THE WORLD OF SPORT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1634, 28 December 1912, Page 12

THE WORLD OF SPORT.

CRICKET. : fr- — . [By the Bbeakeh.] MOSTLY ON MELBOURNE, . Melburnians inMarlborough. ; >,"What' sort' of trip ? lir'Marlborough?" - The speaker was Mr. M'Connack,-man-ager of the South jlclbounie-cricket-team,-end the other . party to tho . conversation was '-'The Breaker. . - "It's not- easy to. say," continued Air. ll'Comaek',. "1 don't want to'g\isli like a schoolgirl; iand thatVwhat.X would seem .to be;doing:erea;if ,!l",pnly .gave jou the unpainted.facts;' X«.t mo.see-r-'

' Pause. . . "i "It'was 'royal, right- royal., pother*. That 'won't gush." ;. . .■, . Panse-again—a long one. ■ : -- , Then the manager framed what no wanted. "You. know," he said, that cricketers, as a class,. are ' neither emo -' tional nor.' ijnpresjionable." That .would, be the wrontf: sortlof "temperament "lor cricket. All the same,, we wtoe JJWtessed'. Wfl have' never seen hospitality, like that. Ask the. boys! ; After; the final eend-off at Blenheim, tho tram rattled, for-'fully ■ ten ;miiiutes, before_any man in the-team spoke a word. -!;hey had giveii us a lot to think about those good Blenheim peopled ' .

Afraid of Cook Strait.

' ihea' Mr. M'Cormack ;began ,the_stojiy of:the. trip' td. : Marlborough- ab initio, .- 'TVewey©. apprehensive about Cpok Strait -- when 'we left Wellington, for six of- the ■' team are -poor" sailors, but there was lio neet}—the Strait- was' ; a- millpond—and we got an eye-opener. * when - the steamer - opened out the wonderland of Marlbori ough Sound. Of course, .Harry (meaning Trott).' iias ibeen .in New Zealand .before, " but, to the rest of us, it was a new sort .".of' sienery—a.very fine sort. ;

Kindness and Crops. Mr. M'Cormack wont; on to state that, ;- ■> ftlthough .no match at Picton had been - «rraDged;'"vtli© ".team' ; were . _£p e >y ,:, -'iriayor''aiidV'by-'tto-pr€sideiit of the Picr v ton-;C.C;(Mr;Jf ai tland), and ; when the £ train reached. Blenheini the i>latform ; v crowded.'. Among-those'.who met tho Melt v r;' ; b.urnian9' Tvere Mr.W.Chisholm (president- of the Blenheim Club), Mr. Mills (secretary), Mr; H. Horton; (captain), and Orr, an ex-Blenheim player, who 't" mad© * top score * against' Lord ; Hawlte s "team' when'it : Visited 'Marlborough a nura-. ; h& of- years ago, ; The team was offi- :■ ; - : ciallr:received: by .'.the Mayor,-/Connci lor : Carrie'; 1 and-Mr. M'Callum, /2X;P. ' They,, -etayed.at.the Criterion Hotel, •of Which . ;:f f mine. ' host ,, Falconer—showed -- tliem -every kindness, ' '. .'"c'-'During, the Sunday which;:.: lntorrened. •- ' 'between the .two days of the match, they ; -were driven out into, th© .country, and !tho merits of Marlborough crops were pointed out. "I think,", added the man--agar, "that- the Marlborough pisople,*. are..Tather proud of their crops,, and they ; ' have reason to be."

' ! A Capital Leaf from Blenheim's Book. y':' . ."' Quito an interesting nottf was . then ' 'Btruck. "While; the match W 'going,', IV■'■. \ roil," Mr., M'Cprmack said, "they showed ■■'as what wo think would be a'capital inf' :Novation if "it" were ' generally adopted in - , '• 'cricket;' Everyone .'.knows hew- much ?.- ;. la,n'umpire' has.: to keep. in. his head ' ati I ; o n C e. He has to. watch tho- bowler's I' ' : - t! "arm, watch his ; back foot, watoh the : V -iflight of the ball,«' watch the. batsmans i'i;'% ■ "and' so' on,- and,* l b'esides' all that, to-' lr.' Pallas'.to ikeep count of the number of balls !'-• in esch over. Quite a lot of things to ' ' niiml,' isn' it?. But 'in Blosiheira, they ' relieve the umpire' of 'the oounting by' ? I''. rinsing' a boll at "the conclusion of.: each' I • over.- : We think this .'must be a ■ new. i:' ' 'thing' jn.' cricket 1 for. even Trott, who lias j &,en a Jot of the'world,'had'-not heard of Kucli. a 'thing. It seems a first-class ! ■ •'■ idea.": j , Lightning J/Vork by Scott. , Blenheimites must,':have:-hail..plenty to. ! '■/ ■ f.look at "in : me •exhibition which' was given at'the conclusion of. the. match, ilhe f if !• ' chief .featurei'was a brilliant .bit pf lightrj'nihg batting-by W-'Scott... ..Ho at the i;l "» : ".wicket"for."one!h«ir ; -an4 five,minutes for :v': 1 S. 12-1 runs, and.iwas'-'bnly - put,, to. the last • ball of the day. •He hit. nine "sixers, ; '• S which the- visitqra■ think must be a record " ' number, of. suck mighty for a , Binglo, ianimgs. ; At one. stage, he banged v. 2G'.offi a- single.' It P 1"/™ r - ' Vvery'good, wcoiid to Scott's-lead, notch!r.■> ■ ing! 87' (inclu.'ling i three sixers) in -. rapid j V time. • .■ V;,-

■ Scott as a- Fishitrroan. . • On-tho team's.,return to Picton they " wore, met-by. the .president of Picton ? C C. and; Mr. BidUell, and a. latmch was ' .engaged: for a fisj\ing- cruise'-: iiv 'Double " Bay;. There was. that day a.small gloat and chuckle over Scott's exploits ..with tho. line ' "You tnow,:' 1 " said the manager, . "that 'Billy'-considers himself a mighty :. fine'fisherman. lie was the only :• member-of tho'party,, who "did nibblo.. Trott tlie bluest beauty in over the: side, and- -K- Deas secuiod the •/ biggest bag."

' Ship's Captain and Critketers. ' : ' Captain Prow, of tihc' Te Anau, is .an lv,.' * old South Melbourne, f>Py>, W'U naturaj.y, ■ lie wiis pleased to ;huffe his . . '!■ compatriots, travelling: >vuh. him... Ho had •- the, Whole team- to'his. liable, and eewaally ! . >; made/the trip, back to, Wellington a! very Si pleasant one. • -,\"

f Christmas in \(/olHnstori. v . On reaching, "the "Windy-. the team wore- mot by a .well-known olaoial, * .whom,-Mr. refers to as the en- «■' thusiasti© and iibiciuito us Cusack (lie v certainiy' is), and' put npj at the Jttnpire. "• Christmas Day- W enlivened by »...dnve .'out to,' Lyall Bay and .otter parts, of,the ,? coast, and:;the -M.iramiv;.Suri; C\i!|b. cave fc them aa exhibition, of.wrkm thy water., i A dumber of the - team dined wi.th ; Mr, S Arthur A. Gwrp,Jo wtejltev ed- exertions the, visit of • fto.ttj.and Jiis merrie. men". is. vei'y-..largely duet ; -

f The' Old Brigade as Harr.y U-ott sees ' ■; Thorn. ' ' . ' ' _ • Harry. Trott, who, is keeping to active participation in . the gam-5 lotgjer ;thail u ,most of .those, wluv were .irell-known '• cricketers, in his earlier days, # talks vjiy :j. interestingly, of the piespntf doings of the old.brigade,. .

- Giffen, Trumbls; Irodale, George Giifen, he says, is still alive,' and although he does not play, he keeps ii" condition- with r-mpl? practice at the -- 'Adelaide Oval. The last team ho was with ;'was Lord Dudley's team .which played in •• Melbourne. He is as active as ever, :: although ho is very.gmy. Any teams which go to Adelaide can always rely on '■ a practice with Giffen, who is still very keen on the game.' ' " , Hu"lw_TrumMe is now 'secretary of the '•". Melbourne Club, a lucrative position which Major Wardell previously held. Tramblq " gave u.p'a bank manageirship at Ivew to assume this secretaryship. Ho still plays % cricket, but not regularly., He even playV ed' last Saturday. Ho bowls as well aS to this season Iredala was a selector for New South Wales. He was in : the press lino for some tirno,. but is now ' in. the employ of a big Sydney brewery • firm. ■

M'Kibbin and Others. M'Kibbin, -Mr. Trott came across in ■ Melbourne about six months ago. He if as then travelling' for a farm who specialised in sheep-shearing appliances. . "Jack" Lyons is a collccter for the Adelaide hospital, but he does not play cricket now. To state the awful lact, :: he:lias taken to bowls. _ Blacksmithing occupies Afty Jar vis's ' attention in South Australia. He is as fat as ever, and as jolly. .. .. . \ E. .'Trott lias given up playing the e'liiie and is on the umpire staff at Lords. He' 'umpired pretty regularly m the •1 county matches last year, and is now prettv lunch on the stout side.

Howell, Blackham, Worrall. ''Bill" llowoll has com back to lus

Lord Liverpool at the Match.

A WEEKLY RECORD OF SPORTS & OTHER PASTIIES.

farm out of Sydney. He is a martyr to rheumatism, and cannot play. Nevertheless, ho sheds tho light of lii» couiitepanco. on all tho bid • matches in tho Now . South Wales capital." "Jack"' Worrall has got along pretty jrcll. Ho writes football and cricket items, trains tho Essenden Football Club, and is coach to tho Victorian Cricket Association. Ho does not participate in the Saturday matches. For J. M'C. Blackliam the Victorian people recently arranged. a benefit, which realised about -£1500, and secured tho old crack an annuity worth about £2 10s. per week. Ho; is mining now, and has a claim oh Panton/Hill. _ AU the big matches find him in the eity. c

Darling, Jones, Koljy. . "Joe" Darling is on a sheep run in Queensland. Occasionally he goes down t<> Melbourne to big matohes. The game has been farowclled by J, J. Kelly. ."A benefit for him brought in ,£I2OO or '.£I3OO. He is an usher and assistant .caretaker in the Sydney Town Hall. ' W. Trumblo aid Bruce are solicitors in Melbonrne. - Both do big business, an'd their enthusiasm for tho old game leads them to the ground, when anything is stirring. .- T. Horan still writes wonderfully interesting ■ nfltes for the "Australasian," and is in the audit oifice in Melbourne. Ho wishes to be remembered to his NewZealand friends. . i ■ "

"Tom" Garrett looks as fresh as ever. Just now he is interesting himsolf in Victor Trumper*s benefit. Likewise Harry Moses. .

,'B. ' Jones, the fast bowlor who .came through New Zealand in 1898, is working in the EoulSer mine.

As these notes lurry away :to press there is just time to add a jotting or two on the interesting . Melbourne v.- Welljtogton—which is now in progress on the Basin Reserve. The finish to-day should bo well, worth going to see,'but thaf by tlie way. One of the features—and an exceedingly pleasant oiie—was the spontaneous reception accorded .on Friday to his Excellency Liverpool, and Lady Liverpool, and other members of the vice-regal party when they entered the ground. Many took off their tats, and tho hand-clapping was general and hearty. ( And then, when good old Harry Trotfrsuspended the game, and called on his men for three cheers, this very pleasant little scene was complete.

■To the Basin To-day? There ought to be a royal crowd at tho 'Basin to-day -to see-the finish, and, mayhap, if time permits, wo may see the Melbourne men give an exhibition. Anyhow, Wellington's men are doing surprisingly well, and, if anyone imagines that their batting was not quite fast enough, let hjm remember what the quality of the South Melbourne bowling—and more especially the South Melbourne fielding—is. One mistake apparently—and only one—is sufficient to send the batsman home to the pavilion.

Who to Congratulato? ; It is difficult, writing in a hurry, to adequately say the right word to the men who have already dona the right thing. Of the South. Melbourne play more will be said in future notes, but, of Wellington, one's hand , naturally goes out to Phillipps and Naughton, who openpd a stubborn innings for the home side, to that "jolly good fellow"—the. Eev. E. 0. Blamires —and to ''Fred" Midlane, who 1 wanderedj.casually. to ,t)ie crease to strike something like his' real old-time ' form. One is. only sorry that "our Mr. 1 Blacklock" did. not get going;' "All' the foregoing in haste, but the following is written very deliberately, and without fear of contradiction: - Wo. have read,' duriiig the week, how negotiation's by the New Zealand Cricket Association to bring oyer a New South Wales team have fallen flat. Perhaps if our august cllief-controlling body had possessed one tittle of the quenchless energy and push of the Wellington Mid-Week Association, tho resijlfc would have been 'very different. ''••• » It is not, however, sought to cast, stones at anyone. . The intention is ratheT to congratulate . the Wellington Wednesday enthusiasts whose efforts have succeeded in-bringing "Trott; and. his merrie-men across the Tasman Sea. ; ' - ■ One spectator at tho match was heard to observe: "They're alive, they are, that Wednesday crowd." .' Well, are they not?