CRICKET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 885, 21 February 1907, Page 11

CRICKET.

A WORLD-FAMOUS BATSMAN. During the week a great match has been played in Sydney between the New South Wales Eleven and the Rest of Australia. It was for the benefit of S. E. Gregory, one of the most famous cricketers who ever fielded a ball. The name of Gregory has long been identified with Australian cricket (says the “Town and Country Journal.”) Syd. Gregory’s father and three uncles were great players many years ago. His uncle Dave captained the first Australian team in England in 1878. Syd. himself has been identified with N.S.W. cricket for close on 20 years, although he was only born in 1870. Were he in another State, he would certainly still find a place in the Sheffield Shield or first-class contests. He is this season batting as well as ever, and fielding in excellent style; and yet he cannot secure inclusion in the N.S.W. team. His name has always been before the public. Some times discussions have taken place regarding his selection, but in nearly every instance he silenced the pavilion critics by making a big score, and often at a time when his side was in need of runs. As an example, one can quote the last test match played at Adelaide. In the second innings, the Australians were in which was regarded as a losing position, but Syd. Gregory made 112 out of a .total of 351, and in the end his side won by 216. runs. He owed his selection in the Australian Eleven on that occasion to fine fielding, and a score of 152 against South Australia on the same ground a few weeks before. But for that 152 Syd. would have probably been left out of the Australian side, because there was a general expression of opinion against his being in the New South Wales team. Business worries have beyond all doubt affected Gregory’s form on more than one occasion. He seemed doomed, and there are few who would have done as well as “the midget” under similar circumstances. During one trip to England he was playing at his very best in the earlier matches. Then quite suddenly there was a tremendous falling off in his scoring. To only a few was the cause known. It was a big loss in his business through no fault of his own except over-confidence. Gregory has had, in the opinion of some, many of the rich plums in Australian cricket, but those “behind the scenes” know that the game has cost him dear. Gregory first played as a junior on Moore Park, and it was his magnificent fielding that attracted attention. In fact it was his work in the field that gained for him his first trip to England. That was in 1890. His form as a batsman was not much, 60 innings (15 not out) being only worth 568 runs. He was, however, regarded as being one of the best coverpoints—in fact many critics, among them that great one, C. B. Fry, are of opinion that he has no superior in that position. Three years later Gregory was again in England, and this time he did better as a batsman, securing an average of 23.45 for 55 innings (4 not out). It was, however, in the following year that he placed his name on the list of Australia’s great batsmen. Playing in the first test match at Sydney against Stoddart’s first team, Gregory scored 201 in 204 minutes, and so delighted were the spectators that a collection was made in the pavilion, and over £lOO received for the batsman. The score was the highest made in matches between England and Australia, and it was not beaten until R. E. Foster got his 287 at Sydney in December, 1903, or exactly nine years later. Gregory, however, holds one record that may never be beaten. It is the number of times he has played for Australia again England, and the innings he has had. The figures are 41 and 73 respectively. Altogether Gregory has been six times to England, where his most successful season was in 1896. His - average was then 31.82, the highest of the tour, for 48 innings (2 not out), while in that year he also made his highest score on English wickets — 154. On Australian wickets Gregory has been more successful. For New South Wales against Victoria he has played 47 innings (2 not out) for 1383 runs, or an average of 30.73, and against South Australia 30 innings (2 not out), for 1508 runs, or an average of 44.35. He has, therefore, since he first played for New South Wales in

inter-State games with South Australia and Victoria, got the excellent average of 36 runs per innings. Those figures only deal with the runs Gregory made with the bat. His work in the field was worth hundreds more to his side, for batsmen were afraid to go for any smart runs when the ball went in the direction of Gregory, and often did not go when they could have scored one. They knew the ability of the fieldsman, and thought it was better to be sure than sorry.

When. North Shore put together 286 for seven wickets it was generally regarded as a bad lookout for Eden. On the resumption of the match on Saturday the .seasiders declared and Eden led off with Brook-Smith and Relf. An excellent start was made, 129 runs being on the board before a separation was brought about. Relf was out after a steady innings of 57, and Smith (55) soon followed. G. Mills stonewalled in the hope of a draw, making 32, while chiefly through bad wicket-keeping by Dacre, extras amounted to 38. The last wicket fell with but five minutes left for play, the total then being 227. North Shore thus won by 59 runs.

Grafton secured a three-point win over Ponsonby. The latter made 90, Grafton responding with 203 (Mason 64, Clayton 41, Hay 30). Going in a second time Ponsonby could only manage 126 (Woods 32, Braithwaite 27). This left Grafton with but 14 runs to get, Hay and Mason soon knocking them off.

To Parnell’s previous total of 150 City could only reply with 103, of which Dr. Neil made 52 not out. Parnell then batted again, and having lost five wickets for 60, closed their innings. City’s effort to get the runs was only feeble, Archer 29 and MacCormick 20 being the only two-figure scorers. The innings realised 72, and Parnell thus won by 35 runs.

Grafton 11. beat North Shore by 222 and 118 for three wickets to 123. The winners have not so far been defeated this season.

The partnership of 188 made by E. T. Harper and W. A. Humphreys for Riccarton against Linwood in the recent match must be a record for New Zealand for the ninth wicket, but it has been at least twice beaten for other wickets. On January 28th and February 4th G. Marshall (252 not out) and H. C. Wilson (200), scored 360, while together for the fifth wicket for Napier United A v. Napier United B, and in January, 1894, L. A.

Cuff (176) and J. D. Lawrence (167) scored 306 for the first wicket for Canterbury v. Auckland at Lancaster Park. The best stand on record for the last wicket in a first-class match is 230 by R. W. Nicholls (154) and Roche (74) for Middlesex against Kent at Lord’s in 1899. On August Sth, 1895, for Dr. Daniel’s eleven v. West Ham Wanderers, Dr. Daniel (180), and Dr. Hamilton (101) added 337 for the last wicket without either being out, and winning the match for their side.

The following is taken from the Melbourne “ Argus” (11-2-1907) : — “In a junior competition match, Pembroke v. Royal Oak, on Saturday, E. Castlehow made 51 not out. In one over he hit the six balls over the fence for 6 each time, and facing the same bowler in his next over, hit the first hall over the fence into a train passing on its way to St. Kilda. This probably constitutes a world’s record.”

J. J. Lyons is credited with having hit five 6’s in one over. Last season, in a match at the Redfern Oval, V. Trumper and E. Jansen hit five balls out of the ground and the other to the fence, but at that time only five runs were allowed for hits over the fence; now six are allowed.