Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 172, 17 October 1903, Page 18

Cricket.

THERE is an old saying to the effect that an ounce of fact is worth a ton of argument. Oftentimes of late have w e been compelled to listen to arguments in favour of running the electric trams through the Basin Reserve, and all the contentions tended in one direction, viz., that the advancement of the city would be retarded if the trams had to run round the Reserve instead of through it. But, all these arguments were knocked "kite high" on. Saturday last, when th.;? cricket season was opened. The Reserve was practically alive with cricketers, practising; the favourite summer pastime, and the sight was indeed a goodly one. There must have been at least four hundred different sorts of cricketers — from the player who has reached the zenith of his career to the boy just learning to handle the bat — indulging in. the outdoor pastime, and if there were any of our City Fathers in the ground on Saturday who were in favour of its cutting-up, they must have been duly impressed with the fact that the Basin Reserve as a cricket ground fulfils its destiny. The man who could argue in favour of diverting the Reserve from its' present usefulness after seeing last Saturday's turn-out cannot possibly have the best interests of the people at heart, and, if occasion arises, should be taught the error of his ways — if he is a City Councillor. This is a subject on which I feel very keenly, but, as I am satisfied the road will not go through the Basin Reserve in our time, I will leave thisphase of the question now, and deal wit(h the practice as I noticed it. * * • The majority of the enthusiasts assembled round the Phoenix Club's nets, mainly with the object of watching Redgrave. "Which is Redgrave ?" was a question that assailed one on all sides 1 , and when his turn came round to take a strike a deal of interest was manifested. Redgrave's stand at the wickets was a strange 1 one to most of us, being an exact replica of his brother's — Sid Redgrave, of intercolonial fame. After taking centre, Redgrave stand® with his bat edge-on to the boiwler — not square on, as is the general rule. He seems to rely more on having his feet in the correct position, the bat being a secondary consideration. Arnold Williams, the captain of the Midland team, has the same peculiarity, but he holds the bat slightly different from Redgrave Williams always takes leg stump as his centre, and marks the ground accordingly. He then plants his right foot on the mark he has made, and seems regardless of where he puts his bat. The style seems a good one for. undoubtedly, the striker has the bat in a much freer position than if he was standing with it firmly fixed in the block. However, that by the way In any case, it is a good idea if you know the benefits of it, but for a seasoned cricketer it might prove disastrous if he altered his acquired style to one 1 he knows nothing about. A young player with a good eye could, perhaps, imitate these two players with advantage to himself. To get back to Redgrave. He lias a beautiful stroke just forward of point, and a nice on-drive. He keeps both well down, and puts a lot of power behind the strokes. He may have been ■a bit careless on Saturday, but his weaknesses seem to lie on the leg side. Though he tried at. many on that side, he did not do much good with them, and, occasionally, when he tried the hook stroke, his efforts were feeble. Redgrave is a bowler as well as a bat. He delivers a fast ball, that domes a long way from leg, and if he gets thoroughly going with his best ball, and — the Phoenix players might particularly note this sentence— gets the assistance he ahoiuld from the field, he will be a power in Wellington cricket this season. Hall-Jones, a son of the Minister for Public Works, made a good impression as a bowler on those w atoning the Phoenix players at work, having an easy delivery, with a medium-paced, good length ball. Another player — Matthews, I think, was the name — who had come from Sydney side — St. John's College I—-with1 — -with

a bit of a reputation, was the object of some attention when lie went m to bat, but the first ball he got proved that his place was not in the semoi team. Barker— a friend of Redgrave's — did some bowling throwing up a goodlength ball, with no devil but plenty of pace in it. Hickey, Lash, Waters, Day, and Ohisholm. w ere amongst those practising at the Phoenix nets. * * * At the Midland nets, the same old enthusiasts, were interested — the old veteran,, Sid Diamond, being there as usual. The members of last >eai's senior eleven wene mostly conspicuous by their absence, Quee, C. Hickson, and Da.vis being practically the only ones practising. Thomas, the junior bowler I referred to last week, was working, and ga>ve a good impress-on. It would surprise me if he is not playing in senior onoket this season. Hutehmgs was practising with the wearersi of the red and white caps, so that there is no question as to wheie he will spend has time this season. Williams, Upham, and Stephemson were among the absentees, but Claiko was among those round thei nets, and did his turn with the bat and ba!l both * # * A. T. Bate. Peter Webb, "Daddy" Ashbolt, and many other consistent supporters of the "Wellington Club were watching the work at that club'si nets. Richardson, Mahony, C. Go-re S. Hickson, Ashbolt, Weybourne, and Tavloir were all in their places and took their ten minutes' strike in their order Stan Hickson opened his shoulders with good effect, and had a splendid turn for an opening day. Gore's turn was full of soundness, and a player of his ability striking form so early is pleasing. The other senior players mentioned were not in evidence with the bat w hen I wandered the way of their nets, so I cannot say how they behaved. Hales and Latham were absentees. Among new members I noticed a player named Fish who comes from Auckland. If I remember rightly, he played for the Gordon Club in the Northern city. By the way, Dan Clayton, a well-known player in the Auckland district for many years past, who is now permanently stationed in Wellington, was watching the Wellington practice, and it is said he is likely to play. Arthur Williamson, who used to do good work in the old Rival Club, did some banging at No. 2 net, his strokes showing a tremendous lot of power. He also threw up some very sound balls. Pearce, the ex-Phoenix player, was also practising witn the Wellingtons * * 4Time passed away so quickly watching the turns at the wickets on the Basin Reserve, that I had no time left to go to the College ground to watch the Old Boys at work, so I cannot say what sort of a time they had. Covtmued on page 19.

The Vivian Club had a muster of about thirty on the Receive on Saturday—their w loket being the first one inside the Cambridge Terraoe gate. There was an absence of flannels, and, altogether their practice gave one a tired feeling to watoh. The Newtown Club were hard ait work but many of their players had not finished with "football, so there were not as good a muster as the olub would have liked. The Gas Company's team is practising on an asphalt wicket of their own, in the company's yard. This is a mistake, I think, for the difference between grass and asphalt wickets is too great foi the players to do themselves justice in their Saturday engagements. • » * Mr J. Wheatley has been ed sole selector of Canterbury's, representative teams. A J. Hopkins opened the season wi Sydney with a tally of 68, in a match between a metropolitan team and .Newcastle. No player of especial prominence, according to "Dark Blue," has taken up his residence in Christchurch since last season. Spraggon, an Otago cricketer of note a year or two back, is settling in Wellington. He has joined the Phceniac Olub. A representative team, the Gentlemen of Ireland, under the captaincy of Sir T. C. OBrien, leaves England this month for a tour in the United States. The general opinion is 4 that the St. Patrick's College team is flying high in entering for the junior championship. I hope the boys do not get their interest in the game deadeaied by too much fielding. Spofforth, familiarly known, in his day as the "demon bowler," recently took seven wickets for 23 runs, playing for Hampstead, at Bushey Park (England). Championship matches commence tomorrow (Saturday). At the tame of writing, the drawings have not been made so cannot express an opinion as to the likely winners of the different matches. The practice wickets at the Basin Reserve Last Saturday were kicking very badly. The grass is long in the out Ifieldr—a defect which, no doubt, will be remedied before championship matches start. The selectors had aj hard job getting a team together to play the "colts on Wednesday, which would seem to indicate that the playing of the match at such an early stage m the season Was a mistake. The Canterbury Umpires' Association has instructed its members to see that play is started punctually, and that the two minutes' limit between the arrival and departure of batsmen is adhered to. Manson was among the Miidlaniders practising on Saturday. As this would indicate that the effects' of the accident he sustained in the AucklandWellington football match last year are wearing off. I offer him my congratulations therefor. Ike Hyams is an enthusiast in cricket matters, and great on statistics. On Saturday I was shown a book kept by him in which is detailed the bowling and batting averages of Wellington cricketers for many seasons past. Its value admits of no denial. A London "Referee" item —"Fry is not going to Australia. The question of six weeks' general mourning is held in abeyance. The announcement was not made until after the King's Speech had been delivered, which accounts for no reference being made to the National Disaster." One thing I noticed about last Saturday's practices impressed me very forcibly, and that was the absence of any attempts at fielding work. It isi hardly necessary for me to mention that ntatches are lost and won in Wellington because of bad fielding, and to allow an afternoon like last Saturday to pass by without any systematic practice of that description was bad policy on the part of the various captains.