CRICKET.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8361, 22 February 1913, Page 14

CRICKET.

The Rev. E. O. Blamires is in great form with the bat when playing for T.M.C.A. in the Wednesday competition this season. East "Wednesday he made lal not out against Oriental, and only gave one chance during his innings, and chat was when he was ISO. He tipped one from Gourlay to Alpe behind the wickets, but was given not out. In the previous match against Vivian he made 115, and gave a really fine display. It is a pity he is to leave for Hawera short* 3 Rivals have got a couple of fine howlers in Kinvig and Smith. In their match against Union, which has occupied the two last Wednesdays, Kinvig, in Union’s first innings, took six wickets tor 28 runs, and smith one for one. In Union s second venture Smith secured seven wickets for 12 runs. Kinvig has been doing good service with the bat, making 12 on Wednesday last, .the previous week, and 115 when Rivals played against Artillery a fortnight ago. . The proposed alterations to the Basin lie servo seem to be received with great satisfaction in cricketing circles judging oy the expressions of opinion that were "iven vent to at the last ineotmg ot the Wellington Cricket Association, 1 he. l ;a no doubt that the ground will be considerably improved, and a greater area will be available tor wickets when the present pavilion is demolished and a now building is constructed to the vesi ward, and this in itself will be most acceptable. Under the proposed arrang* merit the ground will bo oval in shape and from an athletic point ot view tme will be a decided improvement, tor a good straight will be provided, and the public will have a much better view n .he short distance events. The question of getting the Basin «- serve vested in trustees is the minds of some ot the members ot the Wellington Cricket Association, and at next week’s meeting a statement is to ,io presented showing how much tic association has spent on improving the around since 1882. There is no doubt cnat the association has expended some thousands on this .ground, and they have not received the credit that is. due to them in this respect, hut whether the public will recognise this and agree to them having the ground vested in tnmNftPg who will have the right io make a S’*" any time, is another matter. Efforts to get this power on previous occasions failed, and X am mcUn<xi_ te ■ hint- that it will bo a long time before the association succeeds. There are public reserves in -New Zealand vested in trustees, who are members ot.the‘Sports bodv that uses them, and one 1 have in mind now is certainly a P lct P^-' s< ldo snot that would never have been beautiIpy wi 1+ net been for tie proceeds from the sport that periodically takes Pl The°Vrilington Cricket have put in a challenge for the Blanket Shield at Easter time, but Canterbury have accepted the challenge irom Otago. Regarding thismatter, XaeNaUvc. n the “Weekly Press, says: It is im,pcs sible to say at the present time whether or not there will be any more representative matches this season. \\ eliJigtei challenged Canterbury tor a match u Christchurch this month, but it wa„ a double-barrelled challenge. imi a much as they asked that two matches should be played—one in Christchurch this month, ana another in Wellington u cst- ihe local association could not J? go to Wellington, so turned the proposal down, as they understood that Wellington's challenge would only stand if Canterbury could return the visit this season. It was stated at the meeting that Wellington had not had a representative game on their own ground, and were very anxious to get. one, hence their action. in challenging Canterbury in order to get a return game in Wellington. In discussing the challenge the Canterbury .Cricket Association had to consider the two matches together, and the opinion was expressed that Wellington would not be likely to come south unless the visit was going to be returned. Now Otago have challenged Canterbury to play a Pinnket Shield match in Christchurch at Easter time, and this will be considered at an early date. Personally X think the proposal should be welcomed, It is somewhat late in the reason. but it will mean that players must not slacken off in their practices. Otago has a really good batting side, and 1 [earn on good authority that most oi their batsmen are in excellent form. With players like Austin, Siedeberg. Tuck well, Hopkins, and Macfarlane. at their best, the southern side may be expected re- fully, extend the Shield holders. (Since writing the above Otago's offer for a match at Easter has been accepted.) The Wellington Association bids fair to bo without a representative match at Easter. The Hawke's Bay Association wanted a local representative team to play them at Napier at Easter time, but at the last meeting of the Wellington Association Hawke's Bay asked that the match be a week earlier so that they could play Auckland at Easter. The local association decided to try and get a team away to Napier on the dates requested, and the Wellington Association thought it would be as well to advise Hawke's Bay to accept the Auckland match as there was a prospect of the Wellington representatives going to Christchurch. Now Wellington has been turned down in favour of Otago, and what about Easter matches? All that remains is to play Nelson or the Wednesday Association. Apropos of representative fixtures in which Wellington is interested, the Dunedin correspondent of the “Canterbury Times” says: The attitude of the Wellington Cricket Association towards Otago and its Gilbertian replies regarding the Plunket Shield have afforded a deal of amusement at this cud, but surely Wellington has out-Gilbevted Gilbert in its latest reply to Otago. Regretting its inability, to send a team to Otago this season the Wellington Association now states that it did not receive any advice until quite recently that it was expected to send a team to Dunedin this season! Wellington ignored the conference of last year; turned down Canterbury to" play Auckland for the Plunket Shield at New Year; sacrificed Otago in pursuit of the bauble in Auckland; upset the whole of the work of the conference which introduced a scheme of representative matches for the benefit ot New Zealand cricket generally; and now calmly denies receipt of advice from Otago requesting the visit of a Wellington team this season. Even had Otago not written Wellington in November last there were the resolutions passed at the conference last year bringing into operation the scheme of representative cricket; and. if this were not enough, there was the moral obligation that Wellington was under to Otago for visits unpaid and long seasons overdue. Wellington appears to be purposely impossible. Wellington could not pay its years’ overdue debt to Otago, but it oould wildgoose chase to Auckland, and, defeated, could suggest a match with Canterbury at Christchurch this year. Not for the Shield; oh, no—for the good of the game and the establishment of the home and home fixture. I am mightily pleased that the Canterbury Association has practically told Wellington to “get its bead read” and “to set its house in order." The batting of Charles Macartney in the Trumper benefit match, says the "Referee,” was a veritable treat, and thus for the third match in succession Sydney supporters of cricket have been provided with some exceptional batting. Victor Trumper repeated the Macartney act, and supporters of the game, who mustered in large numbers for an offday, were as delighted. And there was the innings of E. P. Barbour, and that of M. A. Noble, each being fine indeed. By the time Australia bands together her next Test match team she will have developed some very, sible young ones to supplement 'the backbone provided by C. Hill, V. Trumper, W. Bardsley, C. G. Macartney. W, W., Armstrong, Y, B.

Bams ford, H. V. Hordern, C. Kelleway, and H. Carter. Among these are E. P. Barbour and .T. Ryder, the latter an alert, athletic all-rounder. If the storms of cricket have worked themselves out the International prospects of Australia aro verv bright. Mr O. S, Smith, of Central Cumberland, who was left behind in New Zealand by the New South IN ales tenchel's, owing to an attack of appendicitis, has returned to Sydney in good trim. He states that he will not play any more cricket this season, deeming it better to rest from strong exercise for a tame. It is very significant when the Sydney ■'Referee," commenting on the recent tours, in New Zealand py the New South Wales teachers and South Melbourne Club and the statement that visiting teams to New Zealand improved New Zealand cricket, says that the visit of a Now Zealand team to Australia would do more in the way of improvement. In this connection it is to be hoped that the management committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council, which is considering the question, inter alia, of a New Zealand tour to Australia, whether such a visit would be acceptable to the Australian authorities. It is understood that Australia visits South Africa in 1914-15 and that South Africa visits Australia in 1915-16, so it might be passible that 1913-14 will be most suitable to the Australian Board of Control. P. F. Warner writes"Of all the batsmen of my time Trumper and Ranjitsiujhi were the greatest. When both were so magnificent it is quite impossible to say for certain which was the actual best, and after all that is a minor point. It is sufficient that Trumper at his best never had a superior. He was like no one, and no one was like him, and there was a fascination about his play which was delightful. No more modest cricketer ever handled a bat. To hear him talk about cricket one would think he had never made a run, and his modesty and happy disposition was as much the cause of his popularity as his superb cricketing abilities. A better sportsman or one who played the game in better or nicer spirit I have not met. I do not believe that the people of Australia wholly realise how popular Tmraper is in this country. \Vha_ a shone of welcome and joyful anticipation goes up when he comes out to ibat! Every lover of cricket in England is hoping that we shall see him here again in the Old Country. 1 enclose a cheque for Xh and I hope the benefit will be an enormous success. That cricket in Australia may flourish to its highest pitch is my sincere hope. I have spent many happy days in Australia, and i hope, and may bo allowed to say, that I number many friends amongst Australians. So long as I live I shall never forget the kindness and sympathy shown me when I was ill by the people of Australia. In the autumn of my cricketing career—maybe it is the beginning of winter—it is a great pleasure to fight the, battles , over again in imagination, and in thinking of cricket the game in Australia comes uppermost in my mind. To Trumper in particular, and to every Australian cricketer in general, my best wishes go forth.” GOVERNMENT HOUSE v. TELEPHONE EXCHANGE. LORD LIVERPOOL TAKES FIVE WICKETS. An interesting cricket match was played at tho College grounds yesterday afternoon when a team representing the Telephone Exchange defeated a team from Government House by 80 rims. The .weather, though dull and threatening during the afternoon, remained fine, and play was not interfered with. The wicket was in excellent order, and some good cricket was witnessed. The Telephone Exchange had first use of the wicket, and declared their innings clqsed .at 187 for the loss of eight wickets... D...Parton was ,the principal batsman,' knocking up 74 in fine style. His brother R. Parton also played well in compiling 39. The Government House team made 107, to which his Excellency contributed 31 and Captain Eastwood 41. Both played fine innings, and without their assistance the side would have made a very poor showing. A feature of the maten was the bowling of Lord Liverpool, who secured five wickets for 66 runs. Scores: TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.—First Innings. D. Parton, c Wilson, b. Lord Liverpool 74 R. Parton, c Gaffney, b Shawe 39 Magee, c Vine, b Shawe 1 Webb, c Gaffney, b Lord Liverpool ... 24 Knight, b Lord Liverpool 2 Reece, b Eastwood ...... : 21 Pudney, not out ——• 3 Mclntosh, Ibw,. b Lord Liverpool ... 11 Burton, not out 1 Pollock, o Wilson, b Lord Liverpool 2 .Extras , 7 Eight wickets for - 187 Bowling analysis.—Shawe took two wickets for 34 runs, Lord Liverpool five for 66, Eastwood one for 18. GOVERNMENT HOUSE.—First Innings. Eastwood, o Beeoe, b E. Parton. ...... .41 Bailey, b Magee 3 Lord Liverpool, h Mclntosh 31 Moore, st R. Parton, bD. Parton ... 6 Bryant, e and b D, Parton 0 Wilson, c Knight, h Hayes , 4 McKenzie, c Pollock, b D. Parton .—2 Vino, run out ® Norris, not out - 7 Lyons,'o Pudney, bD. Parton 0 Gaffney, run out —• ® Extras - 13 Total - 1 07 Bowling analysis.—D. Parton -took five wickets for 42 runs, McGee one for 22, Mclntosh one for 10, Hayes one for 15. HAWKE’S BAY v. POVERTY BAY. MATCH POSTPONED OWING TO RAIN. ' Press Association. NAPIER, February 21. The annual match Hawke’s Bay v. Poverty Bay was commenced on the Recreation Ground to-day. The vis tiers batted first, but their exhibition was somewhat tame. W. Gibson, who was top scorer with 38, took over two hours to compile his total. McMahon contributed 19, Ellis 17, Guthrie 11, and Yonng 10. From a spectacular point of view the home team’s batting was far superior. In less than an hour 88 graced the score board for the loss of seven wickets, O’Brien 32. Bonlnois 13, Richards 12 being the principal scorers. Heavy rain set in at 4 o’clock, and the match was postponed till to-morrow. Board was unable to play, having injured his back, and Lusk, of Napier, was also absent, suffering from influenza.