L. White as Scorers. Of these Robinson, Bellairs, Qlayforth, and Dixon were from the Thames, and Sweete front Tauranga. A Humble Start.

There was quite a deal of d’.-aatisf action and carping over the selection, find the team set off amid the cries that it was not representative of the real Strength of the province and likely to belittle Auckland’s reputation. When the cricketers reached Christchurch it Was Cup week, when accommodation was at a premium. There was no reception. for the Canterbury people had heard the criticism which had preceded the team from Auckland, and were not iaciined to believe that these men would seriously challenge their supremacy. So the travel-tired visitors had to content themselves with shake-downs in a barn butoide an accommodation house they had hunted up for themselves. They Lad arrived several days before thatfixed for the match, and these uncomfortable quartern they occupied for three or four nights, till the Cup week influx of people had •subsided. The lAucklanders were determined to win respect, though they had «sueh old-time champions against them as Corfe, E. Fowler, A. Ollivier, Barker, and Fuller.

Something to Think Abont. The match was played at Ilagley Park !Qn November 18. 19 and 20. The usual iloosening-up preliminaries were indulged in prior to the start of the game, and lhe Auckland batsmen, who had won i-nft t-ya, were set a-thinking by a Sie exhibition in the preliminary two of the Canterbury bowlers, e .two—one a professional—were in- _ *‘g in the abovesaid preliminaries, When one of them sent down a ball

which took the brass of the leg stump. Has companion trundled the ball Lack, and knocked back the leg stump at the other end. The reply came with a delivery which displaced the off stump, and the returning bowler followed suit by touching the off-wicket at his mate’s end. This left only the two middle stumps untouched, and the tiiot bowler displayed has by promptly bowling down the middle stump, which -st-ood up facing him, he having thus knocked the three wickets in three successive deliveries. Then the other bowler made his last return, and, amid applause, he hit the middle stump at the other end. thus matching the performance of his fellow trundler.

“'That’s what you're up against.” remarked one of theiu to the ingoing batsmen. “Oh, well, well see what difference four inches of willow- in front of them will make,” replied Dufaur, who did not allow little matters to unduly worry him. Still, the episode had the effect of stiffening the determination of the .visitors to a resolute obstinacy which eventually won them the game, for they thereupon determined that no liberties were to be taken with such bowlers.

Conquest of Christchurch. Auckland made 90, and managed to dispose of Canterbury for 72. Then the visitors allowed themselves a little greater freedom, with the result that their second effort produced 133. Then came the tug-of-war. Canterbury realised that the despised northerners were worthy foes, while the men from Waitemata fought ail they knew to retain their lead. It was a strenuous contest, no chances being thrown away, but

Canterbury’s la<st wicket fell at 144. and Auckland had won by the exciting margin of 7 runs. Tltey had actually performed the wonder of beating the champions of New Zealand on their own ground, a performance which in those days, when Christchurch was a little England, was considered epoch-making in the history- of cricket. From that time on the despised travellers lacked not their circle of admirers. They had sprung into fame, and they revelled in the delights of the famous, for alt the homage due to champions was laid at their feet. Three More Wins. After this flying start the tourists never looked back. In Dunedin they played on it turf wicket specially prepared on the sand of the Octagon (over which the trams now rattled), and won by four wickets. The scores were: — Otago, 77 anil 41; Auckland, 78 and 48 for six wickets. The wicket in that match cut up, and the part where Sweete, the Auckland fast bowler, operated had to be re-turfed during the currency' of the match.

Wellington was beaten by three wickets, the imme team making 35 ami 103, and Auckland 53 ami 86 for seven wickets.

Nelson's efforts against Auckland consisted of 46 and 42, ami with a score of 138 the visitors won by an innings and 56 runs.

The Home-Coming. The team was received everywhere as champions after the game at Christchurch, and their home-coming was that of conquering heroes. * One little item in the welcome-home programme, which had been arranged by those who were discontented with the first selection, waa

a test match la-tween the team and a team of players who were put forward as the men who should have gone South. This resulted in a decisive victory for the tourists, one of whom, R. J. Yates, making more runs off his own bat than all the opposing side put together.

Old-time Scores. It will be noted that the scores in the games noted above appear small as compared with present-day totals, but it has to be remembered that in those days there was no boundary, while the outfield was generally covered with long grass. A batsman had to run everything out, and the heaviest of cover drives along the carpet could force its waythrough the grass only about half the distance that the same shot covers on the modern close-cropped outfield. Thus the century of 30 years ag> represented cricket that would now score something over 200.

All That Are Left. Of the players who took part iu that trip there are in Auckland to-day only W. F. Buckland, W. Dufaur, and R. j. Yates. The umpire arid scorers who accompanied the team. are. however, still in the city. It is interesting to note that the little steamer Wellington, which carried the tourists from Onehunga to land them at Lyttelton and victory now lies a hulk in the Waitemata harbour. Out of service, and almost forgotten. She lies beached up against the new baths at Shelly Beach. For the Shield. The following fifteen players have been selected to practice iu view of tire match against Wellington at the New Year: Hemus (batting average, 32.25) : Cummings (batting average 83.25, and bowling average, 10.1), Brooke-Smith (41.5) Taylor (29.5 and 18.6). Rev. Hay (24 and 10.5), Rountree (bat. 4), Sommervell (46.8). Olliff (19.75 and 22.6), Anthony (16 and 13.9), Kerr (12.6 and 32). E. Horspool (87.3 and 14.1), Mason (20 and 32.6), Howden (18,75 and 18.6). Sale (93.6) and N. C. Snedden (25.8 and 24). Other players will probably l«e added for practice before t.lte final selection takes place. Auckland’s Week-end. Favoured with real cricket weather, on Saturday, Auckland cricketers concluded the fourth round of the championship district matches with two exciting finislies and a walk-over. Eden’s triumphal march of a win every fortnight, went ahead unchecked, but North Shore fought off a fine effort by Parnell to catch up the score of 253, and Ponsonby pipped Grafton by a run. This leaves the championship points as follows:—Eden 8, North .Shore 4, Ponsonby 4, 'Varsity minus 4, Grafton minus 5. Parnell minus 5. Parnell’s Bad Habit. Once again, on Saturday, Parnell was a man short On the critical occasion. Early in the season they- lost to ’Varsity, when <the eleventh man, who might have saved them was absent, and on Saturday, when they- wanted only 21 runs to get a win against North Shore, Kerr was not on the spot. Facing a score of 253. with Wriglrt eliminated the previous week for 1, Parnell set off blithely on the journey, and things looked promising when Sommervell had dashed off 90, Grenier had added 59, Olliff put in 28. and Anthony and Bennett dotted in 10 each. But towards the close they struck hard going, and despite the assistance and encouragement of the veteran R. B. Lusk, the team’s tail justified its .name, and the last available wicket fell at 233. What would have happened h-.d Kerr been there to partner Lusk can only be conjectured, but it was quite possible that the game might hive been pulled out of tlie fire.’

L. Dacre is proving a very- handy addition to Shore’s bowling strength, ami lie came out with four wickets for 42. Stewart followed up Iris capital batting performance by getting two wickets for 19. Howden got two for 42, and Townshend one for 46; while Archer and Bush bowled without aiteccss.

Shore filled in ’time by knocking tip 50 for two wickets- Coleman 20 (not out), .Stewart 22.

Bowler's Name ! Edeu unearthed a new bowler ngaiii-t ’Varsity on Saturday. They- were getting very- nicely through the halting .fare set them tiy’ the students, when they struck a gristly proposition in the Jacolisen-Viekermaii partnership, iu which the ordinary bowling string could

find so joint. Theo a new bowler was tried, a trundler with the e.sual action and delivery, who got -Home' turn either way on a medium ball, and he not only accounted for Vickerman, but polished off the remaining Fenwick and Dettnian at the expense of 23 runs. The bowler’s name waa Hemus, and he is somewhat famous in the Dominion m a batsman and skipper, but people do net as a rule associate him with performances from the bowling create. Nevertheless, Henins does occasionally get wickets.

The ’Varsity total of 138 consisted of Jacobsen 60, not out, Vickerman 38. laylor 16, the rest 24. L. Taylor got two wickets for 22, Hay two for, 24. Heigh way one for 22. Honevcomb? one for 21.

Eden, in a second strike, lost thrift wickets for 72; Gordon notching 46. not out.

Won by a Wide. Ponsonby had the excitement « u Saturday of defeating Grafton by I run. the last amt fatal single going on to fin score book as the result of a widebowled by Harvey, of Grafton. Grafton had made 216, and Ponsonby look <1 like catching up when I’M) runs wi re notched, with only four wickets down, and N. C. Snedden still going, with Wilson. But when Snedden was dismissed at 138 by a very tine catch, Wil son at 147, and Robinson at 155, things began to look rather serious for Pon sonby. Then Gavin, the skipper, made a desperate attempt to save the situation by desperate hitting and taking all the risks.- He put the runs pn fast, and was favoured by the dropping of an easy catch, the fieldsman having a fierce sun in his face, and when he was eventually caught, at 193, his side was only 24 inns behind, with two wickets to fall. Shepherd and Taylor proved stubborn, the former scoring surely off anything loose, while Taylor played the bowling quiet.v. They reached Grafton’s score, 216, amt then Shepherd was well caught at short leg. McMath, last man, facet! Mason, and played out the over. Taylor faced Harvey, and it was obvious at once that Grafton were fighting for the draw, with their eyes on McMath as their victim, for Harvey began pulling the ball far on the off, where Taylor eould not reach them. Three of the halls went down off the wicket, but with the fourth there was an appeal from the batsmen The umpire signalled a wide, and the match was won. Taylor played the next two balls, and McMath. facing Mason, went to hit the first ball out of the ground. . He missed, and was stumped Grafton 216," Po’ns’onbv 217.

The double figure scores for Ponsonby were: Gavin 40, N. C. Snedden 31, Woods 29, Shepherd 24, Kavanagh, 22, ( , Snedden 22, Wilson 14, and Collhis 12. E. Horspool got three wickets for 28 runs. Mason three for 48, Pratt two for 30, Harvey two for 63, and Mackrell none for 19. Promising Colts. There appears to lie plenty of life m the junior ranks of the several chibs, judging by- the performances this season. Last week, J. Riddell, of Waitemata. played a useful innings of 118, which was marked by a rarity of singles. Included in his total were fifteen-4’s ami six 6’s. On Saturday. Sloman, who was last year given a brief trial in the seni ors, and has so far this season been allowed to stand down in second grade cricket for Grafton, played a slashing innings of 150 not out against Ponsonby. He made three 6’s, five s's, and sevenfee;. 4’s, and on his present form should b* a very useful addition to senior ranks. Cheshire, of the Ponsonby juniors, is an other player who was given a very brief trial higher up, ami has struck form since going back to the lower grade. He knocked up 44 against Grafton B’s, and followed this up on Saturday by a fine bowling performance, on a crum bling wicket that auited him, by getting 11 wickets for 2? rims. Eder A baa host of youthful Trun'vert, one of t Im latest additions being "’ettersall, winput on 73 on Sa;ur<l»; before being run out.