Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1904, Page 19

Cricket.

ANOTHER semes of championship matches were advanced some distance last Saturday. At the Basin Reserve, the Midi and ens got a long way ahead of the Newtown boy®, and the Gasiworks team had much the better of the Australs. These happenings were expected, but the performance of the Old Boy* against Wellington, at the Athletic Park, was an undoubted surprise. ♦ • • The position of the teams in the vanous matches, and the double-figure scorei-w on each side, axe as follows — Midland, 228 (Hutclnngs 86, C. Hickson 32, Stephenison 21 not out, Williams 18, Upham 16, Weybourne 16) , Newtown, 56 for six wickets (G. Plimmer 17, and Day 11). Gasworks 182 (Dredge 69, Howell 65, Redgrave 14) Austral, 56 for seven wicket-, (Dakui 21, Jackson 13). Wellington 81 and 11 for two wickets (S. Hickson 29, Adlams 25 not out, Luckie 10 not out); Old Boys 125 (Dixon 54 not out, C P. Blaoklock 27, Staples 19) Tucker had a field day at tie expense of the Wellington team The wicket at the Athletic Paik suited his bowling admirably, and occasionally he made the ball almost stand still and look at the batsmen before going on its mission of destruction. Hus figures of seven for 28 are pnoof pos tive. Stan Hickson is ni a particularly aggressive mood this season. He takes all the risk imaginable, and it is necessaiy that he should in a team having so many stonewallers as the Wellingtons. Hickson gave a couple of chances in his innings, which, however, did not detract much from, the men it of his display Adams is almost as painstaking a batsman, as his captaan (Richardtson), with the difference that where the latter reaches forwai d to kill the work the bowler may have on the ball, Adamis plays ught back m a crouching position. They tell a tale — I know not how true it is — that, playing for Otago against Lord Hawke's team, Adlams took three houns to make six run.s. What I like about Adlams, though, is his work in the held. There is nothing flash about it, but he is a long way the bebt trier in our cricket. Keen all the time, whether in the country or close in,, Adams's method of fielding is an example to every other player m Wellington. Luokie got some beautiful balls past the batsmen, but spoilt hife figures by many loose ones outside the leg stump. Dixotn gave a fane display of battiaig, principally on. the on-side. He put a lot ot wood behind his stiokes. and placed the ball where- most rums could be obtainable , that i&, clear of the fieldsmen. He gave a chance or two — who doesn't in Wellington cricket? — but still his aggressiveness put th© hallmank on his abilities as a batsman. Will someone — his pater, for preference, who was a past master himself in his playing days — take the younger Blaoklock m hand, and! instil into has mind that patience is one of the attributes that go to make up a nrsl>class cricketer. True, Blaoklock's partnership with Dixon on Satin day last was the salvation of his team, but the 27 runs scored was not the full amount for his form. There is a ball to hit, and the correct time to hit , every ball is not meant to be scored off. I take a great interest in Blaoklock's career, for, when he was 1 at the Wellington College, I considered him the most promising lad of his day All round the wicket he plays beautiful cricket, and if he can only curb himself, and wait for the balls to score from, he will yet be one of our best batsmen . » • * There was an amusing incident m the Wellington-Old Boys match worthy a paragraph. Quite early in the innings Staples gave, a chance of stumping, but the ball got up too high, and cannoned off Niven'6 arm. Gibbes, at ahortnslip, made a big effort, and caught the ball. Without appealing, he threw the ball up in the air, and it went in the direction of square-leg. The batsmen eot a run from the throw, and a bye was registered.

Arnold Williams dad not get going properly against Nowtown, although a fin© hit to leg for wais included in his tally. Hutohmgs played a beautiful lrumigs against Newtown, mcetmig the goad balls with full face of the bat, and Jutting the loose ones haid, clean, and often. He gave a couple of chances of stumping, but wicket-keeper Alpo failed to take the' ball at the cirhoal time Hickson batted in his usual stay-there-as-long-as-you-please style so helpful to his own team and disconcerting to the opposition G. Phmmor hit freely foi Newtown in gathering together Ins two-figure score, and Day showed bound defence The latter handled his bowling with poor judgment Alpe and Millei showed the best form among the Newtown bowlers. The wicket suited Stephenison's bowlin/cr and he secured three victims. Upham bowled steadily, <md dismissed two of his opponents. * * * I have been told th.it, previous to Saturday's play commencing, How ell, the Gasworks captain, promised the members of his team a blazer apiece f he should be successful enough m makinig 50 runs off his own bat. It is 1 easy to judge of his ow n satisfaction and also the team's when How r ell had put 65 rums to his credit before he Avas sent back to the pavilion. Apart from that, however, there is nobody more deserving of success than the Gasworks skipper. His heait and soul are wiapped up in his team when business does not demand his attention, and its success is all he asks for That he should contribute m a great measiire to that success is all the moie pleasmig to 'him. The stand between Dredge and Howell was a remai kable one — fiist, because it added juist over 100 runs to the total ; and second, when, they sort too-ether six of then- had been dismissed for 56 runs. Howell, in an innmgs winch was remarkable mainly foi hLs nlay on the off-side, gave a couple of chances. I have to take back a lot of what I said in previous notes about Diedge. Not that said notes were uncalled foi on hiis then showing, but simply from the inference that was in them He has now struck form, and his lates' lnranigs is a full justification for the newspaper paragraphs I had seen commenting on hn-a. abilities when playing m Melbourne. All lound the wicket Dredge gave a masterly display. The din vet. weie there, of course— they are Diedge'b main run-getting sti okes — but he showed a power of placing the ball where thei e> were no fieldsmen that he was not credited wath possessing. A feature of Di edge's play that w» considered a weakness was only so through lack of practice. On Saturday his stroke between a leg-hook and a leg-glide was well manipulated and the spectators were very pleased with his execution of ut. My congratulations to Dredige May bus bat make many more runs foi the Gasworks team. Does Bartlett deliver "no-balls"? Thisi was on© of the main themes of discussion on the Basin Reserve on Saturday, and many there were who came to the conclusion that several of hus deliveries, weie very doubtful The umpires evidently thought otherwise, foi he was not "called" at all. The only innings on the Austral side that ls worth a. paragraph was Dakm's. He f>o far has batted very consistently for his side, and ls a hard man to bend back to the pavilion * • * Maan> bowling figures ux Safcuid*iy':= matches were. — Aubtial Bartlett. three for 45 • Jackson, two for 20 , Vivian, two for 37. Gasworks. Laws, three foi 11, Redgiave, two for 20 Midland Stephenson, three for 22, Upham, two for 15. WellingtonLuckie, five for 47. Old Boys. Tucker, seven for 28. Newtown Frank Alpe, three for 55 It will be noticed in what I have wntten above that the saying "a couple of chances" appears very frequently. Tius teaches a moral that there is no gettuig away from, and 1 it is that a safe caitcli in a team is a great boon, and that a whole team of safe catches would 1 consideiably lessen the number of runs they would have to make when then turn came round. * * * Befoie I have the ptivileige of writing further cricket notes, the Wellington representative team will be selected to make the Southern tour Presuming every player is available, I suggest the following as a fully i epresentative eleven on present form — C. Hiokson, Quee, Williams, Upham, Stophemson, S Hickson,. Weybourne, Tucker, J P. Blacklock, Waters, and Barton. It will be noticed in the above selection there is only one fast bowler — Upham. Well, none of the others have up to the present shown form good enough for a place in the team in my

opinion, and, should a change be wanted for Upham, Waters would be able to fill tho breach while he tested 1 . Tucker and Steiphenson could bear the brunt of the attack with the "&lowt>" to medium pace. Barton relieving them if necessary. Williams would keep wickets, and the batting of the above selection is undoubtedly strong. » * * Mr. I. Hyamfe, the treasurer of the Cricket Association, is takung a trip to Rotorua during the holidays for the benefit of his health. Fied Warren, a one-time Midland Club player, but now of the North Shore Club, Auckland, has been in Wellington during the last few days, renewing old acquaintances. Next Saturday (24th) and Monday (26th) Wellington play Wairarapa, at the Basin Reseive, and on the following Saturday and 1 Monday they play a combined team from Taranaki and Waneanui. There is a probability of a match being played at the end of the season between a team of veteran cncketers and one selected from the membais of the newly-formed Umpires' Association. Of tins, more anon ' There are several amateur scorers in Wellington. On© of them has. gon© so far this season as to buy .a scorei-book for himseilf, m which he jots, down all the runs scored. That is. all nerht in its way, but if the official book does not a.s?ree with hus he disputes 1 it, and wants it altered to agree with the way he has jotted the figures down. The obvious moral of this is that his correct place is in the scoring-box, keeping the offioal record. (Continued ov page 20 )

Occasionally there are some nasty things saad and written in connection with sport in Wellington, but one of: the most contemptible effusion** I have oome across m my oa>unecfcion with sport is the advertisement that was inserted m last Friday'^ "Post" on a certain 01 loket mattei . The Karon and Rover teams* were due to play matches ou the College Ground on Saturday, and the advertisement was inserted to get a "back-liander" on to the Pnnoipa.l of the College, foi the unfailing dictum he ha.s given toith that all matches on that ground mubt be started punctually to time Mr Firth, of couise, if the matte* was brought under his notice would have treated it with the contempt it deserved It !•> a. generally uncleuhtooid axiom that a man, be he encketei\ footballer, 01 any other class of sportsman, respects and reveres his alma mater— but tire author or the advertisement in question .seems to be built anotJh<?r way. * * * "Tyke" writes • — ' The rule laid down, and that ifi always followed by welltrained players, is —'In the case- at a hit within view of both batsmen, either bzfem&n has the light to isay "no it called for both wickets are in equal danger.' Hits, therefore, to cover, extra cover, mid-off , mid-on and shortlea; (if fielding in front of the w lckct) are always held to be neutial ground Of course, you may be right in the Barros-Alne case [referred to last weekj, for mid-off may have been fieldm<? behind Barros' wicket, but it is the general principle that is at stake. Playing for North Sydney against Waverley. Frank Iredale (the ex-Aus-tralian representative) and Redgrave (brother of the Gasworks player of that name) biilhantly added 183 runs to the former team's total in 72 minutes. The batting figures of Sydney oneketers are still heavy. The Wowing are some of the latest — Bardsley 170, Bubb 59. E. L. Waddy 68 Pye 80, Cranney 56, Hopkins 70, F. A. Iredale 150 (not out), Redgrave 84, Diamond 59, Quist 80