Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 139, 28 February 1903, Page 18

Cricket.

THE continued matches last week ended as anticipated — Wellington defeating Old Boys by an innings and 50 runs and Midland triumphing over Phoenix by ten wickets. The double-figure sorers on Saturday we<-e — Pary 63, Latham 18, Richardson 27, Hales 12 (not out) — for Wellington ; Tucker 23, Kirkcaldie 27 (not out)— for Old Boys, C. Hickson 64, Quee 41, Smith 18, Davis 15— for Midland, Naughton 10, Lash 39 (not out) and Day 25 — for Phoenix. The Midland-Phoenrx match was not finished till Monday night. Lash increased has score to 44, and the Midlanders were left with 51 runs to make to win. These Williams (who played merrily for 39) and Hickson managed to make without losing their wickets, though both gave an opportunity to Niven, the Phoenix wicket-keeper, of retiring them. Hickson touched one from Brice on the leg side, and Williams missed a ball from Hickey he had walked out to hit. • • • Pery the promoted Wellington junior, satisfied the critics as to his batting capabilities. His defence is very solid, though perhaps he makes hard work of the stroke in which he meets the ball with the full face of the bat. But , any awkw ardness here is amply compensated for when Pery gets on to a ball on the off side. One drive be^ tween cover point and long-off, off '' Ttickeir, wasi a masterpiece, with a tremendous lot of power behind it Pery's introduction to senior cricket was a good one, and augurs- more success for him in the future. Quee got 41 for Midland — once again when they were needed. This thoueht leads me to remark that Quee has behaved handsomely for his club this season. In the match against Wellington liis score in the second innings was the. turning of the tide in favour of his club, and the Old Boys match would have been a reverse for the Midi and ersif "Kew" had not got to work. More luck to him! Lash, m his time, was one of the big scorers in the Midland team., and, if my memory does not deceive me he won the batting average of his club one season, at any rate. Since his return to the senior ranks-, in the Phoenix eleven, Fred has batted very consistently, though, not with so much freedom as in his old days. Claud Hickson keeps up his reputation as a run-getter, and at present is the most consistent batsman m Wellington. Day repeated his performance of the first innings, and managed to get in the twenties for the second time during the match. Kirkcaldie is batting very steadily for the Old Boys, and his contribution last week was well made. Hales made a stroke on Saturday that very few thought him capable- of. It was a beautiful square cut, and hit with plenty of vigour. "Tom's" turn at the wickets always satisfies the spectators, and it is up to the Wellington captain to send him in earlier than his accustomed position. * * * The fieldinor in the matches under review was wretched in the extreme, and it is no wonder that some of the bowlers get disheartened. As one of them remarked. "It's no use throwing them up for catches ; when the chances come they won't take them." Runs saved are runs made, and it appears to me that many of our players would be doing a wise thing if they indulged in practice with the nets down — taking their accustomed places in the field while players are indulging in their ten minutes' batting practice. This is given as a hint. • * * Keen disappointment was felt among cricketing enthusiasts in Wellington when it was noted that Mahony had not secured a place in the New Zealand team to play against the Englishmen. It was rumoured that Mahonv had stated to the selector that he was not available for thei match in Ohristchurch but the rumour was only half true. Mahonv had, it is true sent word to Mr. Fowke that he was not available,

but two da\s later to that ino&sage being sent, Mahony had ai ranged to get away if he was selected, and woid to that effect was telegraphed Mr Fow ke. This message was foiu aided in ample time and the conclusion is that Mr. Fawke left Mahony out because he chd not think him worth, a place. Many v\i - axree with me when I say that. Mr. Fowke lias made a mistake, for Mahoiry should have been the first Wellington player chosen, on account of his alliound bnlhamcy. The team, as a whole, is a, good one and 1 effects credit on Mr. Fowke's ability as a selector. The names of Hickson Fisher Do woes, Callawa.y, Franklsh, Sims., and Reese have been all along placed upon the amateur selectors' teams list, and to their inclusion no one can object. Tucker's brilliant innings against the Englishmen has not been repeated in club cricket, but I would not be surprised to see him make another o-ood showing. Richardson has not been too solid with the bat in championship matches and I was prepared to find him omitted' J3ut, looking through the names compoisine the team, it would seem that Mr. fowke has chosen Richardson majnly with the view of his being chosen captaan of the side. If so the decision is a wise one. for Richardson knows all the moves on the boa,rd. and will get all there is to be got out of the bowlers and fieldsmen. Richardson too, has a peculiarity in "coming off" on great occasions, and this may prove one of them. By the way, I notice, by a Sydney paper that Charles Richardson captained New South Wales more than once and also played for New South WaJes hi several inter-State matches with success before coming to New Zealand. Boss-hall has been chosen as the w lcke4>keeper, but the numbers' of chances he has missed from the Englishmen's bats weigh greatly against his previous reputation He has not, been senousy regarded hitherto as a bat, although he made top scores against the Englishmen in the South Island match. Mahomy could have replaced Boxshall easDouglas Hay has gone in on his great reputation as a batsman, for if newspaper criticism, is to be believed Mason d rising player in the Oueen City, was entitled on his present form, to be selected before Hay. However, Douglas is a nice laid, and a pretty bat w hen he gets going. Let us hope he w ill have a good innings aeraan&t the Englishmen. McCarthy ha B a great reputation in the laranaki district as a bowler but with men like Downes Fisher, baiter way and Frankish in the team one wonders at a bowler pure and simple being selected. I think, though, it w-ill be found that McCarthy is the tw elfth main. The New Zealand match commences in Chmstehuroh today (Friday) and ™ a C 92 l , tinu ed on Saturday and Monday. The match m Wellington commences on Wednesday next, and will continue during the remainder of the week, Lord Hawke's team leaving for Sydney on Saturday night. * •*■ u. Mr Warner, the captain of the English team, interviewed m Dunedin the other day, said that matches against odds did not improve cricket really whereas eleven-a-side games undoubtedly cUcl. it may be venturesome for an humble cntio like myself to differ from Mr. Warner, but nevertheless Ido I would point out that up-country Australian cricket associations have had more experience in such games than any other cricketing bodies in the world and yet they continue to play them as witness the large number played during the tour of Maclaren's last team. The English cricket team defeated the Utago eleven by an innings and 230 runs. Such a defeat surely will not do the game in Otago any good. Australian writers were unanimous in saymg that the decline of public interest over there in the late eighties and before the advent of Lord Sheffield's team, was due to the defeat® inflicted on the Cornstalks by the English A crushing defeat does not in any way quicken the interest, of the -layers themselves in the game, and the keener en?of it 1S better the s^atora * * * A great number of local cricketers take guard by the leg stump— many of them previously being satisfied with centre, and centre to lea:. Is this a sign of the visit of the English cricketers p The following paragraph seems to mdi W, t\ - ? re<JaJe>& retirement t° m 013 ! 8 ?™ ket w ™ a bit premature ''Short-slip" says — "Iredale got his hundred-110-and he lost his wicket in attempting his eighth five. To get two hundreds in succession— lo9 retired and 110— when the runs were very badly wanted is a, exeat performance, and one worthy of his best day " (Continued on page 19.)

The performance of young Condliffe, IK making 114 (not out), tor Mount Cook School, on Saturday last, was a very meritorious one. He was one of the earlier batsmen, and when eight of his side were dismissed for 25 runs, Oondhife had made 10 out of the total. The ninth, wicket added 68 runs, Condi ffe getting all but 16 of them. The tenth w loket increased the score by bO runs, the last batsman scoring but six runs, and, it is hard to believe, he only played eight balls during Ms stay at the wicket®. Condhffe thus obtained 104 runs while his two fellows scored but 24 between them. The way he reached his century was particularly aggressive, his three last scoring strokes preceding the coveted three figures being a six, a five, and a four. Condhffe's score of 114 (not out) is tho largest made in. Wellington school cricket, and it is only the third occasion on which, the century has been obtained in these matches. Six years ago Fred. Midlane got 109 (not out) in the school representative match, Wellington v. Wairarapa, and in December last Paterson, a Clyde H U ay school boy, gathered together 112. * * *■ Thus "Long Slip" — "How Lord Hawke's team of English amateur cricketers, backed up bv two professionals, routed Otago on two hot days in February, 1903, is now history, and how Otago failed to come within reasonable distance of the Englishmen on said two days has also been handed down as one of the most deplorable event® in the cricket annals of the province." The same writer says — P. F. Warner, manager and captain of present English team, intends writing a book on "The Colonial Tour of Lord Hawke's Team." We. in Otago, will purchase the book probably for nothing more than this m one one chapter — How I Made the Highest Score of My Life. (Written by myself, P. F. Warner.) 211 against Otago on February 13 and 14, 1903. [Because I was dropped at six.] * * * Auckland tallies — N. B. Lusk 54, Robinson 34 Gleeson 32, Brook-Smith 27, and Mason 32. Lusk (133) and Trott (126 not out) are credited with the first centuries in Napier senior cricket this season. Christchurch figures — Ollivier 45, Boddington 33, E. H. Frankish 40, D. Reese, 13, H. C. Ridley 95, Hammond 42, R. Ridley 34, and Willsteed 20 (not out). Alf Clarke, erstwhile Phoenix player, is said to be playing for the Midland Club in their next match. A fine, free bat, his letirement from, cricket was not warranted, and I am pleased to note his intention of playing again. In these notes I never wilfully attack an official m athletic circles because of his nationality, nor will I permit my correspondents to do so. This should inform "Reconstruction" that the communication he forwarded me last week has been sent to the Destructor. "The Doctor," or "Baby" — either name will do. — -has been adding to his already illustrious name in Auckland. Listen' "O. Foster, the last man joined Stemson, and the latter made 2, and then skied Resteaux almost to the boundary, where Fred. Murray, amidst excitement and loud applause, made a marvellous oatoh, taking the ball low down while running at top speed, and Parnell thus won a memorable game bv 24 runs." — An Auckland cricket item. During the recently-concluded match against Lord Hawke's Eleven, three of Dunedm's fairest occupied prominent seats under the trees at Carisbrook. Armed with scoring cards, they chronicled every run made during the two days' leather-hunting. At one stage of the game during Fisher's term at the wickets, they were somewhat non-pluss-ed. The Carisbrook representative allowed two balls to pass him without making a stroke, when one of the charmers under the trees exclaimed, "Oh, if he misses this one he'll be out , three misses are out you know." He was out, but not in the manner anticipated by the ladies. He played the ball on. — "Otago Witness." Dear ' Touchline," — Credit of originality does not entirely rest with Mr. J. H. Vincent, of Ashhurst, relative to the posting of the scores, names of the batsmen,, and bowlers and their changes, in a conspicuous part of the ground and pavilion, for, ten seasons or more ago, 1 effected that here, and it has continued ever since, as placards and traces of the names printed on the backs of tins painted with the figures in front, remain to this day to prove the accuracy of this statement. Primitive as may be the method, the spectators and placers alike duly appreciated the service and accommodation accordingly. — I am, etc., Geo. F. Harris, late scorer Wellington Cricket Association.

"Dalin" Fisher made 19 (not out) for United aginct Midland, in a senior championship matoh, in Chnstchurc'h, the other Saturday. I clip the following paragraph for the especial benefit of the Cricket Association, and invite their attention thereto. It appears among the notes of the Wellington correspondent of the "Canterbury Times." The Association's business leaks out somehow — -"The failure of the Wellington Cricket Association to notify the daily press of the fact of bats having been presented to Mahony, Tucker, and Hickson, in recognition of their batting performances against the Englishmen till long after suoh publication in the 'Canterbury Times' and other Southern and Northern newspapers has given offence to certain individuals." — [Since the above has been in type, I notice a report of the business done at this v eek's meeting of the Cricket Association appeared in. the daily papers, which is as it should be.]