CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 May 1926, Page 3

CRICKET.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] NO PLAY. LONDON. May I. There was no play in the Australians v. Leicester match on Saturday. Thero was an overnight drizzle, which developed into a heavy lainlall in the morning, and which continued till noon, by which time the ground was sodden. After an inspection, at .'(.AO p.in. it was decided that the pitch was unlit, for play. FALCON’S COMMENT. LONDON, April 30. A sportsmanlike comment, hearing out the general opinion on the Holyport match, has been made hv the howler, Folcon, who said: “ Make no mistake, the Australians at It' >l\] >o l l were not the same Australians who will face the test teams. They will then be the same grim fighters that Australians always are. It. is absurd to judge their test, play upon that at Holvpoit. The wicket there was one of the worst possible. 1 am sure that none of tile Australians has o\ei plu t \- od in such conditions. It was just a pleasant match, under the old-fashioned country house conditions, with ft team of thoroughly good fellows and good sportsmen, who played the game with zest and keenness. The idea was to show the Australians that there is another kind of cricket than that habitually seen in tho tests and the counties Kiiiotv per cent of the inatc.ies i„ England are played “round the corner.” so to speak, on pleasant meadows and village greens; without the grim keenness displayed by the first class cricketers. .... „ LONDON, May 2. If the weather continues fine the pitch should he in excellent condition. The wicket is already dry and tho outfield is drying rapidly under the influence of a good wind. The team s 1 finds the bleak winds trying. CRICKET NEWS. (Received this day at 9.0 a.m.) LONDON. May 2. The Leicester eleventh man is Arm-

strong, a new player from Gloucester Last season he took 100 wicket* an( averaged 51 in the host Leicestershire Club cricket-. DON DON. May 2. Speaking at a dinner at Leicester County Club, to the Australians, Collins refuted an amazing incident oi the team’s first match at Maidenhead, when lie was snapped, by. the press photgrapher tossing the coin. Subsequently the photographer told Colons to keep the coin ns be could not- lose the toss with it. Surprised. Collins inspected the coin and found it a doubleheader. Sir Arthur Hazelngg, proposing the toast of the visitors suggested i in'view of the team’s absence of ft tail • the National Emblem, the kangaroo, . should be crossed with a Manx eat 1 ],oping, however, that the product i would not have nine lives. England could not afford that. AVarner said that he feared that it England did, not win the tests, he would certainly he stoned to death for picking tho team, which was like a o jjrr.saw puzzle. t " WICKET CONDITIONS. LONDON, May 2.

Leicestershire were willing but the Australians were shy, is bow the ‘Weekly Despatch’s” correspondent sums up the situation. The wicket was fit enough at five in the afternoon under clear skies, for even nothing venture cricketers. Canny Collins turned on his heel, after glancing at the wicket in the afternoon, as if he had vowed beforehand not to tolerate a discussion on play with the Leicester captain. Players throughout remained expectantly in the dressing shed. County cricket has commenced, but owing to adverse weather only Yorkshire and Essex were able to play, the former losing four wickets for 119 runs on the first day.