CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 302, 17 December 1908, Page 3

CRICKET.

The New Plymouth team to play High School at Tukapa on Saturday, at 2.1 a sharp, is as follows:—Lash, Wcsto.i, Williams, Whittle, McLaren, Muldoon, Cook, Johns, McAllu.ni, Stohr. and liorucr.

Hawthorn is unable to go to Christchurch for the intei-provincial cricket match, Wellington v. Canterbury. The vacancy will be tilled by Cockroft, says a Wellington telegram. "Long Slip" says in the Otaga Witness auent the Otago professional coaches:—Messrs. Ayles and Wordsworth, the two professional coaches engaged by the Otago Association to leach the young idea bow to play cricket, have already taken up their duties. Wordsworth has a nice easy action, and swings down a very fast ball on occasions. He was alleged in some quarters to be as fast as Cotter, but with better length and direction. I cannot -ay for bis -speed,' but he lias certainly '-.iot yet shown us that he is as fast as the' Sydney 'express,' but that he bowls with better length and dilution there is no gainsaying. Wordsworth 'mixes' them with rare judgment, sending down a variety which puzzles the batsmen, and has tiiein thinking all the time. Ayles is so far something of an unknown quantity, ami until he

get.- used to our wick:''- i; would be unfair to judge him on what little he has shown at practice. That lie will prove a useful club kit-man I have n? doubt, but whether he is superior t.) some of the local talent has yet to be proved.