General Gossip.

NZ Truth, Issue 130, 14 December 1907, Page 3

General Gossip.

Saturday's .weather was just the thing again. If present cricket weattiei- continues, it will be a bit of all right wh&n the rep. matches start, and should help considerably to replenish the low state of the Association's cofers. •B.arron was unable to take his place with Midlanders owing to running foul of a measle microbe. What sort of a game is Dr. -Mason and his crowd up to that he allowed -. these sort of things to be wandering around loose. Ward and Co. should close x.p this branch of their brLz, as since it has been inaugurated, th*re has been more flu, scarlet (ever, and other things m this line Knocking about than ever before. Have to see about getting their salaries cut down, aad perhaps they will get their bacilli nets to work to earn their bit, Jos. Hanson filled Barron's place, and to sojsne tune, as Old Boys are aware of. Xc must have had a drought on at one time of his innings, as -he sent a message over to the Caledonian m the shape of the ball. It banged m the front doorway, ami rattled up against the floor screen so hard that it is said to have so startled many of the booze-biters that half their purge was spilled amongst the" sawdust, instead of reaching the ' usual channel, and rumors were rife that^ a claim was- to be preferred against !Jos for shaking their shandy. Midlands wanted to play Joe Smith m Barron's place, but I understand Old Boys objected as Joe is a leftfhaiftlev,' arid argued that feecause B-arron was right-hane'ed, it was only fair that a right-hander should take his place. Don't sec lorce m the argument, but perhaps it's a cass of "sorry I spoke" now. M&nson was congratulated all round aEler his performance, and he deserved it. , ■ ■ ' Claud o Hickson 'must be a recognised ..change bowler for Midland.

Second time foe has been trundling already this season, and had the field backed* him up, he would have had more than one wicket. Have seen him bowl a pretty good ball at practice, and there is no telling what he might do before the season closes. Noticed one of the small boys near the fountain putting up records^one ball he hit through a tram-car window, and the next one through a house window. It's up to some of the glaziers to find out what team he bjelongs vo, and make, the club a donation. New idea was inaugurated by Mid-land-Old Boys scorers m indicating the runs as they were being made when the Midland score was approaching that of Old Boys, instead of putting them up by tens as usual; The idea was appreciated by spectators and players. Gasworks-Petone match started close on two o'clock, and a couple of wickets were, down before Old Boys-Midland match got . a sign of a start. When Old Boys are drawn for Athletic Park they will be ready about Sunday morning perhaps. Midland Juniors put .up 256 for eight 1 wickets, also against Thorndon. Sfssors (113) is his first, century, and a tip-top performance too. One of our senior cricketers is reckoned to be the greatest gas-bag playing the game m Wellington. He is invariably batting or bowling and talking simutaneously the whole afternoon. Most of the crowd could possibly pick him m two. There is a good sprinkling of local fioldsmen who couldn't even beat an old bloke from the Benevolent Home m a fifty yards . sprint. What about their greyhound movements on Saturday at the Basin Reserve ? ' ' After close observation and analyses of the methods of the Englishmen, the "Sportsman's" docket; scribe has come to the conclusion that their plan ■of campaign is— "play the game,, take no risks, le^ve the off theory alone vrtiije batting, and whilst m the field play the off theory persistently, and wait for snicks m the slips." It is a policy that pays, for it is now an admitted fact that Australian batsmen nowadays, as -compared with their English friends, take, infinitely more risks while batting. Of course, the spectators appreciate this kind of batting, 'but the Englishmen win m the end— and that is. what they are m the game for. It does not matter 10, 20, or 30 years lience how the game was won. It will •be on record that. so and so won, and, by jove, that is what really counts—victory ! Sid Gregory is still hitting up records, though not- m the cricket field. He is juggling with them m the record branch of the Sydney. G.P.0., iii which branch ke recently got a 'billet. A word ih time often saves heaps of trouble. The recently imported "coot" from the other island, who does a bit with the ball for the Wellington Clirt) seniors, would do well to remember that people up this way ! haven't got any time for "bounderism," no matter what the custom is m Sabbyterian cities of' Dunedin type. Anyhow, the player m ernestoon is very small potatoes from whatever viewpoint one takes of him. Carter, as stoompor for the Whalers was an absolute failure. Experts unfavorably criticised Noble's handling of the N.S.W. combination, and praise Jones's generalship to the skies. The disposition of the latter 's forces is said to have been the work of a masterful tactician, while Noble's methods were not understandable. Hutcfeings promises to be a warm favorite with Australian cricket crowds. He is a fine looking fellow, and the geatle sex are sure to 1 give him mere than a passing glance. Hardstaff has already wormed himself into phe good graces of t'othersMcrs. A Sydney . crowd , is remarkably quick m sorting out the weakness of cither players or spectators. Many a shaft of wit is hurled at the unlucky wifc&'t wjio thoughtlessly obstructs its view, and, should be persist, something hard is lively to be hurled as well. At- one match umbrellas were frequently requisitioned to beat off the sun's fierce rays. This was all very well where they did. not obstruct the view, but one individual m the front put up his gingham. .He was requested- to put it down, but took no notice. Then the fun began— banana skins, clods of grass, and even oranges were cast at the offending one. He only crouched a bit lower, and kept himself well .covered with the 'brella. Then came the grand finale. A lighted match was quietly applied to the edge of the' offending article, and m the twinkling of an eye there was nothing left but the bare ribs ! Archie MacLaren 'discovered Barnes and- for tire time being practically broke him down. The Englishmen's out-cricket m their tussle with N.S.W. sent their stock up a hundred per cent. The Auckland team, which passed through here on Tuesday, en route to Christchurch, is under the management of Mr H. Froude, the North Shore 'delegate to the Auckland Cricket Association. Several enthusiasts *u-e accompanying the team, including Frank McNeil, the one-time Rival player. Who is the senior player that has the ear of the "DomiHion ? s" crickat scribe when summing up the qualifica'fcioHs of players for rep. honors ? Looks very much as ; if he was the same grot who pulled the leg of the "Post's" critic scribe so vigorously and so often what time Jack Barr was rua-mag the column m the evening rag. The grandstand at" the Rockhampton Cricket Association's ground was destroyed by fire some weeks ago. This was unfortunate for the Association, because the overdraft of many years had .just been liquidated. Now the hat has to be sent around for money to rebuild tke structure. The bowling feat of Barnes has been eclipsed m an interstate match as recently as 1890. when Jim Phillips, playing with Victoria against the Cornstalks, obtained seven wick-

lets for 20 runs, off 251 balls, upon a- perfect pitch. The team consisted 01 A Bannerman, o. ' Richardson, H. i Moses, I-I. Donnan, F. Ivedale, S. Gregory, P. Charlton, J. Ferris, T, ! Garrett, F. Downes, and I. Wales. Its score was -151, A. Bannerman carrying his ■ bat right through the innings for 45, and Syd Gregory making 50. The innings lasted 5* hours. A collection for Phillips amounted to £15. The extraordinary success of the I Englishmen against the acknowledged' I champion State has enhanced the interest m the Test matches trernendjously, and, fair weather prevailing, it-he success ef the tour financially is assured. The Board of Control's guarantee of i' 0,060 now looks pretty kosher. M.9 Trevor, the genial manager of tli, English oeam, is assisting materially to keep down extravagance by exercising not mean, but judicious economy. Australians take their sport too seriously. The supporters of the home team were pictures of dejecj tion what time Jones's trundlers were up-ending its timber-stacks, and Ito look at their faces one would think a national calamity had hap;pened. In the N.S.W. r. English match Noble rang the changes "m his 'bowling 19 times ; Jones only once. The latter was not called upon to use his reserves. The ovation accorded to the Englishmen by the pavilionites, after the summary dismissal of the supposed invincible Walers, was a well-deserv-sd tribute to an excellent and unexpected display of bowling, fielding and captaincy. It was spontaneous and thrilling, and superbly impartial. Stated that Ranji, the Jam, of Ohutney Land, is whipping m a team of Ms. turbaued countrymen to the noble art of bat and ball. Possibly he has. heard about the deeds of the dusky Fiiidn willow-wielders, and is jealous oi the colored championship of the world. Most of Sydney's "know-all" cricket .scribes, who have been cackling about the English team's weakness m the bowling department, were as silent as dams regarding the mowing down Qf the Cornstalks. Cricket prophets and weather prognosticators, alike, stand on thin ice. Barnes's . performance (6 for 24) m the first innings of the N.S.W. men against the Englishmen is . -put down by some experts as the best performance ever achieved on a good I wicket against good batsmen. "Recorder," m the "Sydney Sportsman," # does not agree with this view and he' mentions a few others that he has witnessed which impressed him just as much, and m a couple of cases more than Barnes's feat. Playing for £>haw and Shrewsjburv's 1.884-5 team, against Victoria Wilfrid Flowers, m the second innings bowled 44.3 overs, 26 maidens 31 runs, and 8 wickets ; a rematkablv fine performance. In the match against N.S.W.. Barnes's uncle, the late William Barnes, sent down 30 overs, 19 maidens, for 19 runs and 5 wickets. Tn the return match Peel and Attewell. who bowled throughout the NSW. innings, achieved a remarkable performance. Peel bowled 50.1 overs, 27 of which were maidens, for 27 runs, and 7 wickets, a performance on a good wicket against good batsmen that ranks with any thing "Recorder" knows of. AtteweU. m that innings, bowled 50 lovers, 37 being maidens, for 29 runs 'and 3 wickets. Barnes is a great bowler, but he has a long wav to go to come up to some of his predecessors. In 1873 J.oseph Coates, of Paramatta accomplished a very fine performance against Victoria on the Albert Ground. In Victoria's second innings he bowled 40.1 overs (31 maidens) for 19 runs and 6 wickets, a feat that seems to have been forgotten by present day chroniclers of the game. Curiously enough this was the first match .m which poor Harry Boyle bowled for Victoria against Ne* South Wales. He secured two wickets for 39. In 1896 C. T. B. Turner, probably the best bowler on all wickets the world has ever produced, playing against South Australia at Sydney. sent down 43.3 overs for 35 runs and C wickets, 25 of the overs .'being maidens. What a joyful surprise it must have been to the Britishers to lick the Welshmen so easily after having, to listen to the sickening adulation of the t'other siders. "Wait till you get to New South Wales" must have been nauseating.- and, no doubt, affected the character of the Englishmen's batting on the first day. The Cornstalk's idolised willowwielders came an awful cropper, and were ruthlessly pulled off a pedestal upon which hitherto they had not | undeservedly been set up. I The Sydney crowd was completely broken up, and the question, "Are we down-hearted ?" met with a very feeble negative response from the citizens on the hill. When the last mail left Sydney "Andy" Newell, who disappeared three weeks back, has not been heard of. As there is no trace of his two ddgs, the matter is still a mystery. The ex-Victonian cricketer, M'Cann, who made a couple of appearances behind the wickets for D.unedin Cricket Club with no success, has faded right out of cricket existence, and a new keeper has been selected m his stead. There is some doubt about Austin, the Carisbrook batsman, going further 'north with the Otago team than Wellington. Pressure of business is t;he* cause. Negotj/ations are, however, being entered into with a view to his getting extended leave. A singularly pathetic illustration of -the ruling passion asserting itself to the end was forthcomiag m the last hours of Harry Boyle. Up to the close of the match between England and Victoria, on the day previous to Ms ■death, 'fee was keenly interested m the- details of the play, and practically the last act of his life, other than biddißg farewell to his assembled friends and relations, was to despatch from his death feed a telegram congratulating Victor Ransford on making a century against the Englishmen. • It is understood Ransford is haying .the telegram framed, and will preserve it m memory of one of the best sportsmen that the world has known. •