CRICKETING EXPERIENCE.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 187, 24 January 1877, Page 2

CRICKETING EXPERIENCE.

I The Darting Downs Gasette (Qneensland) claims to speak with authority oil the subject of cricketing, having had. considerable experience. It says :—« “ With regard to batting, our hits used to be famous. There was one hit on the knee we got which was enough of itself to confer celebrity on any man. We were a marked cricketer from that day $ and, with respect to scoring, could we have hatched off all the duck’s eggs we produced, We could have stocked a poultry farm. They appeared all good sitters. As to bowling, there was no man more esteemed among bowlers than ourselves. We were invaluable for giving a good analysis. Our defence was so admirable that it Was seldom our wicket was put down. The usual system adopted was to bowl about Iwo balls at otlr legs till We got nervous, and kept dodging about in front of the wicket, when the bowler would send in a straight one and hit us again, upon which the Umpire Would come up. We would welcome him from our writhing-place on the ground, under the idea that he was come to sympathise ; but he would, as a rule, only smile cheerfully, and remark that we were 'out, leg before wicket.’ As a fielder, again we excelled. We were generally posted at ‘ long off,’ and entered into the position heart and soul, leaving nothing undone to be as ‘ long’ and ‘off’ as possible. Some coolness ensued with the captain, however, owing to that authority making an uncalled for remark that he preferred having 7 j fielders where he could see them without having to use a telescope.’ 1