Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 192, 5 March 1904, Page 20

Cricket.

BRAVO' Old Boys' The task of making 411 runs m the last innings of their match with the Wellington team did not prevent them showing their best form. Their total of 308 for nine wickets, as the result of their occupancy of the batting crease last Saturday reflects the gieatest credit on the members of the Old Boys' team. The particular shining light of the team was J. P. Blacklock, whose tally of 110 is the second highest made in local cricket 'this season. Pearson himself is credited with the bigger total— the 148 he made against Phoenix. Some critics have said that Blacklock could not play a steady game if he tried. These were effectually silenced on Saturday, for he went along very quietly until he got the measure of the bowling, and then what a trouncing he gave the bowlers one and all. As indicating this, it is only necessary to mention that in his tally were two 6's, four s's, one 4, and twelve 3's. I particularly noticed a sweet drive to the off, and many on the on-side. Blacklock made many beautiful strokes to leg. and the cuts forward of point were the work of a master hand. Another whose success was thoroughly deserved was Jacobs, whose tally of 61 was the next in point of numbers and merit to Blacklock's. It was far and away the best display he has given in senior cricket, and, while watching him scoring all round the wicket on Saturday, I could not help my thoughts wandering back to the days but a few years back when the dismissal of Jacobs was one of the things the opposing team to his in junior club cricket used to look for and rejoice over. I have been asked why Jacobs has not met with more success m senior cricket. Candidly, I believe he has had more than his share of bad luck. Now that he has given a display worthy of his abilities, it may be confidently anticipated that many more similar ones may be given by him. How would the Old Boys have fared if Tucker had kept going with Blacklock was a common question at the Reserve on Saturday, for the smiling ooach started in a business-like style, and looked as if he were good for the whole afternoon. The stroke of which he is a master — the cut just clear of pomt — was in evidence almost from the first ball he received, and with two fives and two fours to his credit he soon had 40 runs opposite his name on the scoresheet. But Hales got one of his best past Tucker, and a promising innings was thereby completed. TJ-rv to last week, Hay had scored 35 runs in his travels to the batting crease this season, but he also got going, and rattled up 29 (not out) in the style one who watched his play when at the Wellington College expected him to. Dixon, who has been playing Wednesday cricket up to this match, got a double-figure score, and Wedde, generally the most patient of batsmen, made 17 in very quick time. * ♦ » Hales (four for 94), Latham (four for 82) Ashbolt, and Mahony were the successful Wellington bowlers. In the unavoidable absence of Richardson, Ashboit acted as captain of the Wellington team. * * * The match was concluded on Monday night, the innings realising 321 runs. Hay carried his bat for 36, McGowan being dismissed by Mahony off Latham when he had 9 runs to his credit. * » * "The Phoenix eleven once more disappointed their admirers and supporters." I have quoted that sentence, for I believe I have used it a few times before. Their latest effort was one of their worst — their displays at batting against the Midlanders were fearful exhibitions on the whole for a team of their capabilities. The total — 265 — set them by the Midlanders in their second innings did not seem to me to be too many, yet the whole side were dismissed for a miserable total of 78 runs. The combination of Hutchings and Williams was too many for most of them. Hutchings was bowling leg breaks, pitched well up on the middle stump. The batsmen played forward to the pitch of the ball, with the result that it broke across them to the off, and

enabled Williams, with some bnlliant pieces of stumping and catching, to retire them to the pavilion. Four were dismissed in this manner, a fifth being caught by Upham atveiy short slip. Redgrave received a rally when he banged the hist ball he got from Upham to the leg boundary, and his tally of 19 was soon put on the scoresheet. One drag to leg, right over the Reserve fence, was a beautiful stroke, but his success spoilt him — he went for eveiythmg, and very shortly got too far under a ball from Stephenson, and was easily caught. Naughton Waters (12), and Lasn (13) all shaped well, but in the two former cases the combination previously mentioned was the cause of the conclusion of their innings. Hutchmgs (six for 21), Upham (three for 35), and Stephenson (one for 20) weie the successful Midland bowlers. Vivian's batting was the best on th© Midland side m their second innings, his 52 (not out) being obtained by very free cricket mamly. He made one or two lofty drives well over the bowler's head. Gwen Williams, a younger brother of Arnold's, made 29 principally by defensive strokes. Hutchings (29), Quee (24), and Wynyard (13) were the other two-figure scores on Saturday. Brice (four for 66), Wateis (three for 14), Barton (two for bo), and Hickey (one for 56) were the successful Phoenix bowlers. * * * The concluding matches for the senior championship will be commenced next Saturday — Midland playing Old Boys, and Wellington Phoenix. At the time of writing, it seems almost a certainty that Warner and his team will take those ''ashes" back to England with them. The fourth test match, now in progress, looks any odds on resulting in a third win for the English cricketers. Warner, after the Bathurst match, expressed the opinion that no English umpire would pass Marsh's bowling. "Not Out" says there are many Sydney cricketers who think as Warner does , there are others, just as capable to express an opinion who regard him as a fair bowler. An appreciation o f McAhster • — "It is questionable whether there is one player who has appeared m Australian cricket this year better gifted allround as a fieldsman than McAhster. A great slip, he catches almost anything, but never was there seen a moie beautiful catch in the outfield than he, while at cover-point he can almost come up to the inimitable Syd. Gregory." {Continued on page 21 )