CRICKET.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2377, 14 November 1870, Page 2

CRICKET.

BY COVER POINT. As the season has now fairly commenced, and two good matches have been played, it may not be out of place to make a few observations in respect of the play exhibited in them, and of the state of cricket in Dunedin just now. On the Prince of Wales’s Birthday, the Dunedin Club brought forward a pretty strong elevcu against twenty-twoof the Citizens’ C. C., and as might reasonably have been expected, the match resulted in a good thrashing for the latter. Last year it was as much as they could do to beat the Dunedin Club with Hendley’s assistance, with a far stronger team, and when they were in a better condition to play. There were hardly any features in the match that would enable i me to speak well of them. Their bowling was only fair, and their batting moderate, while their fielding was simply disgraceful. Such a lot of “ butter fingers ” I never saw ; one man had actually half-a-dozen balls sent into his hands before he was able to hold one of them. On the other hand, the play of the Dunedin team was not so good as it might have been. Their bowling w'as certainly good, but there is plenty of room for improvement in the fielding and batting. The Volunteer match on Saturday attracted a good many onlookers, who must, however, like myself, have felt terribly disappointed with what they saw. To call it a game of cricket is farcical in the extreme ; for after a couple of wickets bad fallen, it was simply practice for the batsmen. The mistake in, the first place was in allowing the volunteer team to be chosen first! The club should have got together their very best eleven, and although Fulton, .Allen, and Rcade, waild have been taken from their ranks, the vohn-

teers would have been well able to get a twenty-two capable of making a very respectable appearance. Even with the eleven that did play on Saturday, much better cricket might have been expected. The game certainly commenced with favorable prospcc s for the eleven. Three wickets, including those of two very good batsmen- fell for a few runs, but when Creagh and Morrison got together, all went wrong. Why Hendley was taken off, I can’t tell for the life of me. He was well on the wicket, and it cannot be said that because no wicket falls the bowling is indifferent. Ihe thing is to prevent run getting. Nor were the changes effectual. With all respect to MacDonndl. his slows were not the thing ; several wickets were obtained by him, it is true, but at a great cost. What more lamentable exhibition than a batsman poking fun at a bowler, merely tapping balls that wore straight, and refusing to look at those that were not ? Or what more disgraceful than to have several overs howled, of which fully half were.wides ? And the heldin£ of the Eleven wan just about as had as it possibly could be. If we are to have no better play than that shown on Saturday, the Dunedin Club will get a bad name. As it is our look-out for Canterbury is not very encouraging. Instead of healthy practice among the members, only a few go down to practice, and then instead of holding in turn, nearly all are bowling. When will the Club act upon the advice of the experienced members ’ 1 believe that the Citizens intend to try conclusions with the Eleven on an early day. I know they are dissatisfied, and have heard an enthusiastic member offer to stake a lar"C sum that the tables are turned next time. 1 sincerely hope they will be. Cannot the Volunteer match be played out on Satardayl week ? 1 believe the ground is engaged for another match next week. Turning to the English papers, I find some players, whose names are as familiar as household words, have been making tremendous scores lately in great matches. Amongst the names are Mr Lubboch, with 102 (not out); Homby, 103 ; Grace, 77, 46, 42, and 45 ; J. D. Walker, 179 ; and G. E. Grace, 189 (not out). In fact in England nowadays anything less than 30 is thought small.