Middlesex Match. October 4th, 1905.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 282, 25 November 1905, Page 19

Middlesex Match. October 4th, 1905.

This match was played on a new Association ground, at Stanford Bridge, one of the most up-to-date grounds in the country, and with an estimated capacity of 80,000 to 100,000 people. The Middlesex team contained six internationals, and were thought to be a very strong side. The game, however, was remarkable chiefly for the poor stand made by the Home players. Like most other teams met, they seemed unable to stand the fast pace set, and within tihree minutes Johnstone scored, after a bout of pass ing, and Wallace goaled. At halftime the score was H3 to 6, and finally 34 to nil. Tries were obtained as follows: — 1, from scrum, Roberts to Hunter " o Smith to Johnstone — try, converted, 5 points; 2, from loose, Glasgow x o Hunter to Smith to Hunter — try, converted, 5 ; 3, from scrum, Roberts * o Smith — tiry, converted, 5 ; 4, from scrum, Roberts to Hunter to Smith to Wallace — try, 3; 5, from sorum, Roberts to Smith — try, converted, 5 , 6, from lineKMit, series of passes endeJ in Seeling scoring — try,- 3; 7, from scrum, Roberts to Hunter to Smith to Deans — try, 3 ; 8, from scrum, Roberts to Stead to Hunter — try, 5 ; total, 35 to nil. Wallace took all the place-kicks. New Zealand 1 team : — Full, Gillett ; three-quarters, Wallace, Smith, and Deans; five-eighths, Hunter and Stead, half, Roberts: forwards, Glasgow, Oasey, Cunningham, Macdonald, Johnstone Seeling, Glenn, Gallalher. Middlesex never really seemed dangerous. They lacked dash and pace forward, and their backs displayed no initiative in attack. None of the internationals playing were prominent, and Maddocks, supposed to be a very good three-quarter, clearly "cut it" on occasions. Neither did Stoop, international half, impress me as anything wonderful. The New Zealand team played well together, but appeared to slacken off in the second half, during which they certainly took liberties in throwing the ball about which would not "la permissible in a tight game. Stead 1 got a nasty kiok during the second half, and went full-back for a time, Roberts going five-eighths, GaJlaher half, and Gillett forward. This interchange of positions seemed to surprise the on-lookem. Our kicking, taking and fielding were very good to-day. Some of the kicks by Hunter and Wallace when tackled and falling elicited great applause. The crowd were very impartial, and gave the team a great reception. (To be continued.)

The Wellington team commenced their second innings against Phoenix on Monday night. Maiiony and Richardson opened, and both showed good form. When stumps were drawn taiey had put 60 runs on the score-sheet, and they were stall therei — Mahony 33, and Richardson 23. The game will be resumed to-night (Friday). • * » A group of "veterans" who have just commenced cricket were on Saturday night discussing its possibilities. I don't know much about cricket," said one; "but it's a great game. On Saturday I went to the wicket full of confidence. The umpkie stepped up to the crease at the opposite end, looked hard at me, iand shouted: 'What do you want?' I shouted back: 'I don't want anything.' The umpire laughed boisterously. This annoyed me, and I began to get excited. My knees, which were perfectly undier control before, mow started to knock together, making a sound like the clacking of Spanish castenets. The umpire again looked hard! at my bat. I lifted it up to see what was wrong with it, when he again yelled out: 'What <lo you want?' "In desperation, I shouted back: 'Nothing I' This appeared to make Ki-m very angry, for he looked hard at my bat again, and belched : 'Centre and leg!' 'Centre and leg yourself!' said I. With that he walked away, and not before it was time, for the bowler swished up what appeared to be a fast ball. I followed it up as far as I could, then it disappeared! into a hole. The next I know was that my leg stump was lying on. the ground. The ball had actually come out of the hole after I had made my stroke, and knocked down my wicket I Now I know what the umpire meant by 'centre and leg.'" • » • "Andy" Houston, who was a member of the Phoenix senior team last season, writes from Mangonui, in the far north of the Auckland province: — "A few lines to let you know how the noble game of cricket is played up in these parts. Last Thursday (King's Birthday), the local team had arranged a match, with a plade about twenty miles away, Victoria Valley by name, and, seeing the early days of my youth were spent here, I was included m the Mangonui team. We left on horseback at about 6 a.m., and, after a fairly rough road and decidedly rough handling on. a rougji horse, we got to our destination at about 10.30. "Started! play almost immediately. Our opponents made 39, andi we mad^ 92 (of which your humble servant mad© 35, caught). They want in again, and made 97, and we knocked' off the required number for the loss of one wicket, my share being 13 (not out). Of course, there was the usual interval for lunch and afternoon tea, which were both very ndcely attended to. "I left almost immediately after the' game, and got back here by about 9.30 p.m. What with it being the first game of the season, and! first ride for three years, you may imagine how stiff I was. The pitch was made of concrete, and matting over it all, and played very fair, balls bumping a good bit though. The outfield- was very rough, and goodl ground fielding out of the question. How does this all strike you when put alongside the grumbling of some players who don't wiant to go up to the Athletic Park erven ?" • • « The Rev. E. F. Waddy is the first clergyman to represent New South Wales at cricket. He scored 43 against Queensland. The Albion team in Dunedin has no less than six ex-Australians in the <eleven: — Harry Graham, Reardon, A. and D. Geddes, Wilson, and Bock. The gross gates' of the Yorkshire County Cracket Club during the past season amounted) to £10,081, and the balance on the total turnover about £1000. Some Auckland figures : — Francis 49, Mason 43. Woods 77, Smith 20, H. B. Lusk 107, Haddon 41, Hussey 24, McOoimick 42 Hemus 43, R. Barry b9 (not out). A batsman ran out to a slow bowler. The wicket-keeper took the ball six inches in front of the wicket, and lifted the bails off; then, with ni» hand behind the wicket, pulled out a stump. Was the batsman out? "A practice which is to be deprecated is the grumbling at umpires' decisions. It is only a truism to say that the men who stand in the position of arbiters are human, and are liable to make mistakes. They would not be on this fallible earth if they were without fault. When an umpire gives a verdict, he does bo believing it to be correct." — This extract from the Otago "Witness" is peouliarlT a pnopoe to several of the batsmen in last Saturday's games on the Basin Reserve. The Umpires' Association are having a hardl job to fill the positions each week, and it is only fair that those who act should! have their decisions accepted in the right spirit.

C. B. Fry has made 23,039 runs during his cricket career, with 71 centuries (Abel has 73, andl Graice 1261. Highest score, 244; general average, 52 , in test matches, 30. Some Dunedin batting figures : — Beale 49, A. Downes 15, Ferguson 18, Siedeberg 28 (not out), Kilgouir 33, Webb 25, Eckhoff 26, Chad wick 17, Johnston 20 (not out), Latham 17, Torrance 16, Eteardon 15, Oramond 17 (not out). Arnold Williams, the Midland Club's stumper, has announced his intention of retiring from wicket-keeping. He has mot arrived at this decision because of any weakening of his powers, but simply because of the "kicky" nature of tine wiokets now being placed at the disposal of our senior cricketers. Williams has been playing senior cricket now for the long space of twenty-one years, during the whole <>£ which time he has put the glove® on to good purpose. Many experts hold the opinion that in his best day Williams had not a peer on the leg-side, and such a good judge as PeJham. Warner expressed the opinion that he> had seen nothing finer in his career that) the stumpine of Bunniup by Williams in the Wellington match against IJord Hawke's team.