Cricket.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1089, 13 April 1883, Page 3

Cricket.

OTAGO CENTRAL TEAM’S TOUR. [By One of Tuem.] A short account of our doings may prove of interest. Arriving in Dunedin on Good Friday evening, we hoped to get a practice on Saturday. However, it rained off and on all day, and Williams (Alexandra C.C.), who had been unanimously elected captain, did not call upon his men, who were already tired, to practice on a wet ground. The turf proved very puzzling to most of us after our hard stripped wickets. On Monday we met a team, Dunedin Combined,” which included Charlie Frith, the premier bowler of New Zealand, and three or four other old luterprovincial men, and Heyward, the ex-Sussex professional; but owing to the good bowling of Ellis and M’Hutcheson.aml splendidfielrlingallround, we disposed of them for 50 runs, following ourselves with 65 —a lead of 15 on the first innings. After the fall of Combined’s fourth wicket in their, next essay, the captain, Glen, walked to the wickets and audibly told Frith and Greenwood to knock down theirwickets, and cries from players at the Pavilion of “get out,” became frequent, and as a stand had been made Williams, with commendable judgment, put on various changes of bowling with the object of playing out time, rather than exhaust the men he would require in future matches. On the fall of Greenwood’s wicket the most unpleasant episode of our whole visit ■occurred. Heyward, who from his long experience of cricket should certainly have known better, deliberately knocked down his wicket. W. J. Moore, an Interprovii - cial man, followed, and bounced out of his ground to get stumped. The next man, M'Crone, repeated Heyward’s performance, but without result, as M‘Donald purposely bowled a no-ball, and thus defeated his object. Williams then went over and told Glen, their captain, plainly that if such a disgraceful exhibition was not stopped he would instruct his men to bowl “ no-balls ” until “time” was called. This had the desired effect, and the remainder of the innings was fairly played out. Frith was warmly applauded by us both for his wellearned 67 and manly conduct in refusing to play an unfair game. We had two wickets down for 19 when time was called, thus winning our first match. Tuesday’s match against Southern Combined, proved a most disastrous day’s play. Stiff and tired Irqm the previous day’s play our men made anything but a creditable disply in the field. On this and each subsequent occassion, Williams was unlucky enough to lose the toss, and he had to take the field first. The feature of their innings was the good luck of F. Horne, who contributed. 53, and was let off at least six times, many other chances also being refused. Their innings closed for 147, to which we replied with 73. M‘Donald and Mathias, with 31 and 29 without a chance, batted splendidly. M‘Donald, with an on-drive, lifted the ball tar over the fence ; a grand hit, indeed, but only counting 4. By-the-bys, Williams made the biggest scored hit of the tour on either side on the first day—a forward hit for 6, but nothing to compare with M‘Donald’s. Being 74 behind, we had to follow on, and had made 98 for 9 wickets at 6 o’clock, M‘Donald and Mathias being again to the fore with 33 and 41 (not out) On Wednesday, against Excelsior, we fielded very much better. Williams, by good catches, secured four of their men at slip in the first innings, which closed for 85. Our first innings was 62, Hibson, claying with us for the first time, making 22 not ont, M‘Donald and Worsop 13 each. By hard work and a determination to win, we settled them for 60, and went in with 84 to make to win, and no time to spare to do it in. Apparently their umpire had made up his mind on the point, and said “ out ” on the slightest excuse on an appeal. Several decisions in our first innings were “ doubtful,” but such a mild term could not apply to the others. At 6 o’clock we had only 14 to make to win, and three wickers to fall—as good as a win said we. Williams (14) and Mathias (16 not out) being the highest scorers. Thursday was a very wet day, and played Albions, who but for Glasgow, would have made but a poor show. He made 45 out oi 76 —12 of which were extras. His was decidedly the best display of batting against us. Hutchinson’s underhands proved very disastrous to our men in the dull, light, greasy wet wicket, the stained ball was bad to see with so low a delivery ; he got five wickets for 19 runs, the innings closing for 50—each contributing a few. This match we also lost on first innings, nine of their men being out for 66 runs at time—otherwise our chance was anything but bad. Friday was even a worse day, play being eventually stopped when an innings each had been played. Grange, 65 ; Goldfields, 99. Thus we secured our second win by 34 runs. Saturday being too wet to think of playing, we commenced our return journey, being accompanied to the station and heartily cheered by many cricketing friends we had made in Dunedin. I must not forget to mention Messrs Jenkins and Haskell, who kindly acted as our umpire and scorer respectively throughout, and to all of whom our v-erv hearty thanks are due. That we may fairly claim tc have held our own, despite the undoubted “tail,” may, 1 think, be fairly conceded. And there is no doubt in my mind that could the men have got away whom we at first expected to do so, every Club we met would have had to give the palm, and possibly Carisbrook, too, would have had their work cut out to beat us. The batting average of our various opponents over all the matches was 7 9-10, our own 7 1-4, despite the big second innings of Dunedin, and that of Southern. I may state that the total ex penaes of the trip is undei £7O. Appended are the batting and bowling averages for the tour : Batting Averages.

it, Naseby ; b, Blacks ; a, Alexandra ; C, Clyde. * Signifies not out. Bowltng Averages.

Name. S) B a oj bO m P a . rP S 3 fl 0 0) to rt | s 3 Ph S* 3* H o B Mathias, n 8 154 41* 70 2 25.6 M‘L)onald, c ... 7 98 33 04 — 14 Gibson, B Williams, x 4 39 22* 23 i 13 8 55 14 23 — 69 Woraop, N 7 28 13 22 2 5 6 Pitches, b ? 37 13 13 1 5 2 M‘Hutcheson, N 7 22 8* 8 1 3.6 Ellis, c 7 15 7 10 — 2.1 Hoaking, N 4 6 6 6 1 2 Salmon ... 6 3 3 3 2 .7 Hogan, c 6 3 , 1 1 — .5

Name. | Balls. a a P* | Maidens. [ Wickets. | Average. GiViaou .. 95 40 3 8 5.7 5 Mathias 206 97 8 14 69 8 Ellis 270 120 13 17 7.4 I M'Hut :heson ... 355 141 15 13 10 7 1 M'Donald 542 202 25 19 10 0 1