LORD HAWKE'S TEAM.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11483, 16 January 1903, Page 5

LORD HAWKE'S TEAM.

MATCH AGAINST WELLINGTON.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) WELLINGTON, January 15. There could not have been a better day for the match between the Englishmen and the local eleven, for the weather was bright without being hot, and the wicket in capital order. Some 4000 people turned up, and the takings amounted to over £200, so that, with the prospect of a full three days' play, the guarantee ought to be assured. There was some delay at the start owing to the Wellington men deferring the selection of a captain till this aiWiioan, and when the skippers tossed it was seen their choice had fallen on Williams, instead of Richardson, who has capia.ntd them far so many years. It is understood there was some dissatisfaction at bis management of the Canteibury match, which he was blamed for losing, but, if so, it was a mistake to leave the decision till the _ast moment, and his deposition probably unsettled that usually steady bat, for he was out third ball. Williams, however, was fortunate enough to win th. toss, wnioh, as it turned out, meant -a good dtai. The start was discouraging, for though Hickson showed good dei.nce, and seemed quite easy, the wickets l.li rapidly till Tucker joined him. The pair collated Uhe -.owling, and raised the latii oi scoraig from 47 for one hour to lbO lor tine.. iiOuween them tuey put oi) 134 i<iu___, and wbi.e Hicksun never- gave a chance, and only made a couple ot strokes thai were uppish, Tucker got his 86 foamy two d_i--cuit chances. ihe latter quickly caught his companion, and then th.y ran s.oe by side to 100,, after wiiioli liuc-er was more fortunate in yeutniig tutbail through the outfields, and went rapidly aaiead of his pai-tner. He made numerous -l.au and elective drives and outs, many oi which were smartly fielded, and under ordinary cticuinstances would have pu* him easily past h_s 100. When the century was well in view he was smartly taken at the wickets, and a few runs later the same fate befell liick-on. By this time the innings was turned from a very ordinary dispiay into a handsome score, and both men were greeted with loud applause, in which tne visitors joined. Though Tucker came out on top, Hickson's batting really laid the foundation of the innings, and his 73 runs were the optoouie of patience and an upright bat, with sufficient seli-oommand to refrain from taking liberties with good bowLng; in fact, it was just this type that i_s needed to stiffen a side and put them in good heart, and ought, with his innings at Ohrfcichurch, to secure him a p_<ao_ in the _.ew Zealand eleven. Tucker took more risks and hit hairier, and both men may feei proud oi their display against two high-class prote-sional bow.ers, backed by three county truudlers, and excellent fielding. The Englishmen got a little loose at one time, and allowed two or three overthrows, but they were remarkably smart in getting on to the bail, and seldom allowed it to escape them it it came within reach. Late in tne day Burn up got three wickets in lour balls, just m__.t.,ng the "hat trick," but the bowiuig did not strike one as being toy difficult, and some of the men ought to have done better. Wateis and Hai-s, much to tne amusement oi the crowd, couid nut be separated alter tne ninth wicket, and each reached double figures, the lormer by really good batuug, and the latter <by lusty stopping, buruup so tar hats the best analysis.

' A start was hot made ti_l 2.20 o'clock, when the umpires appeared m long white coats, and the Englishmen trooped into the field, followed by irtichardson and Hickson, who opened VV eilington s innings. Hargreave and Thompson bowled at first, aitd the former's third ball hit the ex-skippers off stump. Far both these bowieis it was noticed .nere were seven luen on the off side, and only two on the other. At a later stage there was on.y a solitary sentinel on one side, and sometimes, especially when Thompson and Bur.mp were bowiing, there were three slips, standing almost shoulder to shoulder, ana yet not a man was caught there. C. Gore snowed some promise, and batted steadily with Hickson tor half an hour, but tue runs came very slow.y, mostly m singles. Bosanquet had a turn with slow high twisters, commonly known as "googiers," and off him tiore was caught at square leg. 22—11—2. Williams had very bad luck, for he played his first bad. smartly, and Johnson, failing forward at lull length, took an almost impossible catch. Mahony followed, and showed no want of confidence, hitting out at once, and sending both bowlers to the fence. He jumped out to the slows without fear, and Bumup came on with a change to fast, Whatman standing back from the wicket. At 47, the product of an hour's play, Mahony chopped one into his stumps, and retired with 17. Hoidsworth was eager to score, and after hitting a couple of fours fell to Thompson, half the wickets then being down for 58, of which Hickson claimed 19, mostly in singles. Tucker was the next man, and he, too, began rather eagerly, but after a narrow escape in the s.ips and a hard rap on the leg from Burnup, sobered down, and played himself in as Hickson had done. Uowson, the Surrey lefthander, came to the crease, and bowled three overs, which would have been maidens but for two no-balis. : Tucker jumped at him, and only touched the ball, which zig-zagged between tne wicketkeeper and slips, so he was neither stumped nor caught, as appeared probable. Alter that he gave no more chances, and the score mounted steadily. Tucker lifted a halfvolley from Dowson clean over the ropes by the canvas, and sent the next ball to the boundary, while Hickson got a four with the help of an overthrow. Seventeen were hit in two overs, and the century appeared for an hour and fifty minutes' batting. Hickson set up on impenetrable defence, and refused to hit at any thing dangerous, presenting a straight bat to every form of invidious twister or fast break. Two cuts went rather high, but well over the fieldsmen's heads, and rolled to the fence. With those he reached 50, just ahead of his partner, who secured the ■same total by hitting eight off Thompson, and made tlie score 150. At this point the first bye was recorded, and that wa* through the ball cannoning off Whatman's pads. Tucker began to hit out again, and, the fielding having become less keen, got several nice hits to the boundary. The bowling was changed about every ten minutes, no man sending down more than a few overs in succession, and each of the five employed having a turn at both ei_c_~ Thompson at one time had only two runs made off 36 balls, but could not get one past the bat, and 120 came up for -_c first three hours* play—a great improvement on the earlier stages of the innings Bosanquet came on again, and bowled fast instead of his curly stuff. Tucker cut him for two fours and a brace, but touched the next, and was snapped up at the wickets. 192—6—86. His fine display contained one six and eleven tours, and the partnership had put on 134 in two hours As is generally the case, Hickson d : not stay long after, and having added a" four and a three to v itotal, shared the same fat<_. and retired with a capital innings of three and a quarter hour.! to his credit. 20&—7—73. This total contained 26 singles and only six fours, which weii describes its steady character. Whatman bagged another victim in Upham, with his first ball, and with his fourth bail Burnup bowled "Ste-

phenson. As there were still two balls to go, and Hales has no reputation as a batsman, it was very probable the Kentish man wJould achieve the feat of getting four wickets in one over, but, much to the amusement of the spectators, Hales hit both for two. Waters, who had made some good strokes without effect, hit out, too, in a different style, and between them they knocked up 12 from one over of Bosanquet'e, and went pelting till stumps were drawn with the total at 232 for nine wickets. The last wicket has already put on a useful 22, and atoned in some measure for the collapse after Hickman's dismissal. Following are the scores: — } WELLINGTON. First Inning-. C. Hioksoa, o Whatman, b Burnup ... 73 Richardson, b Hargreave ... •» 2 C. Gore, o Burnup, b Boaanquet ... 11 \V__a-u_i3, c Johnson, b llajrgreave ... 0 Ms-honey, b Burnup ... — I 7 Hoidsworth, b Thomp-on ... ... 9 Tucker, c Whatman, b Bosanquot ... 86 Waters, not out ... ... — IS Upham, o Whatman, b Burnup ... ... 0 Stephenson, b Burnup ... ... 0 Haiea, not out ... •■• — 1| Extras ... ... ... 6 Total for nine wickets ... 2-2