THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 32, 7 February 1905, Page 3

THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE PLAYERS.

The Australian Eleven <p-nt to-day t i-n<r over the sights of the thermal *JsetThey put up at the Geyser fllf Vakarewarewa. on arrival last H .' theu- visit beincr under the "?*& of Co -k's Agency. Although lili a work of * m ■ , ,i,,,rifc. rh, play of £, antes no *.«* may be interesting to rte nninitiated. „., v i'«.n rv (V.S.W.i. the veteran , i, n.nr.'-entJ.-d Australia .■ „,.,,.- ; .-.r- tour* having made his tfiriTtM** He is 34 fi /,«. -ird -o i celebrated Stfng V' k. H* V,th,.r and three >L lrivir< T been all fine players in the SSJi & is of Lilliputian build, but ;= a reliable run-.zetter on all cla-.*. s of Octets. He is .1 good late cutter. uses his feet we!! in jumping out to drive, .„A U clever at pulling and hooking. g e ;„ a splendid field, equally at cover m ir.t gathering in and returning the C Hte a flash. Associated with a bat w ho understands his game, he is -bout f t-~ s <?st ''run stealer" in cricket. It is argued by some that he is past his best and cc tainiy he has done nothing verT rema kabb with the bat this season but he watches the bill well, and on s l o w wickets, such as are frequent in England, he is always likely to come off when others fail.

J J. Kelly 1N.5.W.1 is tlie "father" of the team, being in his "Sth year. He is the wicketkeeper of the eleven, and can stand any amount of hard work, the second string beins very seldom required. While not so brilliant as Blaekham. he is very sure, and few indeed are the catches that he has misled. While Kellv is not so quick as Blaekham or Jarvis at stumping, a man who leaves Hs jrround and misses the ball has gen-e>-aflv to retire. His hatting is of the slogging order, and while it could not be described as correct cricket, it has often helped to save hi? side. h>Hy is never, in cricket parlance, out before he is in. and no matter how the rest of the side fail, his pluck and nervs are unaffected.

V. Trumper (N.£.W.) is Trtrmppr. and auythins mere is scarcely necessary. For brilliancy as a bat he stands in a class by himself, and the facility with which he plays all sorts and conditions at" bowling is remarkable. His timing and placing are aliku wonderful, and he sends the ball skimming just over the heads or out of reach of the field with wonderful ease. Practically everything bowled on his legs goes to the boundary. Trumper being especially strong on the leir side. Last tour English cricketers were unanimous in proclaiming him as the finest bat in world, but some Australian writers hold that the present trip will prove that he had not reached the zenith of his powers in 1002. He is 27 years of age.

Clem Hill iS.A.) was until Truruper's star rose the iinest bat in Australia. A left-hander, he has been playing in bigcriekeC since he was eighteen, his finest trip to England being in IS9VI. His favourite stroke is tbe hook, but he is also a hard driver and a skilful cutter. He is cool and plucky, and while he i-5 at the wicket? matters are always interesting to the spectators, for he makes runs rapidly and hits hard ail round.

M. A Noble OT.S.W. I. cantain of the team, is an attractive bat and a very successful bowler, besides being a firstclass field. He is undoubtedly the best all-round man of the present combination, but his bowliug on the tour will probably be affected a. little by his strained knee, w'-ih may prevent his being used as often as he otherwise wonlt'. AuC"r.ling to Sydney critics, he has ..ever shown more attractive cricket tl'in in his 65 and 112 in the New South Wales-Victoria match completed last Wednesday. He was the first to cultivate swerve bowling to -my extent, and marked success has followed his bowling. He is :J1 years of aire.

W. P. Howell i N'.S.VV.'i was originally lookeil upon as a bat. but his reputation was made with the ball, although he has done some fine hitting- this season —better than tor years past, tie is a mighty smiter. and when he stays at the wick<*ts runs inevitably come pretty rapidly. He is a. fast medium-length bowler, can torn the bail a little both vvavs. and is always puzzhnir. lie i- ".-> -. Wrs of a?-, and is a man of Line i/uv^iijue. C. E. MeLeod i Vi< tnria i i> a ijood allround man. Originally .. bowler, he later came out as a i-ai.-ruau. but during flic past couple of atra-ens IjoU'liatr ha* again been his fi rtc. tho-ieh '■<■•• -=tiil retains much jf -..., batting .-kill. He bowls with .rood and kens i |mc length, using ] a , head well in finding out the batsmarr's weak !i • 13 3.3 years of age, and cotiu-s ut a fine cricketing ian.ilv. R. A. Duff .'.V.S.W.j is one of the finest hitters in the team. He has a fine variety 0 f strokes, and is a rarhand at punishing anything loose. A smart ground field and" a safe catch. He is in hi s 27th year. A. J. Hopkins i X.S.W. j is a tine allround man. and is at present in the top oi hia form. A stylish bat with some very effective strokes, he is always a oiiflcult man to get out. Hopkins is'also a good howler, keeping a good length and ore-akin- enough to beat a batsman who does not watch him carefully. He 13 nc-,v 28

W. Y\. Armstrong f Victoria) is a I capital bat and a useful bow-' n hinings of -210 asrainst Queensland this year was one of' the most brilliant played in Victoria. He is * '-lean hitter, and keens the ball down splendidly. Armstrong is one of the youngest members of the team, being- 25 years of age. fi : R : A - Cehrs iS.A.) is making his r f tn P Home. He is a line bat. being a hm h itter and a skilful placer. He 13 a very sure field, and as he watches ac ball carefully should give a good account of himself on English wicket,. A. Cotter, the "baby" of the team, is of th 22nd year ' He is tbe fast bowler the team, and has been vevv successUU this season, while he also o-ave a account of himself against Warner's IT 1 * 7ear ' Hi * fastpst deliver- is Wif f^ 0 ' but when he bowls a good Dla" 1 " 6 is a very difficult man to

The remaining members of ,the team. Darling and Newhmd, will hot play at Auckland Ncwiand, Cotter an d P Grfirs ■ are the only men who have not previously played on English wickets Frank I Layer the manager, will be available for | play ,i required. He is a bat of somej what unorthodox style, but is very effective using- his reach to mow froodj length balls- over the boundary. He is a useful change bowler and a safe field THE WELLINGTON TEAM. | (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) . WELLINGTON, Monday. j The committee of the Wellington ; Ciicket Association recently decided to play the Australians "on equal terms. This decision did not meet with the approval of members of the Association, and to-night a meeting was held to ccn- . sidfr the matter. It was decided to recommend the committee to reconsider its decision and to play 1.3 men.