CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2080, 4 January 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

(Notes by “Short Slip.”) Local cricketers are somewhat disappointed that they were unable to taki* nil vantage* ot the Cbristnins Jllu * New Year holidays to send a team on tour. Our Napier friends were, responsible for robbing our players of a trip abroad, as they had arruiged to plav the annual representative match here at New Year, on their way back from Auckland. The late intimation of the abandonment of their northern tour left no opportunity for the local Association to arrange a trip abroad. Jt appears improbable that the Napier men will ever get a team away, as the reason assigned for abandoning the tour to Auckland and Gisborne was that three of the best players were unable to make the trip. Such small considerations do not cause the local Association to cancel engagements, as on almost every occasion on which they lnve sent a team away not throe, but often six. of our best players have been unable to accompany the team. It is rare indeed that any association can send its strongest available team away, and the sooner the Hawke's ißav executive realise this the sooner will kindred associations be able to put some little reliance on tlieir promise to pay visits at certain dates. Oil Saturday last, the United Club took on a rather large order ill engaging to meet an eleven selected from the Tarulioni, Wanderers, and To Ran clubs. Neither team took ilic held with anything like its full strength, blit a most enjoyable game resulted in a win for United by 126 to IF). Glennie played a cipitnl innings for 71 for the combined team. This player is a really good batsman, being especially expert in pulling and booking. Had he more advantages in the way of getting practice, he would ofteiier put up long scores. C. Chapman was top-scorer for United with 31. ami 1 shall be surprised if the batsman docs .not regularly will his place in the United eleven. He is just coming into form, and has demonstrated that he is a batsman of more than ordinary capabilities, and the fact tli it e is an exceptionally smart fieldsman should he .sufficient to earn him a permanent place in tin- United eleven. i. Gib-on and H. Wh\ie each scored 28 in this match for United. The former is one of the most consistent run-getters in the district this season. and tile l itter would make larger scores oftencr if be could only restrain his tendency to bang out at anything and everything. Hugh is a good bai. with plenty of deience and good scoring strokes, but bis ra-limss in hiitiiig out at good deliveries has brought, about his dowiilall many times this season. „ Young Yeats, recent arrival from Napier, w lie-c he played with the Seimle team, bowled very well lor United, and a!.-o i cored 15 with t obat. He is a promising colt, and heni'd develop into a uxt-lul all-round player.

The time-hmu>rcd (ixture. Marti 1 v. Single, was played at Victoria I Join i’n on New Year's Day. ami as u--mil resulted for victory for tho bachelors. A. Young put tip a line performance lor the single men. lie captured -ax wickets for I ! runs m the first innings, and followed this tin With scores of 31 in the first innings and All in the second. Without doubt Young is the lu-st all-round iday.er ot tile competition at the present tint".

I. Hibson played another attractive innings for 315. and is in most consistent run-getting form this season. Carv is: giving us .something like ri.rtnte form fust now, a ml. It’s 2 V wo. a long way the best inning; on his

The single men hod a strong bow 1 - ng trio in Young, Hcynolds, and If acker. and ill I trundled excellently. To day tin interesting match will he played at Victoria Domain, when Wliaingake and Mangatu Clubs try conclusions. I hear the Assockitmu has granted the use of the turf wicket. Nothing is more likely *to foster the game than to encourage the ‘urination of clubs in the country tl'irricts. and I think the Association is aetin"' wisely in placing the best wicket ot‘ti.« -k ■’ . £ si., us next time.

and back in a four-ho:.<• buggy. The last visit to Moln pro,:-.1 .u thoroughly.enjoyable that it is practically certain Lliat the team vv;fj leave tor the country township at the end of the month. I he visit ot C. S. a .n| Co's tenn to the Beay station on Thursday was a truly delightful outing. The day was beautifully tine, aim few more picturesque drives con'd be willed for than that afforded by the Arai Valley. I hen the Waing.ike people have long and justly been far-famed for their hospitality, and on the preedit occasion they Luther added to their reputation for kindly welcome and generous ente-faiiiment. The fragrant afternoon t-a provided by -Vlesdames Dennis and D. J. Barker will long bo gratefully remembered by C. •'•>. and Co.’s staff.

J must say a word in praise of the ground fielding of Stanley White in tins match. He stood long-stop, and when one remember- that tile game was played on an onrn oaddoek all will readily understand that he had In - work cut out for him. But it was all the suite to this young player liow they came along, and he called up anluause again and again bv the brilliancy of his ground fielding, taking many apparently impossible halls with the ease and noclialance of a tried veteran. Though "White was clean bowled, first ball, who will deny who saw this game that his clever work at long-stop was not worth 30 runs to his side?

THE FIRST TEST MATCH. HOW THE AUSTRALIANS SNATCHED A WELL-EARNED VICTORY. DRAMATIC AND SENSATIONAL FINISH. (By “Not Out” in the Sydney “Referee.”) V itb 88 runs to win and only three wickets to hill, Lite game now appeared to once more favor England. Carter had made 518 when Cotter appeared. 3 lie latter carefully blocked the remaining lour bulls of Crawford’s over, ami for doing so earned tlio approbation of the judges on the hill. He kept this uj) next over, but the delensivo role did not appear to suit him, two off IniMs from Barnes breaking hack close to his olf stump. Carter. however, with cheeky hooks and pretty cuts, still kept going, much after the manner of S. E. Gregory in his prime. He drove Crawford for two and then whipped him off the wicket to leg for three, though one short was called against Cotter, who was as keen in his cricket as though lie were an A. C. Bunuerman. Before the over ended Carter flashed one on the wicket to the boundary at snuareleg. making his score 48, the highest of the innings. The crowd’s enthusiasm was hilarious. yet nervously impulsive. Cotter brought up 200 (in four hours) by*getting Barnes to log for 3. The English captain brought in his changes, but somehow the bowlers were innocuous. Barnes, Fielder, Blythe, and Rhodes had no vim from the pitch, and especially the left-handers. As soon as the new ball appeared, Fane decided to change Barnes (who had beeen bowling with the wind) to the other end for the purpose of bringing the swing or swerve into operation. Fielder thus came on again with the wind, and Carter promptly helped himself to 11 off the first over. The first ball, a full toss, ho swung swiftly to the square-leg fence; the next lie cut past Blythe (who ought to have stopped it) for 2 : the next he tried to cut. but edged it high over third slip to the track. It was lucky, but Carter was brave, and deserved it. The next ho cut perfectly, and Fane, near the trade,, intercepted it. Barlies, against the wind, appealed very strongly for l.b.w. against Carter, who had played the ball on to his pads in trying to force it round. Next ball was square cut, and well stopped by Fielder, a keen trier to his fingertips. though a single was run. Then Cotter ran into double figures bv lifting his leg in the old style and glancing Barnes to the fcnco.

The Englishmen by this time were looking very anxious, and the crowd was intoxicated with the cricket. It was a nerve-shaking scene, and perhaps the spectators felt it worse than anyone else. Australia now seemed going for victory smoothly and surely. But Carter, snicking the first ball of Fielder’s next over, was taken by Young. A 1 hopes fell flat on one side, and correspondingly rose on the other. It was a tantalising game to both sides, ami to us who were mere lookers-on. Carter played a great- innings for 61, which included 8 fours. H" was brilliant on the cut and in luiokin ,T and forcing off bis legs and the wickets. It was an innings any batsman in the world might be proud of lor it was a strong test of nerve W e'll as cricketing ability. It elicited Hie plaudits of the Englishmen.themselves, who looked relieved as Carter went out. '7 —6l—-18.

As Carter wont into.the pavilion ho was cheered to the echo. Hut in a moment ho was forgotten for the time in I lie heal of the si. niggle. With two wickets In IV. 1 and •>> runs to make, 1 la/.litt inland Cotter at 3.30 P-m. Tim Melbourne started like one accustomed lo the lime-light. He prett.jlv .danced Harnes lo the fence, and •11 ' Fielder's next ov-r got four more. it was a llu'ke between first and second stiiis. ' Never mind ;it counts V.,,,,-.” .said an old stager. Then amidst ,II i/.litf forced Harnes to extra long-on for four—a very fine, lulll.hulcd. wel’-timed stroke. T.e then cut him square for i.wo. mak ng the -’37 or 30 +-> win. 11l the same over it was thought that Young dropped .-me from lla/.litt at the wick Its. it being a fast, hall outside the <it stump. Hut it transpired hat Hw litl had not touched the bad at fdl.

with 3o required. Hlvt.ho came on in iHarnes (two for ho in <’t. ove'i-A. The left-hander kept them well aw a v to the off. and p v: id his men accordingly. Cotter, win lad d-femlc.l -vifh the zeal ol ' C •>., 0i d picked up ouarrlv-run singles end doubles new tried hard to drive them, and event units the natural impulse to hit took held of him. He lashed, and .kied the hall deep behind mid-oil, hut no one could get there, though three men. Hew lo it. Cotter escaped, and look -not another risk. At, Fane tried a risky change in bringing in Hrauiul instead of Fielder. Cotter <mt a single to fine leg. and Veil 11 trail tt square-leg hit him hard to the f en jte—a fine stroke of the George Parr order. Twenty-nine to get, and excitement 'w' H S

were made ill J’ houis. The Englishmen seemed to feel the match slipping from them. Brauiid bowled two last Ju 11-tosses outside Cotter’s legs, but the batsman missed them. Cotter then made a single, ami, getting to the other end, hit Blythe to leg, lor which they ran three (one again short hv Cotter). Two halls later Hazlitt poked ono up slowly toward Hardstall' at deep point, hut inclined towards slip. It was all or none for England. The energetic Hardstaff seemed to slip at first, hut finished by diving hard for the hall, which ho just missed—a most difficult, if not impossible, one near the ground. The crowd seemed to emit a chorussed sigh of relief. Singles to each batsman reduced the gap to 14, with each shaping like a winner, liazlitt had just gone clo6© to playing Blythe on to his wicket, and it worked on the fieldsmen. It was not 4 o’clock, and with only 13 runs btweon the two totals, and the usual adjournment was alll in favor of England, as the break would necessiate the batsmen starting again. The relief, too, was good for the nerves of lookers-on, which had been subjected to a lengthy and incessant shaking.

With 13 to tie and 14 to win, Cotter and liazlitt continued after afternoon tea. Rhodes iled off from the pavilion end to liazlitt, who cut the second ball for two, though ho had to dive for the crease in getting home, the second being a daring run that might have been disastrous if Hardstaff jeen a fraction of- a" second quicker to get rid' of the ball. Rhodes howled right off the wicket.- —and—the rest of the over was resultless. Fielder took up the bowling at the other end with 11 to tie and 12 to win. It took some time for him to get the field placed, so careful was he. I lie first hall produced a “sneaked” single to Cotter; then a sneaked one to short-leg to Hazlitt. The next ball saw the batsmen mixed up through hesitation in running, and the fieldsmen a bit excited; but it ended in smoke. With 9 to tie, Rhodes again bowled to Hazlitt, and again potted them down outside on the off. The third ball Hazlitt drove between the mid-offs, but it was intercepted near tlie track. The last ball was tapped by Cotter toward Hardstaff at point, and the pair sprinted. Hardstaff threw at the wickets. If it had putthe wicket down Hazlitt must- have been out. but it got past Young, and Blythe failing to back up properly, the batsmen ran three, amidst indescribable excitement and the roaring of a Rugby football match. This brought Cotter opposite Fielder, whom lie straight-drove past Dm bowler for three, Barnes c’usnig it w : th great zeal from mid-off, the batsmen sprinting at their top. and the spectators roaring with glee. Hazlitt played the next- ball, and then forced the following one to the fence at square-leg, thus winning the match for Australia amidst one huge outburst- of cheering, tremendous excitement, and a whirlwind of liats and sticks and other items in the air. The people all over the ground cheered and cheered again as the players came in from the field.

Cotter was at the wickets one hour and six minutes, hit 14 singles and only one four, whereas Hazlitt hit six tours, and was batting 40 minutes. Each nobly played his part. Cotter s self-restraint was astonishing. A big hitter rarely changes liis game with success. Hazlitt- plaved mth the head and abilitv of a veteran.