Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 78, 28 December 1901, Page 6

Cricket.

The most lemaikable featwe ot the Midland-Phoenix match on Satuidaj was the weakness ot the batting generally On a wicket which did not mateualh assist the bowlers, twenty-tour batsmen totalled between them 201 urns 01 considerabh less than 10 apiece Of the twent\-four batsmen six — (Wateis 43, Hicke\ 13 (not out). Blacklock 13 Saundeis 11, Tuckoi 48 and Road 13) and extras 19 — accounted foi l()0 of the total 201 — the other eighteen batsmen making 41 between them The Phoenix batted hist and totalled 11") Midland lephmg with 92 Goni£ in a second tune Pluenix lost two wickets for eight i iun> The Old Boys batted with a deal of vigoui against the Wellington team tunning up the lespectable total of Ih7 befoie the last man was dismissed Staples 22 Douglas 18 Blaeldock 45, and Gilmour 18 got double-figure scores The Wellington team put on 79 iuus for one wicket — Goie (32) Richaidson (32 not out) and Hickson (15 not out) were the othei scoieis Hickey was in giea,t ioim with the ball foi Phoenix. Keeping a splendid length, and throwing right up, principal h on the Leg stump he had the eailiei Midland batsmen galhed " I thought his claims foi a place m the team to play against Hawke's Bay could not be overlooked on this performance, and T must confess to a feeling of surprise at his non-inclusion The Committee had gn en it out that foim in Saturday's matches would receive great considei ation but, apparently in Hickev's case it was not so A comparison between Connell and lie in the matches in which the~\ weie bowling would show" the \ o anger player in a much better light, especialh when it us considered lie also made a score of 13 (not out) with the bat. Hickey'" a \ eraCT-> a CT-> reads — 14 overs five maidens 22 runs five wickets • • • Gore's wa.s a piett^ innings, his cuts to tho boundary being nicely timed Midlane had a very uncomfortable stay at the wickets and gave a weak displa\ for him Richardson, made the majont\ of his runs on the leg side, putting a bit of wood behind his strokes Hutchings was, m a long while for seven runs but he assisted Tuckei in stopping the procession. The Old Boys' Blaeldock piled on his score of 43 light merrily and '■hone whi'ie lus brothei failed. Staples pokes aiound a lot m getting his runs but generally manages to put a double-hguie score on the sheet. Waters put, a lot of powei behind his stroke 1 - his driving being particularly sweet His innings was a splendid one. Midland batted one man shoit on Saturda-\ prefeiiing to keep Wilhams's place open till the second da\ of the match Holdswoith and Upham both adopted the patient game — a mistake, in my opinion, for both of them Both make runs quickly and the waiting game don't suit them Stephenson's luck was right out He opened the bowling from one end foi Midland, and several times missed the w lcket — and that was all- — and on one occasion actually hit the leg wicket without removing the bails Blacklock takes, no risks at all now A judicious mixing would suit this player better than all of the one sort Previoush he went foi oven thing now he goes for nothing A mistake for him I take it Hi= drh ing powers are good and could be used oftenei than the^ w ere on Satuidav Niven did a fine piece of work in catching Robertson off Pope By the ua\, Robertson made a splendid effort to stump Xaughton in the Phoenix second innings but somehow or othei the bails staved on Don't joke "Robby' too much about it though, it's a fine point Tucker's display of batting foi Midland was a regular oasis in a desert. Where the team would have been without him is a vein delicate question to ask His scores all round the wicket weie the result.s of good strokes, although ho made a very weak one when he patted the ball back to Benbow Upham (five for 32), Stevenson (one for 3(j), Tuckei (three for 16) and Holdsworth (one for 12) were the destloving agents for Midland, Connell (four for 02) Redmond (one for 10). and Ashbolt (four for 35) doing duty for Wellington Benbow (two for ten) assisted Hickev to dispose of the Midlands [Continued on Page 1Q ]

I REACHED Mukloon at about ten in the morning with the knowledge that I had missed the coach by an hour, and would have to spend a whole da;> in the dullest, dustiest, most flylavaged, bug-bitten township on the ■\ hole Australian Continent. Muldoon was a tired township, where a small number of inhabitants sustained life by minding each other's business. To do this the men of Muldoon perch* I on the three-railed fence that cut the township off from Dun lop's run and chewed splinters Why anybody ever went to Muldoon was a mystery* but why anybody ever stayed there was a subject of profound amazement, and yet you could always rely upon finding four or five dusty, coatless, dispirited men hanging about Dunstan's Family Hotel When I struck Dunstan's pub" thoie was a man leaning against one of the posts opposite the door. He was a stout, beery man, dressed in old trousers and an older shirt, a pair of deplorable carpet slippers, and an eye-glass which was suspended from his top shirt button. The eye-glass was either a practical joke or a vain display, as the wearer never used it. When I came within his line of vision the dead eyes fixed upon me, and remained fixed and slowly a vague feeling grew into the pudding-like face i new hope seemed to dawn there. The hope grew as I aproached, and actually looked almost like animation when it became certain that I was making for the bar. "Maybe he'll shout," said the object to himself, and he turned and hobbled after me into the bar The sole of the left slipper, being detached from the upper, turned under as he walked and tripped him up, but he ranged alongside me at the bar. I asked for whisky and soda "Mine's er beer, Peter," said the object. Peter served me, but took no _ notice of the object who watched me with pathetic interest as I drank, unconsciously imitating my actions, throwing back his head, and draining an imaginary glass slowly and with great gusto. I asked if I could have meals and a bed for the night, and Mr. Peter Dunstan was delighted to accommodate me ? "Don't ' believe he's goin' to shout, said the object anxiously, and again addressing nobody in particular. "Oh Lord! he won't," he added, as 1 moved' away with the landlord to inspect mv bedroom He now seized on mv glass, and, having drained the little liquor that remained, lapped a fewdrops from the counter, and said "Never saw sich mean hounds as they is nowadays." , "Out you go, Jacker," ordered the landlord. „ "Eh, what's that? Oh, orl rite, Peter On'y as the young fellow arst me in ter 'aye a drink I thought I'd maybe jes remind ver mine's a beer, Peter— a nice, long, cool, frothy beer mine is, if you 11 be so kind." "Out you go'" insisted Dunstan. Jacker turned away like a man barred out of heaven, and mooched for the door, dragging his feet as if they were cased in lead. "Give the man a drink," I said, pioducing a sixpence „.11, Instantly, almost miraculously, the object was back at the counter, sprawling upon it, reaching eagerly. "A long beer, Peter," he said, 'an mind yer, no froth inside ther glass. Froth 'is extrar " He drained the beer gluttonously and handed hack the glass. „ "Don't be in no sich a hurry, Peter, he said, as the landlook took it. Give the young gentleman time ter exercise his benevolent faculties There is such words as 'fill 'em up again amt there 5 Don't you go fer to spoil trade imhin' things Peter Dunstan. Dunstan showed me my bedroom, it looked as if it might have been a fowlhouse in a family where the hens were not too particular, and the bed which Dunstan assured me was made ot 'nor mown 'ay." felt like a bag of old twoinch rope I did not discover any great likelihood of enjoying a good night's rest, but there was no other hou^e of accommodation for man ana beast in Muldoon, so I had no choice. When we returned to the bar the 00iect was still leaning and staring. ' "Name's Jackey Jacker," said Dunstan, in reply to mv inquiring glance "He's always lookin' fer drinks. Spends his life lookin' fer drinks He's lookin fer 'em now " For drinks? Out there "Yes, lookin' fer fellers comin inter the township what might shout." "He's reg'lar weather- wisp abort drinks, he is knows all the indications what's" goin' to bring down beers, so to speak. Been lookin' fer 'em so long. He can tell a man what's goin' ter shout two miles off. I find him very useful Ez good as a weather prophet, he is If he sez 'Fine day fer beers to-day. Peter,' an' seems cheerful like I know business is goin' to be good "

I went out on to the verandah, and Jackey turned his eyes from the desert to watch me eagerly tor a moment. 'X might shout again-- who knows," I heard him mutter like a man slow to abandon hope. Taking a book to the end of the verandah, I camped in the only bit of shade, and tried to read, and Jacker turned from me and resumed his study of the plaan, finding what indications he might on the horizon's bum There were about a dozen men at the hotel, most of them sitting on the form or sprawling in the dust. They looked like settlers who had given way to despair. Jacker was still leaning and gazing : evidently he had no great expectations so far as the townsmen were concerned. After dinner I was was getting bad* .■gain to resume m\ book when I notice-"! that one of the men was taking up a collection in las hat He went up f], road lattlmg a tew coins, visited the blacksmith's and the blore and then retut ned and conhontcd me "Will ver chuck in a bob or a deener, boss p " he said. '•What's it for?" ' We're jus' takin' up a public subscription to make Jackei drunk." Great Scot w hat an idea ' Why the devil should I contribute to this worthy object P" "Why not?" "Why not ? Because I don't see that it's any duty of mine to provide that beast with beer " "Maybe not your dootv boss, but he's great fun. Fact is, 'taant fer him I ask it, boss, it's fer the general good — to liven up the township and give the wimmin an' kids a treat " "You fill that tank with beer to give the w omen and children a treat ? A bright idea, but it isn't my notion of a treat." "Of courst, that's excusable, seem' you don't know Jacker. He's the life and soul of the township, Jacker is " "Heavens! What a life' What a soul'" "Not as he is now, but when he's fair on it. About four bob would set him goin', an' a circus ain't in it with Jacker when he gets goin'. You see. mister, we don't get much excitement up here, at Muldoon, barrin' beer, an' not a great deal o' that. No circuses, no plays, no races, no fights, no shows, no nothin', only Jacker an' he ain't, had a real tear for a deuce of a time. He's real funny when he's proper drunk, an' knocks the blues out of us with his queer tricks. Last time he got fair on he thought he was a long blue dragon, an' went ehargin' all over the place on aJI fours, carrvin' on that comic it was worth a quid to go in to see him if he was on'y fenced m "And that's your best idea of a public entertainment, is it?" "What else is there? Anyhow, Jaeker\ all right he don't do anyone Jacker's all right .he don't do anyone any 'arm, an' you ain't got no idea how comic he can be The best of him is you never know how he's goin' to break out. He's so bloomin' original m drink, an' so what yer might call versatile. He never does the same thing over twice like them comic men on the stage in Melbm', but invents noo business as he goes along. I tell you, the circus what could afford to keep Jackey Jacker drunk enough would have the comickest clown you ever see " "Well, well for heaven's sake, make him drunk. and bring this dead town to some form of life." I contributed a shilling, and retired from the scene. About two hours and a half after this I was called from my bedroom bv Dunstan, who cried ' Come aloner quick he's got goin' Pon't miss him fer yer hfe." There were sounds of laughter and yelling in front, and, going to the bar door, I found the main street of Muldoon looking quite animated The whole of the inhabitants were erathered along the fence opposite, men, women, and children, all tremendously excited, all laughing and cheering and gesticulating and squirming with an amount of spirit I would never have expected to find in Muldoon The township was transformed, elated. The cause of all this merriment hove in sight a minute later. It was Jacker, a rejuvenated Jacker, a howling ludicrous and amazingly energetic Jacker, mounted on the back of an excited black cow, who plunged and capered and bucked in her efforts to unseat her rider Jacker clung to her back like a mischievous ape He had long strands of coloured rag tied in his lank hair, and in his whiskers His trousers were rolled up as far as they would go and his legs were stained blue He had smeared his breast and back with treacle, and stuck himself over with feathers, and his insane performance on the back of the half-demented cow was certainly the most preposterously ludicrous thing I have ever seen. When the coach left Muldoon next morning the last inhabitant of the

township I saw was Jackey J acker still appearing as a public benefactor astride his cow. The cow was now quite tame «.nd submissive, and, although the boozy humorist's matinee performance lacked spirit as compared with his evening exhibition, it was extremely comic in an ugly inhuman sort of way, and quite knocked the township. — Melbourne "Punch."