Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 282, 25 November 1905, Page 15

Cricket.

A BRISK northerly wind, with many clouds knocking about, were the only drawbacks n connection with last Saturday's nlay on the Basin Reserve. The wickets were fast, and in favour of th« batsmen, although occasionally the bail bumped 1 because of many spots on the prepared pitches. The batting displays were generally interesting, and the play was well worth watching. There was a good muster of spectators, who evinced much interest in the three matchies. • • * There is one feature about the Basin Reserve, from a cricketer's standpoint, which deserves a special paragraph. I refer to the great improvement in the fielding area, the rolling downs of previous seasons having all been levelled by the Cricket Association's ground men during the offseason. Therefore, the excuses madie for weak ground, fielding during the years that are- past and gone cannot be made this. season. There were many runs scored on Saturday because of several players allowing the ball to go through their legs. The ground! cannot be blamed, therefore it mtist be the poorness of the players' abilities in this phase of play that is the trouble. • • • The Newtown-Gasworks match was the first game finished, the "smakewheelers'' winning by the narrow margin of 20 runs, which would have been considerably less if some of tibe Newtown players had not sacrificed their wickets for the sake of impossible runs. A run is never worth a wiakett, and it seems to me that the Newtown players ought to have learnt this lesson now, for the fact that no less than three batsmen were run out in on© innings should satisfy even those that lost their wickets from this cause. The possibility of a win was rendered wellnigh impossible because of the/ number of wickets thrown away. At the same time, I extend my congratulations to the Gasworks team for their win. They had the worst of the conditions, and the win is, therefore, all the more creditable. I may be wrong, but, on their showing in this match, I don't think the Gasworks eleven is as strong a- side as they were last season. • • * The Old Boys were routed by the Midlanders, the latter's one inning* being 1 but a few runs short, of the number made by the ex-Collegians in their two journeys to the batting crease. On their showing in thiis match, I am perfectly satisfied that the eleven that defeats the Midlanders will win the championship. • • * The Wellington-Phoenix match is unfinished, although the latter are u a winning position. It is probable that the game will be finished) of an evening, and the task set the Wellington team of getting 236 runs in the light that generally prevails towards evening is in the nature of an impossibility. The following were the doublefigure scoreans on Saturday : — For Old Boys- Tucker (not out), C. P. Blacklock 26, Dixon 11, Monagjhan 11; for Midland: Quee 67, Stephenson 13; for Wellington Gore 20, Hales 21; for Phoemix Brioe 54, Hickey 24 (not out), Waters 17, Little 14, White 13, McLennan 11, Pearce 10. Gibbes 10 ; for Newtown : Ooninigham 24, Walters 11, Fred Alpe 10, far GasworksDredge 32, Burke 16, Laws 12, Redgrave 11. The successful bowlers' figures were — Upham, four for 52, Stephenson, five for 47 ; Quee 7 one for 16 — Midlands ; Brice, seven for 24 ; Gibbes, one for 15 — Phoemix; Hales, three for 61, Luokie, three for 43, O'Shea, three for 44- — Wellington; Smith, five for 51, Plimmer, four for 17 — Newtown; Redgrave, five for 35, McKay, one for 13, Hawthorne, one for 10 — Gasworks; Tucker, four for 93, deland, three for 50. Dixon, two for 42, Monagham, one for 55— 01 d Boys. • * • The best batting display on Saturday was that given by "Ken Tucker. The Old Boys' coach opened that team's

Innings with J. P. Blaoklock, and was still there when the* last wicket fell. Tn the meantime, he had gathered together 86 runs as his quota to the total. It is pleasing to see a tried batsman like Tucker commence the season m such fine style, not alone fromi tlhe fact that he made a big score, but also because he gave _ a finished display otf batting in getting it. When Warner's team of English eiicketers was here, Tucker pleased the cr tics by the handsome way in which Hie made runs against the visitors, but la&t sea&on he seemed to be under a oloud. All his best scoring strokes were in evidence on Saturday, and has runs were made all round the wicket. As the bowling was good, Tucker's performance is all the more meritorious, and I wish h.m many more successes during the season. • • ♦ Another display that caused) me to g:o into raptures was that of William Quee's, the Midland batsman. True, there were several uppish strokes •"> h.s total of 67, some of them being obligingly dropped by the fieldsman. But, Quee's batting was vigorous and stylish all the time, and he made* his rums all round the wicket. He was particularly severe on the bowlers with the square cut and l the straight dlrive. I have always thought a lot of Quee as a batsman, and if Saturday's success will prompt him to show us moro of hk quality Wellington cricket will be all the better. ♦ • • Archie Pearce did not trouble the bowlers much on Saturday. His strokes were all up in the air, but generally out of harm's way. C. P. Blacklock was the only Old Boys batsman to give "Kern" Tucker any marked assistance in swelling the side's total. But his tally of 26 runs was made with very smart cricket. Charles Gore showed good cricket in gathering together his score of ltwis for the Wellington team. He treated the bowling with the respect it deserved, and punished anything; loose that came his way. Barron, the Midland first eleven batsman, has been temporarily transfer* ed to the West Ooast. This will account for bis absence from tb© Midland team this week. I hear Charlie Bush is to fill the vacancy. I believe there is an English player in Wellington who played' in the same club team as Albert Ward. I have forgotten bis name, but, as he is throwing in his lot with the Phoenix team, we shall see more of him anon. There were many catches dropped in the various matdh.es on Saturday, but there were two splendid l ones held. Brice and McKay, of the Phoenix and Gasworks teams respectively, both held clinking drives off their own, bowling. Unless some more members offer, it is more than likely that the Umpires' Association will soon> be a, thing of the past. Will old! players who like to see the game played in the true sporting spirit assist the Association at this juncture by becoming membersi? The Midland team have given one wf their juniors promotion. Charlie Atkinson was a member of th© first eleven last week, and, although he did not make many runs off his own bat, he kept up his end while Quee was piling them up. Atkinson is an untiring fieldsman. Charles Hickey delights the smallboy enthusiast almost as much as Tom Hales. The Phoenix bowler hits hard and often, and generally when he does so there is no occasion to rum for the strike I—the1 — the ball either hits the fence or goes over it. All the same, he can play a defensive stroke if necessity demands. I have been informed that Fred Midilane is coming back to Wellington from Sydney during next month, and it is more than likely that he will remain in Wellington. Though Midlane has not done moich cricket in Sydney since he left us, I have no doubt he will don the flannels again should he stay in Wellington. Stan/ley Brioe was aggressive and defensive in making the 54 runs he did for the Phoenix team on Saturday. He made one drive reminiscent of the two huge ones he got at Armstrong's expense in the match against the Australians last season. Otherwise, he was mainly content to reach the fence without lifting the ball when he hit. As each season wends its way along, Tom Hales seems* to lose none of his popularity as a batsman. The boys are pleased, and so are the spectators, when the fast bowler of the WeMnmgton team takes his place at the wickets, for it is a " certainty that if Hales stays long he will make plenty of runs. Saturday's experience, therefore, was pleasing, for he rattled up 21 runs in good time.

One is not inclined to enthuse about Ftrank Dredge as a batsman. It is true that the Gasworkeir has not many scoring strokes, but those that he has are very effective. His defence is as sound as a bellj and he seems to be the most consistent double-figure scorer in Wellington. His 32 runs werp made in good' time on, Saturday, the ■om-dlrive being much m evidence. As in the first innings, Coningham was the only Newtown batsman to maike much progress against the Gasworks team. The Newtown eleven were unfortunate in not getting; the assistance of the ex-Australian at the bowling crease. He got knocked about as the result of a bicycle, accident, and the bruises and abrasions he received on that occasion caused him to be very stiff in the arms last week. I hope he will be all right for their next match. (Continued on page 20.)