CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 309, 4 January 1908, Page 5

CRICKET.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copy* right).

SECOND XL>T MATCH. EXGLIMI.UEN MAKE 382. Received 3rd, <J.SB p.m. Melbourne, January 3. Tlie wicket was excellent alid the weather warm for the match tu-day, The attendance reached I0,(KK). Hutch.ngs did not last long when play resumed. He started briskly, but only added nine when he was bowled by Cotter. Ills innings lasted two hours 43 minutes, and was a really marvellous exposition. It was the predominant feature of England's hatting, and showed how bowling could be hit all over the Held, but none of his colleagues followed his example. He hit 21 fourers

and one sixer, and showed amazing powers of wrist and forearm in all his strokes. He has a peculiar llick which is unorthodox and highly successful, Old cricketers claim that nobody, barring the Indian Prince Ranjitsinghi, has come from England to Australia with such extraordinary skill in this direction. He received a well deserved ovation on returning to the pavilion. Braund played a solid and artistic innings, which last two hours 40 minutes and iaduded five boundary hits. Rllodes' was out to a wretched stroke after a colorless innings. Australia's fielding and bowling were very good, Armstrong in particular keeping the runs down with a ma<*niticent length. Cotter and (Saunders both bowled exceedingly W ell. England's innings lasted 7. hours and 2 minutes uiU.Tnn* Bt f itß secoud with .Noble and Xrumper. lane, satisned with the performance of Crawiord

£ fi " t ilmin e s . put him on with Fielder, but before long he sought relief in Barnes, Rhodes and Braund. The batsmen immediately entered upon foreMg the game, and scored rapidly. Runs came from both ends with splendid regularity, each batsman playing sound and artistic cricket, .which delighted the crowd. They hit up their 96 runs in 80 minutes, and when stumps were drawn they were greeted with a burst °£ cheers. ENGLAND.— First Innings "(con.) Hutchings, b Cotter „ ..126 Braund, b Cotter M 49 Hardstaff, b Saunders Rhodes, b Saunders w * „. .. 32 Crawford, e Ransford, b Saunders .. 16 Humphries, b Cotter „ ~ g Barnes, c Hill, b Armstrong 14 Fielder, not out mm „ .. 6 Extras " jq :T

Total 3R2 Bowling analysis—Cotter, five for l-ll; /Saunders, three for 100; Noble, none for 26; Armstrong, two for 30; Hazlett, none for 34, Macartney, none for 34. The wickets fell as follows:—Four for 126, five for 291, six for 325, Beven for 353, eight for 360, nine for 309. 'AUSTRALIA. First Innings .. ~260 Second Innings. Trumper, not out .. .. 46 Noble, not out mK M . ~ 60

Total for no wickets .. 96 AUCKLAND v. OTAGOPer Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The cricket match between Auckland and Otago was continued to-day in fine weather. There was a good attendance. Play, generally speaking, was slow, and hot up to the opening day's form. Scores:—

OTAGO.—Fiwt Innings. A. Adams, c Hernqs b Relf .„ .. 21 F. Williams, b Relf „ ..1 6. S. Austin, lbw, Rell .. 0 H. G. Siedeberg, c Olliff, b Kerr .. 6 A. Eckhold, b Relf ~ , t 8 W. W. MacKeney, lbw, Beli % H. C. Watson, b Relf .. ... 11 T. Adams, c Robinson, b Kerr .. 0 W. Kilgour, not out 3 R. C. Torrance, c Smith, b Kerr ~ 1 A. Dckhoff, c Prime, b Kerr .. 12 Extras .. 16 Total .. .. 81 In bowling, Relf got six wickets for 22 runs; Haddon, none for 5, White, none for 9; Kerr, four for 24, Olliff, none for 5. AUCKLAND. First Innings ' .. ... 207 Second Innings. L. G. Hemus, c and b Austin .. 29 W. B. Smith, c A. Adams, b MacKersey .. ... .. 0 E. V. Sole, b'Eckoff 25 L. Prime, b Eckoff .. .. 0 G. Cummng, not out .. ~- ~. 29 A. Haddon, c and b Austin .. >. 9 A. E. Relf, not out .. ». .< 31 Extras U * - Total for five wickets .. ■ • 134 In bowling, Torrance got no wickets for 35 runs; Mac Kersey, one for 2!); Eckoff, two for 24; Austin, two for 27; Watson, none for 8.

WELLINGTON v. CANTERWRY. 1 Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. After a close finish, Wellington Iwat Canterbury on the stroke of the clock. Play lasted from 11 till 6.30, and the game was only won in the final over of the day. Wellington closed their innings at 348 for seven wickete. Beechy increased his score to 94, nearly all by singles, and Blacklock hit up !W by lintting of an entirely opposite characterBoth, however, were missed. Hiek.sou made 38, and Williams 29. Canterbury had 310 to get in two hours, but never tried for the runs. Reese played another fine innings of 69, and Orotard hit up 36, but with nearly an hour to go, eight wickets had fallen. Then Bennett and Williams made a stubborn stand, the latter simply blocking, while the former hit. They took the total to 211, and Crawshaw stayed till the last over. Bennett was afraid to let him have the bowling, and would not run for his own hits, but unluckily gave a chance off the last ball but one, which was accepted, the total being 218. This was a high-scoring match, 1255 runs being recorded.

N.S.W. SCHOOL TEACHERS' TOOK. Per Press Association. Auckland, Last N'ight. The New South Wales school teachers beat Auckland teachers to-day by seven wickets on the first innings. Auckland made 170 (Ohlson 63, Jacobson 87), and the visitors responded with 171 for three wickets (Rosa 07, Smith 77, not out).

The Fijian* who are now in Australia were no match for the team they met in their first match, but their work in the iield was full of interest. Their dress filled the spectators with astonishment. Only the wicket-keeper, an Englishman, wore regulation llannels. Two were clad in white linen shirts and jumpers, and the others wore skirts of what looked like seaweed, over short trunks, a loose blouse, also apparently of seaweed, a sasli of bark or skin, bows on their arm?, beads rouud their necks, and flowers round their waist or in their hair. As the game progressed, they found their blouses an encumbrance, so they slipped out of them and went about their work naked to the waist. They also gradually discarded their beads and armlets, and as they left their belongings 011 the field, the ground soon looked like the

lloor of a theatrical wardrobe room. Their fielding is descrilied by the Daily Telegraph as good in parts, some of the men being exceptionally smart, and all as keen as possible. Each man squatted as if aljont to spring, and as soon as

the ball was hit, several of the men went after it. Their forte is throwing down the wicket. Several chances were mitred, but it was explained they wore nervous, as it was the first time they had played liefore white people. They showed the primitive spirit, inasmuch as when an opponent was dismissed I Hoy did not try to hide their emotions, but I danced with glee. A white cricketer is probably just as happy when he sees the hack of 0110 of the opposition, but I he does not turn t-omersalilts when n dismissal is brought about. When a catch was dropped in the slip, ill the first over, the bowler danced about and snapped his fingers to show his annoyance. This demonstration was more or less justifiable, as it hap|H'ned, for the batsman made a century. For batting the Fijians put on a jacket ami silk shirt. Some of them batted excellently, their strength

being on the let; side. With the flowhowling they conlil do nothing. Fielding is their strongest department. and tlicy «cem to be ' fond of it. When they won the tos-, they elected to field. ;il•though the wieket was good, and when they had the option of following on. they chose to go into the field again, where they worked their hardest for the rcit of the game,