CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 12

CRICKET.

[By thh BeiaketJ

Opening To-Day. Wellington opens its orioket Mason to-day. Only senior matches will be played." The other grades wsll commenoe next Saturday. Threo matches will be played on the Basin Reserve to- , day, and the two Hutt Valley. elevenß will meet at Lower Hutt. Who Will Baundera Play For? There is much speculation as to wfcat olub J. V. Saunders will play for this seasoni. The council of the association olaims the right to allot him to whichever team it chooses. South would probably have got him, but South is deficient. College had him' last year, and may get him again, but there are rumours to tho effeob that ho will not figure in this year's 'Varsity eleven. North want him on tie assertion that their bowling is weak this 1 year,' but they ore not likely to get him. East B are thought to have a chance, and it is unlikely that the association will call on him to go to either Hutt or Petono. Tho matter will probably be settled on Tuesday.

North Weak In Bowling. North are a little uncertain as to their bowling strength this senjsan. Southall, it is said, is not likely to bo available overy day, and Casey may not be available at all. These wero reasons given by Mr. 0. G. Wilson when he suggested to the Cricket Association that North'should be allotted Saunderß this year. The suggestion, of course, caused surprise, as North at presesnt holds tfhe ohampionship. The Mld-Woekors. Tho Wednesday Association holds Its annual meeting on Monday evening at the New Zealander Hotel. They will probably open their season on October 22. It, is not expeoted that there will be much new blood in the Wednesday i ranks. ' ■ . Insteadl of six senior teams (as last year) there will probably be four—Orien--1 ial, Artillery, Rivals, and Union. Vivian and Y.M.C.A. are expeoted to drop out. The Vivian players will probably throw jin. their lot with Oriental. Central With the Ball. Among the Central bowlers Robinson will again be found rocking down his fast mediums. The club has caught a Sydney sider who is expeoted to do well here—one Ryan, who played for tho Paddington Club across the Tasman. As a bowler'he is a right-hand slow. He is also >said to be an all-round cricketer. ' ■■■■■■•• Proposed Junior Amalgamation. A number of lads out of tho Marist teams oompeting in tho Boys' League matones are oyer. age this season, and consequently ore unable to plajr among their former, associates. It was proposed that, as they were not strong enough to form themselves into a junior team, they should amalgamate with tho Catholio Young Men's Club, and form a' third division team under tlhe Wellington Cricket Association. /This promised well, and negotiations touring about tho desired result were set on foot: An obstacle was, met with, • however. The Catholio Young Men'B Olub were wedded to the outside Junior Association, and this deadlock has not as yet been overcome. Some of the olubless Marist boys intend joining' the Catholio Young Men's Club team nevertheless. Viotorla Collsga Eleven. Fenton, formerly of Wellington South Club, joins Victoria College. He will bo a most useful trundler for them, and .should combine well with Dickson. It is doubtful if the 'Varsity eleven will include Saunders. If it does the bowling, will, be strong. : , Death of South. After straggling valiantly for years the eight or nine enthusiasts,who went by tho name of the South senior team, have arranged ' that " South " Bhoula dio. And . so, dead it is; The demise was inevitable. Men were not going to oontimio in a team, which could only sorape together about nine men every Saturday. ' Then, Burton, their Btar bat of last season, left for the Hutt Valley. Sohmoll did not wish to play, and Laws is off the crease a thiß season. There was, a doubt, too, as to whether Fenton would remain in the,club. A. A. George was prepared to play for tho team, if' there was a shortage of men, and it was hoped' that East B would throw in their lot with South: East B, however, did not do so, and there was; nothing else for Bouth to .do but to'give up. Wagstaff is mentioned as one of those who was willing to join Southy ■ but if he did Schmofl would not havo come out as wicketkeeper. Mr. oeorgo's Position. . Mr. A. A. George, after announcing tho death of South to the association last Tuesday, asked what his position Was. He had been sent to the annual meeting of delegates as a South representative, and had been elected by that gathering .to his prosont seat on the council of the association. Mr. George's position, of courso, is quite secure. If his attendanco at tho i annual meeting was in order, his election was valid, and is not in tho least affected by what happens to South sub- : aequently to his appointment as that olub's delegate. Stolen Singles. Kelburne Park wickets will be ready for matches as from to-day.. The annual meeting of tho New Zealand Cricket Association be held on October 28 at Christchurch. - Christchurch championships oommenco this afternoon. Nominations for the New Zealand team to visit Australia close to-day. The selectors are: _ Messrs. Hemus (Auckland), Crombie (Wellington), Reese (Canterbury), Downes (Otago), and Orchard (Council's representative). Mr. Orchard is convenor and chairman of the committee. Tho first game that C. G. Wilson played in after his coming to Wellington was at Porirua. His record was "out first ball." The Dunedin season will not be opened inside a fortnight frojo to-day and thero is a chance of the start being delayed till November 8." H. Taylor, who is at present in California with the All Black Rugby team, s'oxpected to play for Linwood (Ohristohurch) when ho returns. • ■ Report states that P. Cnllen. who kopt wickets for East A awhile last season, will figure in the Artillory juniors this year. An Otago writer who is looking anxiously for wcathor indications takes hope from a Maori prediction of a warm summer. An extension of tho arm of sports organisation was suggested .by Mr. C. G. Wilson at tho last meeting of tho Wellington Association. Referring to a letter from tho Sports Protection League Mr. Wiloon Baid that the time was opportuno for tho league to mako a list . of tho whole of the players playing in every grade in every game.

Tlio Cuntorbury Association has deoidftd to enforoe strictly the rule regarding tho starting of piatohos at tho appointed timo.

It Bj understood tliat the veteran wicket-keeper, J. N. Fowke, has definitely re-tired, and thus one of Canterbury's oldest cricketers is lost to the playing ranks, but not to the game. Petona Club Notes.' Owing to the decision of the Cricket Association to postpone junior matches to-day, Petone has been ablo to place the following team against Hutt:— Brioe, Gates, Fiulayson, Tregear, Nunn, Hardnam, Bennott, Powell, O'Donoghue, Wynyard. and Smith. Petono will do strengthened by the addition of Smyrko and a Hawke's Bay representative player. O'Donoghue, another new and' promising player, had oapital figures when he played for the Catholic Young Men's Club, Wellington. Wynyard, Smith, and Powell (third class) are showing good style, and are considered likely colts. Albert House will be unable to play for some time owing to an accident to his knee when plnyine tho League winter game. The attack of the first eleven will be in the hands of Brice, Finlayeon, Bennett, Hardham, Nunn, Wynyard, and Tregear. It may be mentioned that members of the Petone Club prepare their own wickets, and oredit is due to them when after a day's work they "dTag the roller" patiently between 6 and 7. o'clook each night.

Hutt Olub Jottings. The prinoipal bowlera in this plub as constituted this . season are: Isherwood, Patton, 0. Judd, Rodgors, Ellison, and Stiles. E. Judcl will bo on acquisition to .the team, and great hopes are entertained regarding his bowling. Ellison is another new player, having been promoted from, the juniors, and should bowl and bat well. The olub has been fortunate in seouring Mr. M, C. Mason's services as secretary. Young Sewart, a late-comer from Home, is a young hopeful,' and. if he bats, as well, as ho bowls should soon make a. name. The pitch is in good order, and Hutt is determined: to hold its own this afternoon. Sydney's Opening—Trumper Brilliant. /Sydney's oricket season began in glorious weather on September 27. In tne first-grado good soores were recorded by: H. Crauney, 62; E. F. Waddy, 74; F. E. M'Elhone, 47; Charles Kelleway, 89; S. Freeman, 107; V. Trumper, 84. Trumper was In great fonn, and with rare strokes Itnooked l up his 84 runs in eighty minutes. Ho was partnered by S. Hill (Clem's brother) who totalled 83 by powerful hitting. ■ The Rev. E. F. Waddy captains Central Cumberland this season, Trumper leads the Gordon team, 0. Kelleway skippers Glebo.