CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 258, 8 November 1901, Page 3

CRICKET.

QUESTION OF UMPIRES.

i By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Adelaide, Nov. 7. i The Cricket Association rescinded the j rule controlling umpires’ appointments, I allowing Maclarc-n to nominate one. It is hoped the concession wiil assist them to gain a similar favor for Australians when visiting.

Notes By “ Biffer.

I strolled up to Victoria Domain on Saturday afternoon last to see the commencement of tiie Saturday competition, .mi! it did one’s heart good to see the field | dotted with flannel-clad figures. What I struck me most forcibly was the improve- • merits which had been made to the | ground since last season. The local ■ authorities are going the right way to j work to make a good ground, and even this season will see Victoria Domain transformed into a very fair cricket ground. The players were late in rolling up on j Saturday, and it was fully 3 o’clock before a start was made with tile matches. As Saturday games are limited to one after- i noon, it is imperative that play should commence punctually at 2 o'clock. If this is not insisted on, a draw must inevitably result should the- side batting first make anything of a stand.

County and United were very evenly matched on Saturday, and J was not surprised to see tiie exciting finish. i'ortc-r scored quickly on Saturday for United, but Saunders stuck him up with his slows in one over, and just grazed his sticks on several occasions.

Gibson stayed at tiie wickets for a good while, and made some good strokes, and a number of very bad ones, lie lias not .-truck form yet, and his scratching at times was painful to witness. Lyttelton has not yet become accustomed to the eccentricities of local wickets, but, when lie does so, I expect to see more runs on the score-sheet opposite his name.

f Barton surprised* everyone by his form ! with the ball for County. Ho kept a good j length throughout, and was aggravatingly I straight. He will doubtless bo given more work with the hall for his Club after his j success on Saturday. j Crawford, the County skipper, rattled i up his score in quick time on Saturday, and succumbed to a fast shooter from l'orter, when apparently well set. Smith practically won the game for County by his plucky batting. He lias displayed attractive cricket in both tiio innings ho lias played s;o far this season, and has been not out on each occasion. Smith is also a safe wicket-keeper, and ; allowed very few extras. The rate at which the City batsmen put j on lu J runs for six wickets on No. 2 pitch against West End oil Saturday proved that the new asphalt wicket must bo all right for scoring on. Wo hope to soe No. 1 pitch also asphalted when the Association lias tiie necessary funds at its disposal.

The grass in the outfield on the Domain wants cutting. Some of the best strokes along tiie carpet last Saturday were rendered valueless by the long grass. A. li. Hodge, tiie West End captain, proved his all-round ability against City last Saturday. He first of all made top seoro for iiis side : then ho retained tho pads, and had a turn behind the sticks ; and wound up with putting m sonic good work at the bowling crease. One of the old players whom the district scheme lias fired with a renewed love for the summer pustiiuo is J. Charles. Ho was the most successful of tho West End trundlcrs on Saturday, and opponents will find that he can send down a really good fast ball wi-.cn he lias had a little work at tiie nets. Wo hope to sec Macdonald and Znehuriuh, the City batsmen, maintain throughout the season tiie batting form they exhibited against West End on

.Saturday. flood did not perform so well with either bat or ball as we expected he would uu Saturday. However, wo have a great admiration for tiiis player's work in both the principal departments of the game : ami, as he is indulging assiduously in practice, he is certain to display his undoubted ability before the competitions have proceeded far. Donald l’orter got a lot of pace on tho ball on Saturday. No one admitted this so readily as McCredie, the United wicketkeeper, who hail his work cut out for him in taking Dorter's fust ones. Although a good many extras were debited against him, McCredio did fine work behind the sticks, and his taking of many of tho fast ones on tiie leg side was distinctly good. No matches have been arranged by tho Association for either tho United or WestEnd Clubs this week. It was thought that the Military Tournament would interfere witli a full attendance of players if a match were arranged for Saturday. This, we think, is a mistake. Nothing disorganises matters early in the season like a long cessation of play. Tho Canterbury Cricket Association has taken a firm stand on this question, and rightly refuses to postpone Cup fixtures arranged for even the day on which the New Zealand Cup is run.

To morrow. Archie Maclaren's English Eleven commences the first match of the Australian tour, when they play South Australian on the Adelaide Oval. This is one of the fastest cricket grounds in the world, and some tall scoring may be confidently expected.

The season is not yet far advanced, but already the centuries are beginning to come in. Syd. Callaway and A. Sims, of Christchurch, have both scored innings of over a hundred, and Midlane, of Wellington, played a brilliant innings for 122 the other Saturday. That the district scheme has been responsible for a great revival in the game here is evidenced by the large number of players who attend. practice on the Domain in the evenings. As many as 20 players have been out in the evenings during the present week, and three balls have been kept constantly going. We trust that this is not a Hash in the pan, and hope to see such an encouraging interest maintained throughout the season.

A large number of juniors have been en evidence at practice lately. We hope to see the Association cater for the juniors, and arrange matches when possible for them. The boys of to-day are the men of to-morrow, and we should see that the youngsters are knocked into shape, and that every encouragement is offered them to work up any amount of enthusiasm for the game. We arc delighted to see that veterans like Messrs Charles Evans, J. A. A. Casar, and Captain Winter still retain sufficient interest in the game to gladly offer their services as umpires at local matches. Nothing gives a batsman or bowler so much confidence as toknow that a capable umpire has charge of the game. We hope to see the veterans at every match. Donald Porter, the popular United player, was married on Tuesday last. Heartv congratulations.