Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 122, 1 November 1902, Page 18

Cricket.

FORTUNATE were the spectators at the Basin Reserve on Saturday last. The weather, of course, was not the theme of exultation — suoh at the commencement of play being close and sultry, with the promise of rain before the afternoon was over. That promise was duly fulfilled — ram coming down shortly after four o'clock, aad, after the players had patiently battled with it for over half-an-hour, an adjournment was found a necessity. Shortly, when there seemed no hope of a cessation, the stumps were drawn for the day. The weather, then, was not the reason why the spectators were fortunate. The wicket was in much better order than was generally ext>eeted, being very firm, although it was on the dead side. The break bowlers had plenty of opportunity to get work on but, in most cases, the ball could be easily followed by the batsmen. • ♦ • Mahoney — and m a lesser degree Clayton— two of the nevr men in the Wellington Club's eleven, were the players on whom the majority of the spectators fixed their attention, and this is where they were fortunate. The former — Mahoney — was batting the greater part of the afternoon, in fact, he was the last mm out on the Wellington side. In compiling hie total of 77 — honestly worth 100 on a fast wicket — he showed a variety of strokes, the ones on the off side being particularly sweet.

Some of his late cuts were masterpieces, and the way he banged the ball to the oft boundary was the work of a past-master in the art. His driving was also good, generally along the oarpet, those straight past the bowlers bexng well worth seeing. Mahomey's weak strokes — and he has very few — were on the leg side. A couple I noticed he appeared to try to glide the ball to leg, but it was met with the face of the bat, and went up. but, at the same time, it was a lonp way from the fieldsmen. "It was the finest display of batting seen on the Basin Reserve for many a day," was one ooinion I heard expressed, and the gentleman making the remark had many who coincided with him. Ma/honey's form was such that I have no hesitation in predicting many more runs off his bat during the season and congratulate him on his fine performance. A few more players like him in Wellington would increase interest in the game, and would tend to the oeitteimient of the game itself, and to the improvement of the form of the players. Clayton is a player who seemed familiar, but I was a long while in nlaemg him. He will be remembered as the player from Feilding way who was erven -a place — as representing the country players — in the Wellington team that played against Trott's Australian team. The impression remaining with me of his display in that game is that he was a very stylish player, and was unfortunate in being run out before he got fairly going. Clayton showed good form in compiling 21 on Saturday, and, at one time, Mahoney and he appeared to be in for the afternoon. A good ball from Ralph, that kept very low, found a way into his timber-yard to the joy of the Old Boys' team. Taylor (17) plugged away in a disheartening manner to his opponents. Mahoney was well set, and making runs and "Tommy" was quite content to keep his end up. The game under the circumstances, but one cannot help wishing to see Taylor occasionally opening his shoulders. The Wellington innings closed for 245 runs, and the Old Boys have a contract in front of them to make a decent showing. It was piartioularlv hard luck for them in their first engagement' this sea-

son to run up against new players to Wellington of Mahoney, Olayton, and Gore's abilities. Tucker bowled capitally for the exCollegians. His average reads . — 288 balls 13 maiden oveis, 74 runs, six wickets. The Old Boys made no mistake in securing his services, for without him they would have been weak indeed. Ralph bowled fairly well, and occasionally got some good ones in — the two that took C. Gore and Olayton being fine ensamples. His average was . — 216 balls, two maidens 87 runs, two wicket®. Kiritcaldie got one wicket for four runs and McGowan one for 45. • • • The Midland-Phoenix match has gone much in favour of the Midlanders. The total of 133 made by the former did not seem, too much for the Phcemx flayers, but once again they failed with the bat. Halley opened weU., but a good one from Stephenson, when he had out 12 on the score-sheet, sent him pavilionwards. He made one fine drive to the off off Upham. Bnce showed the best form with the bat in the Phoenix innings. He made one or two awkward strokes in his total of 31, but, generally, his play all round the wicket was good, and was a fine introduction for him to senior cricket in Wellington. The majority of us were a bit surprised — -I was, at any rate. We thought of Brice only as a bowler. But, in the Hutt Valley, he has been a versatile player. Last year, Brice made 128 against Koto Koro, and 95 against Kaiapod, and secured over 100 wickets with the ball. In the Hutt Valley-Wellington junior match last year he kept wioketsi. So that Brice is a very useful man to have in a team, and I wish him further success. Cross, the ex-Dunedinite, was shaping well when he was unfortunately run out. Hickey opened his shoulders for his contribution but, getting too far under one from Stephenson, he was held by Quee in the outfield. The veteran Niven surprised everybody When he went in, to bat the field closed round him, but some of them erot too close, for the boundary was found

occasionally by the batsman. A out past point was too fast to be comfortable to the fieldsman in that position. Niven was not out, with. 12 runs opposite his name, when the Phoenix inninors closed, and was given a round of applause. Waters did not appear to be in form, and had only a short stay at the wickets. Stephenson bowled splendidly for Midlands. He kept an excellent length, and broke finely from the off, although he did not appear to be getting as much work on as usual. His average reads — 102 balls, four maidens, 36 runs, five wickets. Upham bowled 48 balls for 12 runs, and Bartlett a bowler with a reputation, sent down 30 balls for 14 runs. He works well from the off, but could not keep them away from the leg side on Saturday. Brice hit him beautifully for five on one occasion. Holdsworth went on late to bowl and soon finished uip the Phoenix batsmen. His bowling came very fast from, the pitch, two out of the three wicket* he obtained being caught in the slip®. Hia average vas 27 balls, one maiden, 10 runs three wicket®. Holdsworth (16) and Hickson (14) commenced Midland's second innings, and were both not out when the stumps were drawn for the day. with the score at 31. Midland are 88 runs, on with all their wickets in hand, and should win comfortably. * ¥■ * Barclay was an absentee from the Phoenix team. The previous' Thursday he went to Auckland — rumour says under engagement to the Parnell Cricket Olub. ~ He felt the "no-ball" decisions of the week before very keenly, and stated that he was perfectly satisfied that there was a set being made against him, and, that being so, he could not expect to do himself justice in Wellington. It would be idle on my part to contradict a statement of this description, for the umpires who "no-balled" Barclay are well enough known not to need any defence from me as to their general fairness when officiating, in matches week by week. In this connection, the statement made that the Wellington Cricket Association had adopted the new rule re the bowler's creasei seems to have been

veay piematme, for at the time of writing no word has- been received by the local association, from the New Zealand Cricket Council as to whether that body even, has adopted the rule. Which only goes to show that some people are given to romancing: when it suits their own ends * » * There were a couple of good performances in the continuation of the Gas Conmanv-College junior match last Saturday. Stevens — who played a couple of times for the Phoenix first eleven last season — ran up a score of 67 (not out) fox the former team by vigorous cricket. F. Hams, who performed well with the ball the previous Saturday made a neat score of 39 runs by free cricket Hutchings, the ex-Midlander, had to be content with iust double figures, his total in the first innings being: easily reckoned up — a "blob" being his contribution. "Pup" is the wicket-keeper of the Gasworks team. A correspondent from the Hutt Valley sends me some interesting notes on the game as controlled by the Cricket Association of that name The first annual meeting of the association was held at the Lower Hutt on the 11th September, 1899, and Western Hutt, Petone United, Waiwetu Koro Koro, and St. Augustine's were the clubs represented Three of these clubs have become defunct but Wadestown and Old Boys have filled two of the places. The association have grounds at Lov er Hutt and Petone one wicket on the former — which is always in camfcal order — and five on the latter The Petone wickets are kept m good condition — the association employing one man to prepare the wickets week by week the Petone Borough Council's caretaker supervising the work from a recreation ground point of view. Four representative matches have been arranged for this season — home and home with Wellington's junior representatives Wairarapa, at Greytown on the Ist and 2nd January, and Manawatu on Christmas and Boxing Days. My correspondent says a good wicket is being prepared for the watch with Wellington on the 10th instant. Representative junior matches have also been arransred with Manawatu and the Wellington Junior Associations. There were many rumours flying round at the beginning of the season that the majority of the best players in the Valley were joining the city clubs, but Brioe (the Phoenix player) is the only ooie who has justified the rumours. There is a possibility though, that Bernsten, who made top score (58) against the Wellington junior representatives last season, will join one of the senior clubs after Christmas. The Hutt Valley Association have adopted a rule dealing with defaulters which if faithfully carried out, will prove an effective method of dealing with those who endeavour to fet their sport ''on the nod." A receipt-book in triplicate form is issued by the Association to affiliated clubs, and, in giving a receipt the club treasurer fills one portion up, and hands it to the player paying his subscription, another portion he forwards to the secretary of the association and the third part he keeps himself At the end of the season the secretary of the association posts as defaulters all members of affiliated clubs for whose subscription he has not received a receipt It seems to me to be a good way of dealing with a bad of our athletics, and I wish the association even 7 succass in carrying it out. • • ♦ George Giffen is still a player. Playing for East Adelaide against West, he scoied 114 (not out) on Saturday week. Major Wardell was sixty years of age on the 15th October, W. L. Murdoch 47 on the 18th, and A H Jarvis 42 on the same date. Fred. Murray, known more particularly as the sole selector of Auckland's representative football teams, scored 36 in his opening innings this season. N. Ebsworth and A. C. K. Mackenzie each scored a oenturv in Sydney cricket the other week. The following is the way Ebsworth got his — 1114242254154143444415451151555444—106. He was only batting about an hour The followang is one of Poidevin's yarns to an English interviewer — "An amusing little incident happened in one of our New Zealand matches. It was at Dunedin, where we were playing Otafo province. We had twelve men in our team and the extra man did duty as umpire in each match. The umpire on this occasion happened to be on© of our best bowlers. Presently, a batsman touched one very gently and was caught by the wicket-keeper Forgetting himself for the moment the ummre lumped sharply round, and, in Braund-like fashion, fairly yelled 'How's that?' We all laughed heartily, and I need hardly say the batsman gracefully retired without waiting for the umpire to recover from his confusion " "Not Out" says the umpire referred to waa M. Shea.

Clem Hill has* brothers who are cricketers. Roy Hill (111 not out), Harry Hill (87)— a couple- of scores m the opening matches at Adelaide uiis season The ioimer's was the hist century of the season. J. Mahoney, the Glebe cricketei , has gone to New Zealand He is a useful all-round cricketer, being a very tair wicket-keeper and a sound bat. — Sydney "Referee" on the Mahoney that showed such fine form on the Basin Reserve last Saturday Stephens, who has been classed by some Auckland authorities as the best break bowler in the colony, secured seven wiekete for 22 runs in his opening turn with the ball this season. He is a resident of Helensville and intends to com© to Auckland regularly to play for Parnell. W. Mills, who represented Auckland m its last Southern tour, is playing second grade cricket in Auckland this season. "Harrier" says his position in this competition is hardly fair, and states he is good enough for any of the Northern city's senior teams, and should be playing there. Harry Trott still plays the game. He is residing just now in Bendigo and is taking a great interest in the game there. His strained knee seems to be quite well, and, says* Worrall in the "Referee," if this is so, Harry Trott is easily good emough for the best Victorian team.