Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 195, 26 March 1904, Page 20

Cricket.

Clem Hill was 27 years of age on the 18th mst. The highest score made by Australia in a test match is 386. Charlie Banner-man, the Christ College boys' coach, Christchmch, has reiturned to Sydney. "Not Out" is of the opinion that Rhodes is a better bowler than Trumble on a "sticky" wicket. Syd. Gregory has played in thirtyeight test matches — the largest number to the credit of any player. "I consider 1 Mr. Noble the best allloimd cricketer in the world." — Warner, after the fourth test match. Barclay, who put in one Saturday cricketing in Wellington last season, is said to be dome; good work as a coach lor the Parnell Club m Auckland this season. P. F. Warner, in appreciation: — ' Good-bye', Crockett I wish to thank you for having umpired our matches so well You are certainly one of the best umpires I hare ever seen." Harry Graham says — "Cricket is booming in New Zealand, and he will not be a bit surprised if the New Zealanders give the Australian States a real good go> in a few years' time." It all depends, I think, on how many years constitute a few. It is generally anticipated that the Championship Committee of the Cricket Association will declare the cricket season closed any time now. A break or three weeks in the play at this period of the season will not find many of the players in their places if the Committee decides to resume pla^ a fortnight hence. An interesting episode occurred at the close of an innings of the North Adelaide Club recently. One man was away, so Jack Reedman, who was still batting, called for his father, a whitehaired veteran, who was one of the pioneers of cricket in South Australia over half a century ago, and never misses a match in which Jack takes part. The old man responded gallantly, and the move was so payable that the North's skiprjer put on 22 runs before his dad was bowled — "Refeiee.' 5 In a recent issue of Melbourne "Punch" the offer of an enterprising Australian tradesman to pay any Australian batsman who scored fifty runs in either innings of the first test match a sovereign, and for each additional run sixpence, £5 extra for a century, and a sovereign for every catch that dismissed an Englishman, is used in this style: — "When Noble had made £1 5s 6d, he was badly missed at <=nuare leg. He quickly reached his £2. A short run gave Hill another sixpence, and a lucky snick for eighteenpence by Noble

bi ought the latter's scoie to £2 Is 6d. Ultimately, he amassed no less than £8 Is 6d." "Trumper is to be congratulated on having made £9 7s 6d not out in the second innings. "The Australian fielding was excellent Noble aloie 1 making £3 worth of catches." The annual meeting of the Wellington centre of the New Zealand Boxing Ass iCLation is to be held in the Emnire Hotel on Tuesday evening next. The centie has only been in. existence a year, but it has the sum of £60 odd to ciedit on the year's working. A busy season is before the centre, as both the local and New Zealand championships Vt ill be held in Wellington this year, and there is a nossibihty of the Australasian championshio meeting being held m Wellington. The centre is splendid1 v officered and the sport they control is bound to be in good favour with the general public while the-" hold the reins of government. (Continued on pnqe 21.)

£8 Is 6d