CRICKET GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4904, 9 December 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

CRICKET GOSSIP.

(BY TOM BROWN.')

I am sorry to learn that the gentleman whom I incidentally mentioned as adapting himself to any profession in my last week's article, has taken offence at what I wrote regarding him. He has not only taken offence, but threatened all kinds of punishment. I have consequently gone about all the week with " fear and trembling," expecting an avalanche to fall on my unlucky head every moment. I am glad to say, however, nothing has come of it— not from personal fear of the eonsequences, but in the interests of cricket. The errors of cricketers must be pointed out to them by someone ; and as the duty has fallen upon me, I do so—and without any intention to offend. If what I have previously written has caused offence, I can assure those who may feel annoyed, that no offence was meant. What has been written, has been done for their good, and in the interests of cricket, and not from any personal feeling in the matter. I hope this will be remembered in the future ; for when occasion requires, I certainly shall take cognisance of any wrongdoing of cricketers on the cricket-field, without fear or favor.

I have heard of no attempt on the part of out Cricketers' Association to choose a twentytwo to play against the Englishmen. I hope myreaders will pardon me referring sooften to this business; but as ho one else seems to move in the matter, I have perforce to use my best endeavors to stir them up. .The Otago and Canterbury Associations have chosen their teams of twenty-two and eighteen respectively, and the former has fixed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on which to play practice matches. Although these teams have been chosen, the Match Committees reserve to themselves the right to alter the list if necessary. I notice that the Otago Association has invited the co-operation of country clubs. In the circular issued, the following extract might be copied by our own Association, viz.: "We hope to receive a considerable accession of strength from the ranks of country clubs, and I should feel obliged by your committee selecting three or four names of the best of your players, who would be willing to play in the English match if selected, and forwarding same for the consideration of the Match Committee. When forwarding these names please place them in order of merit as selected by your committee, if possible, and set forth their qualifications, whether Bkilled most in batting, bowling, or fielding. Proficiency in the latter department of the game is a feature the Match Committee intend to lay a good deal of stress upon, feeling that batting and bowling will not avail much unless backed up by eood fielding."

Further on the secretary says :—"As yet your club has not joined our association, and on behalf of that body I now ask you to join us. . . . Of course you can elect town residents as your delegates should you choose to do so." The idea is a very good one, and I would like to see this step followed by Wellington. I should also like very much to be able to say of the Wellington Cricketers' Association what my friend " Wicket," in the Otago Witness, says:—"l am extremely pleased to be able to congratulate the committee of the Otago Cricketers' Association upon the active manner in which they are exciting the public interest in the approaching match with the English Eleven. There is one thing lam sure of—it will not be on their part that any fault is likely to be found if the ' Englishmen' do not thoroughly enjoy their trip to New Zealand." As the funds for the purpose of entertaining and meeting all the expenses of the visit of the Englishmen do . not come in as they should do, I will give the committee the benefit of an idea that has been floating through my head for the past week or two, viz., to get up a costume cricket match on the Basin Reserve at an early date. I may state that I have already put the matter Hnder way. Mr. C. Hillsden, the obliging business manager of the Theatre Royal, has kindly promised me his aid, so if one or two energetic cricketers will come forward and help, the thing will be as good as done, and I have no doubt a good few pounds will find an entrance to the committee's exchequer. Several, of these matches have been played in Melbourne, and on each occasion draw large crowds, who enjoyed the fun immensely. One can easily imagine the fun it would be seeing Mr. Sam Howard, as "Paul Pry," running after a ball and trying to stop it with his umbrella. I mentioned last week that the Englishmen had scored their first victory in South Australia. I am now in a position to give a few further details of the match. The Englishmen won in one innings, and 46 runs to spare. The South Australians scored 54 in their first and 53 in their second innings, while the All England Eleven scored 153 in their only innings. Ulyett 28, Jupp 35, and Selby 59, were the only members of the team who got into' double figures. The following was the Englishmen's bowling analysis. In the first innings Shaw bowled 226 balls for 12 runs, 46 maidens, and 14 wickets ; Emmett bowled 170 balls for 14 runs and 6 wickets. In the second Shaw bowled 212 balls, 7 wickets, 38 maidens, 25 runs ; Armitage bowled 60 balls, 7 wickets, 7 maidens, 11 runs. Pretty good bowling that, and the Adelaide' ground is not unlike the Basin Reserve. The Melbourne Argus, writing of the Englishmen's first practice on the Melbourne ground, says: —"ln the afternoon they had some practice on the Melbourne ground, where about 1000 persons assembled to see their style of play. They appear to be in good form, though a trifle stout. Shaw's wonderful bowling was generally admired. He possesses the most perfect command of the ball, and can vary his pitch and pace with marvellous accuracy, and without the least perceptible alteration in his delivery, which is easy and graceful. Ulyett is also a fine fast round-arm bowler, with a high delivery, very straight. Emmett is perhaps the most puzzling bowler of the eleven, being a left-handed bowler, with an ugly and very peculiar delivery. He was well on the wicket, and his bowling appeared to have any amount of mischief in it. Hill, the fast bowler of the team, who has a most graceful easy delivery, bowled splendidly to Selby, who is a very finished batsman. Jupp showed good cricket to Shaw's • bowling, playing with his usual patience and defence. Charlwood showed the possession of good style of play. Pooley batted very prettily, playing Southorton and Lilly white with ease and freedom. Ulyett also batted well, and seems to possess more dash than usually characterises the play of professional cricketers." The Englishmen commeaced their second match in Australia on Thursday against Nevv South Wales, and their first innings closed for 121. The Sydney team, on the wickets being drawn ,in the eveniDg, had scored 44 with a loss of nine wickets.

Last Saturday the Basin Reserve was occupied by elevens from the Wellington Cricket Club and H.M.S. Sapphirejbut it was a hollow affair, the Wellington men doing just as they pleased with their opponents. I hope the W.C.C. men will take to heart what was said in the report of the match in the New Zealand Times, and try to be more punctual for the future.

As our local match 'committee are dilatory in choosing a team to represent Wellington province, I have, with the assistance of two other gentlemen, done so, and give them the (committee) the benefit of our labors. The following are the twenty-two : , Armitage, Bell, Crowther, Evans, Edmunds,

Evatt, Garwood, Kennedy, Knapp, Marchant, Blacklock, J. A. Salmon, I. J. Salmon, Speed. Wairarapa—W. J. Salmon, Lister-Kaye. Wanganui—Parrington, Fitzherbert. Hutt— Locket, Mason. Marton—Anson, Jacob. With Lillie, Gouge, and Belcher as emergency men.

Good progress has been done this week with the improvements to the Basin Reserve. Between sixty and seventy loads of soil have been used to fill up the crabholes, and it will take a good many more yet before the work is completed. A numerously attended meeting of the Star Cricket Club was held last night at the Pier Hotel, for the purpose of arranging a match during tbe Christmas week with some neighboring town, when it was proposed that Messrs. Garwood and J. A. Salmon should be appointed to communicate with New Plymouth and Wanganui, and report on the same at a meeting to be held on Monday evening next, when it will be decided which place they intend visiting. We are glad to see that the Star Club are so energetic in arranging these friendly matches, and we trust that their challenge will meet with the reward it deserves.