CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 13, 23 December 1911, Page 16

CRICKET.

, f - • fße This Bueakek.] BATTING AVERAGES. i~ X < Maho.uev-(East. A) -... J <11 102 :i (I 59.0 (libln-s lK>is:t. A) 171 HI ,;l. 0 55.11 Baker- (ilasl) ■ !»i MS :i I 45.0 Black lock (North)'... 11l- OH- 3 II- -J7.U I'rambie (North) ...... 220 S3 5 II 45.2 Patrick-(South) 129 - 57 ;l I) 43.0 Grimmetl (Fast A) ... 711 35 J 2 35.0 t'CShea (East. B) 101 .VI. -I I iU.fi Little (Central) .' 171 "<i."i li I 1H.2 T'hillips (North) ' 130 *51 3 -,l 32.5 lirice ■ (T'etonc) ......' 227. I—7 7 (I 32.-1' Bowles (Has t) 1«0 77 H I 32.H T!obin.~on'('eutral) ... PG lil 3 U 32.11 T.aws iSouthV. 130 !fl 0 0' 31.1 V Bragg" (Ceni ral) HU 22' li . \ 30.11 S.--Hick»n (East-. A)... *!» *3!> -» 1 29.« O',Sullivan (N'oitli) ... -SS -.'it 1 1 29.3 Staples (Hutt) . 1 US' *17- .'i I 27.11 Miller fi.'ullcec) ...... 51 4' 2. • 25.5 (I. I- - , .1 udd 'iliitt) ... 127 H 5. II 2-1.1 (North) ...... '21 *13 2 I 21.0 Beechey (I'entral) ... 110 (i I 22.0 Mitchell (Central) ... 22 15 2 1' 22.(1. Burbidge (College) ... . (16 5 38 5 2 22.0 Barber'l'ctonei' 152 (it J .0 21.7 Midlane (Kn>t A) ...... 05 ■ 21 3 0 21.6 Aldet-sley (Hutt) Iftt 39 (! 1 21.0 Nanghton 'Central) ... 121 57 fi 0 20.1 Blamires (Central) ... 120 IS G 0. 20.0 Wvnvard' (North) 97' • 81: .1 '0 19,-t Wasstalf (Kast, B) 114 39 . 0 0 1 9.0 M'Girr (Fast B) ...... ' 72 111 r. 1 18.0 Nunn (Petone)' 10G 53 . fi 0 17.6 Dickson (College) S7 5S 5 0 17.1 Goldfinch (East B) ... 51. 2f> 3 I) 17,0 Wilkinson (Central)... 102. -II 6 0 17.0 Salmond (College) ... 83 10 6 1 16.1! Fciltoii ' (South) 9S U fi 0 16.3 Beroudscu (College)... 05 3t 5 1 16.2 Walters (South) 90 37 G 0 15.0 Howe (East A) 15 : H 2 -V 15.0 Collelt ■ (East'. B). ...... S6; 37 7 1 14.3 Hutciiings (East B) ... 100 30 7 0-14.2 Griffiths (College) ...... S4 ,2S .6 0 .14.0 Patterson (Central) ..." -12. 1R 4 .1 14.0 Fanning (College) ... . '61 43. 5 0 13.6 Cornell (Petone) ' <!S 18 C. 1 13.6 Kevs'(South) ......... 1:1 1:1 2 1. 13.0 Wills (East.B)...' 25... 15 2 . 0 12.5 W, Prinze (Hutt) ... '. 74 42 G o'. 12.3. Grace (South) 71 47 ,G . 0 U.S. Dalelcish. (Petone) ...... 6S .29,' 7. .1 .11.3 Tucker (East A) ...... : 33 25 3 0 11.0 M'Kenzio (I'ettine) ... . .76' 24 7 0 10i8. Hardham (PetoneJ 51 25 S 1 10.2 Isli.erwpod (Hiitt) 51 33 5 . 0. 10.2 "Signifies "Not Out." In '■ additiou to the • foregoing, Hickey (East A) has an aggregate of 44 not.out. BOV/LING AVERAGES. Wkl.s.-; Euns. Avg. Hickson (Central) ... 13 75 5.7 ' Hickey .(East A) ...... 27 2-lli 8.7 Luckie (North) 15 ' 137 9.1Blamires (Central) ... 13 126 '9.6 Gibb6s;(East; A)' ...... 27 • 260 ' 10.3 Findlav (North) 12 132 11.0 F,. Judd'(Hutt) ....... 20 . :227 . 11.3 Bragge (Central) 19 242 12.7 Brice (Petone) ■ 23 ■ 303 13.1 Patrick (South) . 10 13G 13.G Fenton (South) 15 ' 207 13.8 Nash-(East B) .....;' 13 193 14.8 Saunders (College) ... 17 ' 262 15.4 A.: H. l'ringlo (Hutt) 11 200 18.1 Hutching (East 8).'.. 12 243 20.2 - Finlayson (North) ... 11 - 230' 20.9 Dickson (South) ...... 10 . 229 - • 22.0 The foregoing are .bowlers who have taketi ten wickets or more. M.C.C, Team—Through English Spec--taclcs. ; • • Writing iii "M.A.P." before the Maryleiione team left England, Jack B. Hobhs, one of the best performers in (ho side, committed himself to this extent:—'' •go far as the State -fixtures are. concerned, 1 fully expect we shlill .score many. victories, but the .Tests will be keener than ever; and, if. wo. get some luck, we shall come oiit top . dog; il' not, I am very much' afraid ; that the ashes will remain whero they are.' The Australians are "tre- : niendously .strong in their.; own ' Country. It doesn't-require a. micro- ! scope, when looking at the names of our men, to see that we are thoroughly solid in every department of tho game rather than brilliant; indeed, so safe a batting side have we that I . ofteu wonder who will be left out when wo oppose All Australia. Wo have at least twelve of the best batsmen in England, nine tine bowlers, and two splendid wicket-kefpers; : and, with such a wealth of talent at his command, I do not onvv Mr. ' Warner his job in making tho final selection before each Test match. I would say that, after wc have been playing together a few 'times,, there-will not be a better combination of cricketers—l mean English cricketers. What the Australians will do remains to be seen. Our bowling is likely to be very strong, our fielding thoroughly sound, and we have got a sido which can remain at the wickets for a week, if they like to. play for keeps. We are, however, going to win the majority of our matches —if not the Tests—and the critics will be somewhat startled at our success when i comparing it: with that of the last side, or, indeed, that:-of- any former, touring team. Of this I am absolutely assured. ( Australian Bowling. . .'.G. A. Faulkner, the -sturdy .Soutl s Alrican batsman, recently contributed ti ; the -"Sportsman" a long dissertation • oi the possibilities of the -Australians. H - admits that the Australian side has tin •. best batting and fielding in the world [ but lie also -.contend* thai, their bowlini 1 staiids the serious risk of being collared - We shall see. : Of Hordern lie says:— . ■ "The bowler with the most' possi-.- ' 'bilities . is Hordern.., This bowler. ' - makes the ball do a bit-both ways on- ' " their hard wickets, 'and, of course, - 2 ;. bowls the .'gobglyl' . Unless tackled 3 very resolutely, lie/is-apt to be very 'darigerftus; hut, 'with all due deter- ; ence, I: think a really first-class •■batsnian would find him . a littlo slow in. ; . 'the'air. and-would consequently have 1 ; time to use-his feet, effectively./ His, : , bbwling, however, is -just, of the, neces-. ' ' ssiry type to make their attack van'-. • able, and Hordern.should traiii on lo 1 -beconVe a-very usefpl member of the. '. sitle. Armstrong's length is as perfect as ever, and a JoOSe one from him.is, so unexpected 1 as t.o ; almost, take one by surprise. He finds it difficult to 1 . get-much turii on (lie leg-break,'but. the hair lie-bowls with hiS.arm well. 1- ■ over-certainly appeared , to come in. ■ from ; tbe off a bit, with the_ leg-break action—a kind of 'googljv " .Another Australian for whom Faulknt - has nothing, but ungrudging iidmiratio !> is'our little'friend Macartney: ' f "Another player from whom I expec • ed. great things'is Macartney. This bat ■r man lias more strokes .at his common than any other Australian—Victor Tr'un per .excepted—and unless my judgment sadly at fault, the 'Guv'nor-Gcneral'—t „ he is popularlv termed in Australia—wi , give the English bowlers a lot. of t.roubl T r nfortonatelv for himself. Macartney, inclined to be moody, and is consequeatl too inclined to take personal failures I heart, lio and our own Gordon Whit ~ n more persistently, than all others, stem i be possessed of tho ability to play fo ward and to drive the long-hop hetwet tho covers at a terrific pacc. The la; i man, perhaps, is apt to. wonder how mt . of such stature, manage to impart put [I hitting force, but tho perfect timing, course, is responsible. Macartney is al: _ a magnificent, inid-off—the best field, i f fact, on this powerful side—and the wt ! lie anticipates—and stops with compar , tive hardest of drives, n:ak one realise how invaluable a_ field cf h t calibre is to a bowler. The hard wicke I. out there prevent him from being mo ' than jiist an ordinary left-hand bowlt and I do not think he will claim mai l-lnglishmen as victims in this respet unless, of course, sticky wickets obtain 51 Good Sport if Genuine. Is "-Victor Trumper tho Don_ Qiiixq - as well as the Cinqucvalli of cricket? ly curiosity in first-class cricket from t h- "IJrii'banc Courior" ... tlw> first.ln •id from Minnelt shooting up oil Ilcarm as hut on<l-giving Crawford an easy cat ir at slip. After ..Hcarne h:ul retired, bo I- Douglas a.nd Tnimi»er, followed him.a'i lie brought.him back to resume his inainf It was. a unique incident, and mystiti

Iho crmrtl. The explanation was dial someone amoug the specfa.tor.s had called lio-ball, .and 'He-nine, thinking it was tho umpire, la.shed out, and was caught. Trumper, iu a thoronjflil.v spoiling.spirit, dirided ■ lo let .lloarnc resume, tho Knglishmeu keenly appreciating Uio eonsid-. enition, for lloarn-j mis'out by the law of Uio game. 11'.- was 42; and after adding one was out l.b.w. to Crawford." To Ihe lore-oil)?. "The Breaker" has- B' fmi-; to add that, it was good sport on Trumper's part prima, facie. Hut thereis a lot of Iheatricnlisni in these mutters, „ and tho "Sydney Koforee" seldom fails " Iu make tli>! most of matters, especially when (he noble person who railed (lie ]~ other person back -when be was "out. ,- by. the laws of Hie game" ltappens lo bo a. ciowd. idol. . ei II Wanted—A Skipper. k In the light of what ■ has happened lo ei P. ■ F. Warner, the following opinion, j, i written by Mr. C. B. Fry in Fry's Magazine for October, will interest, readers:--"Suppose. ['. F. Warner (which, iny dear w .Plum the gods forfond!) were In be'ill '' o- : split a linger, who would rsiplaiir the n side:- Either .1. W. 11. T. Douglas or' ~, F. It. Foster, hvo good captains, but neither ol them with experience of A ustrolia, and both of them bowlers, and * imiwrtant bowleg. Apart from lack of , previous knowledge of Australia, .which ~ is net much matifir, no bowler can use j' himself a.s much- as someone else can use ', him. Now, G. I. Jessop has no superior among (ho present county captains; ho is.a strong character, able and resoliile, . and a fine, judgo of cricket. In any ca.se, a most-valuable condjuler. Ho would bo -j among my first choice to play for Hug- '. land hero-now had I (o pick a learn. I jj am sorry he bas not joined the team." ? Where Does He Get It? s T'osler, of, the English team, is a \ right-handed batsman, but a left-handed bowler. In I his respect he is similar lo . Macartney. When bowling he has a very j high 1 action delivering tho ball from high '• over bis bead. . Judging from his easy r gait to Iho crease, one- wonders whether Strudwick stands so far back Ixdiind the r stump's,. as Carter does to Colter. Hut } the. v.isdnm .of the action, is seen after [ the ball touches the pitch.' foster prob- ! ably makes more pace from the pitch than, any bowler .alive. The ball scorns c to accumulate us.much pneo again. There-- ! in lies the principal virtue in, tho Warwickshire. captain's ■bowling, and it is an . asset that makes him a. specially furmid- J ablo opponent. ' The Stuff That Will-Assail the Shield. ■ j "Dong Slip."'in the "Olajo Witness," i writes of tho team to play for his provinrc • against Canterbury in the Tlnuket Shield '] match to-day and on Moudav and Tues- j day: .-.'■." , The team, while possessing no excep- , tional brilliancy, is a good nil-round com-' | bination, and should serve tho province j well. The' selectors are te bo compli- ■ mented oli a task which has presented ■ more difficulties than appear on tho surface. Least of all have they been assisted . by the exceptionally bad season so fat ' experienced. .- In this latter connection tho -team suffers a serious handicap- in lack'.of opportunity for practice, and.particularly will this be felt in going off the slow wickets in Dimcdm on to the fait wicket in Christchurch. The team can bat right through to tho last man, and if there bo one'exception,. that one displays .such energy; in the field that, will more than compensate for any weak-' noss in his batting.. Tho attack is good, with chango bowlers of variety. Backed up by alert fielding and with" keen eyes and for chances, the present team, inspires confidence. Tho election of Dowries as captain is a well-deserved compliment 10. a player who has done, much for ' Otago cricket, and one whose long experience of play and players should fit him for tho position. The name of Calla- . way is missing from the team, but tho captain of last season's premier team was unavailable. Old-Timers. .1. Darling, the ex-Australian Eleven captain, attained his forty-first birthday on November 21 (says the "Sun"). In his day tho vigorous South Australian was a great batsman, and, when going, delighted the onlookers by bis power and freedom. Ho was captain of the 1902 Australian Eleven which visited England, and which included Noble, Trumpor, S. ' E. Gregorv, K. A. Dull', J. V. Saunders, 11. Trumble, J. J. Kelly, \\. P. Howell, E. Jones, H. Carter,-and A. J. Hopkins. Tho team played 39 matches, of which they were victorious in 2!l. Only two matches wero lost; fourteen, were drawn. Darling also led the 1905 team'.in England. The team played 38 matches, winning 10 and drawing 19. The personnel consisted of Darling, Nolle, C. Hill, It. A. Duff, Armstrong, Trumpor, S. E. Gregory, C. M'Lcod, Gehrs, P. M. .-Newiand, A.. Cotter, J. .1. Kelly, Hopkins, Howell, with F. Lavcr, who went as manager. Darling was as great a .captain as bo was a player. Tom Sherman, one of the oldest of professional cricketers, died of pneumonia in ■ Croydon Hospital on the Iflth of last month. As he was born—at-Sfitchnm, in Surrey—on December. 1, 1827, he was in . his eighty-fourth year at tho time of his death. To the present generation lie was, of course, only a name, but lid years ago he. was one-of the best fast bowlers .in the; w;orld. "Scores ' and Biographies" (iii—4J7) said of him: "Is one of.the fastest-, round-aim bowlers. there ■ has ever been, and for some seasons he was very successful in the Surrey Eleven, being also a. fine field. Hats in good style, but is too impatient, often running in at the ball and trying to take it a 'half-volley.' An idea of. his pace can be formed front the fact, that in a match against Yorkshire at, Sheffield one of bis deliveries broke a stump into five pieces. He made his. first appearance for Surrey G4 years .ago;- and' played his last match for the , county in 1870, his career thus covering the long period 0f.21 seasons: but he did g not assist tho side between-1861 and 1870, i and in the latter year took part in only £ one game. In all matches in which he ° appeared for Surrey-'.he obtained .229 wicket.sand-scored 422 runs with an average of 0.91." • What Possessed Cotter? ' According to tho "Bulletin,"-the only amazing circumstances about the recent New.South Wales-South Australian maWi was the outbreak of Cotter, of N.S.W., who.built up S2 of/N:S.AY7s 31ii in 40min., to the amazement of everybody and himself. It was ah unprecedented outbreak, for':Colter has hitherto'shone onlv'as a lAWler, guaranteed to kill at 1000 yds. Tint this time he struck four sixers, six tourers, hvo threes.'eight twos, and 12 singles; and did it in capital style. Glebe (SydnevV 'where he .hails from, has-not l>pe:i able to gct'a bat on since the oiicurroaec. . .. .