CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 746, 19 February 1910, Page 12

CRICKET.

j _ DBi THE Beeaiihi ] f | •. . . Tho Australians havo been hero, seen jttio-quality of the best local cricket, and : IhavQ - doparted— as was anticipated— ; ' . .."conquering heroes/' In connection with , jtho. visit, it is' interesting to .note, that; j*. .. jmoro than .one of the -players- gave up l> ;. , 3»is situation in order to make tho tour, j' ; ' rßut the showing of tho team was not [; ... j 1«P; ' to . expectations by a groat deal'. |\^l : the'wictet; was 'not ; as fast as. ; jtho ones to which- they aro accustomed, fi'.;VS.V;'tnti a";"littlemore,practicG prior : to. the; |¥;?f : J';!matct 'would' .haveVinade ; ; all the diCer2~'•?(&.;.;Wheri, they f Vera at the' wickots/.it, f Owas 'noticeable that most; of .them > antici|sg;::;,ipitedi'a fairjproportion of the balls, with .; itlio ': result .Jtliat ' .eriokM ; ,Tvere , on !.. v i the uppish • sider, : ;-As v to their bowling, ~ • C one could hardly come to the conclusion K . jthat it was . anything like as. deadly as been; promised.;.. Thu.J showing made fe.-.;4v by-Emery, in particular,. was' disappoint-. NS:vi;iingV his f length; on;tho whole, being, very' ing feature about tho Australians'" play f;.-: s: V: was their: fielding,, which - was immeasurably superior to.that,6hownby,' the Wei: piSlington team..; ;'lrir?t:^and''foremost, - the, '' [visitors ' were always: placed; to . the'best advantage, which, means , a great deal. p- ;M® Theh.Vagain,"' each man ■' was . continually pSv'';- oii .thetalert—following the', flight of. tho Fgi : ball and thei; ; K;M;44 several-of; the dotal players appeared ";at times to be caught napping. :'i'o' ; those Es : v; ; ? : who'; estimate.' - good. .fielding -at > its true fc.'/l',-- jwlne;'it.was a.real treat;to. watch, the ; : ,teffbrts ;'of ; :the : to"pr6v6nt : botmd-

iries, and if their,example'be copied a fSlK:>ery ;-,desirable;"imp.rovement ;in; this. £',!£''•?•"partment of ''local cricket; should •; accrue. 'Qfiii:V Among the - local players.v the fielding -of ■ Dr. Foster was; particularly clean, ■ and illidlan© also fielded smartly. at \timeß, : And sliowed unerring accuracy in conaection with his returns. , 'H';: '

fi'l". One of the visiting "colts" was, much f'.' ;, .'astonished to'find ; that -• Wellington: did aiot; posscss a coach. ; For his own part, p; jhejowed- 1 a .'.very: great deal to tho> coach-: j ; -. fingi which he had reoeived. ?TJh(;ira coach- \ . f.was. procured, he would adrise all young |3 : S:?';'iP lay^slto.-Btud1ay^slto.-Btudy\wdrks on■ the game, from .--vrhicli'-they ''would, (he said); gain i many jßH^y^tins":'which: they would ' not; secure, in i^^V;.--:any.-, : pther/way i.-. A - ■ le -was "surprised.' that - more • coaches had: i< : Not' fe'S-;i lonly: did it cost, less to'bring a'man; from ' there.;..were' on' i.the .'other players ififtK-': iwho: "would : ; give; every satisfaction as v://; Toason' why efforts ehould- not ibe mado; IT:7&S-jb;;- : th6vvaribus; : f:-, of. the. Australians to. come over at. the conclnsioii of the "A.ustralian: season: :for the last few weeks. of'tho New Zealand BcasoE; : H.e-; added; that' it would not bo very expensive,- and it would-, help Now fei'; iZealand cricket materially. 'V : pi.fili":*: tt'e-? South 'African left-hand; '; ' batsman, . was presented v.'ith jElfi, the rpp v'.'v'! :;'' eult b£:'a''collection ! mado ;on 'tho :day of hi^f-.rK 1 coring: 129 •; against,. tho: M.C.C.' Eng : ' , -llish team.- -Nourse received a similar sunt iaifiewi:years:bick •: in'.' recognition r of-;a ■ big .V . • f played by, him against Warner's ■team.' '

' "i v Arinstrong is the confirmed growler of i.the. Victorian team.; (sayß the-"Sydney tcr.'. Telegraph'.'): -He - growls; at every- conl thingi's! He. growls; mightily. when ••..''•a catch is. missed off: his 'bowlinjg. It : *111 be interesting ''to ;tnow., how; ho will. a team' largely com-' if.'. .... iposed-of-colts in"'New.Zealand.' ■ : jtTh&-first . manttojfnake two centuries .in | • • •: umy match-in A'nstraba-was A. C. .Ban- .; tnerman ■ with 1U -.and ;10i, for Carlton v. in . a Holdsworth-Gardyno i Cup Ground; in 188'2; : i The," Hflwke'6 »Bay;-.(Mctet:, Association ©;?<thave suggested March' 4, 5,' and 7 as, the match; j-; : i , iA' few .years..back'.no . ono hadever Wo centuries in;:aCfirst-class match' ix&^iiiiltAnstralia^^AhdVyet/i'to^d^y!;-those; hiune9 on,this: roll'of .:. fame are: C. J. Eady, V. Trumper, J. It. Mackav; D. E. A. Gehrs, M. A. Noble,■ r 1 iV. Hansford, W. Bardsley, and A. .; ' Kenny,.-' aswell. as the •* famous: Englishman;: A.C.-Ma'cLaren. .-. '. '*' ?SjH\'V^P,^L? continues his, run-getting. ,BUccosses, ;for-,;he : has-played i the tollow-wiping'-inning3i'this 'season:—7B\ 58, '161 V 52,; 1261, 85, 52, 161, 118, 125, 116*, 118, 31, 23, [0, 30, ,9, i), 133, 3, 2* and Hi, totalling Syp76l;.invlß.: completed ;innings,' 'averaging ;a ; [trifle lees"than: 100 runs per• innings.;-The asterisks denoto- not-out. .; . ■ ■

, .'.Discnssing the tour of the Australian j '-'. ,1 team, "Not.. Out,", in', tho "Sydney JE-e-----!s:''^vN^f^e, J' : ~lt ®®Sht'to%«i"a delightful trip, more ..particularly,, to tho'younger never: seen New Zealand iWii; lind'its'? wonderful unique scenery.;- Apart' jfnim;; this; :attractive.V:> aspect,;::'the ;v tour; pS;':,-.::':8hould an.-admirable developing, in-.' L, : . ' 'fluence on "the: play ,bf';the: colts of ; : the; . - party.' New; Zealanders will,' I thir.lc, (S|>;':: ; ;;i£hd.;the:jteani.r display iattractive cricket. '.While ■ holding ; that, the :selectors .'might' easily have -done still, better in getting. V:;;: :,",.: the party/ together by including. one , of :';SC*,; : .:;;lthe. younger: Victorian• batsmen : and. one fast. : bowlers : ; (J; ' Se6.tt- , -or : i :.,C.' ? -it; ; is?genorally,';ac-: 1',,,': ;: ■' '-knowlodged; that ' the combination is ; ' powerful. If Now Zealand beats.- this: :v;;;?:i-:-; : team?uniior,; anything; like; ; equitabW : con-' fj;':i Ait ,ditions',f it' will be a. great feat, for, the cricketers : ; a colony , not : yet : reckoned - ' among,: thoso iviiich aro forces in, inter- " national cricket. Taking -a line through '; • the accomplishments-'of - recent English

and New. Zealand, a . - ' defeat, for this combination is not exPfioted.? ' iNew ioricket-;is:going' ;:yi <H;:a'ahead,:but,'<ven ; 6o, :there seems to:.be no

-'one superior ;to the best • of about 20 years ago, whoa H De Maur, L. A. Cuffj A. ..11. I'isher, A. M. Labbatt, and A. •: Downes were among .'tho leaders.: v. /?' v ' ■ .! .'..V Of S. 11. Emery, a member of tho Aiis-. HV::fVf '\tralian ;team; : ;jthe;;;f'Sydney7Keferee'' , 'r&-y : v/VmaTkiy'; that;:, his career as a bowler,; to j; ■/ . date, : hasboen -q aito remarkable. As; a ■.■■■ / .'member of : the' Xewtowh. Second Grado '; . iteara, he was not often. asked to bowl. ■ •:. jl'or Redfern, .ini.tKe 'First .Grade, . his ■ : Ibowling has-been a mixture ,of the ex- . /ceptionally good - and J the ■ exceptionally ;i ' : Vv bad, whereas atthe practice-nets he has unplayable.' /In . p;V:: / - this season's* grndecricket ho started ns i"champion," only?to follow with, a series jS'^' °f .disappointing ;perf6rmahcss, .:in , which. ;; second-rate, batsmen / severely / punished New South f ; ;'..'■/.'Wales team, ' lie •' was ; omitted ' from the. j-..-' • ;• eleven .at Adelaide, but his'■ bowling at difficult. t. . / 1 that ho was given a place in the team Ki» ;vy::agaihst;:Victoria'; ..extraordinary, rep:■. : . suits. /•'■' Coming "back - to : Sydney,', he 'has bowled- grandly for New., South Wales, |'ii!:yjr;.vvthe ifiguresr good as ;they ; are, not faith-? : . k;:-/.;; V/'fully ;Teflectirig.;' the 'merit * of.,.his worlci '......;'- • The remarkablo improvement in length since Christmas is generally held to bo t'S-'i;-' iiJiriely.tho./resultv.pf..his.having out. off -'about ' r one-half- ■ of: the run -he used' to Kitake before!'delivering..tho/ball;'. If S. H. fS/tV'jEiaery's-recent: v command ,of/length j.be"v':', j come ; pe'rnianerit,VAustralia has .iii' .him'a •V °°. ; -bowler .of great possibilities. ~----wtf--According/:to . ''sdm'o .;VeichangM,.'..'Auckland's score of against :Otago const!- ' ' , : i : ; - tuted : a!.record iri./intor-provincial cricket | ; in : 'Nowi/Zealand:/• Suph, •: however, ■:'is-' not' K;.' *>.'; .the case. .In a match between Otago and ;;:V..; Southland 'lin-. January, . the - Otago ■ 'team compiled/503 runs. .'lt is interesting: ; to note:'that the latter score was the same i.' v- r . as/ that which the 1905. Australian team made in the second .test match for 9 .; wickets; of. which:Trumper scored.'l 72 and ; aim rn;-v:;;r -y.^:- ? Hobbs; ono';of ihe/ 'English■.;cricketers }.As-fi::"'■*'. touring South Africa,'has been the .victim fi/.< i?ijof >a■ bit / of'rascality ;in. Kimberley,- and l:, '. .:J . detectives' are; on the track of an imper-. t'.w '. ;'oonator.. Soine indiyidual . ' went to a Kimberley, tailor, and was r-'r.v.. / for a tidy, little wardrobe,'giving !' /■ -. " his name as 'TTobbs, the cricketer.' The f"?/. ..tailor one' evening?,called round -at tho i. : -.. ,; hotel, and wanted to: know if Hobbs ! . . ; . ..wanted any more, clothes, and' that visit. J. • jut Hobbs up'to 'what was being done. Tho next thiDg was that; Hobbs, :tho Yf?" cricketeriV had- been calling.' for , cliam- ' .' pagr.e, and signing cards at one of - tho [3.: local hotels Vas ' "Hobbs,: , tho cricketer." did not suit his lordship, .'! -..' but ho must go seeking tho generous for- ' - : "livers,"

The season's 7 first-class century-makers in Australia are:—Clem Hill ' (S.A. v. Victoria),' 176;' ' Clem Hill (S.A. v. N.S.W.), 205;: Clsra Hill (S.A. v.' Victoria), 185;,W..Bardsley.(N.S.W. t. Victoria), 119; D; E. A. Gehrs (S_i. v. Victoria), 118; E./ %. .Waddy : (N.S.W. '■ v. S.A.), '118; E. X.:Waddys(N.S.W. v. Best Ans.), 133; It. Goddard (N.S.W.. v. Queensland), 108,; not out; E. ■V. Minnett (N.S.W. v. Queensland), 169; E. P. Barboar (N.S.W. v. Queensland), 124, not out; I). Smith (Victoria- v. South Australia), 116; W. E. Armstrong . (Victoria v: South! Australia), 121;* C. Eelleway (N.S.W. ''.v.''South -Australia), 108; V; 1. Trumpcr (N.S.W. ■ y.; Best Australia), ; 105; C. E. Simpson (N.S.W. v. Rest Aus.tralia), ;102;~S.-Hit\Gregflry\(N:S.W.- v.' .Victoria)j 'iG9 ) "l»jt out; Ju' Eortlang fViotoria y-. -Queensland), 116;- ' Kenny ■(Victoria v.V Queensland), .164; 'C.>.;Healy (Victoria v."TaSnia!ria)* ( '; 218/ Vaughan (Victoria.-v. -'ra'smania)j -150.'-' r - £ It ;is reported ' that in a second grado matcli at Qpoho on; Saturday the local sluppar (an old-tuna rap. player, too!) objected to. a member,'of the Dunedin-, team 5 bowling,.: because, - forsooth, his nether, garments.:-were : of,'a..darksome, line, he haying - changed, in anticipation "of not ■being ne»ded ;in : the field a second-time that day. ■ 'long-slip" 6ays thai it- is, of course, most dcsirablo that players should don *''all ( white,",;but-ho cannot remember any! rule governing- 'cricket' under which tho objection could; be raised. It savours of 'way back, vacant-section days, when; a .batsman was adjudged to•;be ~ out if he * hit; the ' ball with: "tho wrong side of the'bat," and'when it,was considered a grave -breach of etiquetto on tho part of the: fielding; side; not ;to clap the opposing; captain as hh .'.came' to }tho-'. wic-'ket.-;l:'; v;!,' " ,V

' In an article entitled "Crack Crickoters under-false' names/': .a;, writer m "Cassell's 1 Saturday Journal" fives som® amusmg anecdote.'-'Many a: story.: (he Bays) is told. by cricketers of tho first-class' as; to how,' even' in these days of travel and photography, great cracks at the gamo hare, in a spirit of Inn, taken part in minor matches undor falsa .but unobtrusive namW' On one when he had shaved id! his beard. and..was a much younger■ man,.the, 'great 'VV • O," himself was foisted- upon a - village dub a few, miles out of .Liondon as ."Mr. Green," and he had 'knocked'up' .an- ehoi/mous !score when' thereihapp&nod, -late ua 1 the afterto": stroll ; upon the ' ground,VPooley, ,the Surrey ' witketkeeper,' wKo had '.coma down to see a relation. One of tho committee of the villago club remarked to llr. Pooley, to whom he was introduced, "This Mr. Green, is a 'grand player ;: he keeps 'om' at: it,'-' • and: he: pointed towards tlio wickets.' ■" "TVTia-a-at '"/cried Pooley, "Mr- Greon- • Why, that's- W; G. Grace himself!" •k ; ~;S ■>''r. i- -'. .'■

' Thus "Longslip" in the "Otago Witness" One Otago cricketer at least comes out with honour whilo the Auoklandera 1 were at the< wickets^-.and that one •is the; Grange: 1 wicket-keeper, BeaL In a. score of 579 runs': to have only 19 byessome of-these, no doubt,, log- byes—recorded -against 'himi is a ance. -One mistake in'missing: Hemus iB down against Boai, neither haa he to his credit a wicket < by. stumping. -That Downes is easy to tako behind tho wickots may bo allowed, but Fisher's bowling is a edurce ' of worry to a'oy- wicketkeeper, ' and ' the, Grango player must 'be : congratulatedon his :• splendid. perform'anco.: ,-vV'•; - ';, •