General Gossip.

NZ Truth, Issue 122, 19 October 1907, Page 3

General Gossip.

Now that only two days ere to be devoted, to each senior match, it behoves all teams to be punctual and not lose so much time on the fall of a wicket. Players should be ready to cross each other at the fence, and I fail to see why this cannot be done if they are anxious enough to get as much play as possible. Skippers of- teams paste this par on your dials m a prominent place.

.The Gasworkers have their first "fly" of the season this afternoon. The new members of the team are : Hodge, Waters, Gourlay, Canning. Moore, and Hill. Hodge is a good left-handed hat, and an excellent wicket-keeper, having played senior cricket m N.S. Wales. Canning is a good hat and change bowler, hailing from England and South Africa. Moore is a young player whc comes from Dunedin, where he played senior for Carisbrook ; is a good change bowler and fair bat. Hill is the same who played for the Wellington seniors last season and obtained many cood wickets for them. Wat^s ml Gourlay are both placers Iready known to cricket followers, having played for the Newtovm Club m their last season. The former is a bat with sterling defence, and should get plenty of runs this season Gourlay at the present .time, is perhaps the fastest bowler

the team— -Dredge, Waugh, McKay, Duske (-the same old Dick), and Ashbolt, are well known to habitues of the Basin, during the summer months. Masterton cricketers have wisely come to the conclusion that the junior player wants greater encouragement. Their proposal is to provide grounds for matches free of charge. Martin Luckie says nay to the proposal to give him a seat at the Cricket Association's Council Board per medium of third-class committee representation. So Bert Salmon's astute little scheme goes to the boards. Martin did the sensible thing when he fired' shy of the backstairs entrance. H. Egan, who has taken an active part m Masterton cricket, has come to reside m the capital city. Before leaving the country town, he was presented by a number of his friends with a handsome dinner service. The question of dividing tho Wairarana Cricket Association into two divisions, North and South, has ibeen discussed by the Masterton Cricket Club, aad that club has decided to invite the co-operation of the Carlton Club with a view of going fully into the matter. The Fijian team, which will visit Australia, will be under the charge of Ratu Kadava Levu. King of 'Fiji, a grandson of King Cakoban; The team will arrive m December, and play m Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, m their native costume. That periwinkle-sized batsman, Sid Gregory, dies hard. He came out of his shell with a vengeance m his initial effort of the season, and knocked up 219 before his 4iouse came down. In cricket circles that night his display was the theme of general admiration, and the "supposed has been's" ears mush have tinged at the many nice things, that were said about it. Sid registered his first 100 m 100 minutes, and his second m ah hour. The 219 included six sixers, three ot! successive balls, and 31 fours. Beginning slowly until he played himself m, and battling for his side all the time, the pocket champion gradually mastered the mediocre bowling, but when he let loose his aggressive play, superbly timed and skillfully executed strokes all round, fairly roused the spectators, who accorded him a great and well deserved ovation for his sterling performance, when he quitted the centre just before the call of time.

Sid was unfortunate m the wav he cot out. He was unintentionally disconcerted by the Redfern skipper, who called to one of his field. Gregory ipulled away from the wicket just after Loudon, the bowler, .had delivered the ball, too late to recover before his timber was disturbed. The Redfern skipper, m the most sportsmanlike spirit, offered to allow the batsman to continue, but "Lolly" declined to take advantage. The action of both players was commendable, and it is just such fair play that renders any sport enjoyable to friend and foe alike.

Congratulations to Earnie Upham on getting that thousandth wicket. He has plugged away now for many years, and it will probably be a decade at least before another trundler will stand the wear and tear sufficiently long enough to come up to the Midlander's figures. It would be interesting, to know Alick Downes of Dunedin stands m this respect, for he .must have garnered m a great crop of scalps since he started out m first-class cricket.

Ted Williamson, a Sydney enthusiast and sporting boniface, was so delighted with "Tich" Gregory's recent batting achievement that he sent word to him to select the best bat he could find m Sydney.

The suggestion to form a veteran's team m each Auckland district has hung fire for a time, but strong hones are entertained that the scheme will he brought to a successful issue. Each player, is required to be over forty years of age. The Eden and North Shore Clubs have formed a team, and other clubs should do something as early as possible.

W. B. Burns, who was ever here with Captain Wynard's team, m the Yorkshire and Worcestershire match, caught eicht men at second slip.

A writer on cricket is responsible j for the following . remarks regarding the South African team : Oninions may, and do, differ as to the relative strength of the South African and recent Australian teams. The former certainly do nofypossess any batsmen to be compared with the best of the Australians, but they are a very hard side to dismiss on a good wicket, and one of the best which have visited us so far as playing an uphill game is concerned. They have frequents shown how strong they are m batting by the performances registered by their tail. Their bowling, too, is exceptionally strong, whilst m fielding taey would set a good example to many of the leading counties. It would be interesting to see the side Tutted against Australia • on a hard wicket a very good frame would probably result. English files state that Arnold, the Worcestershire professional, had not received his invitation to join the M.C.C. team for Australia^ this being the reason for his failure to renlv within the time allotted. The invitation, it is stated, was sent, "care of Mr H. K. Poster," and that at the time it was delivered, Arnold was away from home. Not having returned home m the meantime, and his wife not knowing his address, she was unable to forward it to him. The Lord's authorities sent to Arnold a second letter to the effect that having obtained no reply they took it for granted that he did not wish to join the party. According to the Yorkshire "Post," Hirst's withdrawal from the M.C.C. team was not due to a desire for a larger sum for the trip. The paper mentioned says : "The chief reason which has actuated him is a regard to his own physical fitness. As everyone interested m cricket knows, Hirst has done a tremendous amount of work *vith bat and ball m the last two or three years, and last season he created a ! world's record by scoring 2000 runs and talcing over 200 wickers m first- ■ class cricket. All this labor has told severely upon liis physical fitness. He does not now feel equal to the strain of playing three consecutive seasons without rest, for, of course, that is what a tour m Australia would involve. He v/ould rather forego the distinction v.bkh a m the English kom m Misconfers, t-l-^n take the risk i

of a breakdown, with the resultant decline of service m first-class cricket m this country." Three players who have assisted Canterbury rep. teams m former years— Patrick (Petone) , Barron (Midland) and Fisher (Wellington)— were on active duty at the Basin Reserve last Saturday.