CRICKET.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4548, 18 October 1875, Page 3

CRICKET.

WELLINGTON CLUB V. H.JI.S. SAPPHO. On Saturday afternoon the cricket season was opened by a match between the Wellington Club and a team selected from the officers of H.MS. Sappho. The day was fine, and consequently the attendance was good, his Excellency the Governor being amongst the visitors. The ground was very dead and lumpy, and all runs had to be got by sheer hard hitting. In some few instance capital cricket was shown. Knapp did good service as a batsman, his score of 28 in the second innings being obtained by careful, clean, free hitting, whilst his bowling : was, considering the ground, weU on the wicket " throughout the Sappho innings, as may be gathered from the fact that four wickets fell to him. Parrington also batted very carefully, making top score in the first innings, and bowled so effectually as to secure five wickets. Armitage and Lowe were the only others who materially added to the score, the former making the highest aggregate number. The bowling of the Sappho-team puzzled the Wellingtomans for a first innings closing for°so ; but in the second attempt Knapp and Armitage got hold of Lillie, Spalding, and Boope, and leather-hunting became more frequent than was agreeable. Neither did the Sappho's batsmen distinguish themselves ; all gave chances innumerable, and none reached a double figure. As might have been expected of the first match of the season, the fielding was loose enough, and the necessity for practice in this at all times too much neglected department was plainly shown. The stumps were drawn at six o'clock (WeUington being at the wickets), and the match was decided by the first innings, the local team winning by 20 runs. Annexed are the scores :

Wellington. First innings— Second innings— Parrington c Spalding, b Hogben 6 bltoope ...... 13 Goring b Eoope.. .. 3 not out 8 Armitage c LUlle, b b Boope 24 Koope H Knappb Spalding .. 0 b Lillie 28 Bell. H.D.,0 Spalding, bßoope .. .... 1 bLillie 0 Werry c Spalding .. 5 bßoope 7 Lord Phipps c Lillie, run out 0 b Spalding .... 8 Baker bßoope .. •• 0 Bellb Spalding.. ..2 Donald not out.. .. 0 Lowe b Spalding .. 0 Lowe b Spalding .. 0 b Spalding 12 Wides, bye 3, &c. .. 7 Wides, byes, leg-byes 8 Total .. .. 60 Total .. .. 92 Sappho Lillie bKnapp •> Spalding c Lowe, b Knapp .. .. 1 Arnold b Knapp ° Eoope b Parrington ° Kieland c Werry, b Parrington .. .. 1 "West b Parrington , • • ° Kempe b Knapp * Hogben c Knapp, b Parrington .. .. 2 Pearson not out •> May run out •. • • 2 Scott bKnapp 0 Byes, &c ° Total .. .. •■ 30 It is understood the Sappho team have accepted a challenge to play the Star Club next Saturday.