Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 222, 1 October 1904, Page 19

Cricket.

THIS week should see the football paraphernalia stowed away till next season, and, therefore one's thoughts naturally turn to summer pastimes. My theme for some few months to oome will thus be cnoket. Occasionally, a football paragraph may see the light of day, but it will only be an odd one now and' again. * * * The annual meeting of the Cricket Association will be held before these notes are read, and the date of the opening practice matches should be known before many days are over. It ie not likely, however, that championship matches will commence before the third Satuiday of the present month. Everything points to the incoming season being a very busy one for local pl»7«r«. In the first place, there are three new aspirants for senior honours, viz the Gasworks, Newtown, and Austral teams. The latter, however, seems to be under a cloud at present, th<i expected support of prominent players not hiving been received. For the ■junior and 1 third-class competitions there are offering more team® tihan, eve- before m the history of the Association. The need of a permanent recreation ground for Wellington will be felt by the cricketers during the incoming season, for the increased number of teams will tax to the utmost limits the present playing areas. The Cricket Association, in its own interests, will have to go further afield than hitherto in providing foi its players, or else the progress of the game will be retarded. * * * I have been gathering information as to the probable strength of the various senior teams. The present champions' — the Midland —will put, if anything, a stionger team in the field than last yeai. Arnold Williams is still a player, but the efforts to induce Frank Holdsworth to emerge once again from his letuement have been unavailing. J. McGurk, who last year headed the junior batting aveiages as a member of the Waiwetu Club , Mowatt, the Phoenix player, and who will act as Williams' understudy as wicket-keeper , and A. Ryan, a Hawke's Bay representative of last season — a fast bowler — aic the additions to the Midland team's choice of selection. Vivian, who was elected to a position on the Management Committee of the Austral Club, is still a Midlander, and other old faces in the red-and-white uniforms are Upham, Quee, Hiokson, Hutehings, Stephenson, and C. Mitchell. * • • The Phoenix Club will miss Hickey's services as a bowler, as he has retired temporarily from the club and the game. Other withdrawals are Redgrave, who has joined the Gasworks' team, and Mowatt. Newplayers in the Phoenix team include Fryer, a New South Wales junior representative of last season, and a fast bowler, and Haines, who has played in second-grade cricket in Sydney, but last season was in Fiji, and did not indulge in the game. Barton, Brice, Waters, Lash, McLennan, and Shand should all be found in their places when the time comes lound, and promising juniors who may find a place in the senior team are Houston, White, and Burns. * * *• The Wellington Club aie in pretty well the same position as last yeai . They have a plethoia of members, but the new onevs offering are mainly juniors. There is a rumour pievalent that C. Gore is contemplating retiring, but m Ashbolt's case it is more than a rumour — he has definitely letired. Hales is, however, as willing as ever, and will send up some fast ones against the wind — when it blows. Richardson, Mahonv, Weybourne, and S. Hickson ar«? still as keen on the game as ever. Gibbes, a last year Wednesday player, hajy joined the Wellington Club, and will probably find a place in the senior team. His form is said to be veiy good. Niven, Luckie, and! Pearce will probably get deseived promotion from the juniors.

The Gaswoi ks team ai c making a bold bid to warrant their entry into the senior championship, and I wish them every success. Cobcioft, who for the past few years has been playing in the Wairarapa valley for the Featherfeton Club, has received an appointment in th-i woiks, and he will be a tower of strength to the club. In his day Gobcroft was one of the finebt bats in the colony. He was a memiber of a New South Wales: travelhug team, and has represented New Zealand and Canterbury. If he stukes anything like his old form local senior bowlers will find! him a hard man to shift. In consecutive innings against Wellington representative teams Cobcroft scored as follows — For New South Wales, 85 (not out) ; for Canterbury, 75, 20, 59, 70, and' 44. On Satuiday night, at Featherston, a gieat gathering of townspeople was held to say good-bye to Gobcroft. Many complimentary things were baid about him, and his influence on sport in the Featherston district. Besides 1 saying nice things, the gathering presented him with something tangible in the shape of a purse of sovereigns. The cricket club also gave him al bat as a taken of their esteem. Cobcroft, therefore, oomes amongst us with the hall-mark of approval fromi his latest comrades, and, on behalf of local enthusiasts, I extend him a hearty welcome. Redgrave has been engaged as ground bowler by the Gasworks team, and will play for the team in their matches. From private sources I learn that Redgrave has not yet shown his Sydney form in local matches. If he cultivates his fast ball to the exclusion of the slow leg break, lam satisfied) his bowling will have more effect than it did last year. Ross is the name of the player who will keep the wickets for the Gasworks team, and I hear he comes with a good reputation from the Australian side. Howell, Laws, Topp, and Burke have all played senior cricket before — -the latter, perhaps, not as much as his merits as a bowler deserved. Hawthorne. Stevens, and Waugh aie new to senior ranks, but much is expected from them when the newness wears off. The rest of the team aie lads of promise. * * * The Old Boys are sadly in need of a fast bowler. Pope has gone to Christchuich, McGowan can't stand the strain of the heavy woik fast bowling entails, and Prouse has taken to tennis. Effoits aie being made to induce Smith, who used to "whang them in" when he was at Wellington College, to fill the breach. Smith is now located a: Paikakariki, but, a& he managed to play for the Old Boys dunng the football season, it is hoped that the cricketers will also obtain thei benefit of his services. Stanley Brown, if his knee can stand the stiam, will take his place in the senior team as a bowler, and Tucker has hopes that he will yet fulfil the promise of the good things there aie awaiting development in his trundling. Beechey, one of the Wairarapa playeis of that ilk, will be assisting the Old Boys this season. He is described as a fine left-hand bat and bowler. The only lecent ex-Oollegian that gives much promise is a son of Dr. Collins, but he is ower young yet for senior cricket. Tuckei will again coach the Old Boys, and amongst those that will be found assisting him are the two Blacklocks, Kirkcaldie, Staples, Wedde, and Wills. The Newtown Club are sanguine about their chances of getting a strong eleven to take the field. But, I am inclined to think that they are overambitious. Included among the new players are — Brown, who captained a Melbourne junior team , E. Pay, just out from Home, a left-hand break bowler ; and F. Plimmer, a junior player in the Midland team last season. I had heard that Manson, the secretary of the Ci loket Association, was throwing in his lot with the Newtown players, but it seems it was only rumoui. F. Ke'lhng, who ha® been the life and soul of the Newtown Club since its formation, was averse to the club engaging in the Senior Championship, and it is probable that he will not be a player this season. His populanty was so marked among the younger Newtown players that it is hoped that his advice and example may be again placed at their disposal. The present position of the club is in the nature of a crisis, and the older heads will be needed to see it through. The two Alpes, Vickery, Worth, and others whose names do not come readily to mv mind complete the number on whom the Newtown Olub rely for success. • ♦ • The Austral Club anticipated putting a strong team into the field but the chances of their application to enter the

Senioi Championship not being favourably received, those who promised them their support on the field have changed tlieir minds. As I don't think they will be found in the competition, I will not discuss their probable composition at this stage.

(Continued on page 20.)