CRICKET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 872, 22 November 1906, Page 12

CRICKET.

A bright sun shining after a week’s rain meant a bowler’s wicket on Saturday, and all round the scoring was low. Eden met City at Kingsland, and, with the aid of Relf, have placed the issue beyond doubt. City won the toss, and of course sent in Eden to bat. Relf and Smith led off very well, getting 34 and 32, but none of the others did very much, and all were out for 125, Magee getting eight wickets for 53. When City went in to bat the wicket had by no means improved, so that Relf and Stemson had a veritable picnic. The Sussex bowler did especially well, his average reading 9 overs, 5 maidens, 5 runs, and 7 wickets. Stemson took three for 12, and City were all out for the pitiful total of 19.

Sent in to bat on a bad wicket Grafton did fairly well to score 132, towards which Mason contributed an invaluable 60. Howden took six wickets for 53. When stumps were drawn North Shore had 94 for six wickets, L. Prime being 38 not out, and he may win the match. If the wicket is as bad next Saturday Grafton should pull it off, but as it is much more likely to be good, a victory for the Shore can be anticipated.

Parnell sent Ponsonby to the wickets on the Domain, and the westerners could only get 89, Gavin (20) and Cumming (18) alone appearing comfortable to the bowling. Oliff took six wickets for 39 runs. Parnell replied with 136 for nine wickets, Stewart making 40 and R. Lusk 27. They appear to have the match safe.

Eden B made 48 and 13 for three against North Shore ll.’s 123 ( Cerutty 53, not out).

Ponsonby 11. made 32 and 14 for six against Parnell ll.’s 104.

The ex-Aucklander R. B. Lusk has put up another big score at Christchurch. Playing for West Christchurch against Riccarton he hit up 161 (not out) in a total of 319.

New South Wales appear to be just as powerful this year as of yore. In the match against Queensland the Northerners were beaten by no less than an innings and 302 runs, C. Gregory making 383 for the winners.

After having a substantial lead on the first innings, South Australia was beaten by Victoria by 70 runs.

The following players have been selected to, practice with a view to playing against the Englishmen on the 14th, 15th, and 17th of December: —L. G. Hemus, E. MacCormick (City); A. Haddon, J. Hussey, L. Prime, A. Howden (North Shore); D. Hay, A. E. Sloman, and R. Mason (Grafton); C. Oliff, E. V. Sale, and Kerr (Parnell); W. Robinson and P. White (Ponsonby); W. Brook-Smith, A. J. Stemson, and A. E. Relf (Eden). The selection so far seems a good one. When the time comes to finally pick the team, I hope Relf will be an absentee, as it is difficult to see how the Sussex man can possibly be considered an Auckland rep. Of course we have a precedent with Phillips and Victoria some seasons back, but it is an example which should not be followed. If we cannot win without getting the English professional to play for us, then it will be better to be beaten.

In his recent great score of 383 against Queensland, C. Gregory hit 53 fours. The innings is the best for a first-class match in Australia, and ranks next to Maclaren’s 424. Clem. Hill’s 365 (not out) for South Australia against N.S.W. in 1900 is third on the list. The highest score obtained in any match is Collins’ 628, made in 1899.

Gregory’s great score emphasises the value of good fielding. He was badly missed when he had made two runs.

The New South Wales total of 763 is the highest ever made against Queensland, though against the other States New South Wales has surpassed it five times, viz., 918 (worlds record for first-class cricket), 839 (record against Tasmania), 807, 805 (record against Victoria), and 775. No other State has yet made 700 runs m an innings.

Tom Hayward is in record-breaking humour this year. He has eclipsed all records for his great charity match at Cambridge in September. Over £6l was collected on the ground, and there were many other donations, but chief interest centred in the bat with which Tom made the four centuries against Notts and Leicester. The total receipts in connection with it, which were £65 18s, is quite easily a record price for a bat. In 1902 the bat of W. G. Grace brought £5O, and that of Victor Trumper £42, the proceeds being devoted to the Cricketers Benevolent Fund Society.