CRICKET

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 438, 15 December 1898, Page 8

CRICKET

[By

Stonewaller)

THE CUP MATCHES.

After a lapse of four weeks the Championship matches under the Auckland Cricket Association were resumed on Saturday last, when the competitions in the third draw were completed. Playing against the Auckland Eleven Gordon carried the day by 7 wickets, the principal contributors to the success being Kallender, Seccombe, Lusk, Kissling, and Pabst, others of the Gordon side also running into double figures. The Parnell—North Shore match resulted in an easy win for the former by no less than 74 runs on the first innings, they running up 153 and dispensing of the home team for the poor total of 79. G. Mills was the only member of the Shore team to make a stand, he batting carefully and soundly for 43 Wynyard and Ball (run out), with 10 each, were the only other double figure men \ For Pam 111 Resteaux was in great form with the ball, bio change of pace and good length proving fatal to the Shoreites. Rather a surprise was the severe defeat of the Auckland Fifteen by United. The former on the opening day had put together 169, which was looked upon as a tidy order, but United proved themselves more than equal to the task, scoring the fine total of 237. N. Lusk 57. Labatt 94, D. Hay 40, and Walton 30, were the chief run-getters In the fourth draw, commencing next Saturday; Gordon and Parnell should play a close game, United should dispose of North Shore, and Auckland Fifteen should make matters interesting for the same club’s Eleven.

The latest exchanges from Sydney show that the performances there have been equally as sensational as those of batsmen in Victoria. In the first grade competition Leichardt, with 312, were beaten by North Sydney, 321. For the latter that coming batsman, R. A. Duff, made 95, and his brother,, W. S. Duff, 65. Burwood beat Central Cumberland, the scores being —Burwood, first innings 273, Central Cumberland 233. Waverly beat Glebe, the scores being—Waverly, six wickets for 303 (innings declared closed), Glebe 222. For Waverly Sid Gregory put together 108 and Iredale 63. On the Glebe side another Australian Eleven man, Coningham, piled up 107, showing all bis old Queensland dash. Paddington administered a drubbing to East Sydney, the scores being —Paddington seven wickets for 472, East Sydney 111. For Paddington that good all round man, M. A. Noble, compiled the splendid score of 267 (not out), and yomg Vic Trumper, who promises to develop into the greatest batsman Australia has known, made 113. Redfern beat South Sydney,, the scores being Redfern nine wickets for 368, South Sydney 226.

In New South Wales this season M. A. Noble has the extraordinary average of 242 runs per innings. He has batted five times, three times not out, his aggregate score being 484 runs. R. A. Duff, of North Sydney, has made an aggregate of 438 for five innings, and his average is 87 runs per innings. Next comes our old Australian Eleven friend, Harry Donnan, with 77 runs per innings, L. W. Fye with 57, A. Coningham 54, and V. Trumper 42. In addition to being at the top of the tree in the batting averages, M. A. Noble is at the top in bowling average. His 36 wickets were obtained at a trifle over 8 runs per wicket. It is not often we find such a combination of bowling and batting talent in one man. The one time successful Mchibbin is very low down on the bowling average list this season, but he has not been long in practice. One thing seems to be pretty certain, and that is that Australia will be able to send a powerful batting team to England, and if bioble, Jones, and Trumble maintain their bowling form, the representatives of England will find matters.lively in the five test matches. It is quite evident that the Australian Eleven will have a very busy time of it in England. In addition to the five test matches, most of which will probably terminate in drawn games, two matches each have been arranged with Gloucester

shire, Yorkshire, Lancasuire, Oxford University, Metropolitan Club and Ground. Single matches have been arranged with the Cambridge University and South of England, and we presume that matches will be arranged with the Gentlemen and Players. In Melbourne in the Pennant Cup matches there has been some sensational scoring lately. The M.C.O. playing against Hawksburn ran up 323 for the loss of only three wickets. Bruce made 166 when he was caught. D. Mailer, who is in wonderful form this season, made 91 not out. East Melbourne playing against St. Hilda did even better than the big club, as they ran up 409 for the loss of only two wickets. Of that number, McMichael scored 246 not out, and Laver 126 not out. Coburg made 483 against Brighton all out. The two highest scorers were Dr. Mailer 150 and Baxter 103. It is quite evident that cricket runs in the Mailer family. The will of the late Mr f. D. Walker, a member of the great cricketing family of 25 to 30 years back, has been proved at £195,000 personalty. He left £5OO to be devoted to the futherance of cricket at Harrow School, of which he was captain in his youthful days ; and £lOOO to his old cricket and college comrade, Mr A. J. Webbe. The Walkers are a wealthy brewing family. Among the crowds of pleasure-seekers who lined the Yarra banks at Alphington on Sunday afternoon was a lad of 11, named Davidson, who resides in McKean Street, North Fitzroy. Davidson was running along the water’s edge with some other boys of the same age, when he slipped and fell in the river. He was unable to swim, and, as the river at this spot is extremely deep and treacherous, it might have gone hard with Davidson had it not been for Mr Jack Worrall, the well-known Carlton cricketer, who had seen ■ the accident from the top of the hill. Dashing down the hill at the pace he used to set when he was captain of the Fitzroy Football Team, Mr Worrall dived into the water without divesting himself of any of his clothes and caught the boy just in time. For a powerful swimmer like Mr Worrall it was an easy task to bring the lad ashore, and he was then despatched to his home, little injured by his adventure. Argus.

to me any amount late enough. Only one little unpleasantness occurred, and that was a protest by Mahaki against Rainbow taking first prize, because she was sailed by Mr A. Logan, instead of the owner, without permission from the club, which is an infringement of the rules. At the time of writing this the protest was under consideration, but it will be hard lines if Rainbow is disqualified, as she won so easily, and her owner had the tiller the greater part of the race ; but rules are rules, and they must be obeyed. 1 only hope the club will make this a firm rule; they were rather lax in this particular last season. I have it on good authority that Mr Pittar, when he entered Rainbow, told one of the club’s officials to handicap her with the expectation of Mr Logan (who is a member of the club) sailing her. As is usual in these races, the handicaps were all given at the start. The following are the results : —

Yachts exceeding 25ft 1.w.l. —The course was from flagship, keeping outside Sandspit buoy, round black buoy at Rangitoto Reef, back to mark off Hobson Bay, thence round Dock buoy, finishing at starting line, about ten miles. The i oilowing boats were entered: —Rainbow scr, Ida and Thetis 3min, Lady Wilma smin, Ngaru and Zinita 6min, Rarere, Mahaki, and Mizpah 7min. Rainbow, sailing in splendid style, caught her smaller opponents outside the Heads, and so far as first boat was concerned the race was practically over. The race now resolved itself into a duel between Rarere and Zinita, who rounded the Reef mark together. F.rst one and then the other was leading, and at the Hobson Bay mark Rarere only led by about a length. Zinita, however, was smartest in the turn, and getting windward position, had Rarere at her mercy, winning second money by about a minute, after one of the best struggles ever seen in the harbour. This was a different result to the race for the Bloomfield Cup, whea Zinita beat Rarere by over ten minutes, and goes to prove what good handling and the boat in proper trim will do. Considering Lady Wilma was only carrying yawl rig and staysail she did well, but looked more like a Sunday-school picnic boat thin a racer. The times at the finish were: —Rainbow, 4hr stmn ; Zinita, 4hr9min 3sec ; Rarere, 4hr lOmin; Lady