Australian Cricketers.

Patea Mail, 5 February 1881, Page 3

Australian Cricketers.

As very general interest is being manifested in the Australians’ doings in New Zealand, the following clippings have been made from various sources : WELLINGTON. The following are the names of the Wellington team, subject, however, to alterations, should the committee deem such necessary : Messrs Armitage, Blacklock, Brown, Cross, Fulton, Francis, Hickson, Kuchen, Kennedy, Lynch, Luxford, Marchant, M'Girr, M'lntyre, H, Page, J. E. Page, Ronaldson, I. J. Salmon, W. J. Salmon, Sheriff, Speed, and Webb. Emergencies.—Messrs Haughton, S. R.Kennedy, Mansill, and Kreeft. Umpire, J. A. N. Salmon ; scorer, A. T. Bate. WANGANUI. Satisfactory replies are being received from the country players selected to play against the Australians. Messrs Fulton, J. G. Wilson, Robinson, Coutts, Riddiford, Beresford, Farrington, F. Bayley, and G. Bayley have replied in the affirmation. Messrs Eustace and Walker are unable to attend. As soon as replies have been received from all the country players the team will be completed from the town members. The ground is being prepared and practise has commenced. OAMARU. The Oaraaru match was concluded on the 26th January, and unexpectedly ended in a draw. The morning was oppressively hot, but at one o’clock a south-easter suddenly sprang up and blew strongly, accompanied by showers of rain. The game after this became a dodging match with the

weather, and the time thus wasted cost the Australians the match. There was a very small attendance. The scores were : Oatnaru, first innings 54, including 12 byes ; second innings 88, with 14 byes. The highest scorers were Hook 15, Price 16, Denton 13, Borton 11, Walls 10. Total both innings, 142. The Australian chief scorers were Groube 32, Boyle 22, Slight 17, Murdoch and Spofforth 12 each, with 12 for byes, the total being 118. The second innings of Oamaru being concluded about half an hour before time being called, the Australians were about starting when a shower came on, delaying the commencement of their second innings to about sixteen minutes of time being up. Spofforth and Boyle went to the wickets but only got 18. Boyle might easily have been run out, as both men were in the same crease, but the opportunity was lost, and they carried their bats out. Victory was thus snatched from their grasp in an unlookedfor manner, and the game drawn. TTMARU. The match with Timaru was commenced on the 26th January. The scene of action, about a mile west of the town, on the top of some high ground, is rather prettily situated. A great deal of care had been bestowed on the wicket, which, by dint of watering and rolling, had been got in very good order, and played well throughout the day, except that the ball shot occasionally, and hence the Australians were enabled to show better batting form than they have hitherto done. They began unfortunately, but Murdoch and Jarvis made a determined stand ; and what, in any but the Australian Eleven, would be denominated the tail, gave any amount of trouble. The total of the first innings, 218, is the largest so far yet made in New Zealand. H. W. Moore did not play, but the twenty-two, in his stead, had the services of Ashby, the well-known Canterbury bowler, and but for him it is difficult to say what the score would have been. The highest scores by the Australian Eleven were made by Murdock 32, Jarvis 28, Boyle 48, Palmer 38, Alexander 22, the remainder being all below 12, with 19 for byes, the total being 218. The Timaru Twenty-two’s highest scorer, first innings, was Fowler 8, with 13 for byes, the total being 43. There were 12 duck eggs. In the second innings D’Emden made 17, Godly 10, the remainder single figures, the total being 67. Total both innings 110. The Australian bowling analysis shows that in the first innings Spofforth bowled 76 balls for 11 runs, 13 maiden overs, and 11 wickets ; Palmer 75 balls for 19 runs, 9 maidens, and 8 wickets. In the second innings, Boyle bowled 97 balls for 37 runs, 8 maidens, and 11 wickets ; Alexander 96 balls for 28 runs, 11 maidens, and 9 wickets. CHRISTCHURCH. At Christchurch, Fifteen of Canterbury were pitted against the Australian Eleven. The match, which for the last two months has engrossed the entire attention of the cricket world here, commenced on Saturday the 29th. The weather with the exception of a strong breeze from the north-east, was fine ; and the day being a common half-holiday, there was naturally an immense number of people present, estimated variously from 6000 to 8000. In spite of their two months’ constant practice, the Fifteen in the expressive language of our sporting friends, “ cut up rough,” and made not a much better exhibition than some of the other teams who have played the Australians. The latter, as every one knew, were on their mettle, and certainly fielded much better than they have hitherto done, while their bowlers were on the spot, and handled the ball with telling effect. The fielding, which was the theme of admiration in England, was none the less appreciated here, particularly as that of the Fifteen offered so complete a contrast to it. No ball came at such an angle, but that it was picked up clean, and no chances were missed. Murdoch was certainly the observed of all observers on Saturday ; but the ball came his way oftener than the other, and Secretan kept him busily employed ; in fact with an ordinary eleven, Secretan’s score would have been worth double what it was, but many of his best hits were stopped before they scored. The bowling was of the best kind, but considering the fair progress made by the earlier batsmen, it was a surprise to find the last half-dozen men succumb, we may say, to the first ball they received. W. B. Leach played one of those sterling innings with which his name has deservedly been always associated, and Secretan made good his claim to the position of the best

batsman in New Zealand, by carrying his bat for 30. Canterbury made 90 in their first innings, the highest scores being Secretan 30, Leach 18, and Frith 16, only 2 byes. During the innings Secretan got a ball from Palmer, which he played hard into Blackham’s face, inflicting a nasty blow, causing him to retire for a short while. The sympathy of the spectators was shown bj' the applause as he resumed his place at the wickets. The Australians made in their first innings 323, to which Murdoch contributed 111, Groube 42, Slight 45, Blackham 38, Boyle 32, Tobin 31, with 11 for byes. The others were single figures. The conclusion of the match showed the Australians winners by one innings and 100 runs. At a banquet to the Australian cricketers on Saturday night, about 60 gentlemen were present. Mr E. C. J. Stevens, President of the Cricket Association, was i in the chair. Mr Murdoch, replying to the toast of the evening, spoke warmly of the great hospitality the Australians had received in New Zealand. He said Canterbury defeated the first Australian team on their merits, and he hoped the present 1 match would be played out on its merits, aud that the Australians would have ample vengeance, and he really thought 1 they were in for it. The banquet was a great success throughout.