Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 242, 18 February 1905, Page 19

Cricket.

THE outstand/ng feature of Saturday's cricket at the Ba.sin Reserve was the fine bowling peifonnanioe of Monaghain, of the Old Boys' team, whose fi<mre» of seven wickets for 2b runs against a batting team of the calibre of the Midlandeis tells its own tale. In Monaghan's first senior game— against the Phoenix team— he had some difficulty in keeping hia bowling oft the leg side of the wicket, but m t he match under leview very few ba[[i ? went that way. He -has, a pronounced swerve from the off, and takes the rull advantage offered him by the bow hng create, bowling from the extreme edge of it At the same time, a slight hesitancy before delivery has the tendency to make the batsmen' misnudcre the pace of the ball. Therefore, when he gets a good length and keeps it Monaghan is a bowler wuth whom no libaitie oan be taken. He is not, however, mainly because of hub youth, a bowler w ho can keep going for many overs, and Captain Blacklock showed excellent judgment in giving him many spells on Saturday, just keeping him off long enough to rest without getting stiff. Th*s is only Momaghan's second senior game, his earlier matches this season being played at Wellington Collage, and the greatest harm I can wish hrm is that his latest dhowmg may be only the forerunner of many more performances equally a-» good, both for his own sake and his team # m Good old leluahle Claud! Hiok&om saved the Midlanders from utter rout an then match against tlhe Old Boys and show - ed more aggressiveness than usual in gathering together 62 ruins on his own. Anything on the leg side he treated with scant courtesy, on one occasion getting fairly on to one on that side of the wicket that pioduced! &_x runs, all run out. Many balls he cut to the oft boundary, and he made several sweet drives on either side of the bow-lei . •Upham came to light again lust when he was wanted, and got hah team out of a tight corner." I heard a casual remark to that effect on Satuiday afternoon, and it is a statement that brooks no denial. Things were very bad for hi& side whien Upham iouied Hickson, and he started' to "lay himself in with solid cricket. His was a valuable innings, but I fa'l to remember any outstanding features of it other than its solidity. Moss was the only other doublefigure scorer on the side, but, although he got 19 runs, it was not in anything like the form he displayed when plavmg senior cricket before. Three chances were debited against him, main I v through a tendency to go for the bow Img. and tuning his strokes badly in consequence. Mowatt 5, Williams 0, Hutchnigs 0, Wynyaid 5, Quee 0, Stephens-on 8, Davis 3, Mitchell 0 (not out) show s how the balance of the team assisted towards the total of 139. Tfoe manner of Hutchiugs' dismissal ea<lla for a special paragraph. Mow at t and Wilkamfe had fallen victims to Monaghan's swerve, the former by a beautiful ball, and the latter through a fine length ball breaking <xn to hr- pads and back on to his stumps. Hutohmgs had summed up what was wrong, and to his first ball he stepped across lils wicket to meet the swerve from the off before it took effect. He went across too far. however, amd tine ball striking the inside of his leg cannoned into has stumns. He was out witliout making a stioke at the ball at all, and for a batsman of his capabilities it was a cheap wicket for the ex-Collegrians. ♦ ♦ • The Old Boys started off with J. P. Blacklock and Tucker to reach the Midland! total. Both showed plenty of confidence, but the Midland captain got a deaddy "shooter" on to the leader of the Old Boys' team after ho had made 4 runs. Jacobs (8), Dixon (8). and C. P. Blacklock (1) did not trouble the field to any extent, though the firstnamed was just getting into has stride when he was beautifully caught bv TJpham off lus own bowling. Tucker got 21 by fair cricket, and he was tiben caught right <m the fence bv Hutohings off Stephenvson's bowling. Kirkcaldie (15). Buddile (13, not out) and Beeohey (13) radsed the hopes of the ex-Colleeians considerably, who

when stump's weie diawn, had 97 iuib to their oredit, with se\ en wickets down. Bundle, who hto been scoring eonHistontlv in the Old Boys' junioi team thus season, when he was in Auckland was a member of the Noath Shore senaon team. 'John Bull" showed stubborn defence w ith the bat, and kept h s end up foi a considerable whale, and was unbeaten at the finish. Beechey dii ove many tunes w ith plenty of" wood behind 'his .strokes, and was particularly busy while he was at the wickets. Xiii kcaldie's last two lnnismg-s have full' mstified Ins re-nialusnon, in the Old Boys' senior team, and Saturday's wa> a goad display, just when it was raaMv needed. He wa.s> unfortunate in getting his leg m front to one of tihe few balls on the wicket from the pavilion end when he was battm.". * * * For the fust time this reason, Vivian, the captain of the Austral team, got fauly going wnth the bat on Saturday, the Wellington team beuip the victims. All round the wicket, moie especially with tihe cut and the leg hit he show ed the form that brought 'him into the foiiefro>xt of Wellington's batsmen last season. "Viv" has worked hard for tlhe Austral-, and he is worth many moie iuiis tha.n he has scored in. senior cricket this .season I therefore com.gratuilate him on the 43 rum-, till at went down to hus oi edit on Saturday. MaJioiny (26) and Da km (30) also showed fine form, the former suffering for hus eagei ness to geit apparently lm-po->subla runs in being run out A run i> n-evei! woith a wicket, and Mahony should know bv this tune, jud~ "~ from his cwm experience, that ttes statement is a truism Many times since he hiais been in Wellington has he Lost has wicket through being lun out, a.nd his batting average has been decreased considerably thereby Dakin us the most eon system* bat in the Austial team, and the little fellow had ha id luck m stepping on his wucket when banging a ball to the <-qUcire leg boundary. Martin (,14) was the only other doublefigur© scorer in the team's total of 141 runs. * * * G-ore (17) and Gibbes (21) opened veiy quietly foi Wellington. Gore i» »suffenn- f i om an affection of the eyeis., which makes tilings generally to be blurred to him, and from that cause mainly is not showing his form of previous seasons. Many balls that in days past Gore would have sent to the boundary with a slashing squaie out weire allowed to go past oui Saturdlay. Gibbes has a tremendous lot of defence in his batting, but at the same time can put the wood on if opportunity arises. He did not seem to relish the mannei of his dismissal, for he baniged hard to leg at the ball to which he was given out Ibw. Weyboui ne (14, not out) batted in his usual fiee style. The side's total at the drawing of stumps was 60 runs for two wickets, O'Sulhvan (4, not out) being associated with Weybourne. * * « The w lcket at the Athletic Park ha.s come to be dreaded by senior cricketers, and tihe latest people to swear at the peifonnaiices of the ball on that piece of ground are the members of the G-as Company and Phoenix teams. "It's a regular beauty!" — one player's decided opinion — is subscribed to hea/itnly by all the others. Many people were of the opinion that Bn ice's bowling would make small potatoes of the Gas Company batsmen, but a prophet at cricket is generally astray. Brice did not get a wicket out of they six tlwt fell, and the G-as Company led by thirty odd runs, with four wickets in hand, at the end of the day's pla\ . B.uton and Naughton failed to scoie on re moie. Brice got 3, Hiokery and Lash followed the example them by Barton and Naughton, and Houston 2, Shand 4, and Thompson 3 did not weary the fieldsmen at all. McLennan 25, Waters 14, and Wright 10 made the majority of the 71 luns scored b-\ the Phoenix team. l'lie Gas Company opened in good style, Laws and Coboroft putting 62 runs on the boa id before the first wicket fell. Laws 25, Cobcroft 37, Dredge 15 (not out) were the double-figuie scoiers. How ell 9, Redgp-a/ve 6, Hawthorne 0, Waugh 8, Todd 4 (not out) wene the other Gas men that batted. * ♦ * The decision of the Management Committee of the Cricket Association to play fifteen men agaa.ti.st thie Australians m the match starting to-day (FndaO though only earned by 7 votes to 5, has been i eceived with much pleasure by the general body of the cricketing public. After the experience, of the Aucklanders. who had fifteen men in the field, it would have been a disaster for Wellington to have taken the field with a less number of players. Just put your thinking cap on for a moment The Australians, with the fifteen men in

tilie field, scored at the rate of over 80 runs ail houi . Can anyone say what the rate would b;i\e been if there had only been eleven players opposed to them? It is a reasonable conclusion to oome to that it would have been oonsideiably higher. And, then, when you compare this wit.li local olub orocket where bO mns an hour is a hagh average, the claim for the extra men in the field against such renowned! exponents, of the game as the Australians, is a fair and a iuivt an.c. * « • The team selected to represent Wellington is full of surprises, and ha,'. raanv new men, to representative honours in it. The inclusion of Momagh<asn , after his performance against the Midland team last Saturday cannot, fa:l to give satisfaction to the majority of cricket enthusiast-., and 1 I trust he will be able to do full justice to hamseilf and' has powers agaanst the visitois. Hawthorn© and Coboroft have proved themselves worth tihieir plaices. the former bv the excellence of hrJs batting during: the season, and the latter bv h s all-touind work. I have no dioiubt Cobcrofb will captain the team. Personally I would have preferred Laws to Redgrave, but the latter is such an excellent field I will not growl much a,t his inclusion. He also bowled with good effect against the Phoenix team on Saturday. Up ham, Williams, Blacklock, C. HiiokSOn, and Hutohmgs 1 were all cerfcaanitaes, but I cannot say I feel the same way in regard to Ma'honv Tucke- Hickey, and Weybourne. Waters, by has. battin,T against the Midllanders, placed himself into tihe team, and Brice, by his all-round performances in the same miatdh, did likewise. Famnluiii face^ missing are Barton, S. Hickson, Richardson, Hales, and Quee. There is more than a possibility that Williams will not be able to play. This would give Mahony his place as wicket-keeper, but I cannot help thanking the team would be stronger if Barton and S. Hickson were chosen for theui batting in preference to Hiokey and Tucker. The, latter, thou>?,V>, performs best in big matches, and may thoroughly justify his inclusion, but bit* present form with both bat and ball are not equal to that shown bv him in previous seasons. [Since writing "the above I have been informed that Hickson was not ava/ilable for selecton, and Wilkams has notified the selectors that he cannot set sufficient leave to ta,ke part un the match. Barton has been given the vacancy.] The Selection Committee seems to have regaided the possibility of the Australian team making many runs as a certainty, for there is a prepondeaanoe of bowlers in the team. Opening bowile.rs are — Upham, Bri-ce, Tucker, Monacrhan, Redgiave, and Hiokey and foir change bowlers there are Cobciroft, Hawthorne, Hutchings, Mahoir- and Waters. The only one-, in the team who are not bowlers are Hickson, Williams, Weybourne, and Blacklock. An apparent injustice has been done Dredlge, the Gasworks player, by the Selection Committee. True, he is not a stylish bat to watch, but on only two occasions this season has he, failed 1 to score. Every other time he has gone to the wickets he has made a doublefigure scoie, and at the piesemt time is leading for the batting average in our senior cricket. If averages are taken into consideration by the Selection Committee — and I claim' they should be — Dredge should have been one of the first batsmen picked m the Wellington representative team. Yet he is not given a rvlaoe in the fifteen to play against the Australians. * * « A personal friend sends me the following interesting notes on the players m the Auckland match against the Australians — Mason's innings of 79 runs was streets ahead of anything shown bv the otlicii Aucklanders, and ranks next to the displays of batting given by Trumper and Duff. After the first few overs he played all the bowling with great confidence, showing marked preference for McLeods deli'verres. [The manner of Mason's dismissal given by my correspondent agrees with what appealed m the daaly paper®. Mason was not "run out" — he was ''stumped," and Noble should have been credited with his wioket in the bowling averages. — Touchline.] Besides giving such a splendid showing with the bat, Mason stood out prominently for fine work in the outfield. Hay did not appear comfortable at any time during his stay at the wickets Jones and Ohff both gave good displays of defensive batting. None of the other local players call for special mention, many of them being "out" before they were "m." Puff was the most attractive batsman on the Australian side. He stepped out to the bowling in great style, and anything loose was pasted, to the boundary. The public were sorry when he was dismissed.

Truimper was not seem at his best, as he was not in good 'health. Still, he played a capital innings, has off-driving and leg strokes being masterpieces. The four extra men in the field did not tiouble him a great deal, for his placing was perfect. Kelly smote the Auckland bowlers hip and thigh, and on two occasions hit the ball clean over the boundary. His was an enjoyable' mnangs to watch. The manner of Mason's dismissal was a smart, piece of work on Kellys part. The batsmani was beaten by a good ball from, Noble, which fell at Kellys feet. The latter, without attemiptn.nig to pick the ball up, looked' round as if he was waiting for somebody to field it. Mason, glancing round and seeing him in this attitude, made off, but 'he had not gone far before Kelly whipped his bails off. MoLeod took no risks, showing stubborn defence. Hill's batting was disappointing, amd he never seemed at home. The same remark applies to Gehrs and Hopkins. Gregory was very quiet. Armstrong gave a free and orisp display and will do w«ll on the tour. Cotrter and he livened 1 ujp the play considerably, the fasti bowler punishing the bowling severely. Noble did not seem to be serious in his batting, and his innings was a long way ftom attractive. Particular interest was taken in Cotter, the fast bowler. He gets on gareat pace, much after Jones's style, but was very erratic at times. After the tea adjournment on Friday hie got a good length, and sent down some bea/afcies beaitang the batsmen ail] the way. Noble bowled well at the end of the Auioklandens' first innings, his. swerve having the batsmen in trouble. Hopkins bowled 1 excellently, and Armstrong's leg breaks were very mizzling. McLeod was very steady all the tame he) was bowling. The Australians gave a miuon better diisplay of fielding than the Aueklainders, Noble showino- his team a very goo 1 example. They took the ball cleanly and l returned accurately to the wicket':. • • * Harry Tiott, in a recent ctlub match in Melbourne, got five wickets for 79 runs. Newland, Kellys understudy in the Australian team, is a son of Mr. Simpson Newland, an ex-Treasurer of South Australia, who has written two novels, "Paving the Way" aaid. "Blood Tiacks in the Australian Bush." Newland junior is a solicitor. (Continued on page 20.)

The leceptLon at the Austialian cricketeis, anauged by cv\-AuDtiailian.s 1 evident m Wellington, to be held m bho Town Hall to-night (Friday) pi onuses to be a pionounct'd -success llie committee anaiigiug the function, ot which Mi . L T Cobcroft is lion secretary, have made complete arrangi"ment&, and the tickets have sold as readily a© then most ardent hopes could desue A bumper house hII I greet the chai mi«ui (Sn Joseph Wd,id) when he rises to pioposo the toast of the visitors. I am informed that the toast List will be a veiy short one, the gathering taking more the form of a conversazione than a smoke concert. Mi \V. McLaughliui has chaige of the musical airangements. which is sufficient indication that that poition of the evening's gathering will be ot the best. Oppoitunity will be gnen during the e\eniug for interludes foi conversation between the guests and the vntors, and altogethei a pleasant time may be anticipated. Gehrs, of the Australian team, is an Associate of the School of Mine- and Industries in South Auvtra.ha. Hi-, father is a policeman in Adelaide Some Dunedin hguie*> — Thomson 38 and 2.1 Hauawav 21, Giaham 29, Kahlenberg ()7. A. Downes 34, Austin 101, Mills 71, Reardon 21 Macker-ev 20, How den b3 (not out). In coiit.ia-distinction to Wellington shopkeepeis, the Duned.n Retaileis' A — ■--cation dec dec! to altei then half-hoh-dav in deference to the wishes of a deputataon fi om the Otago Cricket Assoc ition. Thu- the 'Bulletin" — New Soutn Wales — Victona cucket match wa,s so laigely a matter of adjournments on account of rain th.it many people mistook it for a lawsuit of fat briefs and large refieshers." I oonsidei Coborott, the Gaswoiks player, one of the best judges of a run in Wellington cucket, as well as one of the fastest between wickets Theiefore, I was gieatly suipnsed to notice that' he was iun out on Saturday. Wilson, the Southland cncketei. scoied 143 out of a total of 208, playing tor InvercargiM against the Bluit. His innings is said to hare been an attractive one, and almost faultless. This exAustrahan player should be in the i mining for a place in the New Zealand team. A Victorian writei on Sauaider^ — ' What Saundeis evidently wants is to get Home and try and qualify for mjiiic county team He is vntually damned heie so far a^> international cricket i-> concerned, and passed out without any of hit. friends being made aware ot hi^ pa,rtioudar sans of omissioni and eominisv.on." Two oi th-e three bdectors of English teams foi the test matches are well known in these pants — I refer to Lord Hawke and Wainer. The third member of the Committee — Dixon — is, I believe, identioaJ with the gentleman of that name who has been for over twenty yeais captain ot the Notts Amateur Cricket Club. George Mills is the second eldest biother of an Auckland cucketmg family of that name, which included such good players as we know them as Ted Ike, and Billy, besides the subject of th>s paiagraph. Of recent years George has acted as gioundisman for one of the clubs in Dunedin, and still keeps up his reputation as a batsman above the ordinary. Of a scoie of 71 got h-\ Mills in a recent match, 'Long Slip" says — "All his strokes were poweiful, particularly those on the off and the straight drive. It was an innings that was a pleasure- to watch — one m which splendid timing and clean, hard hitting were the predominant featuies " The Management Committee of the Wellington Cricket Association claim to have fuill control of the cricket matches played undei their auspices. If thnt is so, many people w ant to know what is the standme of the Championship Committee, the Selection Committee, and the Third-class Championship Committee? None of these bodies are in any way answerable to the Management Committee for the way in which tliev eairy out their duties, and could Miap their fingers at any positive insti uction eiven them bv the Management Committee if they caied to. Which would seem to indicate that the position of the controlling Committee is not as exalted as the<v would like to make it appear to be.