Cricket.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 9, 5 October 1907, Page 10

Cricket.

(By Breaker.)

Cobcroft, .late, of Phoenix club, is said to bo coaching the Petone team. Tho suburbanites will probably place a strong eleven in tho field to battle for the senior championship. The Phoenix team is likely to secure the services of Earle, a Yorkshireman, said to be a good left-hand Uwlor. Patrick, of Christohurch, who, it was stated, was going to play for Midland, will, it is understood, be found ■ in tho Petono ranks. B. L. Salmon, who could not stand for the position of secretary of the Cricket. Association for the ensuing season, left office amidst tho sincere regret of followers of tho game. Mr. Salmon is a rare enthusiast, but his services will not he lost altogether, as he has gained a, seat on the committee. '' . ■ According to the ' "Otago Daily Times," tho local' Cricket Association has its eye on school cricket. At a recont meeting a member introduced tho subject, animadverting on tho lamentablo want, of organisation and direction shown in this connection last year. '■ The blame was attributed to tho apathy of the teachers in this regard. Finally it was decided that tho Association should itself look after . the interests of school cricket. Tho passage money of the M.C.C. team from England to New Zealand ' last year totalled £1360 13s. 3d. Hotel expenses for the team during its stay amounted to £457 175.. The Wellington College. Old' Boys' • Club has decided to award the bat presented, for competition, by Mr. M. C. Harnett, to the member making the greatest number of catches during the season; ' . K. Tucker has been re-engaged as coach by tho Wellington College Old Boys' Club. E. B. Vance, the newly-elected secretary of the Wellington Cricket Association, has had eight years' experience on , the third-class committee. Mr. Vance'was re-elected to the thirdclass committeo again this year,, but will, it is understood,' resign this post because of the amount of work entailed in the two positions.. At the annual meeting of the Wellington College Old Boys' Club, a proposal to recommend the 'management committee not to enter . a. fourth , eleven this-, season was rejected by an overwhelming majority. Most of the speakers expressed ■ th'e hope that greater interest would bo taken in this class in future.' In extending thanks _ to the Umpires' Association for its,services in supplying umpires for both senior and junior games last season, the committeo of the Wellington Cricket Association pointed out that more' umpires aro urgently noododfor tho coming season. "; The Melbourne.C.C. receipts for tho 'year totalled £10,369, or £3054. less than the previous year, when £3252 was received for ontrauco fees by tho extension, of tho limit of town members from 2500 to 3500. ' Dr. E. 11. Grace, who is 66 years of ago, had, at tho end of July, already taken 130 wickets for Thorn'bury at a cost of II runs, each, and ~had had.over 140 catches missed off his bowling. When batting, he employs tlie services of a runner; his average with the bat at that time was a fraction under 12.' Grainger, . who has represented .South Africa, and also played against ,tho Australians thero', has (says the "Now Zealand ' Herald") arrived, in Auckland, and as he intends staying.; he should bo a great acquisition to . local. cricket.. It is understood that he will throw in his lot with City. The highest averages among members of the Wellington College- Old Boys' Association for tho Benson 19C61907 were as follows.:—Senior Eleven .Batting: K. H. Tucker 55.2, D. Collins 39.3,-E. Beechoy.33.l, and S. Jacobs 25.5.1 Bowling;: J.- Dickson .11.7, H. W.Monaghan 15:1, .and K. H. Tucker 16.7.. Junior ElevenBatting: E. K. Kirkcaklio .26.0, A. Itterson 25.2,' H. Bell 16.5, and B. J. Jacobs 15.0. Bowling: M. Lomax 9.3. H. It. M'Gowau .9.9, and H. 801 l 13.3. Third Eleven—Batting: A. E. Odlin 26.2.. H. E. -Averv 20,3. anU F. Martin 16.5. Bowling: F. Male 6.1, H. Standidge 9.7,. and H. B. Avery 9.5. Fourth .Eleven—Batting: S. Gcorgo 16.2, F. Gardiner; 16.0, and S. Smith 14.0. -.-Bowling: F. Gardiner S.B, W. Stacol2.4'. ~ . ... A correspondent; L. Parris, vicecaptain of the Templar' Cricket Club, writes calling attention to what the 'club considers an injustice done to it 'by' the Third Class Championship 1 Coipmittce of the .-Wellington Crickot Association; which;, in' its annual report, credits Thorndoii A with having won last season's Fourth Class Championship. Tho correspondent' states that Thorndon A lost two matches to tho Templar Club; whilst the Templars won every match, although in ono game against Thorndon B a protest was entered against the- win. Tho letter concludes: "I.may state, we are still waiting for the official result of tho protest, but even if the protest was upheld Templars must still be tho winners''of a championship, as they would only hare one loss as against two losses for. Thorndon A." . (Oa enquiry from the Association, 1 learn that although the Templars won all the matches claimed they wore . dis- ; qualified for playing a . man who had /previously played for another club tho same season. Tho breach is an unfortunato ono for tho Templars.) The appearance of F. G. and G. W. Stephens, who are twins, in the War wickshiro Eleven, raises the interesting'question if twins have e\-cr'before assisted tho same county in first-class cricket. There have been many happy brotherhoods in our summer game, but the twins are a real novelty, and not a hypothetical pair the same as tho Essex twins. These young gentlemen, who aro old Rossall hoys, and play for Moseley, are naturally much aliko. They suggest, to the "Athletic News" tho quandary of the official scorers if the pair should over make a long partnership. The runs could l>o scored, but could they bo debited to tho right man. each time? Tho incident recalls the brothers Baddeley at lawn tennis. They were tho despair of umpires, whenever they played a match at singles. It is said that on. one occasion Wilfred Baddeley fell and left the colour of tho green grnss on one icnen. That v.v.s a relief to the distracted umpire. But-Herbert had the misfortune to .stumble and stain his .white flannels in the same way and on the same. spot. The umpire on his porch held his distracted globe. 11l the Lancashire match at Old Trafford. "F.G." played without a cap, and "G.W." with a cap. So it was possible to distinguish them. But if they uattcd without caps and made runs! What then? Think of the plight of tho scorers.

PI F. writing in tho "Westminster Gazette/' says:—"ln their methods of bowling, the South Africans havo discovered a novel stylo of attack which will, assuredly! not bo without a' very great inlluonce on the game of cricket." is the novelty ? Major Wardill, secretary to the Melbourne CO., now. receives a salary of £700 per annum, after having put 'in 16 years at £600. Considering tlio responsibility and tho. oxperienco and ability necessary for success in the position, says tho "Referee," the salary is not too largo, though there aro apparently a few members of the club who think otherwise The V.C.A. has cleared £3020 out of the matches with New South Wales since 1896—that is, after paying expenses of the return matches. In the sanio period it has cleared £1100 out' of tho matches with South Australia. Considerable surprise has been expressed in cricket circles' at the exclusion of Mr. A.. Ashholt from the ground committee of the Wellington Association. Mr. Ashholt has served on tho committee for a great many years and nobody appears to be able U : give any reason for his failure to secure re-election to the committee. Another surprise at tho animal meeting was the dropping of Mr. Luckie, one of the hardest'workers the Asso--1 ciation has had of late 1 . S. M. J. AVoods has presented Albert Trbtt with a hat woven with a hand-painted' ribbon, with throe rabbits on the front and four rabbits on tho back, to commemorate his double hat trick in the match .against Somerset at Lord's early in the season. ■ THE THORNDON CLUB. . The annual meeting of tho Thorndon Cricket Club was hold in the Methodist schoolroom, Molesworth .Street, on Thursday. There was a. fair. attendance of members, tho President (Dr. A. W. Izard) occupying the chair. The committee in. its, annual report, congratulates members on the play of last season, which was the most successful in the history, of the club,- notwithstanding frequent interruptions by representative matches. -. The - Junior Eleven won 5 matches and lost 2; the Third Class A Team won 7 matches ■ and lost 2; the Third Class. B Team lost all its matches; the Fourth Class ' A Team won 7 matches and lost 1; the Fourth B Team won 2 matches and .lost 3; and the Wednesday. Team won a matches and lost 5. The Fourth Class A Team won the Fourth Class Cham-, pionship, and the Junior and Third Class A Teams secured the position of . ruuners-up in their ' respective championships. \ ' The balance-sheet 1 shows a heavy loss on last season's working, on account of several special items of expenditure having to be met. The coiiiinitt'ee considers it imperative that subscriptions bo increased if the financial position of tho club is'to be placed on a sound basis. Thanks aro . extended to Dr. Izard, Messrs. W.. M. Hannay, J. T. King, T. F. Martin,' W. H. .Turnbull, A. H. Miles, A. Hayward, C. Robinson, A, H. Turnbull, 11. J. Buck, J. D.'M. ' M'lntyre, P. W. Woodrolfe, and C. C. Smvthe; also-the directors of the Wel- ' linglon and .Manawatu Railway .Company, and the trustees of the Thorndon ■ Methodist Church.- .-■■'•■■ Tho Chairman drew attention -to. tho rule of the Cricket Association,. governing tho payment of subscriptions. The report and balai'ice-slice't were adopted. The election of officers resulted as follows -—President, Mr. A. H. Miles (subject to his . consent). Vice-Presidents',' Bight Hon. Sir J. G.. , Ward, JC.C.M.G., Bishop of Wellington, Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Hon. C. H. Mills, Dr. Henry, Dr. Cahill, Messrs. E. Bui-combe-Brown, W. Diniock, C. Haynes, A. Haywood, C.' 11. Izard, M.H.R.,.-, ; Jacob Joseph, J. I. King, .H. F. Johnston, T. F. Martin, J. B. Speed, P. . G.. Bolton, A. E. Pearce, T. Arthur, T. M. Wilford, M.H.R., A."H. Turnbull, and C. Robinson.' Management Com-.' mittce, Messrs. V. Connell, D. J. Jackj : C. C. Smythe, P. W.. Staples, P. W. Wobdroffc, H. C. Barry, W. Roberts, . J. Thompson, and G. E. Martin. Delegates to the Cricket Association, Messrs. Mackie and Thompson; delegate to the Wednesday Association, ;Mr. J. Thompson. l The appointment .of honorary \ auditors was referred to the Committee of Management. : It was decided not io enter a team' for the Senior Competition..this season. The Club' subscriptions/were fixed onthe, following basis:—Juniors,- -355.; third class, 335. Orl.;. fourth class, 275. fid.; Wednesday players,. 275. lid.; Sat- 1 urday players'taking part in. Wednesday "games to pay 10s. additional. . The following team will represent the Midland Club in. the Senior match against Wellington, to-day.. Messrs. Williams, Upham, C. Hickson, Barron; Patrick,-C. Mitchell. Murphy, Bruce, Sisson, and A. Cunningham. . .