Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 121, 25 October 1902, Page 18

Cricket.

THE cricket season was opened last Saturday in typical Wellington weather — dull one minute, fine ■the next, and, in the end, culminating in a downpour of rain. Truly, we get various samples of weather in Wellington, and the cricketers' experiences on Saturday convinced them of the diversity of the varieties. „ « • There was a fair muster of spectators, and the play was, on the whole, fairly interesting, although there were many dull moments. • * * The Midland-Phoenix match was the centre of attraction, and was played on No 1 wicket. The Midlanders (captained bv TJpham) batted first, and kept the opposition in the field tor the greater part of the afternoon. C Hickson (41), Upham (36 not out), Quee (11), and Smith (11) were the double-figure scorers out of a total of 133 Hickey (six wickets for 41 runs), Brice (two for 35), Cross (one for 13), and Halley (one for 14), were the successful Phcenix bowlers. The Phcenix commenced batting with Halley (captain) and Saunders, and scored two ru-a off one over from Upham when rain stopped play. * * * The only new men to Wellington cricket in this match were Barclay and Cross (Phoenix) and Bartlett (Midland). I will have something to say about them later on.

The main interest in the WellingtonOld Boys match was centred on whether the inclusion of Ken Tucker in the latter team would improve their general play The ex-Collegians were unfortunate enough to lose the toss, and they were kept in the field till rain stopped the play, but generally showed improvement on their last year's play. The WeUingtonians totted up 124 runs for the loss of six wickets — A. H. Gore (43^ Ashbolt (27), Richardson (27), and Weyboume (10). Tucker bowled well, sending down ten maidens in the thirty overs he bowled, and securing four wickets for 22 runs. Ralph and McGowan each obtained a wicket the former getting a beauty past C Gore. # * * Barclay, the English cricketer, wliose services 'have been secured by the Phoenix Club, was "no-balled" no less than seven times during the three overs he bowled in the IVLdland-Phoenix match. A definite bowler's crease is marked out, within which the bowler has to deliver the ball, and it was for bowling with a portion of one foot outside the limits of this crease that Barclay was penalised. The Phoenix captain felt sorely the penalising of Barclay, and argued the point with one of the umpires' as to the latter's capability of judging a no-ball— at least, that seemed to be the inference. It was also stated that the Wellington Cricket Assoeiaion had adopted the new rule widening the bow lei's crease by another foot, and, that being so, the umpires should have allowed the bowler the benefit of the rule, even if the Association's ground man had made a mistake when marking out the crease. It seems strange if the Association had adopted the new rule no notification to that effect should have appeared in the daily papers, and that no instructions should have been given the ground-man to mark the ground in accordance therewith. However, the umpires had no alternative but to rule according to the creases marked out for them. The rules under which a ball must be delivered aae plain and to be fair to the batting side the umpires could not have ruled otherwise than ih&v did. It is a bit rough on a new player to Wellington to be "no-balled" so frequently on his first appearance, and T believe Barclay has taken umbrage at

the decisions of the umpires last Saturday. It is a pity if 'tis true, and one can only hope that he will take the contrary decisions to himself in. the spirit of a sportsman — for that is what a cricketer ought to be first and foremost. Barclay bowled three overs — two from one end, and one from the other — and he was "no-balled" three times bv one umpire, and four times by the other. Comment is needless on the unanimity of the umpires' decisions, for both of them called him for the same breach of the rule. * * * The best cricket in the Midland innings 1 was when TJpham and Smith were together. "Joe," as per usual, was the last man in, and both he and his skipper 1 went to get as many runs as they could. Their running between the wickets was splendid, and not a possible run was lost — in, fact, at times, they seemed to get impossible ones quite simply. By the way it is a few years now since Smith figured in Wellington senior cricket. Against the last Australian team that visited Wellington — captained by Harry Trott— "Joe" was included for his bowline he being at that time a fine left-hand break bowler. Since then, he has been in Auckland, and when, he returned here he assisted the Midland Club in its junior matches. His re-apoearance in senior cricket was a good one, for the stand between Upham and he added 37 rune when they were badly needed. TJpham is a forceful bat, with a style peculiarly his own. Though many of his strokes are not correct cricket, yet they produce, runs, which, I take it, should be the main object of a batsman. The old saying, "if you keep your wicket up the runs will come" is true enough but the quicker they come the better the spectators like it. _ TPnham should certainly put his name higher up the score-sheet. C. Hickson played one of those innings associated with his name. Steady and patient, he ke*>t his end up while seven of his side came and went, and it was only through lunging at a simple ball that cost him his wicket. He got too far under it, and he was easily caught at square long-on. Bartlett the new addition to the Midland Club, is not a marvel with the

bat, and when given out "lbw" was heard to remark, "I played it with my bat, sir." The umpire however, considered he played a straight ball with his leg, and he had to retire. Bartlett is said to be a wood bowler, and I am told represented Wairarapa last season. Quee batted steadily, and he was unfortunate in playing the ball on that took his wicket. Williams and Stephenson had only one ball apiece — the ball that took the former being a very sweet one, and the one that <rwe the latter his coup de grace kept very low. • • • Hickey was the most successful bowler for the Phoenix. Staj-ting against the wind, he did. not have any success, but, goring on ai second tune, with the wand in his favour, he soon had five wickets to his credit, and. bagging the last man, he ended up with an average of six for 41 runs. Davis and Williams he got with similar balls, Holdsworth sent a skier back to him, Quee played him. on, Stephenson's kept very low, and Smith played all across the ball that ended the Midland innings. Brice bowled well for Phoenix. His average of two wickets for 35 runs hairdly denotes the strength of his bowling, for on several occasions ne only missed the wickets by inches, and mamy of the runs scored off him were from lucky snicks to leg. He rocks them in with plenty of pace, and has a good ball which goes away from the batsman, which will during the season, win him many wickets in the slips. Cross and Halley sent down a few overs apiece, with little mischief in them, although they each secured a wicket. » * • The fieldine of the Old Boys was a marked improvement n- their previous season's displays, and they appeared to be keen on the game. Richardson batted in his own peculiar style — the forward lunge was as prominent as of yore, and the little hook to leg was productive of many runs. A. H. Gore is an old figure on Wellington cricket fields, though his sojourn in Napier has 1 caused him to be a stranger to those of us who have lately come hither. A friend tells me his performance on Saturday recalls his admir-

able deeds in days of yore. For a tall man like he is, he seemed to me to be cramped in. his movements, and often I expected to see h"m open his shoulders to a ball which he contented himself with playing back to the bowler. His 43 runs were a very useful contribution, though. Ashbolt and Weybourne's runs weie got in their well-known styles, the former being bowled by a good one from Tucker. Weybourne got too far under one from the same bowler, and patted ;t; t queitlv back to him. Mahoney, though only m for a few minutes, favourably impressed the onlookers. Kia running; between the wickets was a theme of general admiration. As Clayton and he, both newcomers to Wellington, commence the batting for Wellington next Saturday, they should be worth seeing if they can only get going. • • * A good performance in junior cricket last Saturday was that of F. Harris in the Gasworks-Oollese match. Bowling for the former he took six wickets for 21 runs. By the way, anything out of the ordinary in junior cricket, week by week, will be noticed if sent to me by the Tuesday succeeding the performance. * * * Mackenzie, the New South Wales cricketer, opened his season's account with 97 (not out) Rumour hath it that Barclay, the English pLayer, has accepted an engagement offered him by the Parnell Club (Auckland). McAhotei, the Victorian bat, made 70 (not out) in his first innings this season Worrall (2b) and Graham (24) are scores of two other notable players Fred Midlane has secured his place in the S-dncy Cricket Club's fiist eleven, having been chosen to play for that team, against Redfern in a First Grade match. Corby, who made toD score for Sydeniham'(Chnstchurch) m the opening match of the season, hails from Victoria, having recently come across the Tasman Sea. Dillon, a new man in the United (Canterbury) team, is a recent arrival from Queensland, and "Dark Blue" says he promises to be useful to the team as a slow bowler. W. A. Richardson — brother of our own Richardson — was the first to get the century in Sydney senior cricket this season — 100 retired for Sydney District v. North Sydney. Tunnicliffe, the Yorkslure player, has disposed of five hundred opponents of his county by his aptitude for holding catches offered him. The majority of them were taken in the slips. Moßeath, the Sydney bowler whom the Canterbury cricketers are endeavouring to secure as a professional, secured five wickets for 19 runs in a first grade match in Sydney the other week. Another Trumper item' Trumper is a teetotaller and a non-smoker He is a trump oard the Temperance advocates should play and will, no doubt, as soon aa the news becomes generally known One of the members of Lord Hawke's team is Mr. Randall Johnston (son of Mr. G. Randall Johnston, an ex-mem-ber of the New Zealand Legislative Council), who is a native of Wellington. Some of the papers on the ''other side" describe Marsh as "Noble's friend." This, of course, is a bit of sarcasm on account of the darkey's exclusion from New South Wales representative cricket last season. A lad named Braham playing for St. Paul's Cricket Club (Adelaide), against tfoe St. Oswald's team, on September 27th, captured all ten wickets for four runs. The other bowler had two runs knocked off him, and there were three sundries, the total score being nine. This performance took place on the Adelaide Park lands, where George Giffen learnt his cricket It is said that Trumper owes his start in life as a onoketer to "Charley" Bannerman, the old Australian player, who is now acting as cricket coach at Christ College, m Chiistohuroh . When a school-boy Trumper did a bit of scouting for the Carlton Club, near the Rope Works Redfern, and Bannerman, insisting that tfhe lad should have his turn at the wickets, saw enough to convince him that there was the makings of a areat batsman in the lad. The Cricket Association, at its meeting on Monday night, decided to take the necessary steps to form an. Umpire s Association. They are inviting probable members of the Association to send along their names, and, if a sufficient response is received, a meeting will be called at an early date. There are many old players and enthusiasts whom I could name whose presence behind the bowler's wicket Saturday after Saturday would be satisfactory both to the players and spectators alSe. and I cordially jnvitethemto assist in the formation of the Umpires Association.

In compiling his 120 (the eleventh century) against the South of England, Trumper, jumping out of his ground, 6wnng a full toss from Braurud out of the enclosure. A man operating the scoring board caught the ball magnificently while standing on an elevated platform twelve feet from the ground. Boxshall (Lancaster Park Club) and Fowke (Sydeimham) are two wicketkeepers of the first flight, oJid have been in many representative teams. On the opening day in Christchurch both of them were in their accustomed nlaces, and neither allowed a bye to be put up against his team on the scoresheet.

Harry Pkminer, of Wellington, and the Sherlock Holmes success joins the William Anderson Company, which shortly produces 'Cyrano de Bergerac." Sandow married an heiress, and he need not swell himself out for filthy lucre or lift a ton weight for pold. He merely performs for love of the race, to demonstrate to it what a man may be if he only trie®. • • ♦ Willoughby and Geach, ere this meets the eye, will have introduced ' The Wrong Mr. Wright" to Dunedin audiences. The company wends its way hither later, and will eventuate in Wellington on November 24th. Harold Ashton, the colonial premier adSvance agent, is at present in Africa with the World's Entertainers, looking for likely investments among other things. Harold remarks per cable, that theatrical enterprise in Capetown cannot go wronf. # ♦ » Some of the peers and peeresses who spent large fortunes m dress for the Coronation, have sold the gorgeousness to actors and actresses for the Christmas pantomimes in London. The Drury Lane pantomime this year is to have for one of its leading characters — "Kino- Dick " * * • Arrangements have been made for at least six first-class dramatic shows to be on tour in New Zealand at Christmas time. This of course, does not include the multitude of minor shows and picture machines that are hankering after the crumbs that fall from the rich actor's table. • * • The "Critic's" way of saying that Sandaw has left Melbourne — 'Sandow has carried his ironmongery away from the Opera House, and is now displaying his bulging bust to delighted Sydneyites who can appreciate the human form divine when it is clean, and hard, and healthy, and no discredit to the God in whose image it is fashioned." * * At a recent rehearsal of a musical work in an Australian theatre one of the principals could not warble to the satisfaction of the conductor. Said the wielder of the baton, "Please Mr. Blank, you are murdering time." To which the voice-lost principal replied, — "My dear Mr. PianissL.no, it is better for me to murder Time at once than be continually beating him as you do." • • * Any chance there may have been for an entirely colonial theatrical business is probably knocked on the head bv the annoxinoemenit that a theatrical trust, •which intends to "corner" England, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, is in course of formation which corner in^ tends to knock the small men "kite high." Universal brotherhood will be an established faot some day * # * Whangarei, the pretty slumbrous town north of Auckland, was recently asked to wake up. A picture machine was playing to a select crowd of orangegrowers and -umdiggors when things caught fire, women fainted and the local policeman had the first job for years. A calm person arose, and stilled the tempest explaining that a film was going so fast that it caught fire. Anything that ecoes fast would create a panic in Whangarei. Nobody died.

early as December, 1900, it pointed out the unique advantages of the scheme. Again, an March,, 1901, after tickling up the Ratepayers' Association with the point of ridicule, it went on to remark • • ♦ "If it will pay private syndicates to buy and exploit tracts of unoccupied land on the borders of the city then it will pay the Corporation to make a model suburb out of Miramar, and establish in its centre a park and playground which shall be a pride and pleasure to Wellington for all time." Well, it is no use crying OV6T spilt milk. And, no one cam blame private enterprise for stepping in to reap the harvest that public effort was invited to garner, but did not. • « * The Miramar Land Company deserve their good luck. They bought in March last one-third of the estate for £26,000, and seven month® later they are able to sell at a profit of £52,000. Good business, truly. There are other syndicates exploiting the same field. The Evans Bay and Miramar Estate Company have been able to acquire some 200 acres of the heart of the estate, and are promptly putting it into the market And, a third syndicate, 'tis now said, follows hard upon its heels with the acauisition of vet another slice • • • Altogether, more than half of this noble estate has changed hands since March last. Will the City Council, before it is too late, not make another effort to secure a patrimony for the people? There is still time. Wellington is fast growing towards Mirar mar. Beyond doubt, it is destined to be a populous and a favourite suburb. Environed by the sea, and with the lovely beach and sandy slopes of Lyall Bay at its feet, Miramar must be one of the show-places of the metropolis. • * * Our people fare poorly for parks and recreation grounds Plere is the place and opportunity to cure that defect. Councillor Barber had a plan before the Council some time since which ought not to have been shelved. Let it be resurrected . If the young fellows of Wellington who play at cricket, football, hockey, and divers other manly outdoor sports will but combine, and bring the pressure of their united momentum to bear on the fast-asleep City Fathers, they are bound to get a move on that may reach finality in the acquisition of a People's Recreation Ground that will meet all requirements for years to come. • • • But, th v will need to be up and doing The land is being mopped up in all directions. Let them get to work,

and agitate. And, once they stait to agitate, da not gave it up. The man who will not talie a refusal, or admit he is beaten, generally gains his end. Organisation is the first step. After that, a programme. Recieation grounds are wanted in other directions besides Miramar. Every part of this rapidly-growing cvtv should have its wants provided for m that respect. And, every part of the city ought to warmly join hands to compass a purpose that appeals to, and embraces, all.