Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 193, 12 March 1904, Page 21

Cricket.

I have m these notes occasionally leferred to the want of punctuality observed in starting cricket matches of a Saturday afternoon, on the Basin Keseive The time for starting is two o'clock, with a quarter of an horn s grace to permit of the teams taking the field, yet it is generally 2.30 or 2.40 before the first ball is bowled. The same trouble has been experienced on the College Ground as well, and complaint has been made to the principal of the College re the breaking of the rule. Mr. Firth is well-known as a strong believer in carrying out rules in their exactness, and it is characteristic of him that at the last meeting of the Cricket Association a letter should have been read from him to the effect that if teams engaged with the College teams on the College Grouid were not prepared to go on with the g-am.es at the appointed time, he had instructed the College teams to claim a win by default. And, as Mr. Firth is a man of his woid any lapses on this head are sure to be brought forcibly under the notice of the Championship Committee. I for one, shall sincerely applaud Mr. Firth and the College teams if they take full advantage of the rules of the Association, for there is np doubt that firm action of this sort will do an immense amount of good. But, at the same time, this is a duty that should be performed by the Championship Committee. Why don't they do it ? • • * The test matches will be over bv the time these notes are readable, and Pelham Warner and h,s band of English cricketers will be soon journeying back to England with ' the ashes" of English cricket in their possession. There has been a certain amount of dissatisfaction in connection with the series of test matches, but there is no doubt at all that the Englishmen have proved themselves the better players and have thoroughly earned their success. They have been consistent and good triers, and, although I cannot enthuse because they have won the rubber — my good wishes are with the Australians every time— l am sport enough to give credit where credit is due. So a pleasant trip home to the Englishmen, and a hearty welcome when they get there. • * • The latest Auckland cricket to hand is interesting. Douglas Hay has come right out from under that shadow he has been ob -cured by all the season, and in his best style totted up 130 (not out), going in first, and seeing the whole _ ot his side leave with him still m possession of the batting crease. His team s total was 264. Two other Aucklanders also got centu les the same day as Hay Mason, who wis in the North Island team, gathered together 117, and Sale— a club mate of his— totted up 113. Both the above are in the Parrell Club, and the s de's tally was 372— much the largest made this season in senior cricket in Auckland. • * ■» All cricket matches last Saturday were postponed on account of the we* weather. Dunedin batting figures : — Siedeberg 105 Austin 71, Andeison 37, and Baker 45. The Canterbury Cricket Association have offered £10,000 to the Lancaster Park Company for its grounds. The final match of the Englishmen's tour commences at Adelaide against South Australia on the 12th instant. No less than eleven of the English team that is just finishing its tour of Australia are special con espondents to English papers. Hayward, writing to a Home paper anent Warner's captaincy of the English team, graphically describes it as "a little bit of all right." Frank Holdsworth, the mighty hitter of the Midland Cricket Club in past seasons, joined the ranks of the Benedicts last week. Congratulations! E. Jones, the Australian eleven express bowler of recent seasons, has recovered from the accident that laid him by for a while, and, in a match at Perth the other day, took three wickets for 29 runs.