CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 313, 12 February 1910, Page 3

CRICKET.

THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM.

OPENING MATCTI IN WELLINGTON.

SMALL SCORING,

By Telegraph.—Press' Association

Wellington, Last Night. Magnificent weather prevailed" this afternoon when the Australians commenced their New Zealand tour with a i'iatch njrainst the local eleven. Tae wicket was in excellent run-getting order aiui the outfield fast. About°2ooo spectators watched proceedings. Wellington won the toss, and elected to take advantage of the wicket provided, but, made a sorry display with the bat. The only serviceable stand was ma-ie by Patrick and Roberts for the ninth wicket, saving the team from complete rout. Patrick (25) executed some wnstv, forceful strokes. . Roberts played soundly for 17. Black'lock contributed 14 and Midlane 10. The innings closed for 107. Whitty secured three wickets for 15 runs. Emery two for 4S, Faey two for 7, Kellaway two for 10, and Simpson one for 5. Whitty bowled splendidly, keeping an excellent length, and swinging in from both sides. The visitors were never called upon to exert themselves in the field.

Australia threatened a big score, t>6 being on the sheet for the loss of only two wiclcets. Thereafter the excellent TJowling of Patrick and Kinvig altered the complexion of affairs, and at the drawing of stumps eight wickets were down for 122—Simpson 51, Kellaway 3?, Smith 17). Simpson gave a brilliant exhibition of clean, forceful hitting, scoring 40 off three overs of ITickey. The Wellington fielding was not up to the high-water mark of excellence.

PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH. ■AUCKLAND v. OTAGO.

HOME TEAM'S GOOD OPENING.

Auckland, Last Night,. The representative cricket match for the Plunket Shield between Auckland

and Otago was commenced here to-day in perfect weather and on an excellent wicket. Auckland won the toss and decided to bat, the result being that at the c-lose of the -Jay the local team's score stood at 39i for six wickets. The batting was at times brilliant, the runs made by Hemus (109) and Relf (US) being compiled by correct and styluil play. There was considerable interest. Macartney's appearance at the bowling crease, but up to a certain period the Aueklanders not only played hi:n with confidence but scored fre?ly ofp him. Fine batting was also shown by Sale, Horspool and W. B. Smith, The following are the scores: — AUCKLAND—First Innings. E. Horspool, c Rutherford, b Fisher 37 E. G. Hemus, c Macartney, b McFar-

• lane 100 A. E. Relf, c sub. b Macartney .. 118 A. Hadden, b Downee • • 3 E Sale, not out 61 C. Ollifl', b Mi cartnCy •. .. 4 W. B. Smith, b Macartney .. .. 44 •3s'. C. Sneddon, not out •. • ■ 2 Extras .. .. • .. 10, Total for six wickets .. .. 3.>1 Bowling analysis.—-Macartney, three wickets for 97 runs: Fisher, oik' for 41; McFa.rlane, one for 40; Downes, one for 107; Rutherford, none for -ii);, Seidebcrg, none for 20; Hiildlestone, none Tor 10; Hopkins, none for 7. NOTES. (By "Third-Slip"). The special meeting of the North Taraiiaki Cricket Association held o:i Tuesday last in order to make preparations for the forthcoming visit of tile

Australian team was well attended, the only -dub which was not represented being Waitam. The question of amalgamation with South Taranaki was fully discuss.d, and in view of the fact that the fr'st steps towards this amalgamation v ere fuxt mooted by the South Taranaki Association, general surprise was expressed that this association had »slowed several weeks to pass without acknowledging certain proposals made from this end of the province. Th's amalgama-, tion is almost universally desired by the individual cricketers of South Tara-1 naki and the common ailment of "festina lonte" seems to emanate solely from the governing body. The time seems particularly ripe for the suggested coalition of forces, as not only would it give Tavanaki province a good representative team to cope with the Australians, but also give several of the South Taranaki cricketers the excentional opportunity of pitting themselves against the visitors', which they would not otlicv .vise get.

A;iollier ii»i)"><• "ant question discussed was the numb r of players comprising tlie represent' ive team. It was suggested that ' .ie team be composed of eighteen mr-\ but in mv humble opinion, such an action would be absrn'd, and would only tend to cheapen the merits of our cricketers in the eyes of other associations of the Dominion. On such an occasion as this tour, one the important points to he gained is that of setting an idea of the strength of one's own particular province as compared u ilh other provinces, and this t can hardly be arrived at if we pl-iy | eighteen men and other provinces play <■. the universally recognised team of eleven men. Certainly, it is givin? j seven more men the opportunity of v- 1 ' ( •presentation, but this little sentiment j should not be allowed to creep into re-1

presentaUve <-rl<*k:-t. Let the *.•!<- seWtor choose ills lievon besi a,-. :: in i lie province, anil I lVc| cer.in ii.a: th.'V will give jii-i a- u'ood an a< -.uai o'f ! lieu'•••".' v- i-s of > lie yr >vin-.vs ••• :>i> consider themselves ■

pgiaiie tu Lalvc L -liana Mi cricl-n i, into > serious consideration.

Wanderers managed <■> ...,t ll; three-point win against \\ aii;;:.: afi-i 1 :i very sporting finish, thanks to the unaccountable departure uf l'ti:--die tsefbro tijjie was caMtM. 'I 1 :-

player been on the ground to hat as he should have been, it was nii'y m- •».

sary fo r him to survive two or three balls to save his side from this threepoint defeat. Egglcston battwl exceedingly well in both innings of Wnit.ua and undoubtedly saved his -ddc from dire disaster. Wilson, Fuller and the two Sk el tons were also in.st.rui>>' ntal in running up the totals to a respectable state, whilst IV. Skelton was tin newt successful in fTie bowling department. , For Wanderer? Lush was a"a in in good form with t'he bat, (ioss am! Niedl also coming to lisriit. Whittle and Hill bowied splendidly, and o.io pin safely state that these two bowlers are quite at their beet at the present time, and should run very close to representative honors shortly.

C-arrington Road easily aeeounied f.ir Inglewood, the latter team requiring 110 runs to save an innings defeat, and failing by 40 runs. Pullen batted very well indeed and stood right out on his own, as he was the '»nly batsmen io .cope at ers sent down by Southall, who was in good form. This bowler had the satisfaction of performing the '•hat trick"' during Inglewood's second inning?. As the competition stands at present Wanderers and Carrington Road are first with an equal number of points, but the former have the advantage, of a match more to play; consequently the meeting of these two teams on Thursday week will prove decidedly interesting, as the result will go far towards showing the ultimate winners of t' ; ;e .cup.

Commenting on the personnel of the Australian team, the Sydney Referee states: "If the places given to A. J. Hopkins and T. S. Warnc were filled by younger players, like W. J. Scott or F. T. Delves, or J. Scott, or one of the younger batsmen, it would be better for cricket, though on the score of .ability there can be no objection to the inclusion of the pair mentioned."

In the C. F. B. Turner benefit match, M. A. Noble, 'Tor the first time in His •career in Australia, was dismissed without scoring in •boSTr innings. . Alfred Shaw, known a 6 the most,accurate of English bowlers, during his first-class career, bowled 100,000 bails (37,770 oversj and was no-balled 'out once or twice. He never delivered a w de during a career lasting 31 years. "Premature" writes from Inglewood: "My attention has been drawn to your report of the Carrington Road v. Fire Brigade junior fixture of last Thursday, whereby it is s'tated that by winning the match the Fire Brigade are placed as winners of the junior competition. Such is not the case, as the Brigade have still an unfinished match with Inglewood to complete."