AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS AT HOME

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 121, 19 June 1909, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS AT HOME

AUSTRALIANS' AVIMAGES UP TO AND INCLUDING SECOND TEST MATCH. BATTING.

ENTER THE AUSTRALIANS. JTKST APPEARANCE IN LONDON.

(Wellington Times' Correspondent). London, May 7. The Australian cricketers put ill their first appearance in London lor practice last Monday. The players, most of whom only reached London at the end of the week, could not afford to waste much time, only three days remaining in 'which to shake off the effects of the long sea I voyage and to loosen their joints in readiness for the serious business of the campaign. Matters had been cut very line, for it is 110 liglit task at any time to face Notts ihe champion county of 1007, still less so to tackle a team whos'e members have been practising assiduously for weeks, within a few days of arrival in a country to which one-half the Australians are absolutely new,

The practice was watched by a goodly number of people, and the impression created was on the whole very favorable, especially as regards the "howling of the new men, WhiUy and O'Connor, on whom, after Cotter, it is expected the brunt of the ibowling will fall. 0 Connor comes to us' with a reputation fur "mixing" his ibowling considerably, ami iinijiiestiuiiaibly he did so on Monday, sending down on occasions a pronounced "googly." iliis action was, however, voted "rather clumsy." Whitty greatly pleased several of those carefully taking stock of him. Twice lie beat Trumper with rare good balls, one 01 which came across from leg and the other the reverie way. In delivery lie has 'been likened to *Dean, the Lancashire professional.

Of the, batting it was impossible to take serious notice, for most of the men were "having a go," even the cautious MeAlister almost entirely abandoning lieleuce 111 iavor of "shoulder-opening" work. ' °

the members tff the team are models of reticence ,and the swarms' of interviewers' who have tried their hands on the Australians have found in them an oyalor-like capacity for silence on those pom s on wjiich newspaper »„,, W onld chielly like them to be communicative. Here is a sample of Noble on the journalistic rack:—

(Questioned whether he expected to «'IM all his matches, hc said: "No, we are not so egotistical, ami I „«, not going to say anything 0 f tlickinil." How about your batting strength-is that he greatest feature of the team? . I have not said so; if the newspapers i| England have expressed that opinion, that is dm. to information that has come from Australia. I an, not goin" to say what is our real strength." . U hat js your opinion about the howling of the team?

. I will not say anything about it: it is no good talking at the present moment. \\ o want to be judged on our performances. We shall all do our .best and we hope to maintain the traditions of previous Australian teams that have come to this country.-'

On Tuesday the" popular comedian, t.eoige Lobey, "assisted" the Australians at practice, and created any amount ol amusement by clean-howling ctor Irnmpor. It was hard to saf »"other the towlcr o'r his' victim wi e more surprised at „„. ~ ■ mt Bobcy wa s undoubtedly highly delighted at his unexpected success

c "" so K < 1. W. ArniP.ti'Diig i« :i 100 5U4 43.3 2. \\. Banlslev 1!) 1 2111 773 42.0 3. V. Hansford 11 1 174 527 40.5 4. V. Xniiupcr 18 1 133 518 30.4 5. 1'. Mrti-alistiT 12 3 42 243 27.0 0. S. K tiiegory 14 3 51 230 21.7 7. Jl. A. Noble 10 1 107 313 20.0 8. C. Macartney 15 1 4S» 201 18.2 ». A. Cotter !) 0 35 123 13.0 10. It. Ilartigau 15 1 45" 109 12.1 11. O'Connor 0 2 30* 81 11.4 12. A J. Hopkins 2 0 ■15 20 10.0 13. W. Wliitty 11 C 11 40 9.2 H. 11. Carter. 15. I'. Lavev 11 1 7 1 01 17 84 8.4 40 S.l 10. W. Carkock 4 0 8 15 3.7 'HSignilic s "not out." BOWLIXC Wkts. iluns. . Av'ge. 1. P. Laver . 41 472 11.5 2. W. WJiltly . . 40 507 14.1 3. W. Armstrong. . 44. UliO 15.1 1. (J. Macartney ( . * 31 483 15.5 5. ,1. O'Connor . . 13 348 20.7 «. M. A. Noiblc . . 12 331 27.5 7. A. Cotter . IK 508 20.8 RECORD TO DATE. 'Alatclllia jilaved 12, w on 5. lost 3,