CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 27, 26 October 1907, Page 9

CRICKET.

(By "Breaker."),

"A " lovely ..day and an easy wiikot'greeted cricketers on Saturday last, anefbefore. play. • commenced it was anticipated!-that itnere would be some good batting performances, but tho anticipations were 'iiui iruaiisea.,; . Supporters of tho Phoenix -;teairi' .Vrore; disconsolate' countenances uirougiiou't" tut atvuiiioon;; when / Pbtone uisposba of-. the' whole side ior faO.i'uhs, and tlnjn'knocked,up 132 a'uiis witli.'.'tho, loss or only, four- .wickets'/before stumps -were' /finally drawn' for tile day 1 . 1 In view of the fact tliat , l'hoenix had iiotehed ai'four. points victory.' the' previous Saturday, aj much mbro .evengame' was looked for. .Jjaws and G. .Burton opened i'or Phoenix, but made. only.'.one- run .'and -ten 'runs': re'spectively.hurtoii, jun., ivho lilled tho- initial' vacancy,•• was*top."scorer' with 13. Tho rcst-pt'-.tlie .team feliiuasy victims to. Cobcroft and '.bruce, "the lornier . obtaining seven wickets for 3i, .and tho latter 3 for 16. The Petone batting' was of a different nature. /.The. scoring, was very,slow, -but. it was sure,' aiid tiioy liavo four wickets down ipr i&J. ' Xliey should get in-a 4 point, win ..comfortably.-, J'atncli, vno by the ; way, ■was' again /late'/in arriving, mode- 3(J,.before, retiring. ' Cobcrott / had - luck .'in' making -io,, and Brico,was charitably treated by the fickl while he' was- making; 44. Moore bowled well for Phoenix. . . ,; ; '. ; I'h'at'.Ncwtown is not a very, istrorig' combination, was again shown on/Saturday, when they'-inet- the Gas Ooinpany. : In their .first

lniiings they, made but I JU -.rjins," only four members attaining '.double figures.' It . was.

the first occasion/this season-tnat Payne, the top scorer, had represented his club in,senior cricket; 'and -the - snowing ho madti was very creditable indeed. His total ,'of -20 included three 3's',. lour and. nino singles. P. Smith,.'whoCompiled,'.'l7' (not, out), had not previously. ' this/'season attained, double figures. 'GV. Day, Whose 'total'..was: also-17, did hot ■ make a. run in the first innings against Phoenix,- and was absent when the second: innings was .played... Tilyard, who compiled a serviceable 21 (not outj two Saturdays" previously, had the .'misfortune to be caught out when lie liad made only five; ,I'Y Alpo, tho top. scorer in both' innings against i?hoenix, disappointed- his many aduuder3 by his failure to "break his duck." Hill being - responsible for; his .dismissal. Practice, and plenty of it, appears to bo an urgent 'necessity. :

The catch that G. Day. dismissed Gourlay with was a beauty, and might well bo copied by. local fieldsmen. • • •

The Midland team had .a bye. Wellington V. Old Boys was, the .particular attraction, and at the moment it is in an'interesting stage. Wellington iron the toss and bat.tcd? Hickson again came to the rescue with 41, compiled in a forcing 'style, lie is batting •very; well just now. Nash also, played anothoivusefnl innings, and.wiis not put with 1.8 to, : his credit.' Alahoily and Naughton wore the only others on the sido to reach "doubles.." ' Tire total was. 120, and Old lioys have. lost' 3 wickets for 54. fieccliev, who-is batting very nicely, is 40.'not' out, so that lie has doiie the bull: of; the scoring. •Hales 1 got tho 3 wickets at a cost of 24.

J; I'. lilacklock looked when lie was given out l-b.w. Most batsmen-dp look when 'a l.b.'wl decision'settles tlicm, and in Wellington spine of. them have 200.1 cause for it. ; At- thc-time of writing I'hoenix is leadin" in the competition. -I havo 'been asked to make . thin -statement, as, after, to-day, it-will-probably bo. inaccnrato. - Hall, who used to play for Austral. .secured the bost 'bowling averago' for Gas Company. Tucker bowled well for (lie Old Boys, finishing up\with 5 for 53. Qnto wns in good forr.i holiiitd tho sticks for I'etone. Ho secured three wickets for Cobcroft,. -A good, wicketkecpcr is invaluable to n siow .bowler. - .

It is rumoured that Patrick (Petone) has returned to Christcliurcii. J3arton, of the I'hoenix Club will not play until bis return from Melbourne early next year. - 1). Naughton, who has-been, suffering from influenza, cotnmenccd the season against Old lioys. . ■ .

Hill, late of Wellington Club, is now play.

ing for Gas Company. This team .is also strengthened - by Gourlay and Waters, both Of whom played with Newtown last season.

|( Bcclgraye, whose favourite, stroke was t.io pull," is-now pulling at l ,n oxton. •

Iho Cricket Association- is at present in communication with the Athletic Park ComPi c , n I l '.i, r ' n S as-to the terms on which tho lark will be let to the Association for representative matches.

Airangomonts'are now in hand for ascertaining the different areas allotted to the 11 anous clubs for practice wickets on tho Basin Reserve. A complaint as to tho uneei taint.v of the area of the practice wickets has" boon received from the Midland Club recently. Hutching.?, ex-Midlander. now in Auckland, will be found in the Parnell eleven this-sea-son. ■

. B. I' ry has, in collaboration with his wife, just written a novel,-entitled, "A Mother's Son," tho hero of which'scores a "century" ill a Test Match against Australia. The Canterbury Cricket Association is arranging an art. union to wipe out. tho deficit of £20U on the tour of the Marylebone team. 1 he amount had been paid by six.gentlemen, and ,the profits of the art union will,be applied to repay thorn. .The- council managing the art union has dccided to offer four bats for. competition,, to be presented to the four canvassers selling,, tho greatest number of tickets.

Playing for West Christchurch against St. Albans last Saturday, D. Reese made 55 not out-. I'laying for Sydenham against Li'nwood, A. H. Neild made 53 not out, aWI A. Jones 84 not opt; ! In tlio middle of August, Hirst completed his thousand runs for the season, having some'time .-previously taken , his hundredth wicket. lie has' now accomplished tho double teat eight times, thereby, exceeding tho record of seven which lie and W. G. Grace' previously shared.

All cricketers will regret to learn, says the ''Canterbury Times," that J.D.Lawrence, who has. been playing senior cricket for. twenty years,-and .never better than during tho last' two .soasons,-- will bo lost to. club cricket this season, Ho has. accepted the position of coach to the Christ's College boys, but will be , available, .' if required, for interprovincial games.. -

; The ox-Australian player Cuffo has-done £Ood servic-:; for. Worcestershire this season. In the county matches lie. captured' 107. wick-! cts at a cost of under 19 runs each, and had a batting average of 25.45. A. E. Trott had a fair bowling season for Middlesex, with 4S wickcts at an average cost of 13.4.5 rims, but his batting average was only 16124. ..The Duncdin correspondent of the "Canterbury Times" says it has hcen 'definitely decided that an Otago representative team' will make a tour of the.Dominion as far north as Auckland this year, plpying matches, against Canterbury, ""Wellington,. Auckland, nnd Hawke's Bay. The proposed tour will start about . Christmas week. •Mr. C;:'G:'' Wilson,, the ox-Melbourne and Otago representative cricketer, has .been appointed : sole selector of Otago representative teams. . ;.. , /

The statement 1 of accounts at tlio annual meeting of tlio New Zealan'd Cricket Council showed that the receipts had been ££63 195., made up of a balance brought forward of £57 195., subscriptions £42, guarantees for the Marylebono Cricket tour £450', and refund from the tour account £314: The'payments had totalled £841195.3d tho principal items of which were the guarantee towards the Marylebono Cricket Club's

tour £500 and tlio refund to guarantors £315.' Thoro was a 'credit 'balance' of £21 ,1,95. Od. "' . ' - , ' Hirst has .now.made,bis aggregate of rims for .Yorkshire .up,, to 20,000, but, has ' been' forestalled in, being the first to. do, so by .Tuiinicliffp,, who completed the number, i) few days, earlier. The largest aggregate of runs made for a . county , is credited to Abel, who requires less than 4.0 to ,make, his aggregate 30,0.00.. For the samo county, Surrey, Hay,ward! has excetxled 25,000 and, W. W. Road .20,000.' ,"W.G." and Shrewsbury have also scored over 20,000 'for . Gloucestershire. and .-Nottinghamshire, respectively, but Fry still requires 10, to completc.sucli an /aggregate for Susses, and Tyldesley 85' to do' so -for Lancashire.. "W.G'.'s" performance is interests ihg from -thftlfact. that''he' made : as : many; as ni thousand runs_for, Gloucestershire _in a season only, seven times, tho first occasion being in. 18S5, when lie was thirty-eight ; years of age. , , . It is reported that George Gunn, the most successful of-,Notts batsmen this, season,-who is coining to Australia on a private .visit'-with .the-,English team, has-been offered, a retaining 'fee' h ,which, if. lie accepts, will..rbndor him .liable..fb : .be called upon at any "time while the 'M.C.C..,tcam is in Australia. •' ' .With:his own county captain,in charge, the ch'anccs, of George Giinn emulatig tho, example of , his famous unclc (William) and' brother (John)"by' "playing for-England-' are (says the "A.N.") very bright. ' Arthur Jones is known.to have groat,faith'-in this' sound;bat and fine: shbrt slip. ./Moreover, George Gunn nnjoyri much better health.undo? tlio Southern Cross,than in England. .- ... ' : •

A. C. MacLaren was dcfimtely'askcd by Lord Harris- to undertake the leadership of the M.C.C.-team to Australia,■ but ho was compelled to decline the honour, which ho would only. ; too willinglyidiavo accepted.,out of compliment to'the Australians, if forno other treason, had ho boon <at. liberty to do so.. An ■ English, 'contemporary adds .that- "hoi loves Australia,, and hedikes'tho.Australians;- But ■ ho.' must re-visit"lndia during the:ensuing winter, ill connection with : private business, and' 'the ..Australian'.tour would entail; too costly a.sacrifice." Seeing that MacLaren is married tm : ari 'Australian lady,.and that his

greatest cricketing feats have been performed out hero, his .affection for 'Australia and Australians is natural.-: ■ .• ■ The 1 "Refereo" ! ; says' that Charles G.' Ulacartiiey,'in four sueeessivQ'innings' in the lirst grade l fhr Gordonl'Distnct; made 535 runs'tor 'once'out,'viz., 102 v.'Paddingtbn, 224 v. IWferh,'l44'v. and 65 v.'North 'tjyi!ney. "But in his latest innings he made.oniy 3, bowled'middle stimip D. Fisher with a good ball. Macartney, is one of the "''colts ' to whom 'Australia 'looks to prove to. the cric-

ket' world that its' 'resources have not given out." He,will be;! greater as bowler .after he has had'some experience on English wickets.

■, Late iii Oi MacLaren received a Cablegram from Rjinjitsinhji, the' Jam of Navanagarv.informing'dmn that he (Ranji) had met; with ,a rather., serious accident. He was out riding, and coming to ground had .'the misfortune to break.-a .Tjonc in tho shoulder. Ranjitsinbji was to have been married m a month or two to a ladyl'of l:is own caste to' whom ha has.long.beciubetrothed.'\ v Somo have (says 'the "Athletic News") assumed that A. 0. Mac. Larcn is about to return to India for the sole pnrposo of Thisi is entirely a misconception, as MacLaren'lins now. business interests in : tho Oriental Peninsula .which will call him.tiiere, not only-'-for'"this winter',, but for several.years to coiile''at that' season. ;Na-

turally, being in India' ft'itii other English, friends, 'MacLaron Eanji's crickit party, if any games weroiptayedv -Mr. MacLarcn .returns to- India,":;;but ho hopes to placc his services at t-h'e -disposal -of Lancnshirc during the next- crick'etisftison, although he, may not be ablo to takei'part in all matches.. W,.- : • ■0 . . It is reported,' says the■'"Referee," that. J. ; N; Crawford, of 5 Surrey, niay settle in Aus-. tralia at tlio conclusion of the 1 tour of : the M.C.C. team. ■ : 1 v.; , During the progress of the Somerset v.. African match at.,Uatli a presentation 'of a handsome gold watch was.made to S. iM. J.-'Woods 'by.L. C: II: l'alairet. liisido' the case is inscribed the/ following':—"S.'-Ji;' AYoods, from the Somerset County .Cricket Team, as a memento of his captaineVr i8!)J----'1906:" 'I'he value'of the present'is enhanced by-the fact that it 'was subscribed for ; by every man, amateur '»"id professional, who had played for Somerset during. the ! 13.'years "Sammy" was captain of the side. j One important work that tile New Zealand Cricket .Council should take lit hand, saysjthe "Canterbury Times," is to defino tho„boundaries of the various districts governed hy tlip cricket associations to it. AVliat arc the boundaries of the Canterbury--cric-ket district? • -

: An ambitious suggestion -from the Auckland Cricket Association was before a meeting of the New Zealand- Cricket Council last Saturday night-, says a "Christcbiiroh paper. It.was to the effect that the Council should, procure a visit from the English and A.ustra-iJ lian teams on tho occasion ot their meeting m

Australia, and-should, if possible, arrange tor a match between England -and Australia at each of the four centres of tho Dominion. ,"Can anyone suggest a reply?-' said' the chairman, appealingly. It was suggested that tho.Poverty Hay Association, having just affiliated to the Council, (fisbonte-- should lie added to. the list of centres proposed by .the Auckland Association. This suggestion, v;ith another, that the matter should .bo deemed "impossible," was rejected- by the. chairman, who said .that ho hardly thought, the Auckland body's proposal', was meant seriously. It was then agreed that the letter should be received.

There is a pretty story in ciidilation.about the South, African.captain, Percy Shenvell,' and his father. But is it like most.stories of the kind, not true? Shcrwell's father, who resides in England, so the story rhns, promised his son a sovereign for every run ho made in the first'test match, just as S. Jackson's father hat! dono when the'. Yorkshire boy' was at Harrow.' In the'first innings lie madc-S, in the sceond 115. " ''

The Red Cross team defeated George am George on Wednesday by 87' run's'.. l 'Rc< Cross; mado 76 ixiid 85; and Gcorgo am George responded with 50 and 24.' O.'Briei 29' and 18, Wilson 22, ! Zinkgraff 18. 'am Bancjier 14 were the host batsmen on til winning side,' and M'Faddeti 24 was -to] scorer for the losers. :, ' -