CRICKET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 827, 11 January 1906, Page 12

CRICKET.

(By

“Yorker.”)

OTAGO MATCH. (From My Own Correspondent with the Team.) When the game was resumed on January 2nd Auckland, who had one wicket down for 144, failed to take advantage of the fine start made by Lusk, Hemus, and Haddon. Admitting that our opponents’ bowl ng was very much better than on the first day, still our nine wickets ought to have put on more than 71 runs. Haddon gave a chance in the slips, which was refused. Hemus got in one of his late cuts for four, but he was then taken by the wicketkeeper off Torrance, and Hay, who fol.owed, was easily caught jn the slips off the same bowler. Smith just broke his duck when Haddon missed a good one from Downes. Smith hit the same bowler for four and was then clean bowled. Jones ran himself out, and Cliff gave Wilson at leg a very easy one. Stemson was caught ua the slips, and Hussey sk'ed one from Downes. Eliott and Schmoll in added 23 for the last wicket, made the best stand of the morning. „ Eventually Elliott gave Siedeberg a chance, which was missed, but the fie dsman recovered himself sharply and ran Elliott out, and we had finished w'th 215, or 64 to the bad. Baker and Siedeberg made a good beginning for the Southerners, (the former batting with some of his old vigour. He hit a beaut ful five off Stemson and several fours. Oliff, Stemson, Elliott, Hay, and Hussey were all tried, but it was not until 70 showed that Baker was run out for 38. Graham started to steal runs immediately, and runs still came freely ’n spite of more changes. Graham was not getting any of his late cuts, and got out attempting this stroke off Hussey, and a few runs later S edeberg was taken in the slips off this same bowler. Hs 46 were well made all round the wicket. Adams only made two, and Austin should also have gone cheap, Hussey letting one past in the slips. Wilson, the Otago captain, was again go’ng freely, but when 15 he put one very close to Hay at leg, but the .Graftonite did not get to it. Haddon and Smith were tried, and the latter shou d have had Austin, but Oliff missed the chance. Rain stopped play for a t’me. Wth one run added Hussey bowled Austin. Hussey and Smith were both handling the wet ball well, and kept runs down. Wilson should have been run out, but Schmoll failed to take off the bails when the Otago skipper was well out. The fieldsmen had their reward by getting Howden run out almost mmemediately after. Wilson hit two fours off successive leg bal s from Stemson, and then the third man (Williams) was run out by abr lliant return’ from Smith. The latter bowled Downes and Moore for ducks, and Torrance, the left-hand bowler, appeared, and our first innings score was caught by boundary to leg. Wilson hit Stemson on to the fence for five. The bowler should have got Torrance, but Hay could not hold a slovenly dropping leg hit. The Auckland skipper went on at 230 and clean bowled Wilson, whose 58 were not nearly so well made as his first innings score. Three hundred and three was a big lot to face, but we had great hopes of the batsmen who had failed in the first innings. The same two opened, and at six Lusk should have come back to the pavilion, but Torrance m'ssed the chance" in the slips, and forcing the pace 23 were got before time. Ra n fell during the night, but it probab 1 y made the w'cket a little easier, but our hopes of some others striking form

w_as not realised, practically the same three making all the runs. The two not outs started quietly, but at 34 Lusk ran himself out. Jones and Elliott were yorked by Torrance w th successive balls, andHaddon joining the City captain a usefu. partnership followed. Hemus, who had played fine cricket, and aga'n back-cut beautifully, was caught off a snick from one of Torrance’s with the board showing 103, of which he had got 43, including four fours. Another collapse followed. Hay went right out to one of Graham’s, missed and was stumped. 01’ff was out, spooning one to short leg, as in the first innings. Haddon continued to score, including a five off Downes, who was not taken off until 45 runs were knocked off him. Haddon should have been caught by Downes at po nt when 36, but Grange, a man who does not miss much, dropped the ball. Haddon was not appreciating Graham’s slows, despite the fact of h tting one out the ground for five. Smith stayed with the North Shore man untl lunch, when the score was 136 for six wickets. Haddon did not get going again, and played Graham into mid-on’s hands. His 64 were very sol’dly made. Stemson spooned one up towards short leg, and the wicketkeeper running after it secured the oajtch. Hussey played Downes on without scoring. Schmoil got a couple of singles and Smith a four, and then Downes bowled the City man, and Otago had won by 149 runs. The Southerners’ bowl’ng was dec dedly better than ours, and their baltting inferior, although on both sides the runs were made by three men. In the field Auckland was, perhaps, a little cleaner than (their opponents. All who saw the 140 runs made on the first day speak of it as be ng the best batting seen in Dunedin. This is no doubt high praise, but the runs were cer’ta nly finely made. Nell, who is with the team, has been troubled by his old complaint, asthma, otherwise he would have played at Wanganui and Dunedin. S. P. Jones ’s also far from well, but it was hoped he would have been well before our m&n met Canterbury. Unfortunately Hay has failed to reproduce the "fine form shown by h-m when with our last touring team. On that occasion he was almost the only one to score consistently, and finished up wuth a total of near y 300 and an average of 41. The fight put up againt the Dunedintes is an improvement on the 1901 performance, when we were beaten by an inn ngs and 53. Otago 224 and Auckland all out twice over for 171, of which W. Mills got 42, not out, in the second , ; nnings by fearless hitting. THE MATCH AGAINST CANTERBURY. Our correspondent with the Auckland touring team wires as follows: Canterbury won the toss. The wicket and outfield was fairly slow, owing to the rain on Friday n ght. The match was played on a Bulli soil wicket for the first time, and was satisfactory on the whole, but the balls at times kept very low. Auckland scored 197 for seven wickets, and of th’s Hemus made 83. He batted almost throughout the afternoon, and p’ayed very careful cricket- He watched the ball well, but scored very slowly. The Canterbury bowlers kept a good length, and runs came very slowly, except for a" short time while Oliff was in. Olif succumbed to a shooter when he appeared to be well set. Brook-Smith made 35, and he put in some good drives, but it was a rather patchy performance Hav was out to one of Bennett’s wh? *h scarcely left the ground. Lusk Hattert n cely for 19, being caught and bowled

by Bennett. The not outs on the day were Hussey (14) and Stemson (16). Owing to the weakness of the b-jwb’ng in the Otago match McNeill is playing in Schmo I’s place, Elliott keeping the wickets. The match was cotftnued on Monday, and the rest of the batsmen doing little the innings closed for 208. Bennett did best with the ball, getting four wickets for 46 runs. The batt ng of the Canterbury men was consistent, Sims being the only one who failed to reach double figures. Whitta top-scored with 62, made by attractive cricket, wh le even pay was shown by Orchard (29), Patrick (28), Anthony (26), Boxshall(22), and Fisher (20, not out). Auckland’s second innings was not a brilliant exhibition, and 'f Haddon had not come to the rescue with some timely hitting the score would have been small. When stumps were drawn eight w ckets were down for 142, of which the North Shore player had made 64 (not out). The championships were resumed on Saturday in miserab'e weather. Though fine when play was started a drizzle very soon set in which gradually got heavier, unt'l it stopped play at 4.30 p.m. When the players took the field again at 5.30 p.m. conditions were most unpleasant, both ball and ground being s ippery in the extreme. At the North Shore ground things were worse, and only a few overs were bowled, Ponsonby not losing a wicket before play was abandoned for the day. * * Parnell and Eden met in front of the stand, both w ; th teams much below full strength. Eden have four men with the reps, and Parne 1 ! only one, but Philson, Stewart, and Breeze being also absentees from the latter’s team matters were about equal. Murray won the toss, and Lusk and Robinson faced Roddis and Fewster. Twenty runs were quickly added, when Roddis bowled Robinson and then Fewster got on the job w ; th his b’g leg breaks and quickly accounted for the most dangerous batsmen—Barry and Murray, clean bowed. Sale and Bowden were nicely stumped by Hayward, and R. Lusk caught in the long field by Robinson after making 29. Fairburn then began to play well, and Freeman, another slow bowler, went on, and with his first two balls got Rowles and Cromwell: 77 for e ; ght wickets, and only two juniors to help Fairburn looked bad for Parnell. However, Greville (22) and J. Sale (12) both did well, and 50 runs were added. Fairburn played an exceedingly useful innings for 33. • • • • Fewster five for 39. J. Mills two for 10, and Freeman two for 9, bowled best. « • • • Eden have 18 for no wickets.

The Grafton captain changed the order of go ng in, and Forster and Kallender made a good start against City, both batting conndently until R. Magee got one among Forster’s Sticks, and soon after followed suite with Kallendar, their scores being 25 and 28. WilFamson went first ball. Sloman was bowled off his pads after making five, and then Clayton and Spence got going and added 50. The Grafton skipper seems to have Struck form, and shaped splendidly untT caught in the slips off a m’s-hit when 25. O. Hay joined Spence, and again 50 were added. Fryer, who was bowling wonderfully steadily with the wet ball, at last goit Spence to spoon one up to midwicket. His 60 were well made, mostly by n : ce drives and leg strokes, with an occasional beautiful square cut. Hill followed and played out time. With 196 for six wickets, Grafton are in a good position, as w : thout Hemus, Neill and Schmol City’s batting is not strong. R. Magee, who got three for 60, and Fryer two for 49, both bowled well. BarrBrown failed to get a wicket. • • * w S. Magee, who also bowled, has got a very doubtful act: on, to put it mildly. * * ♦ . * . Ponsonby have 20 for no w : ckets, Woods and Cummings being the not outs. * * 4 « Owing to the absence of Hemus and El iott. E. C. Beale and Evan MacCormick were given charge of their teams. The former has had plenty of experience and handled his men well, but MacCormick should have tr’ed Renwick or bowled himself. It was so difficult for the batsmen to keep their feet that leg breaks were difficult to negotiate. • ' * • • I don’t think Parnellites appreciate Fairburn suffic’ently. He has helped them in many difficulties, and never more so than on Saturday. ♦.» • 1 • It is not the first time Sale has been beaten by a good pitched leg break on the off stump. He is very apt to miss them wh'le out of his ground. • • * • All cricket enthusiasts were p’eased to see Ike Mills assisting his club again. Y. B. Lusk, the youngest of the family, rattled up 102, out of a total of 157, for Eden 11. Club against the same club’s A team, who .have lost s ; x wickets for 61. Eden A are ahead in the second grade, but look like being beaten this time. • • • « The West Indians are due to arrive in England in June. The tour opens on June 11, and will conclude probably on August 16.

The balance-sheet of test matches in England last year shows that the gate rece pts amounted to £5966 4s, of which £llO5 Ils 3d was paid to the Australians. The sum of £l6lB was taken at Is admission, and £2677 3s at 6d. On the payments side players’ wages took £1322 ss, and hotel and travel!-ng expenses of amateurs in the first and second teams £BB4 10s lOd. Wages and salaries amounted to £2339 19s 6d. On the season’s working there is the handsome balance of £2384 7s Id. It is understood that the first-class counties will benefit to the extent of £3OO each, while the minor counties will each receive about £62. « • • « Five test matches have been arranged between South Africa and the M.C.C. team, three of which will be played at Johannesburg and two at Capetown. Six days will be allowed for the final match at Johannesburg, and five days for the second match at Capetown. « « « • In responding to the toast of Yorkshire County cr : cket, at the annual dinner of the Yorkshire Cricket Club, the Hon. F. S. Jackson in the course of his remarks said that a short t me ago there was a kind of feeling throughout the country, he believed, that we had somehow lost our supremacy at cricket, so far as Australian matches were concerned, and there were several books written about it. Many gentlemen wrote to show how they should recover what somebody had been pleased to call “the ashes.” He had had it brought home pretty forcibly during this winter that if they had to recover “the ashes_,” he did not know what on earth the footba 1 ! teams would have to do with the New Zealanders. There was plenty of opportunity for gentlemen on this side to write books as to how we might recover the football “ ashes.” Speaking of the embarrassments which the captain of an Engk'sh eleven had, Mr. Jackson proceeded: I shall never forget that shortly after I had been asked to, and had accepted the position of capta’n, I received at least a dozen letters. each enclosing a small coin. It was very wrong, but each of them told me exactly how I could win the toss. It is very curious th’ng, but in the excitement of the moment I forgot all about those coips—I am afraid I put them ’n my pocket and snent them. At any rate, I did not toss with any of them, although I had most excited letters from each of the genFemen who sent the coins telling me that they knew exactly what I should do when I tossed w’th them. Amongst other difficulties of an English captain, Jackson mentioned that he received applications from hundreds of people asking for inclus’on in the English team. He also actually received appHcation from two celebrated cricketers thinking that they ought to play themselves.

The inter-club matches, which were to be continued on Saturday, have been postponed until March 10th, owing to the limited time for the play in the Auckland championships, the finals of which are to be played on January 29th. • • • • I hear news of a club being started in Ellerslie, and wish it every success. Miss Williams, of Chr’stchurch, is likely to be a competitor in the Ladies’ Singles. * » * ♦ The Devonport Club now has its new pay lion well under way, and it should be completed in a few weeks. The pavilion, which ’s costing about £7O, will be thoroughly up to date and well fitted up, and will fill a long-felt want on the Devonport lawn. • « « * The tournament commenced a fortnight ago, but owing to the holidays not many matches have been played as yet. The entries are very satisfactory, and un-’er the skilful handicapp'ng of Messrs. T. B. Howarth and C. H. Young many donfinishes are anticipated. The following are the results up to date: — Men’s Handicap Singles: H. W. Cooke beat E. Hall, 6—3, 5—6, 6—o; S. H. Mack beat H. R. Cooke, 6—4, 5—6, 6—2; S. H. Macky beat H. C. Rishworth, 6— 2, 3—6, &—4. * * * # The match between Cooke and Hall promised to be a good struggle, but Hall collapsed unaccountably ; n the last set. S. H. Macky is in splendid form, and disposed of Cooke and Rishworth in fine style. He should be very near the winner at the filnish. » * * « Ladies’ Handicap S'ngles: Miss Mason beat Miss E. Alison, two sets to one. Devonport are osing H. W. Rishworth,. who is leaving for Masterton on Friday to commence practice there as a dentist. All tennis players will join with me m wishing him every success in h’s new enterprise. ♦ « « • His loss should be somewhat counteracted by the acquisition of Foster, late of West End, who is a very pretty player, possessing some brilliant strokes. He is rather out of form at present, but should be heard of late in the season. Devonport will be represented in both ladies’ singles and doubles in the Auckland championship by Mrs. Cooper and Miss Harvey. ,