CRICKET.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1648, 2 June 1879, Page 3

CRICKET.

JfOTES BY “NOT OUT.” THE SEASON 1878-9. The averages for the past season having been published in the columns of the Pkess last week, I will now make a few remarks upon the game during the paat season. It will be generally admitted that there have been unusual drawbacks to militate against the success of the last year, but nevertheless, the various committees are to be congratulated upon the general success which Em attended their labors. Daring last

Autumn the grounds were top-dressed and sown-down, but the continued dry weather and north-west winds prevented the soil from settling down, and the grass seed from growing. It will be remembered that the Spring and Summer proved unusually dry, and as a natural consequence the Ground Committee have had great difficulties to contend against. The wickets, however, when due allowance is made for the exceptional weather, have been good, and the play all round very fair. The Match Committee provided plenty of matches during the season, but had more of the games been played out there would probably have been more interest taken in them by the players. As it was, several players were sometimes four or five weeks without an innings. The annual match with Otago was played in Christchurch, and again resulted in an easy victory for our representatives; but the chief matter for congratulation has been the visit of a Canterbury Eleven to Victoria, and although some of our best players were unable to go, the result was highly satisfacfactory, and will probably lead to future matches between the two colonies. The details of the matches are too well known to need any repetition ; but there is one thing which our cricketers would do well to consider what steps can be taken to obviate on a future occasion. It is the fact that several of our players score well against our own bowlers, but when opposed to strangers make but a feeble resistance, even if the bowling is very moderate. The solution of the difficulty is, of course, to obtain plenty of practice to strange bowling, but how this is to be accomplished is the question which all cricketers would do well to consider before next season arrives. The visit of our Eleven to Victoria will probably result in a team coming over to try the merits of our players on our own ground. It was mentioned at the time that East Melbourne would send an eleven to try to wipe out their defeat, but I think they will scarcely be able to send a sufficiently strong one for the purpose. However, if it is to be done, they have the right person in their secretary (Mr Budd) to accomplish the task. Tasmania probably will furnish a visiting team, and should they do so they would meet with a hearty welcome for the hospitality shown to our representatives during their short stay at Hobart Town. The past season has therefore opened up a new era in the cricketing annals of New Zealand, as well as of Canterbury, as any visiting team will be sure to do the round of the Island.

I now come to the averages, which, on the whole, are slightly better than the previous two years. They have been compiled differently, the Victorian tour being made up separately; while before the tour to the North Island was included in the general averages. The former mode is preferable, as it shows how our players perform in foreign matches. Taking the averages in the order in which they are published, I come first to those played in Australia. These are very satisfactory, and show the average innings to be 160. A. M. Ollivier heads the batting list with 27.8, and is closely followed by W. Frith with 26.1. Ashby is not far behind with 21.1, and Neilson is only two less. All four played well throughout the tour, and it was mainly owing to them that the team did so well. W. Frith deserves special mention for the way in which he improved in his batting, quite surprising every one by his good play. E. Fowler 12, G. H Lee 10.7, T. S. Baker 10.4, and Watson 10 2, are all about equal in merit. The latter commenced well in his two first matches, but afterwards scarcely did anything. In the bowling 0. Frith has the best analysis, each of his wickets having coat him 12.15 runs; but taken a 1! through Ashby (13.19) was the most to be relied upon, as the matches in which C. Frith obtained moat of his wickets the players were not so good, as was the case with Ashby. The former’s best performance was against the Richmond Club, when he obtained five wickets for six runs, in their second innings. W. Frith (17.9) at times bowled remarkably well, andlgenerally considered the best bowler of the Eleven by the Victorians. He, however, bowled with very hard luck on two or three occasions, which accounts for his wickets costing him so many runs. Lee (29.3) bowled well against Melbourne and East Melbourne in first innings, but at other times was not very successful. Neilson (17.3) came out in a new style, slow rotmd-arm, and proved very useful in the match against Richmond, getting rid of both Mainon and Thomas in the first innings, when they were ret. Fuller (40.2) fared badly, being unmercifully treated by A. F, Robinson in the match with the Bohemians. The bowling averages weald, however, have been much better all round had the fielding been even fair ; but with a few exceptions, this department was very bad—a circumstance which it is to be hoped may never occur again should a team visit the neighboring colonies.

I now come to the Association matches, where I find J. F. Hartland has the fine average of 33.3, and, as if to atone for his want of success in Australia, came out at the end of the season in grand style, playing a fine innings for 127 (not out). This is the largest score made in Canterbury in a first class match. If he improve in fielding next year he will prove an addition to our strength, as he only needs practice in foreign matches to become equally good in those as in our own games. He was quite off his play in Australia, which was perhaps on account of the climate. H. H. Secretan next claims attention with 24.1. He has played some fine innings this season, notably his score of 91, in which he gave only one difficult chance; it was a grand exhibition of all round play. He is a fine field and fair change bowler. D. Ashby, 21-10, is certainly our best all round cricketer ; he has made the most runs yet put together in one season in Canterbury, his total being 578. He has a fine style, and hits hard all round ; is a grand field and good bowler ; has been much more successful in the latter department towards the end of the season, when he took to changing his pace frequently. C. 0. Corfe, 19.8, is much lower on the list than usual; but he has never been in form this season, being troubled with a sore hand. Ho has been very successful at times as a change bowler. E. J. Cotterill, 18.5, has not played much in first class matches, but if he practised and took the trouble would make one of our best cricketers, as he is a fine field, having a good return to the wicket. I hope to see more of him in the Association matches next year. He wants practice to fast bowling, W. F. Neilaon, 18.1, has been very energetic in the interests of the game, the Victorian trip having originated with him ; he has acted as captain for Canterbury for three years in all foreign matches, and has proved very successful; is a good judge of the game, quickly finding out a player’s weak spot; has batted well throughout the season, is a good field and sure catch, A. M. Ollivier, 18, has not been so successful in the local games, but still keeps the reputation of being one of our most reliable batsmen in foreign matches ; he fields well, especially in the deep fields, when he is a sure catch ; has taken longstop this season when wanted. J. Fowler, 14.10, has played little this season, but is still very good at leg and cover-point. W. Frith, 13.2, has wonderfully improved since he left for Victoria; is left handed, but bats in fair style, and hits very hard to the off; cuts well, especially a little behind the wicket; is a good bowler, with a break, is a fine field, and generally sure catch. E, Fowler has a brilliant style, but has not been very effective this season either with the bat or behind the wicket, probably from want of practice, has gone to Timaru. E. C. J. Stevens, 11.1, has not been so successful as usual, but can generally be relied upon for runs; has not played in any foreign match this season. R. D. Harman, 11.6, a colt, this season gives fair promise of becoming a good player, works hard, and has a fair stylo of batting ; hits well to leg. T. W. Conran, 11.3, showed good form at the end of the season ; has left for Queensland. J. Fairhurst, 11.3, has only played six innings, has much improved since last season, and with attention may make a serviceable player. H. W. Moore 10.1, has been in the country all the season, and has therefore not obtained the necessary practice to bring him into form ; is the hardest hitter of any our cricketers, and very good at point. C. Frith has disappointed me in bowling, as he has dropped his pace without gaining in spin, and generally bowls too short. Fuller has been vary unlucky this season, but has not been in good health, which probably accounts for his want of success; fields well at slip. G. A. Turner is one of our new bowlers, and he has proved very successful at times, especially in the match against Otago, which was his first foreign contest; is a good field. W. Beard has a fine easy delivery, never tires, and at times is a very dangerous bowler; can generally be relied upon to keep down the runs, and a fair field, G. H. Leo has not bowled

much this season, has a fine delivery, but is iot always in form. T. Skelton has bewled in two or three matches with fair success, is a pains-taking player, and good field. i’he following are the averages for the whole season, those for the matches played in Australia and Association having previously been published ; AVERAGES FOE THE WHOLE SEASON. Batting.

P d . C3 not u 0) 03 O 0) .s& •2rP <D to to a p 03 -p p S -g p P o.S 0 0 H 0 za a H M E- 1 < D. Ashby 21 33 578 75 W 5 21-11 12 15 97 19 19 0 67 T. S. Baker 7 12 124 30 42 0 10-4 17 19 77 12 12 6 5T2 T. W. Conran ... 7 10 113 31 34 0 11'3 20.13 C. C. Corfe 13 16 293 ♦69 69 E. J. Cotterill ... 5 6 113 41 64. 0 18'o J. Fairhnrst 4 6 58 33 33 1 11‘3 E. Fowler 12 16 157 34 34 3 12'1 12 13 192 46 46 0 14-10 13 16 97 S 19 3 76 W. Frith 15 20 341 63 O 18,17 E. T. A. Fnller ... 13 16 78 23 23 5 8 K, D. Harman ... 9 11 94 29 32 3 11-6 J. F. Hartland ... 19 28 417 *127 ♦127 7 19.18 T. Jones 6 6 22 10 10 0 3 4 G. H. Lee 11 15 134 29 38 1 98 A. Lonffden 10 15 111 37 37 87 R. MacOounell ... 5 7 49 19 19 0 7 W. V. Million ... 4 7 27 9 10 1 4‘3 H. W. Moore ... 5 6 61 26 26 0 10-1 F. H. Morice 11 14 86 19 25 0 6’2 W. F. Neilson ... 20 27 473 54 54 2 18-23 A. M. Ollivier ... 18 27 530 53 83 3 22’2 H. H. Secretan ... 14 16 289 91 4 24T T. Skelton 8 10 47 19 19 2 5 7 E. C. J. Stevens... 15 19 183 32' 32 2 111 G. A. Turner 13 16 113 20 30 2”^ 8-1 G. Watson 18 23 199 37 53 1 91 A. C. Wilson 12 16 111 29 34 1 7‘6 J. Wood 11 14 112 22 29 0 8 "■Not out. Bowling Averages. 03 00 ro M O * P4 0 CO U O 2 O M 00 0 'd rQ 3 O P £ o a W £ £ £ M •‘>23 222! 1030 99 44 0 10-90 W. Beard 281 90 510 50 1 0 10-10 C. C. Corfe 115 30 239 21 3 0 11-8 C. Frith 382 161 571 G5 0 1 8-51 W. Frith 329 117 729 58 6 2 12-33 E. T. A. Fuller ... 185j 257 49 395 28 4 0 14-3 G. H. Lee 59 563 25 1 3 22-13 F. H. Morice 28 7 58 1 3 0 58 W. F. Neilson ... 553 178 13 7 0 13-9 H. H. Secretan ... 41 10 93 5 1 0 18-3 T. Skelton 99 21 89 11 0 0 8'1 G. A. Turner 194 57 436j 23 1 0 18-22