CRICKET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 812, 28 September 1905, Page 13

CRICKET.

The following are the averages of the Australians during the tour just completed in England: — First Class. Batting. * Not out. Armstrong’s average is record, and so is his 303 not out.

The following have also bowled: —C. Hill, two for 16; D. R. A. Gehrs. one for 33; V. T. Trumper, none for 4; J. J. Kelly, none for 7; J. Darling, none for 12; S. E. Gregory, none for 47.

In his retrospect of the four test games, a writer in London “ Daily Chronicle” is terribly. rough on Cotter. He thus delivers himself:—“Apart altogether from the course of events, there can be no question of the decline of Australian cricket. If they had no better fast bowler than Cotter, that furnishes no justification for his inclusion, for it is plain truth to say that he is the worst fast bowler who has ever participated in *-est match cricket. This is not the wisdom that comes of results, for I predicted the failure on the first day of the Australian tour. The Australians required to be very strong to afford passenger reserves ”uch as Cotter, Newland, and Gehrs. I have omitted reference to Howell, because his exclusion from the s>‘de in recent matches baffles explanation. Summing up the matter, this scathing critic softens the reproach with this final reservation:—“But when the comparative mediocrity of the Australians is admitted, there remains the conclusion that the team have had to fio-ht under the most disheartening conditions, and the general misfortune is typified in that brief eighty minutes’ writhe in the death agony at Old Trafford”—the fourth test. Now that Cotter has bagged his 120 wickets for 20.38 runs apiece—good business in a season of heavy scoring—he h s the laugh on bi f ide.

A London pap >r is responsible for the following:—"With the object of encouraging vigorous cricket, the vicar of Sturminster, Marshall, Dorset, has offered 2s 6d to the member of the club who in a match break's any of the vicarage windows.

S. P. Jones lias again been appointed coach to the Auckland Grammar School. Last season his tuition bore splendid fruit, and this year the school is expected to do even better.

The second annual meeting of the Parnell District Cricket Club was held in the Parnell District Football Club’s shed on Friday. Mr. F. J. Ohlson presided. The annual report stated that the club in last year’s championship matches had carried off the championships in the first and second grades. In the first grade team F. R. Mason headed the batting average with 38.27. The honours in bowling went to W. C. Oliff with an average of 9.14. In the representative matches against the Australian eleven, Hawke’s Bay, and Taranaki, five of the club’s members were selected to play, viz., F. R. Mason, C. Oliff, E. V. Sale, N. B. Lusk, and F. S. Murray. F. R. Mason was also chosen to play in the New Zealand team against the Australian eleven. The receipts during the year amounted to £7O 13s 3d and the expenditure to £64 0s 2d, leaving a balance of £6 13» Id in hand. The election of officers resulted as follows:—Patron, the Hon. E. Mitchelson; president, Mr. J. Fitt; vicepresidents, Messrs. F. Earl, J. C. Colbeck, and R. J. Yates; secretary, Mr. W. J. Dinnison; treasurer, Mr. W. McMurray; committee, Messrs. F. S. Murray, F. J. Ohlson, P. R. Fraser, R. B. Lusk, E. V. Sale, C. Oliff, and A. Fairburn ; delegates to the association, Messrs. F. J. Ohlson, P. R. Fraser, and R. B. Lusk; auditors, Messrs. P. R. Fraser, and E. J. Greville.

The back of the cover of the book “ Cricket on the Brain” is taken up with the sketch of a “ field arranged for Cotter’s bowling,” in which there are five stretchers, two hospitals, two ambulance stations, one special stand “ reserved for surgical and* medical students,” one “ private nursing home for gentlemen (players not admitted),” one pavilion dispensary, and Cotter himself.

Name. J nu. N.O . M .s. Total. Avge. Armstrong ... 45 7 303* 1902 50.05 Noble 46 2 267 2053 46.66 Darling 51 7 117* 1693 38.47 Hill 48 3 181 1722 38.26 Trumper 47 1 110 1667 36.24 Duff 44 0 146 1341 30.47 Hopkins 39 5 154 996 29.29 Gregory 29 3 134 648 24.92 Gehrs 30 4 83 510 19.61 Cotter 40 3 48 677 18.29 Kelly 30 11 74* 340 17.89 McLeod 40 5 76 593 16.94 Laver 35 6 78 440 15.17 Newland 13 6 25* 67 9.57 Howell 27 8 46 179 9.42 Bowling. Name. WktS. R tins. Ax g'e.' F. Laver 115 2102 18.27 W. W. Armstrong. 122 2231 18.28 W. P. Howell 63 1257 19.95 A. Cotter 119 2429 20.41 C. E. McLeod 78 1807 23.16 M. A. Noble 55 1464 26.61 A. J. Hopkins 23 784 34.08 R. A. Duff ... 9 314 34.88 The following have also bowled: — -V. T. Trumper, none for 4: J. Darling none for 10; S. E. Gregory, none for 12: D. R. A. Gehrs, nont for 12 C. Hill, none for 16. All Matches. Batting. Name. Inn. I sr.o U.S. Tot a 1. Avge. Armstrong ... 48 ■7 303* 2002 48.82 Noble 49 2 267 2093 44.53 Darling 53 8 117* 1765 39.22 Hill 51 3 181 1846 38.45 Trumper 51 1 110 1798 35.96 Hopkins 42 5 154 1094 29.56 Duff 49 0 146 1417 28.91 Gregory 31 3 134 717 25.60 Gehrs ... 35 4 83 675 21.77 McLeod 43 6 103* 718 19.40 Kelly 35 12 74* 411 17.87 Cotter 45 3 48 744 17.71 Laver 37 6 78 480 15.48 Newland 18 8 25* 121 12.10 Howell 31 9 46 197 8.95 * Not out. Armstrong’s average is a record. Bowlin s. Name. Wkts. Rims. Avge. W. W. Armstrong. . 130 2298 17.67 r. Laver . 115 2102 18.27 W. P. Howell 80 1527 19.08 A. Cotter . 124 2460 19.83 C. E. McLeod 91 2004 22.02 M. A. Noble 59 1558 26.40 R. A. Duff ... 12 328 27.33 A. J. Hopkins 26 823 31.65