CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 223, 27 September 1901, Page 3

CRICKET.

A meeting of members of the Gisborne and Union Cricket Clubs, and all others interested in the game, is to be held in the Masonic Hotel this evening at eight o’clock to discuss the question of forming district clubs. The formation of a district scheme in connection with football was strongly urged by the Times prior to its adoption, and that it has proved a success is evidenced hy the increased interest which has been taken in the game during

the past winter. Under a district seheme we look for a similar revival in cricket, and all that is required this evening is for a few enthusiastic Knights of the Willow to take the matter up and put a little energy into it. Three or four district clubs should be sufficient to furnish some first-ciass matches, and as the Ormond Club is already iu a most prosperous state, there should not be much trouble in making the scheme a success. We hopo that all cricketers will make a poiut of attending the meeting this evening and do what they can towards placing the game on a more satisfactory footing than it has been in the past. The Napier Telegraph, in quoting from the Times’ report as to the proposal to formulate a district scheme in connection with cricket, favors the adoption of a like scheme in that district.

MACLAREN’S TEAM. It is to be regretted that neither C. 13, Fry, Itangjitsinhji, nor 1!. E. Foster are abJe to make the journey, especially after the fine form the two former have been showing this season. Indeed, no English team is complete without them. Nevertheless, the combination is a strong batting one. The latest statistics to hand show that Tyldesley and Quaife each had averages of over 50 runs per innings, and Hayward, Lilley, Jones, Jessop and Gunn each averaged over 40, while Garnett and Braund exceeded 30. Maclarcn compiled | his first century of the season early in August, but previously to that he had not been exhibiting his usual form with the bat, which is partly to be attributed to his meeting with an accident, and his average was only a fraction over 20 runs an innings. 0. Hobson, the Hampshire captain, comes out as second wicket-keeper, and hs is reputed to be a good man in the position, and he is also a fair bat. it will be thus seen that the batting, according to English reputations, is undeniably strong. The fielding, too, is sure to be smart, most of the men being safe and some brilliant. The chief trouble Mr Maclarcn has had to contend with has been his choice of bowlers, and it appears as if the attack will be weaker than that of any previous team. The refusal of the Yorkshire committee to allow Rhodes and Hirst to accompany the team at once deprived the selector of the services of the best slow

and fast bowlers iu England, and left a gap that it was impossible to satisfactorily fill. Blythe, the Kent left hander, is the first of the team to figure on the list of English bowling averages up to August sth, and he occupies twenty-second position, with 66 wickets at a cost of 22.01 runs each, while Gunn follows with four wickets less at the same cost. Braund and Jones come still lower down in the list, while Jessop, Haywary, and Quaife have at times proved useful with the ball. However, unless Barnes, the Lancashire player, proves something out of the ordinary, the Englishmen promise to have some long outings in the field before dismissing their opponents. In connection with the team's visit a lato Sydney paper says:—“ Mr C. 11. Ross, ex-treasurer of the Melbourne Cricket Club, who is now a resident of Sydney, and who acts as agent for the club in connection with the Englishmen's tour, says that ho considers the team a very strong one, provided the vacant place is filled by a first-class howler. Fie says that Lockwood or Mead would he infinitely preferable to either Rhodes or Hirst. The latter had a great reputation previous to his visit to Australia with Stoddart's second team, but proved to he a great failure. The Victorian members of the last Australian team say that Rhodes, as well as Hirst, would prove a failure on Australian wickets, and that our batsmen would simply knock them all over the field. Writing to Mr Ross on July 26th, Mr A. E. Stoddart stated that the dozen players already chosen for the trip form a very powerful combination, but that the bowling in England this season is very weak. To this fact is due the large scores made this year, and the many centuries recorded, especially at the latter end of the season. Mr Ross says that the team will not play in Tasmania, but that Newcastle, West Maitland, Glen Inncs, Bathurst, and Mudgee will probably be visited. The dates of the five test matches are :—December 13th, at Sydney; January 3rd, at Melbourne; January 16th, at Adelaide; February 14th, at Sydney; February 22nd, at Melbourne. The team will conclude the tour at Perth, Western Australia,”