Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 224, 15 October 1904, Page 20

Cricket.

ONCE more the wluiligig of time— l don't claim this lemark to be original, for I have seen it punted betore— has' brought round the onoket season, and the votaries of the bat-and-ball game are getting then- paiapheinaha m ordei. As far as Wellington is concerned preliminary piiaotices commence to-monow (Saturday) afternoon, championship matches beginning the Saturday following. As to whether the season will be an enjoyable one, the games themselves alone will pi ore. The presence of three new teams in the senior grade is lending a great deal of interest to that competition, and the probable chances of the various teams are being discussed in interested circles. I shall give my impressions of the positions the various teams may occupy in the championship contest after I have seen the players at work at the nets to-morrow. • ♦ • On Monday I took a run up to the Basin Reserve, and, from an inspection of the ground, I cannot congratulate th = Ground! Committee of the Cricket Association on the state of the wickets on which the matches will be played there When the English team ot cricketers were in Wellington two seasons ago, the crying need of local cricket was the improvement of the playing area. This need was emphasised by Mr. Waraer, and acquiesced m b> all local authorities on the gameeven by the Ground Committee of the Cricket Association themselves. We have been told that the Reserves Committee: of the City Council delayed giving their consent to improvements being effected on the Basin Reserve till it was too late to do the work and have the ground leady for playing on this season. A comprehensive survey has beeD made of the ground by two competent surveyors, and it will be put in order some time. Meanwhile, our cucketers have to play their main games on a paddock pure and simple. It looks nice to the eye from a distance, with its gieen sward, but a casual walk over it puts one more in mind of a jaunt on a switchback than anything else. Therefoie. the poorness of the fielding work of the senior cricketers of Wellington will be a good theme for critics to enlarge upon— the ball will juggle so much when coming along the gi ound that it will need almost a Kellmann to divine which way it is likely to strike the player waiting for it. The only wicket that has received any attention since last season is the No. 2 one, and it has been le-laid. Surely No. 1 could have received similar treatment. It took but ten days to do the work that was done on No. 2, hence time could not have been the deterrent. And, as a result of the visit of the English cricketers previously referred to, the Cricket Association ar3 financially in a good position, so that finances are not the trouble. What is, then, do you ask p Try me with something- easier please — that is beyond me tf> answer. I d 6 not blame Groundsman Twist and his assistant fai the present state of affairs. Nobody reoognises more than they do the disabilities they have to labour under in endeavouring to make a decent playing area of the ground under their care. To have given them a fair chance the whole field practically should have been relaid at tnp end of last season, so that they could have had an incentive to do good work. As it is now, they are expected to make good wickets out of turf in which there is no body at all, which is enough to break any one's heart. The recent wet weather has been no good to them at all, for the horse at their disposal has clipped lumps out of the turf, and given them extra work in consequence. As a result, they could not put the work into the ground when it really needed it. However, cricket is a pastime, and a few disadvantages only go towards making it enjoyable to the participants. But, still, it would be pleasanter if the wickets and tfhe fielding area could be relied upon to play true. * * * I am in a fault-finding mood this week and there is another subject which admits of some complaint. The Cricket Association employ two men to prepare the wickets for the weekly

matches and the nightly piactices, yet hali of their time — to be exact, from one o'clock eadh afternoon — is taken up with putting up and taking in the pj actice nets. This is not fair to the men themselves, nor to the players, and other anangements should be made. It is a matter purely and simply foi the Gi ound Committee-, and they should employ another man to do this work, or, if the funds of the Association won't peimit th >s expense, clubs ought to be instructed to arrange themselves for the putting-out and taking-in of their own nets. The Otago Cricket Association have a cietht balance of £110 The New South Wales Cricket Association have a credit balance of £1211. Hugh Tiumble is mentioned as managjr of the next Australian team to visit England. Mi. J. Wheatley has been re-appoant-ed sole selector of Canterbury's lepresentative teams. The Grafton Cricket Club (Auckland) are endeavouiing to secure the sei vices of a professional coaoh. The Midland' Club hold the recoid for the highest scoie in the> Senior Championship — 55G Ken Tucker has made the highe&t individual score — 221 (not out). From infotmation received, I have ground, for stating that Frank Ashboit will be in his place in the Wellington team when they play their fiist championship match. Maish, the aboriginal bowlei, secuied eight wickets for 39 runs for the Sydney Club against I. Zingari on a perfect wicket lecently. He is abandoning his fast doubtful ball for a medium to fast medium dehveiy. "Shortshp," in the "Sydney Mail," says — "It will perhaps be found that the> certainties for the next Australian team are Trumper, Noble, Hill, Duff, Armstrong, Hopkins, and Kelly." At the annual meeting of the Ci lcket Association it was decided 1 to admit the press to all meetings of the Association. A memorandum as to when meetings ar? being held will be appreciated. Arnold Williams holds the reooid for the highest score made by a Wellington player in a representative mateh — 167. He also is the only player in New Zealand! who has scored two centuries in the same mateh — 114 and 105. Here is a hint to young bowlers that can be taken by many in Wellington, • ■ — "One of th© most important things that a young bowler should attend to is to see that all his fieldsmen have got into their places before he begins has run." Caretaker Murphy expects) to have til** wickets 1 on the Athletic Park in good order by to-morrow (Saturday). Considering the lateness of the football reason, he has had to work early and tate to get the pround into a semblance of nrripr for cricket but he assures me that the wie 1 -et's on the Park will be as "•ood if not better than they have been m nrevions seasons. (CnvTnnied nn pan? 21.)

The Management Committee of the 'Cricket Association, have decided to plaj two senior matches at the Basin Reserve and one at the Athletic Park during the piesent season. I hear, however, that the Championship Committee aie not inclined 1 to follow this instruction, and aie making arrangements to play the three senior matches on the Basin Reserve. Owing to the holiday this week I hav< to close my notes a day earlier thar usual, hence I have not time to make enqunies to verify what I have heard. All the same, I give much ciedence to the rumour. * * * The need of a recieataon ground in connection with St. Patuok's College is a crying one. The only ground the lads "at that institution have for indulging in outdoor sports is situated at Berhampore, and, owing to its conicnmation, it is very unsuitable either tor football or cricket. There are many well-wishers of the College and its institutions in the city. Cannot some of them— the Old Boys for preference— lay then heads together, and devise the w ays and means or getting a suitable recreation giound tor the College boys, and thus enable them to indulge in outdooi sports with equal opportunities with their sister institution—the Wellington College? ♦ * * A coi respondent assuies me that I was in error in classing Boyle and. Scott cricket as Melbourne second-grade. 1 am sorry, but, as I have never been in Melbourne, I had to accept the information given me that fOl mcd the basis of the paragraph to that effect last week. My correspondent — who is qualified to make his assertion— says that Boyle and Scott cricket is nearer sixth-class than second-class, and those matches are played on matting wickets. Which, of course, greatly discounts Dredges "batting performances referred to in the note in question. Let us hope, though, that it was because of not getting the chance that Dredge did not figure in bigger cricket in Melbourne, and that his perfoimances with the bat in Wellington may be worth seeing. • • • Championship matches commenced in •Chnstchureh last Saturday. A Sydney writer tips North Sydney to win the piemiership there this -season. A. B. Williams and F. Lash hold the record in Wellington senior cricket for th^ highest score for one wicket. — 213. During the twenty-one years the Midland Club has played for the Senior •Championship it has won 72 matches, aDd lost 29. I have authoiity for saying that Arnold Williams will be m his place for tho Midland team when championship matches commence. Thegioundsman at the Basin Reserve tells me that wickets No. 2 and 3 will play well this season, but he has no faith in, Nos. 1 and 4. Players please note! Fred Midlane, whose career as a cricketer is of much mteiest to all Wellingtonians, has joined the Redfern Club, m Sydney, this year. He is assured of a place in its senior team. The latest addition to local cricketers is Mentiplay, who, as a member of the Appleby Club, achieved some distinction in the summer pastime at Invercargill. He has thrown in his lot with the Midland Club. McKay, the Poneke footballer of that name, is also a cricketer. He was a member of the Dunedin Club's senior eleven when in the Southern city. McKay has thrown in his lot with the Newtown Club. He is a fast bowler. The Newtown Club have received many additions to their ranks since thej have been accepted as seniors, and I am told that only three members of their last yeai's first eleven will secure a place in the senior team. Gleeson, who was a member of the Parnell Club in Auckland, and also gained representative honours there, has joined the Phoenix Club. He is, however, studying hard for his dental examinations, and will not be able to take the field for a month or so. The Cricket Association have a grievance against running men who train on the Basin Reserve. The practice wickets — on which much time and attention are spent by the groundsmen — an* situated at both endsi of the Reserve. The running men, in practising "starts," make great holes in these specially-prepared pieces of ground, so that they can get a good leverage on which to jump off quickly. And, in doing so, they neutralise all the woik done on the turf by the groundsmen. As they are sports, it is only a fair thing that they should comply with the request to try their "starts" on ai portion of the Basin Reserve that is not special'y prepared for the cricketers. Will the Amateur Athletic Clvb — whose members are the chief offenders — see that the request of the Crickt Association on this matter is acceded to?