CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 639, 16 October 1909, Page 9

CRICKET.

(By Tns BnEAKF-n.) ■ The season, under district rules, will open in .Wellington this afternoon. It will be interesting to watch how the new clubs shape. Most, of the players are strangers to one another, as far as playing together is concerned. They'have almost all' met on - the field, but not. .under the same banner, 1 and it will feel somewhat strange,at first .to be.associated .in the same.eleven with.'men.who previously had been, staunch 'and"whole-hearted" opponents. The roll numbers-are expected to increase under the district scheme, and a considerable advance has been,noticed''already. There must ■ be,.however, n ,lar.ge. number of valuable men whose interest in cricket might be restored if they could but bo persuaded, to come out. Live club secretaries and committees will no doubt -endeavour to discover players in their districts who "might be; induced to take up the; willow- again.; . Eight strong senior teams take part in the first of'the championship matches to be commenced 'Ihis afternoon! The lower grades will also come out in satisfactory force when their matches begin; their are thirteen junior teams, fifteen third class teams, • and seven- fourth class teams. Wellington. East District Club alonb provides eight teams—which'is believed to be a record strength for any one olub in the Dominion. The'lower grade championship matches commence next Saturday. The wicket on tho Potone Recreation Ground is-not forward enough to'allow of play there to-day, but it is preparing, and matches may be expected on it in about a month's time. The wickets,on'the Basin Reserve are said to be. in good- condition,- and that at Waiwetu is reported as fair. The Hutt games last season were played on a rather bumpy wicket. _Afternoon tea will be served at the Basin Reserve every day of the championship matches. ' The ossociaton is taking up tho man?genient of the tea-room in the pavilion, and a committee of ladies from each club will assist in ' turn. This afternoon the ladies committee of the Wellington East Club will lend assistance. The institution ■ should be well received. ■■-... The Auckland season opens to-day, And in Invercargill, cricket will commence oil Wednesday next. ' The championshiris are in full swing'at Christchurch. ' ' " Information as to the expected visit of an Australian eleven is likely to be given nt tho annual: meeting. of the. New Zealand Cricket Council next Thursday. The statement that \\ ellington will probably be left out of the tour, because of tho refusal of the local, association to take any part in the "pooling" of expenses,- has ■ been • pooh-poohed' hero as mero ."bluff.".-.. ■~.,. :■ , Tho, honour of. scoring the first double century this'season: in Queensland has, says a •Sydney:exchange;'fallen to tho lot of S. .tones, of, Crow's Nest, with 220,n0t out in a total of 343 for seven wickets. Jones is/a player worthy of• consideration .by the:country selectors, for this'.'is. riot'his first big innings by any means. ' ■ Warren Bardsley emphatically denies that ho has been approached by a county with a view to a'cricket engagement in ' England, and adds that ,£IOOO a week would not induce him to remain in tho country at present, attractive though it is. , . - i A recent article, by "Felix," in the "Australasian," says:—New Zealand has not yet managed to gain a representative in an Australian team for England.. It is up' to tho Dominion to send along a "star," and I trust, 'when next an Australian, team is in course of formation for a visit to England, that the New Zealand "star" may bo all there. The season in Sydney was opened by tho New South Wales Cricket Association last Saturday week in delightful- weather, records the "Referee."- The matches were continued on tho Monday (Eight Hour Day), again- under the most favourable conditions. .The'junior clubs have been in full swing for some weeks. In addition to holding, the Plmikct Shield, •Auckland has got.covetous eyes on tho.Hcathc'otb Williams Challenge Shield—the- schools jchamnibnships—at present held'by the Christchiirch'Bdys', High School. Tho Auckland 'Grammar' School has'put in a'challenge, and the match will bo comriienced on Canterbury's Anniversay Day, December -lfi. - It should rouse considerable interest. . • 1 . ' . R. Strange, the ex-New Zealander, who last season played for the Paddiugton Club in. : first-grade-"matches in,.Sydney, has gone to I ; live in the,Parramatta, district, and will play 'for Central Cumberland-this season. "This Australian team;"', said-.an English- | man the. other day,-"."has*-done: for English crickjt what the 1878' team did 30 years ago." "What is. that?" .said: I. "They ,have retaught Englishmen, that '.brilliancy- in tho field is a' glorious thing, and a great match-winning factor.".,"Did they need to be rctau'ght.thnt? Had .not Jessop at'eover,, Hutphings'in the country, Jones and Poster, and Bfniind in the 1 slips, wickets kept the lesson in front of tneni ?'.'.'said I. "They needed it," said he; "for, they have picked slow-footed veterans like; MacLarcn,; Ilayward' and Co., .and left o.ut the spirited colts."—Sydney Ex-, change. '; , Maurice Read, the old English player who so often visited Australia, has! been in' nia'r- , vellous, form with the bat this season. Playing at Sir Henry Tichborne's historic seat m ,-Hampshire, he..has exceeded the 'century un three occasions, and has scored. 946 with:tho splendid average of 135, per, innings. not called, on to bowl much nowy.but-on one of two .occasions - ho has. been ; successful, when \vjckets!- Were badly needed.- '.Ha .was: 50, years of ago fast February, but looks quite ten years younger,.and everyone with .whom ho.jplays hopes.he will enjoy many, years more cricket. His. scores this season have. beeif: v. Seafield Park 53; v. Eastleigh 93,' v. Old' Alresford.7l, v. Ordnance Survey 90 (not out), v. Strattan Park, 151 (riot out), v. Leicester Ivanho6 85 (not out), : r. Winchester 154,. v. Mr. ■ Landing's XI. 41 (not out), and; 121, and v. Trojans 6 and 77 (not out). England has sent no more genuinely popular player than Maurice Read to Australid, says the Sydney "Referee." Last Saturday's play in . the . Christchurch senior championship was ; typical of eorly season, says, the "Press." The, .batting bristled with evidences of want of ■ practice, a.rid. the ' majority of batsmen utterly failed to time the ball or to correctly judge its-length; However, there wero. some notable exceptions, Addison, for East, and in a'lesser degree.Crawshaw, Willsteed, Howell, .and Thomas all playing themselves into- form.. Th 6 weather was beautifully, fine, though towards, the closo of .play tho easterly wind became rather- chilly, for those' who wero short of exercise. • The grounds were in good order; that is to. say, they looked well and gave evidence .of careful preparation. The -wicket' at. Hagley, Park wos good, though just heavy enough to give the. bowlers ,a- suspicion of assistance. The -pitches'at Lancaster Park; were not.so good, many a kicky ball, with an occasional shooter, bearing eloquent testimony that- below the fresh-looking grass, there still: remained football impressions—always a difficult task to roll- out. .''.'■!•'•'■ '.. THE. CLUBS THAT HAVE BEEN. ' SOME MIDLAND MEMORIES. After a reign of just- twenty-six years, the death-knell of the Midland Club audits many: old associations has been sounded by tho birtn of the district cricket scheme. All that now remains of the club that has battled strenuously records and memories, but many of' tho.oneand over twenty years in lirst-class cricket are the time giants of the-club have not lasted out rhe old club. The old associations, which it was alleged, were the great bar to the district scheme, were soon-broken down, and now on the morn of the commencement; of the new scheme tho old clubs are only memories, which protrude' bccasioria'lly through the enthusiasm of- tho .workers :on .behalf of .the hew idea. Many citizens, grown.portly in the march of time;-can look back on strenuous-days spent on the field on .behalf of. Midland,; and many are the: proud records wjbich;'tb.4 club.has .won for 'itself during its long and-eyentful-career. The twenty-sixth,;anniversary of the-club was reached last month./.the club having been formed .-on, September 21/1883. On nine occasions the,' club has carried-off tho senior championship, .and on four-occasions it had to rest ,content with a tie. .The: senior team played in all 157: matches, of .which, total 101 wero Won, 43' lost, and 10 abandoned. A.raongst the records gathered in by the club during its long life, is practically everything that is worth winning in the- local cricket worlds Its highest aggregate, 556 for an innings, stands unbeaten, as' does its win by an innings and 40G runs. The, Old Boys' coach, K. 'tucker, with .221' not out, whilst playing for Midland, established a local record,', for the . highest, individual scoro wliich record is still'unbeaten. The highest individual score ' iri' a- representative match in New Zealand—lG7 by Arnold Williams—is also another victory for the Midlanders. Like ■ E.' Upham, Williams is oho of-.' the latter-day giants of the club and amongst--hit achievements''are a one-wicket stand with F. Lush, which yielded 213 runs, 'and. a lustily-compiled,century against Captain- WynynrdV Inst .English team, whilst, for mnny years he hold the record .of being tho only man in-New Zealand'to niako two centuries in one match.' These were nindo against Wellington and wore '114'.and 105. Time was 'when Midland and' Wellington: we're .deadly rivals and on two occasions'the . Midlanders just: managed to snatch 'the senior championship, from, WoUington by one. run. Twentv'seven' individual centuries ■ stand -on the cin'b records, and only three -were registered by I men opposing Midland, .... , ".

An obituary notice of the Midland Club wo i!ii not .bo complete without n :reference to E. Upham whose 20 years' connection with: the .club has given him a bowling record such as no player in Now Zealand can produce. Tall and' sinewy, the champion Midlander had tho heart of a lion and could bowl ia.good-length fast ball all day;without flinching, and with what success lie operated can be seen from, his records which were compiled recently by one of tho club's most enthusiastic supporters, Mr. .1. Hyams. ' Dur--ing 20 seasons'of first-class cricket,Upham captured 1033 wickets at an average-cost ■ of 11.99! His best performances in senior championship games were' nine for 10, thirteen for 54, fourteen for'Bo, and thirteen for 31, nnd.iriany of his tallies against, visiting-teams from overseas, and ,jn representative cricket wero equally good. In all he bowled' 59"' men, 37G were caught off him, 41 were stumped and 19 were, given out leg before. .Uphamwas not looked upon as' a crack bat, but' ho' hit with great vigour and cleanness and on many occasions played a brilliarit'innings just when runs wero most required. In a grand- total cf 2G4 innings, his • average works out at > 13.G4 runs. . ■ , ..'-..,.', Old-time Midlanders still • enthuse over the doings and'possibilities-of men of the ■past. Some of them have passed over to'the- Great Majority and of ' tho following who comprised the first senior eleven-placed-in the field by the club, very 'few are/now known-to cricket:—E. Edmonds, W.' J.- Salmon,■ I. J. Salnion, J. A. Salmon, W. Mason,,.l. Lockett, - Harwood, E. Willis, J.-Blacklock, — Hamilton, and J. Speed. •