CRICKET.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 799, 13 January 1877, Page 3

CRICKET.

INTERPRQYINCIAL CRICKET MATCH

For some few days there has been considerable excitement and anxiety amongst our cricketers in consequence of various rumors about the probable members of our eleven. At one time it was thought, and with good cause, that we should have the strongest eleven that had ever played on our ground, all departments of the game being well represented, The bowling was strong, the batting excellent, and the fielding could not be better ; but this depended upon all the players being able to attend practices and eventually do battle for the district of Canterbury. As is frequently the case when ouch small words as "but" are concerned, circumstances do not allow of the hopes for which we look being realised, and this is no exception. Sickness has deprived our representatives of their best bowler in 0. Frith, whose loss as a medium pace bowler will be felt, more especially as the majority of our bowling is fast, and one great Becret of success is variety. H. W. Moore will be unable to play for the same reason, and our cricketers will find it difficult to find a substitute for him, as he is, with the exception perhaps of Leach, our best batsman, and as a field at point cannot be excelled. He would also have a useful bowler if required. It is also doubtful whether Baker will be able to play, and any one who has seen these gentlemen bat cannot but admit that they will be a loss in strength. A rumour was current that Corfe and Leach would be unable to play, but this we are glad to be able to contradict as the 'former returned to town yesterday, while the latter will be down to-day and will probably remain until after the match is played Besides the above misfortunes, our players, from various causes, ace not in such good practice as we should like to see them. Very few good scores have been made, and great uncertainty his prevailed amongst our batsmen. Never tfieless, practices have been better attended this week, and the form shown has been *n improvement. Although our eleven will no vbe the tower of strength that was at first thought, it will be quite as good if not better than last year, and will therefore take a good eleven to beat them. Should the bowling of our opponents be weak we shall expect to see a large score made by our eleven.

Very little ia at present known of the capabilities of our opponents, afl there a,r~ several new names in the eleven as telegraphed from Dunedin. Of the old players, Paramor 1 Reade, and Clarke are well knowD, and our men will be fortunate if they get rid of them for a small score. Millington has a great reputation both as a bowler and a

batsman, and Bouch is said to be a terror to all batsmen, as he was described by a wellknown cricketer in Otago, to a friend in the fol owing terms:—"Bouch is a bowler, sir. a bowler, and that's what we have not got here" Our men had therefore better be prepared, and would do well if they could see him in practice before the match. As yery little is known of the actual play of our opponents, we refrain from making any remarks until we have see.i them play, when we will give in a few lines our opinion of their capabilities ; but at present, taking all the circumstances into consideration, we cannot see that it will be such an easy victory for Canterbury a* was anticipated j on the contrary, we think that there will be a good match, for the reason that Otago have a much stronger eleven than they thought they would have, and ours will not be so strong as was at first anticipated.