CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1948, 3 January 1914, Page 12

CRICKET.

— * [By the Breaker.] THE COMINC OF THE KANGAROO. The Wellington Cricket Association deserves praise for arranging tlio match which took place between its- represen tatives and the Wednesday eleven at Christmas time. The Wednesday Association has somo good material in its ranks, and (l fixture of this kind acts as a test ofwthe best of the mid-week players. The associations should meet in contest at least once a year. Why Not a Colts' Match. • It is suggested that the association might, also; consider the advisability of playing a colts' match." The game possesses .this season many young and promising colts, who, if the onportunitv presented itself, would probablv do well in good company. A match, Colts against The Eleven, would give tho voung players : an opportunity of distinguishing themselves, and would bring them directly under the eyo of tho selector. A Busy Representative Season. Wellington's prospects are for a very husy season of representative rricket. 'A, team has been to Marlborough, tho ■V;ediiesday-and Saturday representatives have met on the Basin .Reserve, the representative team has appeared in Christchurch and is now continuing ita southern totir, on which it will plnv matches against Otago and Southland On January 22 (Anniversary Day) Wcl\ lington journeys to Napier to plnv a matcji against Hawke's Bay. In February tho Australian team will be here, also Dan Reese's team,, and in all proh- ■ ability Auckland and Waiuynnui . will play here. 1 In addition the Wellington Associatio'n -is endeavouring to arrange' a, match with the New Zealand team on its return-from Australia. i M.A.N. Coming Over. v It seems that arrangements have been practically, completed for a visit this season from/an AustralXifi teai#' New Zealand supporters of the game will Ije delighted to know .thafc ;tho team will include two of the finest crickors the world has seen—M. A. Noblo and Victor -Trumper,. The, former ia, probably, the finest, nil-round cricketer. Australia'has produced—bowler, batsman, and captain, a wonderful judge of the game, and a, strong personality. Of Trumper a note appeared in, yosterday's issue. , ; On tho Elevator. The Australian- team will include many other very fine cricketers and should go a lone wav towards lifting the gamo to a higher level. Alrcadv it Ksems that (in the language of a Wellington enthusiasts "the name is .on tho elevator in New Zealand." Australians for South Africa. Clem Hill, L. 0. S. Poidevin, and E. E. Bean are to select tho Australian team which is to visit South Africa. In reference to tlio 'prospective tour, thb: '•Referee" Bays:—' "On the assumption that our leading players will be available—and one fancies that a majority will be—the team will not be so" Very difficult to select. C. Hill, V. Trumper, W. W. Armstrong, V. Rausford, W. Bardsley, C. G. Macartney, C. Kolleway, J. Ryder, H. Carter, H. V. Horderu, It. J. A. Alassie, W. J. Whitty, and another wicketkeeper would be a powerful thirteen. But somo of those may not bo available, -and somo may be cast into tho sliado by, the limit of some of tho younger men, notably E. P. Barbour, A. G. Aloyes, D. G. Steel and I l '. Baring among batsmen. In tho light of tho campaign next. season it is very satisfactory to know, that the form of Clem Hill, Victor . Trumper, AVarren. Bardsley, Charles Macartney, Warwick Armstrong, Vernon Ransford, and Charles Kolleway iB so sound. These men mako a backbone in batting of infinite variety and powers, and ought not to let Australia down on any type of wickets, if siipport•ed.by bowling of the needed class and variety." Saunders' Bowling In Africa. , It is eleven years since tlio Australians paid' their only visit to South _ Africa, and somo of tho men who performed so brilliantly at that r'me are still among the greatest players i>i the world, notably 0. Hill, W. W. Aimstrong, and V. Trumper. In tho Test matches over there Clem Hill averaged 79, Armstrong 57, and Trumper 48. i The most successful-bowlers in the Tests i were J. V. Saunders, who secured fifteen wickets at an average of 11, and ;W. P. Howell fourteen'for 12. These two men made the ball spin and break sharply. ■Armstrong—"sl2, Not Out." ' I W. W. Armstrong within ten days this season scored 612 runs in games other than first grade, without being dismissed: 156 not out v. University, 154 not out v. Metropolitan Juniors, mid 202 not out v. Queensland. Great Batting by Two Veterans. ' The veterans' match, to celebrate the jubilee of Canterbury-Otago representative matches, was a huge success (says a southern exchange). There has always been a strong .bond of friendship* between the cricketers of Canterbury and Otago, and this good feeling reach- - cd its climax when the old-timers of ■both provinces forcgathered.on 'tho field, in the pavilion at lunch, and in tho evening at tho "smoker." . The feature of tho veterans' c.atch was Do Ilenzio Harman's 114. Tho previous occasion ho played cricket was somo two or threo years ago, in ». mitch between tho members of tho Ghnstchurch Club and tho Wellesley Club (Wellington), and on that occasion ho mado a century. Ho was one of tho few among thoso taking part in tho veterans' match who showed no :-igns cf being in tho veteran stage. When m his prime there was hardly a nioro attractive batsman in Christchurch, ».nd his play last Wednesday showed little, if any, signs of deterioration. He mado beautiful strokes all round the wicket, but his .cutting was especially good—good enough, indeod, ;o ho an object-losson to present-day p'jiyers. Wilding's success with tlio. bat w is especially pleasing. As the "Grand Old Man" of Canterbury cricket, everyone was delighted to see him mako runs. Ho played tho "hit hard and often" game, as of yore, and his activity stamped him as one of those upon whom his sixty summers sat lightly.;; ; -- .