CRICKET.

NZ Truth, Issue 92, 23 March 1907, Page 3

CRICKET.

(By Scout) i

It is" not generally known that S. E. Gregory was suffering from< whooping cough when playing 'in his benefit match. He contracted the ailment from his two children. I have to acknowledge with thanks a complimentary ticket to the Old Boys' "shivoo " at the Hotel Cecil on the 27th inst. Having won the Senior Championship m • great style this season, the ex-collegians are entitled to make merry over the event, and next week's gathering promises to be something quite out of the ordinary. First class vocal and instrumental talent has been secured to. keep the pot going to boiling point. ' Playing for North Sydney against Redfern, A. B. White knocked up 177 runs m 90 minutes. In these days however, it is quite the fashion ,to compile big scores. The Shoremen put up 545 for six wickets against Redfern m 3 hours and 20 minutes, and but for a cessation of play on account of rain Paddington's record for an afternoon's batting m Sydney, vi&., 615 for nine wickets,, would have been ' passed by. The fact of Mackay playing fqr South Africa m the test matches against England will, • says a Sydney 'Writer, ma;ke a farce of the match m the ' international sense. Sunny Jim, at present, has no more right to play for South Africa than P. L. Jackson has to play for Australia. A Truimperes<)ue exhibition of batting was given m Sydney a few Saturday's ago when Victor hit up 110 m 58 minutes. A sixer and 20 fours were included m his scoring strokes. The demolition by fire of the Sydney Cricket Ground No. 2 pavillion is covered m mystery. How the fire originated is a puzzle. The practice ' nets were destroyed m the blaze, and new ones are now m use. Australians m South' Africa appear to be pretty unanimous m the view that the .South African team are like* ly to be severely drubbed on English wickets m the forthcoming test matches. It is worth noting, however that the South Africans themselves are of' a different opinion. The Auckland members of the New Zealand team on their return home spoke well of their treatment m the south, but they were not quite so enthusiastic over either the wicket at Ohristchurch or : Wellington. Haddon exaggerated ths situation m Wellington when he said the pitch was a ■ regular paiddoek and the outfield was as bad as the wicketj it being impossible to judge how the ball would fiv either off the pitch or the ground. Haddon, who is such a '■•mufi" m the field made, some awful botches m catching and stopping during the progress of the Wellington match, conseouentlv one is not so surprised to hear of him going on the principle that "any stick is good enough to whack a lame dog with." The wicket was a bit cruel, but the outfield was not responsible for the Aucklandsr's execrable fielding exhibition. E. Pooley, the once famous stumper, is still hale and hearty, despite his 79 years. He was a member of Lilly-white's teapi which ,toured ..these parts m l'S"7'7. During the team's, visit to Christchurch, Pooley was m an hotel bar one night, and offered to take £1 to Is that he named the individual score of the local 22. The bet was accepted and Pooley named a "goose-egg" as each man's score. There were several ducks, and Pooley claimed £l 4 or each of them, offering to pay Is for the bets he had lost. Mr Donkin, the other bettor, refused to pay, saying Pooley 's bet was a catch. Pooley proceeded to deal out stouch to Donkin. After the next match (against Otago) Pooley was arrested on two charges —assault and maliciously damaging property. He was fined ,£5 for the assault, and with Alf. Bramall, an attendant on the English team, was found not guilty m the other case.. Poo<ley did' hot play with his team again, jcoing straight back to England. , The local public subscribed £50 for Pooler and Bramall, and also presented Poolev with a gold ring. Pooley, who holds the. record for most wickets (12) obtained by a wicket-keeper m a first-class match.