Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 142, 21 March 1903, Page 18

Cricket.

THE prediction in these note® that the Midlanders would fight every inch of the way to avert defeat at the liands of the Wellington team was ainplv fulfilled Last Saturday. At piesent there seems just a possible chance that victory may ultimately rest, with them. Still, the odds are heavy against them. At any rate whichever way the game goes, the Midland team have no need to feel ashamed after the plucky manner in which they have striven for victory, especially when the "arne had gone so much against them on the. second day's pLay. * * * The main portion of the kudos for thear capital display belongs to Frank Holds-worth. The continuation of his innings last Saturday was a masterpiece of solid, determined cricket. Hitherto he has been considered a hitter — reckless, if you like, but nevertheless a hitter pure and simple. But, on this occasion, when so much depended on his turn at the batting crease, lie played very solidly, and his defence was of the soundest. In his long innings of 97 there were only two possible chances, but in neither case did the fieldsmen get the ball into thenhands. + * * In passing, it might be mentioned that the wicket on which the game was played was in beautiful condition, but a very stiff northerly breeze was blowing. This, wind was the cause of Holdsworth giving his first chance. He hit a good length ball hard and high to the long field in the teeth of the wind, buti Perv, who had judged the catch nicely had the misfortune to slip iust when in a good position, and before he had time to recover himself the wind had carried the ball away from him. The other uppish stroke that, did not appear too safe was a drive to long-on off a well-pitched ball from Hales. Wilson, who was nicely placed for the stroke, jumped for the ball, and succeeded in stopping it crossing the boundary with his arm. A near thing, at any rate. * • • To comment on the Midland innings at all compels frequent mention of Holdsiworth's name, and if I am. giving him a good hearing — well, he honestly deserves it. For a player of his .stamp to settle down and wait for the loose balls to make his runs off, is truly remarkable, and the superb display he gave is worthy of all praise. 'It's the best innings Holdsworth has played in Wellington!" was a. general remark when he retired, and many sympathised with ham in so narrowly missing the coveted three-figure score. Included in his total were two fives, four fours, thirteen threes and eight twos. A telling stroke was the drive to wide long-on, whioh he lifted well up Another fine hit went straight over the bowler's head out of the Reserve. A loose ball on the off side found the boundary w ith a fast out just wide of point, and a splendid stroke was a cut forward of point that travelled to the Fountain side of the Reserve. His hits on the leg sidei were well-timed, and very effective. » * * A peculiarity of the Basin Reserve is the conditaons governing boundary hits. If the ball is hit wxthm a certain radius, it counts three to the boundary, and four over it — outside of such radius the strokes are 'run out." I refer to this here because onei fine hit by Holdsworth landed on the path beyond the radius referred to, and if the fieldsman had caught the ball, which he could have reached if he had tried for it, Holdsworth would have been dismissed off a far better hit than one that had just previous! v scored four runs. It is a remote possibility, perhaps, but still the possibility is there just the same. * • *■ Another bad feature on the same heading I noticed in connection with the Phoenix-Old Boys match. A player in the former team had a skirmish among the spectators for a ball that had been hit beyond the boundaries fixed for No. 2 wicket. The powers that be should legislate to prevent similar happenings in the future.

However, to get back to my task. Alf. Clarke and Holdsworth lesumod the Midland innings, but the former soon left, trying to cut a balJ from Hales that was going away from him, with the result that he was neatly held by Pery in the slips. Joe Smith followed, and once again he got a double-figure score — 13, in fact. His first ball nearly proved his undoing, however, Smith being fortunate enough to just touch a delivery from Hales tnat was banging into his middle stump. It was a good ball for an opening one, though. From then till the end of his long stay at the wickets his defence was very sound. Robert Read was the long fellow's next partner, and the positive instructions he received were to leave everything alone that was on the off side of his wicket. So well did he conform to these orders that on one occasion he was almost bowled by a ball Avhich he let pass. "Bobby" has a decided weakness on the off-side, and generally the placing of an extra man in the slips leads to has retirement. On this occasion, however he settled down to has work in good style, but apparently, got weary in w r ell -doing, for he tried to drive a good ball from Ashbolt into Kent Terrace. However, the wind was stronger than his intention . and the ball landed safely in the hands of a waiting fieldsman. Upham joined Holdsworth, and the runs came merrily. Very soon, however, Frank's turn arrived. Hitting with his full pow er at one of Hales's deliveries, lie got too far under the ball, which went hig|h in the air straight up from the bat and Mahony ended a brilliant innings by holding the ball as it landed half way down the wicket. Ste,phenson was the last man in, and he had three hits, which brougjht his score into double figures. The end came very soon, though, Pery catching the new-com ea* off Richardson. Upham carried his bat out with his score at 10 (not out), the innings totalling 214 runs. Hales (six wickets for 80 runs), Ashbolt (two for 45), and Richardson (one for 28) were the successful Wellington bowlers. The thought came to me on Saturday that if the Wellington captain had given Hales ai few overs with the wind, putting a couple of extra men in the slips, it might have been better for the side. But, a previous remark com.es in here, and that is the need of a fast bowler on the Wellington side to relieve Hales. He was only spelled on Saturday to give him a rest, the bowlers going on at the end he was bowling from being merely stop-gaps. Whereas, if there was another fast bowler, Hales could ha-ve rattled a few overs down with the w ind whilst the other bowler was having a turn against it. * * * The Wellington team were given the respectable total of 134 to get, and at one time, when 60 runs were on the board for only one wicket down, it appeared to be the best of good things for them. But, the laist feiw overs made a difference, for in them tw r o more wickets fell, the stumps being drawn with the total at 63 for three wickets. ■* * • Richardson opened with C Gore, a,nd play was quiet, Gore, however making

a beautaful cut off Holds worth, that travelled very fast off the bait. With his score at 6 Upham goit an excellent ba,U into Richardson's' timber-yard. It came in nicely from the off, and curved round tine shoulder of the bat. Pery followed, and soon got to work, cutting and driving in good style, Holdswortih first, and then Stephenson, bemg much to his liking. Upham, however, he treated with a lot of respects meeting the majority of thei good balls w ith the face of the bait, and those going aw ary to leg he followed round w ith, his leg. Pe>ry has a peculiar stroke to forw ard square>-leg, but it appeared that he was gonncr to leave it severely alone on Saturday. When he came in, Unhani placed a fieldsman for the stroke, and, although it was a long w hile in coming, it arrived at last, Smith bringing off an easy oat oh. Arthur Gore joined his brother but his first ball proved his undoing. Lunging forw and. to a ball on thei leg side, he gave Williams an opportunity, and a brilliant piece of stumping sent him back to thei pavilion for a '"duck" — a pair for the match. The light at this stage had got pretty bad and with only a few minutes of time to play Ashbolt would have been a safer batsman to send in than Gore but the Wellington captain evidently thought otherwise. Upham's figures up to the conclusion of the play on Saturday were three wickets for 24 runs. * * # The Wellingtons have seven wickets in hand with which to make 71, and they ought to do it. There is, I believe, a dispute of three runs m the Wellington first innings, between the scorers, and it is. to be boped that these three runs will not have any bearing on the result of the game — that either team will win by a sufficient margin to leave the issue beyond controversy. Many thought the contract in, front of the Old Boys was too steep, and so it proved, their full score being 35 runs short of the necessary number required to win against the Phoenicians. J. P. Blacklock made things merry during his stay at the wicketlsi, and the w ay he banged the bowling about made the Phoenix players wear a womed look. A feeling of relief, however, came over them when Cate, with a nice piece of work, lifted the bails off, and got an affirmative reply to the query of "How's that p " for stumping. Blacklock's total was 31. Staples womed his way along, and, after he' had scored 37, he hit a ball hard back to Waters, who brought off a fine catch. Wilson, with 20, was the only other double-figure scorer on Saturday, extras assisting the score with 29. There were two remarkable things in connection with the Phoenix bowling. Hickey, the bowler who has taken most of the wdckets for the Phoenix team during the season, had 55 runs knocked off him w ithout securing a wicket. Vie. Waters, who is captaining the Fhoenix team now, only bowled seven overs 1 , but during their progress he secured five wickets at a cost of but 16 runs. {Continued on page 19.)

Reedman the South Australian cricketer, has played in. 48 matches between New South Wales and South Australia . A good word tlus week for Twist the 01-Lokete.rs' groundman. The wickets were in fine order, and played very true. Why not always 9 In his last four innings in Bendigo, Harry Trott has scored 215, 127, 19, and 43— an aggiegate of 404 runs for four innings. Curly" Ohlson top-scored for irarnell the other Saturday. "Acteeon" sa^g his tally of -jo was obtained with a little more vigour than is usually displayed by him. J. Mahonv was the most consistent scorer against the Englishmen in their recent tour of the colony, his six journeys to the wickets eaoh resulting in a double-figure score. By the way, Southern papers 1 give Maiiony's initials as "D»_iefc me put them, right his Christian name *s "Jack." Mr. Warner, m an after-dinner speech at the Wellington Club reported in the. "Otago Witness," said that Dr. Collins, the well-known Wellington medico, had nlayed half-back on the football field for England, while his nephew, Arthur Collins had made the highest score in cricket on record — some 600 odd. The fine showing made by the English team against. Victoria has been very favourably commented upon in Wellington. The consistency of the scoring in the first innings was remarkable. This was written on Monday night but what a shock w & received cm Tuesday morning when we read the ending of the match. The Hokitika Club has won the West Coast cricket championship. In the final game, played against Ross, Hokitika made 18 runs in the first innings, Curne taking seven wickets for eight runs. Ross only scored 11 runs Ongley securing seven wickets for six runs. The match was decided on the first mnmgs. What a picnicking ground the Coast must be for bowlers 9 The most pleasing sight Saturday by Saturday, on the Basin Reserve, is to see • Daddy" Asihbolt and "Sid" Diamond discussing the doings of the cricketers. "Sid" is staunch in his championshiD of the Midlandeirs, and "Daddy" is equally pleased to think there is a chance of a play-off match following the one now in progress between the Midland and Wellington teams At a meeting of the Canterbury Cricket Association, Mr. H. C. Ridley moved, "That the Canterbury Cricket Association has still implicit confidence m Mr. Spencer's umpiring." The motion however, w r as ruled out of order, and could not be moved without notice being given of it Another phase of the unpleasant incident in connection wit n the Canterbury match with Mr. Warner's team. The Christchuroh Midland team had a day out on Saturday week, at the expense of the Lancaster Park team. Scores —Strange 106, C. W. Garrard 37, Lawrence 27, Whoatley 50, Whitta 41 Ward 54 (not out), Walmsley 17 (not ou t) — five wickets for 359 runs. The match ended in a draw, Lancaster Park succeeding in keeping their wickets intact last Saturday. The matches in Ohristahurch aire limited to two days. Local cricketers are not worrying themselves much about the widening of the wickets, as suggested by the Marylebone Club. The majority of them thiiik that they are quite wide enough as it is, and, in fact, would prefer one of the three being taken away altogether. Seriously, though, if there is any alteration necessary, the consensus of opinion appears to be m favour of lengthening: the wickets instead of widening them There was a laughable incident at the Reserve on Saturday. Holdsworth had made a big hit towards the Midland dressing-room and "Ranji" Wilson was the fieldsman m that direction. Thinking the ball had crossed the boundary, he was following it leisurely, when a call, "They're running it out!" made him dasih after the ball with a lot of energy. In doing so, he disturbed a dog in its slumbers, the said dog grabbing him by the sweater. Wilson secured the ball, and the way he dealt with that doe, with both feet at once, caused spectators and players to chuckle loudly.