CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 3, 5 January 1903, Page 2

CRICKET.

As soma surprise hae been expressed at the absence of a representative of the Daily Newi at the smoke concert g;vrn to Lord Hawke's t«am of cricketers o < Friday evening last, nnd 'ha absence of a ivport of the same in Saturday's is.u?, we feel cilled upon to say thit no one bad th<j courtesy to inform us of the function. We usually put these ominous down to or careL'ss'iess, and treit them with the silence they deserve ; bu f , in this cas", an explanation is due to our visitors who we.°o such genuine sportsmen, and were pleased to spsak very favourably of the reports of tbe'r matches which appeared in our columns. A review of the results of the three mat hes'alrea ly played io New Zealand by Lord Hawke's team is exceedingly interesting, and is crelitable to the North Taranaki team for, as Mr Warner termed it, " The go and confi t ncd shown by them in the second innings." At Auckland they met ooe of the best teams in the colony, a team that has the whole Pr >yioc3 of Auckland, with 176,000 people, to dra* f.om, The Aucklacd team was in good practice, while Lord Hawke's team whs

fresh off the vjyage and out of practice The re ult w<s: - Lord Hiwke's team, first innings 321 Auckland, first innings .. .. 120 Auckland, secocd innings . . 72 Auckland's total .. 192 The visitors thus winning by 120 iuns and *n innings. The second mitch at Hawera the visitors met a Taranaki 18, a team drawn from the whole of Taranaki, with a papulation of 37,000 people, and again the visitors were not up to form, having arrived in New Plymouth on the oaorningof the match, after a very rough voyage, and going straight on to the ground after a train'journey of 49 mile 3. The gronnd was in excellent order, and the Taranaki batted with 18 men, but fielded with 15, and the result was Lord Hawke's Tetm, first innings 157 Loid Hawke's Team, second innings, one wicket .. .. 28 Total .. .. .. 185 Taranaki (18), first innings .. 146 Taranaki (18), second innings . • 37 Total .. .. .. 183 The Englishmen thus winning by nine wicket* and two 'ruts. The third match of the tour was the one at New Plymouth, where tbe v iitors met North Taranaki, a team of eighteen drawn from some half d zen clubs north of S'ntford. Toe visitors admitted they had rtCivered their form, and owing to the heavy rain which fell throughout the night and morning the match did not begin till 3.30 in tho afternoon. The load msn batted with eighteen man and fhlded with fifteen. The wicket was thoroughly s;ddeo and the conditions as adverse for good bitting as possible. The local captain winning the toss very prop: rly and gnnerou ly decided to bit. This gave the wicket time to improve, as it did every hour, and the next moroiag it was in splendid order, enibling thi visitors to give ihe splendid display of batting, the like of which has never been seen before iu Taranaki, In both bowling acd bitting the visitors were in good form, and dejpita EOini fnul's the locil men, considering the quality of their opponen's, played 'with courage and confidence to the end, The result was: Lord Hawke's Team, first innings 320 North Taranaki (18) first innings 86 North Taranaki (18) sscond innings 131 Total* ... .. .. 217 Lord Hawke's ta m winning by an ioniogs And 103 iuns. In other words at Auckland the visitors put up 321 run* and the local team responded with 192. At Hawera the visitors put up 185 runs and tbe loc\l team 183. At New Plymouth the visitors put up 320 and the local team 217. Mr Ambridge, wbo umpired ard trek an active part in connection with ■the visit of liord Hawke's team, was preientsd by Mr Warner with the ball used in the North Teranaki nntch. The present is the mora >valu ibie because it has the autograph, placed on i*, of each member of tbe English team. Mr Sam H 11, who scored with Mr Hardy, in the untoh with Lard Hawke's team, was one of the scorers on the occwion of the visit of the las l English teim, in 1877. NORTH TARA.NAKI FIXTURES. SECOND ROUND. . January Bch. Rovers v. Inglewood, at Inglewood. Road v. Wanderers, at Rec. Midhirst v. Stratford, a*i Stratford. January 15;b. Midhirst v. Tariki. Carrington Read v. Stratford, atlnglewcoi. Ravers v. Wanderers, at' Rec. January 22nd. Wanderers v. Midnirat, at Inglewood. Carrington R ad v. Rover', at Cari rington Road. Inglewood v, Stratford, at Stratford. | January 29th, Carrington Road v. Midhirst, at IngleI wood. Wanderers v. Inghwcol, #t Res. February sth. Wanderors v. Sr.ratford, at Inglewood. Ftbuary 12' h. Carrington Road v. Inglewood, at Inglewood. February 19th. Rovers v. Stratford, at Inglewood. February 26tb. Rovers v. Midhirst, at Inglewood. LORD HAWKE'S TEAM t. WANGANCI. PBB PRESS association. Wavqandi, January 3. The cricket m itch Wangauui ?. Lord Hawke's team was commenced this afternoon in fair but clou ly weither. Wanganui won the toss and baited, their first innings closing for 120 Oarrad 21, Gordon 20, Logan and Bannister 16, and J. Marshall 13 we'e tap scorers. The Englishmen lost two' wickets for 21 runs, Warner not out 14, Leatham 0, Fane 2. CANTERBURY - WRLLINGTON MATCH. Oaristc hurch, January 4. The Canter bury-Wellington match ended in an easy win f >r Can'arbuiy by 62 runs Received 4 6.33 p.m. Melbourne, January 4. {South Aus ralia'a fi at innings realised 317 ; Hill 124, Gehrs 45 Armstrong took 2 wicknts for 71, for 71, Ujllius 1 for 90,»*Warne 1 fo> 42 Victoria in their second inciiugs lost three wickata for 102, Mailer, not out, 49, Noonan 22.