CRICKET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 772, 22 December 1904, Page 21

CRICKET.

On Saturday afternoon the District Cup competitions were continued in the Domain and at North Shore. The wicket was in fairly good order for scoring, but the strong wind made matters rather unpleasant.

Parnell met City, and batting first put together 211 runs. E. V. Dale gave but one chance in a finely compiled 99, and he had hard luck in not reaching the coveted century. N. B. Lusk, 22, was the best of the oth?rs, only four batsmen failing to reach two figures. City opened badly, losing five wickets for 76, of which Gerald Hemus made 33, not out, so that the match should go to Parnell.

Grafton played Ponsonby, and winning the toss went ; to the wickets. The result was that before the last wicket fell 184 was on the board. Towards this C. Hay contributed 38, D. Hill 36, J. A. Kallender 36, S. Jones 27, and A. Sloman. As the first three wickets fell for eight runs, the score must be considered good. Ponsonby have three wickets down for 46, of which Francis made 24, not out.

Batting against Eden, North Shore did better • than usual, putting on 152 runs, A. Haddon 64, J. Hussey 27, and F. McNeill 21, doing best. Their bowling was weak, however, and Eden, after a bad start hit up 158 runs for five wickets, W. B. Smith, 60 not out, and.l. Mifls, 40, being very aggressive.

At Wellington the matches resulted as follows Midland v. Newtown : Midland—First innings, 228. Newtown— First innings, 90 ; second innings, 71. Gas Company v. Austral : Gas Company—First innings, I'B2. Austral — First innings, 108. Gas Company—Second innings, 269 (for six wickets). « « ♦ ♦

At Christchurch, Midland B met United and made 107. United lost one wicket for 138 (Sims, not out, 69, Ollivier, not out, 55). Lancaster Park B ran up 183 against Midland A. Midland lost four wickets for 88.

Lancaster Park A batted against Sydenham, scoring 130. Sydenham lost nine wickets for 89 runs.

The England v. Australian Test matches have been allotted to vhe following grounds : Monday, May 29, Nottingham ; Thursday, June 15, Lord’s ; Monday, July 3, Leeds ; Monday, July 24, Old Trafford, Manchester ; Monday, August 14, Kennington Oval. The play-

ers who appear to be practically certainties are C. Hill, V. Trumpet, M. A. Noble, R. A. Duff, J. J. Kelly, A. J. Hopkins, A. Cotter, and W. W. Armstrong. J. Darling, D. R. A. Gehrs, and N. Claxton (South Australia), S. E. Gregory, C. Gregory, W. P. Howell, J. R. Mackay (New South Wales), C. E. McLeod, F. Laver, F. B. Collins, and P. McAlister (Victoria), together with 11. Carter, E. F. Waddy, and P. M. Newland (wicket-keepers), are seemingly the strongest of the other candidates.

Some of the most extraordinary and sensational cricket ever played in Syuney marked two of the First Grade matches concluded on Saturday (writes “Not-Out”). At North Sydney the local team, declaring at 432 for eight wickets, left Waverley with, the whole afternoon to bat, and the visitors responded with 417 for nine wickets. At Hampden ParkCentral Cumberland declared at 318 for nine wickets, and left Paddington to start batting at 25 minutes, to 4. It seemed hopeless to get the runs in 2 hours 40 minutes, yet Paddington wen with 5 minutes to spare, though the last man was run out immediately after the winning hit was made.

The Australians English tour will commence at the Crystal Palace on May 4, with a match against W. G. Grace’s eleven, and will finish at Hastings on September 11, with a match against the South of England. The team will play two matches against each of the following Surrey, Marylebone, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Scotland, Essex, Gloucester. One match will take place against each of the following . —W. G. Grace’s XI., at Crystal Palace, Nottingham, Oxford, Cambridge, Leicester, Warwick, Hampshire, Derbyshire, Somerset, Sussex, Worcester, Middlesex, Kent, An Eleven of England, C. I. Thornton’s Eleven, Glamorgan, and Wiltshire combined, South of England. The team will also play a match against Northampton if the fifth test match is finished in three days.

In the match between Victoria and Queensland the former scored 572, winning by an innings and 180 runs. Queensland made 280 and 112. For the winners Armstrong put together 200 and Hansford 152.

Frank Laver, the vrell-known Victorian representative cricketer, has been appointed manager of the Australian team for England. As he is a good batsman and bowler he should be of much assistance if any of the regular men are unable to play.

C. J. Burnup, who was out here with Lord Hawke’s team, known to his friends as “Pinkie,” is reported to have forsaken English playing fields. He has settled in Mexico as a doctor.

The Sydney writer, “Not-Out,” has compiled the averages of Victor Trumpet. Clem Hill, M. A. Noble, and R. A. Duff in all first-class cricket, excluding only the matches in South Africa. The figures show that Hill has made over 10,0C0 runts at an average of 43.33. Trumper has made 186'0 runs less, but has a higher average with 44.31 runs per innings. Noble averages 40, and Duff 38. Trumper has been not out in only seven out of 194 innings ; while his club-mate has been not out in 21 out of 199 innings.

A wonderfully exciting finish took place recently in Sydney in a match between Central Cumberland and Paddington. The former declared with nine wickets down fcr 318, Paddington having less than three hours to get the runs. When the last man came in five runs were still wanted, and with five added he was run out. It was immediately found that the scoring books did not agree, that of Paddington showing a 2 runs’ victory, and the • Cumberland book showing a tie. The scoring board differed from both, and showed a Paddington win by 1 run. The Association will have to settle the matter.