CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 163, 30 March 1918, Page 3

CRICKET

WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND., Tho forthcoming match between Wellington and Auckland is exciting much interest amongst cricketers, and should tho weather keep fine an interesting game is almost sure to result. ' Contests between Wellington and Auckland marked the beginning of inters provincial cricket in New Zealand. The northerners issued a challenge in 1860, ■which resulted in a game being played on March 16 of that year, wickets being pitched on the parade ground near Mount Cook Barracks, close to where St.- Patrick's College is built.- Auckland showed their confidence was not misplaced, and they won by _ four wickets. They have won the majority of the twenty-one matches which have taken place to date, bagging 14 victories to Wellington's 5, the remaining two games being drawn. One of the most exciting of the series was in 1894, when Auckland were set 144 to •win, and tho circumstances taken from a newspaper report were as follow: — "Just after the century had been renched/Cawson was magnificently caught at square-leg by C. Gore, but the latter, it appeared, had fallen on the boundary ropes with the ball, and the batsman, who had returned to the pavilion, returned to tho wickets. Had an appeal been made to Mr. Lusk (the Auckland umpire) at first he would have given the hatsman out, basing his decision on, a ruling of the U.C.C. Mr. Knapp,' tho Wellington umpire/ held the.opposite view. G-ore was then appealed to, n-nd admitted that he had caught the ball after it had passed tho boundary, altlioiif.rh.hc was inside the ropes when he made tho catch. It was then decided Lawson was not out, and instead oP Wellington gaining the wicket, six runs were added to-the-Auckland score, a very great difference from a local point of view." The umpire's final decision was wrong. Centuries have been reached for the respective provinces as follow:—For Auckland: G. Mills, not out, 106; D. Hay, 144; E. Horspool, 113. For Wellington: Claude Hickson, 135; Fred Midlane, 102; J. N. Crawford, 110. A curious thing about. Hickson's century was the even manner in which he divided the runsi He made 20 out of 40, 30 out of 60, 40 out oF 80, 90 out of 180. and reached 100 -with the.total at 193. C. G. Wilson, of the present Wellington team, has here two centuries to his oredit against Auckland bowling, scoring 144 and 137 for Otago, though it must not be inferred that these- runs were made in the same match. The fixture of 1912 was won by Auckland hv one wicket. They required to make 174 runs, and the ninth wicket fell at 139. F. R. Mason 28 and A. Wallace- 16, however, knocked off the runs in the most plucky style for the northerners. Thompson, the Northampton professional, scored 22 and 25, and secured five for 72 and three for 85 for Auckland, whilst Saunders, for the local men, took six for 86 and three for 84. It may bo added that Wallace was afterwards ono of the New Zealand Rhodes Scholars. Mr. W. Hood has been appointed official scorer for Wellington in Auck-land-Wellington matches. BOYS' LEAGUE. REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FOR EASTER. To-day the team that visited Christchurch at tho Now Year will play. Tins team was as follows:—A. E. O'Neill, E. Morgan, L. Bramley, W. D. Turvey, H. Charles, J. H. Hutchings, G. T. Bolt (captain), F. Murray,' L, Smith, J. Slianahan, W. Faber; energency, H. Prince. Monday's team will be: W. B. Turvey, G. T. Bolt, C. F. Hester, J. H. Hutchings, F. D. Fuller, H. Charles, H. W. Prince (captain), L. Smith, M. Smith, 0. Solway, J. Slianahan; emergencies,- F. Murray, W. Faber.