CRICKET.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 627, 22 June 1876, Page 3

CRICKET.

THE CRICKET SEASON, 1875-6. (From the Press.) According to our usual custom, we publish the averages for the past season. The number of matches played has been less than last year, but this is accounted for by the very unfavorable weather, play being prevented by rain on no less than five Saturdays, and the long duration of the matches. In consequence of the very wet season, play was not commenced until the 25th of October, about two weeks later than usual. The averages this year show an improvement upon last as regards the batting, and the bowling is about equal. Practice has been better attended to, but still it is not so frequent or so numerously attended as it should be. This in a great measure accounts for the very uncertain play of several of our best batsmen. The bowling department has been much neglected, and is not so good as it might be if our bowlers bestowed a little attention at practices. The great prevailing fault with all our bowlers is that they pitch the ball too short, with the idea that if they pitch the ball short and keep it straight it is not easy for the batsmen to score, bnt they seem to forget that now and then they bowl a ball off the wicket, and three or four runs are the result, whereas if they were to pitch the ball well up, the batsman would have less time to watch it after leaving the ground, and bowling of this character would be more likely to obtain wickets than if it were short pitched. Several of our batsmen can play straight bowling <asily, and it therefore requires something more than that to obtain their wickets. The match of the year was played in Dunedin, commencing on the 19th January, and after four days’ play resulted in an easy victory for Canterbury, so that the two provinces have each won six matches, one in February, 1869, ending in a drawn game. The chief features in the match were the large scores, and its long duration, four days being occupied —quite an unprecedented time, especially on the Dunedin ground, where as a rule the game has lasted only a day and a half. Our eleven scored in their second innings 272 runs, a larger total thin has yet been made in a single innings on that ground ; the principal scorers during the match being Ollivier 62 and 67, Corfe 26 and ill, Ashby 6 and 66 not out, J. Fowler 0 and 39, E. Fowler 21 and 3, and Alpe notout 0 and 23, Ashby played by far the best innings in the match, carrying out his bat in the second innings for 66 without giving a chance. It was a treat to see him play, and his display of batting will long be remembered in connection with these matches. Ollivier did good service, and played well at a very critical part of the game in the second innings. His defence was perfect, but he was very fortunate in several of bis hits coming safe to the ground. Corfe batted admirably, and was not so nervous as usual, which perhaps was owing to his going in first in both innings. J. Fowler was the right man in the right place in the second innings, and showed that he is a batsman with plenty of defence and good hitting powers when the bowling suits. Alpe played a good innings, and E. Fowler put together his runs in bis usual style. The fielding, although there were some mistakes, was good. The bowlers had great disadvantages to contend against—a very high wind prevailing throughout the match, and the ground cutting up quickly, were obstacles of no small importance to good bowling. This year Ollivier heads the batting average with 36.9, the highest yet made here. He has played some good innings, and scored 406 runs, more than has yet been made in one season. J. Fowler cornea next with 24.1, and has shown excellent cricket throughout the season. He has improved since last year, and is now one of our best all round players. Moore has only played in five innings, but has shown some very good cricket, and as we hear he is likely to become a resident in the province, will be a great acquisition to our eleven next season. He has an average of 22.3. Stevens, 20.4, played better than we ever recollect seeing him play before, his innings of 61 for the Fifteen against the Eleven, on their return from Dunedin, was very fine. Corfe, 19.4, is much less than last season, but bis batting has on several occasions been as good as ever. The falling off in his average ia the result of want of practice more than anything else. Baker has an average of 18. He was very unfortu nate with his bat in Dunedin, but upon his return, in the match against the Fifteen, he showed that he conld play as well .as ever. Lee played one good innings of 63, not out, but did not come off on any other o casion. With practice he would make a grand batsman—and in the other departments of the game he is second to none. Ashby proved himself an acquisition, and as before stated, his innings in the lutcrprovicciil Match was a treat to witness. His average is 15,10 Neilson, Souter, Alpe, Wood, and Wilson, have all obtained double figures for an average. The above five players have all shown an improvement, with the exception of Wood, who has fallen off from last season. In the bowling department, 0. Frith has much the best average. He is a joung bowler of great merit, and should he continue to improve next season will be first class. He at times is inclined to drop the ball rather short, but this can be easily remedied with practice. Until this season he scarcely played in any first-class matches, but we hope that now he has commenced he will continue to take great interest in the game. His average of 5.G runs per wicket against our best batsmen, must be considered very good, Lee and Moore, with 8.8 and 8.1 tuns per wicket respectively, we place next. The former is one of our best bowlers, and on his day is very difficult to play. Moore bowls with great • judgment, and when in practice is very dangerous, as he has a good knowledge of the game and soon finds out a batsman’s weak point. Corfe and Sweet come next with 9 9 and 9 20 runs per wicket. The first named has maintained his average, as, although each wicket has cost him a trifle more, he has bowled in more than double the number of innings. Sweet, on the other hand, has not nearly so good an average, which is accounted for by the facts that he was unable to practise during the early part of the season, and that the batsmen are becoming more accustomed to the fast bowling, and are not so frightened of it as last season. Fuller and B. Fowler show a remarkable falling off, but this ia almost entirely owing to want of practice ; and we hope, in future, our bowlers _ will attend practice more regularly, as it is impossible for them to do well unless they practise

before playing in matches—especially as the batting has much improved, and it takes more than a straight ball now to dispose of most of our batsmen.

The fielding on occasions has been excellent, but at other times the reverse must be said of it. The majority of players neglect this part of the game entirely, and the result is disheartening to the bowlers and rest of the fielders. With one or two exceptions there is no one who can longatop, and, as a natural consequence, byes are frequently a large scorer. We may mention the following as being especially good in the field— Alpe, Barker, Corfa, J. Fowler, Lee, Moore, Neilson, Ollivier, and Stevens ; and we hope next seasou to be able to add considerably to this list, as we think that too much importance cannot be attached to this part of the game. We anticipate that next season will be a great success, as we believe that, in addition to the interprovincial match with Otago, which will be played in Christchurch, an eleven from Australia will visit the province. In this case, our players will have to practise hard to give a good account of themselves. The following are the averages of firstclass matches : BATTING AVERAGES,