Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 85, 15 February 1902, Page 6

Cricket.

THE cncket last Saturda\ was decidedh mteiestme the chspla\ in both matches being well woitli going to the Re-ei ye to see *■*•*■ The first, innings of the Pho?m\ team against the Midlands «a^ however a very mediocio exhibition When pla\ was resumed the tall\ was 41 runs for one wicket, yet the teajn were all out for 67 runs— Tuckei at one peuod having secured three tickets for no runs. Blacklook only added three runs to his over-week score, his total being 21 and Midlane failed to score at all 22 being his contribution Extras — an unfailing scorer— accounted for 12 runs. Da\ and Greenfield were the only other one= to assist the Phoenix score the remaining seven batsmen legistenng an 0 apiece. Upham (fue wickets foi 22 runs) and Tucker (four for 33) accounted for the wickets, both bowling unchanged through the innings The second innings however, was much healthiei Midlane and Niven opened, and pla\ ed very steadih so much so, indeed that a double change of bowling was made before ten runs were signalled. For three-quarters of a<n hour the best efforts of the Midland bowlers were of no avail, but with 31 runs on the sheet. Tucker got one past Niven's defence his scoie being 14 Blacklock joined Midlaue. and a complete change came o'ei the scene foi both batsmen began to pla\ the bow Img with a lot of freedom. Nineteen runs were scored off one o\ er from Upham — four of them being byes — and four times in succession Stevenson was lifted over the fence — twice b\ each batsmen A fine piece of stumping" bv Williams broke up the partnership after it had added 48 runs — Blacklock's total being 16 — and Waters then joined Midlane. The latter, after making .58 ran out to a short-pitched ball from Tuckei but missed it, and was bowled. + *■ * This being Midlane's last appearance in Wellington for some time probably an unusual scene was then witnessed. The batsman, as per usual, started to walk off the field but was called back b\ the members of the Midland team, who w ished to sa\ good-bye '" and extend to him their hopes for success in the CommonweaJth. At the call of Mi Upham. tluee heart y cheers were given Midlane, and temporanh the other games in progress were suspended, both players and spectators loinmg in a burst of applause as he walked off the field. It was unexpected, but still it was only a fitting send off to one who had made himself popular with everybody, and had done great things in Wellington cricket * V * I would just like to mention here that, between the two Phoenix innings, Mr. C. W. Benbow . on behalf of the Phoenix Club plajeis and supporters presented Midlaaie with a travelling bag and an eouivalent to a member's ticket of the New South Wales Cricket Association — in other w ords the price of it — so that lie could enjoy seeing the fourth test match from within the mnei circle. To get back to the game. Saunders joined Waters but lunging too far forward to a ball from Tuckei he appeared to me to be caught and stumped b\ Williams in the one act. The appeal was made foi the stumping how - ever and allowed Day next came in. and pla\ed \ei\ steadily for a couple of overs but Tucker broke thiough las defence when he had scoied 4. This batsman shows promise, and the nervousness on his first appearance is bound to wear off a^ he gets u«ed to pla\mg m senioi games Hickey joined Waters, who had been playing very freeh It was just about this time that he made tw o fine hits — a bie bang" to leg off Uohain producing seven runs all run out and a fine drive off Holdsworth landing on to one of the sheds at the back of the pavilion Waters' score totalled 58 befoic Holdsworth steered one into his timbeiyard and Hickev. by very free cricket added. 32 before he got right underneath a ball from Stevenson, Holdsworth holding it safely as it came down Benbow (3) Harris (9) Carswell (8 not out), Greenfield (4 not out) contributed towards the Phoenix total of 217 for nine wickets when stumps were drawn — their side being onJv 7 runs on w ith one w lcket m hand

The Old Bovs- Wellington match was remarkable for a lot of things Fust, for a good seoic of 21 b\ Ralph which assisted Ins team m getting 80 runs — moic than sufficient to save a follow -on. Next, Richardson was dismissed without scoring, bems, caught at souaie-leg m trying to "hook" a straight ball Hickson was bowled bv Staples when he had only scored 3. and the Bovs" were jubilant. ■>- — ■ u But then a huge surpnse was in store tor them Ashbolt came m and began hitting in a manner entirely foieign to hi<5 usual procedure. The result was that when he w a«. caught at the wickets b\ Blacklock he had gathered to^ethei 77 luns There were some fine hits in his scoie, too, a paiticulaily eood one landing among the spectators- on the seats in front of the pavilion. At another game when am thing out of the ordinal v is done, tlio saving goes, ''there's no one more surprised than the striker," and, if such is the case m this instance it's a pleasant surprise, anvhow. The success of a cricketer of Frank's stamp is alw avs pleasing Gore's luck is against him — I'll put it that wa-\ Three times in succession he has been run out, and eveiv time ]iist when he was gome well. His latest experience is a case in point — 4(> runs obtained bv particularly atti active encket, in an inning'- marked bv sound stiokes and good placiner only to be stopped bv a "inn out " Gore should endeavour to eet the better of his run of bad luck Girdlestone is one of the promising batsmen of Wellington An athlete right through and a lad of moie than ordinary promise, I expected to see lum justify his promotion to the senioi ranks. His innings of o2 (not out) was worthy of an old hand, and should gain him a big lift up m the order of his going in. The fastei the ball the better he likes it, but he appears a bit weak on the tnolo ones The big scoie won't hurt him, so that his bat can be expected to produce many more runs. Weybouine batted in something like his conect form for a tally of 37. and Taylor majiaged 14 before he was run out. Izard had made 11 when the umpire's verdict w as that he had put his leg where his bat ought to have been The innings closed for 278, leaving the Old Boys 3o.5 runs to get to w in They started on their long journey with ten minutes to phu , and got six runs for no wickets Both matches were to have been lesumed on Monday mglit but the wet prevented it. They will be continued to-night (Friday), and if not finished then I presume an evening or two next week will be devoted to them. ■/ >- The fourth test match is to be commenced in Sydnev to-dav (Friday) At the time of writing the Englishmen's mainstay in bowling (Baines) is said to be practically laid aside for the remainder of the tour, and I should sa\ their hopes of winning any of the remaining test matches is faint on that account alone, if on no other. On the Australian side the bow ling is likely to be strengthened. Eadv has gone across from Tasmania to practise, Saunders will be theie ftom Victoria in case he is wanted, and the aboriginal Marsh is passing muster so well as to bring his claims for inclusion right into the forefront. In Kermode. Noble has also discovered another fast bowler and from what the exchanges tell us, the conclusion seems w arranted that two of these four will be included m thr fourth test match There is also a probability that Darling w ill not be plaving as he may have to go to Tasmania on private business. The Australians may win the toss, and get fiist strike, with another captain. Bv the way after tossing the coin in the third test match, on returning to the pavilion, Maelaren was asked if he had won, he said, ''Oh ves Joe can't tass " and it is said to be all the same whether Darling tosses or calls. An exchange also has it that when Darling goes out to trv his luck Kelh puts on the pads to save time and ven seldom has had to take them off •f- * The Australian Eleven of 1902 will sail tor England in the Omrah which leaves Adehde on Mai eh 20th The Englishmen will return b\ the same ossel It is said that the Australians will be unaccompanied b\ a managei this time, but one need not be suipn«.ed if Majoi Wardell be one of the partv —Sydnev "Referee At the thud test match in Adelaide a benevolent-looking old lady whose acquaintance with the financial ]argon was more intimate than her knowledge of cncketing terms exclaimed, when informed albeit wiongh that one of the Englishmen had been stumped" 'Oh poor fellow- I am so sorrv these trips must be very expensive, but why don't they get up a subscription foi hun ? " (C(>lltlllllC(i Dll ptl'll' I' 1

■ Harrier," m the Auckland 'Obseiver" "Kallendei , on Ins present form, should secure a place in the North Island team. D Ha\ should also get a place" I wondei did 'Harrier" have a word with the selector before wilting that naiagraph- it leads so strange now that the team has been selected My comments le Richardson's mfielding received ver\ caustic treatment in various places on the Reserve last Saturday, particular^ round about the Wellington Club room One remai k I heard — I don't sav it was particularlv directed a.t me — was to the effect that my comment was the ''most utter nonsense that had ever appeared in a cricket column " And that bv a gentleman who is generally temperate in Ins speech. I am sorry if I hurt anvbodv's feelings, but, strange to sa^ , some of the other plavers considered it a fan comment I still think so, too. and will not. at this stage, withdraw any pait of it There is a possibihtv that Quee is lost to Wellington cricket. He has gone over to Sydney to see the fourth test match, but he told me that if things suit him over there he will pitch his tent in that nart of the world for a while. He has batted very consistently this season, his score of 174 against the Old Boys being the largest so fai . If he decides to remain in Svdne\ he will be missed not only bv the Midland cricketers, but by the junior plavers of the Poneke Football Club as well foi during last reason, he acted as captain of that club's second fifteen with great success. I wish him all sorts of good luck but a sneed\ return to the Mnamar giound, at anv late if not to the Basin Reserve