CRICKET,

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 280, 5 December 1901, Page 3

CRICKET,

By Telegraph—Press Association— Cepyrighl

Sydney, Dec. 4. In the match England versus 22 of New England, McLaren won the toss for the first time of the tour, and went in. The innings closed for 254. Hayward 26, and Gunn (not out) 119 were tho chief scorers. Cooper took 6 wickets for 115.

ROUND THE GROUNDS,

[Noths by “ Bii-'fkk.”]

Tim Saturday competition has advanced another stage, and interest in the fight for the Shield has been heightened by United wresting the two points back from County on Saturday which that Club gained in the first match of tho series. West End also added interest to tho competition on Saturday by forcing City to refund the points gained from them in the first fixture. United and County are now loading for the chatnpionship with six points each, and City and West End are also level with two points each. Though toiling painfully in the rear, these two Clubs have by no means lost heart, and stoutly declare that the last may bo first before tho competition closes. Two strong elevens took tho field in the County-United match at Ormond on Saturday. When the United men drove on to the ground, it was at once ap’parent to them that the fiery cross had been sent out among the bills to gathor in the County warriors from far and near. Prominent among the County eleven, who had their war-paint on, and were keen and eager for tho fray, were Burch aDd E. Leggett, from far Waihuka ; Billy Dods was down from tho craggy heights of Waimata, and 13ert Sharp had descended to take part in the tight from Piritaha, where tho weather ends. It was a great game, keenly contested from first to last, and only the Clerk of tho VVoather was to blame that big scores were not put up by both sides. Tho bowling was good throughout, and tho dead wicket bit the ball most willingly. Quaife, Jack Worrall, or Jessop might have made runs on tho Ormond ground on Saturday, but these are the only living batsman who would havo stayed there long. Crawford and Burch bowled really well in this match, and it required tho eye of a Banjitsinhji to keep their deliveries out of the sticks. It was a great performance to dismiss the strong batting side United had for 60 runs. Though Burch camo out with the better figures, I think Crawford was tho more difficult to play of tho two. He got a lot of work on from the off, and kept a good length, and waß responsible for the downfall of three of tho strongest batsmen on the side.

Smith’s fielding at point was very clean and smart, and, in fact, all tho County men were alert in the field, and it was difficult to get the ball past them, How deadly a good slow break bovvlor can bo on a wicket that suits him was exemplified by Seymour’s success against County on Saturday. Smith, who had scored well in every match this season, played this bowler’s deliveries in a very cramped fashion, and was eventually clean bowled by him. Kere also did not relish Seymour's slows at all. He stonewalled them like a Bannerman. Tho United captain closed

his field up round tho bat, much to Kero’s disgust. Aftor glancing disdainfully at the fieldsmen clustered round the bat, Kere remarked : “ You think I’m a kid.” Seymour’s next ball clean bowled poor Kero, greatly to the amusement of tho fielding side. The hospitable manner in which Mr Ciesar and the County Club entertained the United players on Saturday was very much like heaping coals of fire on their heads. Thoy were overwhelmed with the hospitality accorded them, and collectively declared on the journey home that never again would the County players have to play them in town without so much as the proverbial glass of cold water to refresh their parched throats. Leggett and Saunders proved that the United bowling was not so deadly as the first half-dozen batsmen appeared to think it. Truo, they came in when Baker and Seymour were beginning to tire ; but they went at the bowling, and their plucky hitting alono saved the inniDgs from utter failure. Hodge, by his continued successes with both bat and ball, must fairly be awarded tho palm as the finest all-round player in the district this season. Early in the season I pointed out that this player never had sufficient practice to put him in anything like form in past seasons. This year he has buckled to work in earnest, and his success proves all I then claimed for him. Ye bowlors of Poverty Bay, lend me your ears 1 List what things ye hear 1 Strolling into the saloon of a local tonsorial artist the other day, I met a prominent Gisborne cricketer who said he was surprised to hear that the bowlers in the United-County match at Ormond had been actually making the ball break. I asked the prominent one why he was surprised, and he replied: “Because 1 do not think there is a bowler at present playing in local cricket who can turn the ball.”

ITol T o gods ! I was too surprised to answer him for a moment or two, but when I recovered breath, I timidly put forward the names of Alick Crawford, Hood, Seymour, Baker, Lyttleton, Hodge, and Burch. But he laughed me to scorn, and said that eccentric deliveries and peculiarities in the pitches, such as hills and valleys, alone made me consider these bowlers could get work on the ball. X left that saloon a sadder and wiser man. Oh, Alick! To think that all these years you have been deceiving mo into the belief that you had a pronounced off-break which I used to watch with the eyes of a cat. And the other bowlers too 1 Well, well, men were deceivers ever, and we’re all growing wiser every day. Macdonald and Neale should be the best-trained bowlers in the district. They aro kept hard at it match after match, and both stand the strain well; but they aro not machines, and tire as ordinary mortals do. Why should the inherent modesty of the City captain keep him from the bowling-crease. Send down a few yourself, Dick ; and spell your “ guns ” occasionally. I hear that the Cricket Association, at a meeting the other evening, transferred G. C. Johnstone from tho Couuty to the City Club. Johnstone played for County in the first match of tho Saturday competition against United. There was a distinct understanding that players had to remain members of the eleven for which they first played throughout the season, and we feel sure tho County Club will have something to say in the matter.. If one man is transferred, other applications may be expected, and the players will bo chopping and changing from one team to another without eud. McConnell is continuing to show good form with both bat and ball for West End, and is a really good man. .He sends down a fine off-break (here is another man who can turn a ball) occasionally, | and plays a free bat, and is one of tho best performers in the West End eleven. 1 A. suggestion which has been taken up by players has been made by Mr Neale, of the City Club. He is getting an eleven together, representing players who have attended any of the English Public Schools, to play an eleven of the kative Born on Boxing Day, in all-day ma h. Neale has • a powerful combination on | paper, and a most interesting match should to see McCredie, the United wicket-keeper, dispense with a when taking medium-pace and clow bowling at Ormond. I hope this 'stumper will improve sufficiently to enable him to stand up to the fast ones without anyone behind him before the season closes. Saunders, at sbort-stop tor County, did not allow a single extra. Local players would be sorry to read of A«i vSytolto* picturesque ltauginui .round-an oasis set in the bosom of the in these dc o \fpssrs J. Sisterson, f, £V°” ! Sf, lianAnui eleven seldom won a match, but came up smiling after each defeat, sportsmen every one. . Tne fight they ever made was against a strong

Gisborne eleven on the old Arai ground, when they were only defeated, after'.'a most exciting game, by 6 runs, the scores reading 107 to 101. Who that ever played on the Ranginui wicket will ever forget it to his dying day. And, yet, runs could he scored on that ground, and it can boast of one of the few centuries made in local cricket, W. Gibson, of the old Arai Club, hitting up 114 therein a Cup fixturethree seasons ago. But the boys of the old original Ranginui eleven have been scattered. One of them, Barton, went to South Africa, to face the Boer bowling. Shearing breaks in on the cricket season, and the Ranginui boys decided to disband. This was the strongest Club financially in the district, and the Trustees of the Gisborne Hospital will be grateful to the members of the Club for their generous decision to hand the substantial balancein hand (£9 10s) over to tho Hospital funds. Let us hope that, when tho Valley becomes more thickly populated, the old Club will once more rise, Phoenixlike, and that, all the stronger Bor their spell, the members of the resuscitated Ranginui Club will descend like wolves on the fold, and avenge the many defeats inflicted on them in their green days by the players on tho flats.