CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 107, 13 January 1912, Page 7

CRICKET

j ENGLISH TEAM'S TOUR. RESULTS. Vov. 10 and following days—v. South Australia at Adelaide, won by an innings and 197 runs. (England 563 and South Australia 141 and 228). Nov. 17 and following days—v. Victoria, at Melbourne, won by 49 runs (England 318 and "234, Victoria 274 and 2251). Nov. 24 and following days—v. New South Wales., at Sydney, abandoned •wi*g to rain (England 238, N.S.W. eight wickets for 198). Dec. 1 and following days—v. Queensland, at Brisbane, won by 7 wickets (England 275 and 140 for 3 wickets, Brisbane 290 and 124). Dec. o and 6—v. Toowoomba, at Toewoomiba, won by an innings and 134 runs (England 340 for 6 wickets, Toowoomba 96 and 110). December 8 and following days —v. Australian Eleven, at Brisbane, drawn England 2G7 and 279 for four wickets; Australia 347). Dec. 15 and following days —v. AUSTRALIA, lost by 146 runs (Australia 447 and 308; England 318 and 291). Dec. 27 and 27—v. Bendigo 15, at Bendigo, drawn (England 176 and nine [ for 188; Bendigo 163). ; [ Dec. 30 and following days—v. AUSI TRALIA, second test, won by eight wickets and 2 runs( England 265 and 220 for two wickets, Australia 184 and 29SW. ; Jan. 5 and 6—v. Geelong, at Geelong, drawn (England 285 and four f ■" ' 118; Geelong 277). REMAINING FIXTURES. Jan. 12, 13, 15, 16—v. Australia (third test), at Adelaide. Jan. 19, 20—v. Ballarat, at Ballarat. Jan. 23, 24, 25 —v. Launceeton, at Launceston. Jan. 26, 27, 29—v. Hobart, at Hobart. Feb. 2, 3, 5, 6—v. Victoria, at Melbourne. 1 Feb. 9, 10, 12, 13 —v. Australia (fourth test), at Melbourne. Feb. 16, 17, 19, 20. —v. New South Wales, at Sydney. Feb. 23, 24, 26, 27—v. Australia (fifth test) 1 , at Sydney. March 1, 2, 4, s—v. South Australia, at INGLEWOOD v. WAITARA. At IngJewood yesterday the local team' defeated Waitara by 80 runs. Inglewood scored 170, of which Clegg madei top score with 41. Other double figure] men were Marsh 26, Pu'llen 23, Matthews 20, Gudgeon and Harkness> (not out) each 10, and extras 16. Waitaira only! scored 90, the two figure men being | Eggleston 25, Skelton 20, Smaill 16.' Gudgeon, six for 36, and Harkness, three for 36, were the destroying element. Score®:— INGLEWOOD. Clegg, c Skdton, b Smaill 41 i Gudgeon, c Hicks, b Skelton 101 Dr. Gault, run out 1 Pullen, b Eggleston. 23 Thomson, -b Eggleston 1 Matthews, b Eggleston 20 Marsh, b Somerville 26 Nicholls, c Cudby, b Purdie 8 Billing, c Ohappell, b Skelton 6 Harkness, not out 10 Quick-fall, b Eggleston 8 Extras 16 Total 170 Bowling ,analysis.—Eggleston, four for 48; Skelton. two for 33; Somerville, one for f: Suiiiiil, one: for 14; Purdie, one for 53. WAITARA. Smaill, c Matthews, b Gudgeon 16 Somerville, c Clegg, b Gudgeon 4 Skelton, b Gudgeon 20 Eggleston, b Harkness 25 Purdie, run out 0 Hicks, b Gudgeon 8 Dowsett, c Billing, b Gudgeon 4 Cudby, b Gudgeon 3 Chappell, c Matthews, b Harkness .. 0 Drake, b Harkness 1 Bird, not out 2 Extras 7 Total 90 Bowling analysis.—Gudgeon, six for 36; Harkness, three for 36; Billing, none for 10. The following liave been selected to play for Law against United Service on the Recreation. Ground this afternoon:— Elliot, Lash, Bewley, Grcatbatch, Harding, Anderson, Lawrey, Paton, Reid, Johnstone, Ellis. NOTES. Local championship matches were resumed on Thursday in perfect weather, after a vacation of four weeks. The competition was slightly advanced, Inglewood defeating Waitara comfortably by 80 runs. Carrington Road have an unfinished match with New Plymouth, the latter being in the best position. The present season will probably be a prolonged one, owing to the wet weather in the earlv part of the season and the number of unfinished matches to settle. No batsman scored half a century, but 4ft's were numerous. Perham (Carrington Road) headed the list with 44, followed bv Lash (Niew Plymouth) 43, Clegg (Tnglewood) and Whittle (New Plymouth) 41 each, and Ingram (New Plymouth) 40. The best bowling is credited to Gudgeon, with six for 36. All cricketers' eves are now turned to Adelaide, which is the convincing ground for the third test. England is represented by the same eleven which did battle so noblv at the New Year, whilst, as foreshadowed in last week's notes. Whitty is left out of the local team, and Matthews, who was once chosen as twelfth man, replaces him. Evidently the South Australian has not recovered from the effects of his severe illness. The Victorian is a good all-round man. In the Sheffield match against New South Wales lie took three wickets for 63, and scored 16 and 65, the latter in 50 minutes. He is but a little fellow, but is remarkably smart. His choice, would be a popular one, and all cricketers will hone that he makes good. The Australian captain is now on a sequence of small scores. His 0 and 4 in the second test have been followed bv 10 and 1 in the recent Sheffield match against New South Wales. May he make up for it shortly, preferably in a test mntrli.

The Sydney Referee, commenting on the second test match, savs:—One lias to go back fifteen years to find a test match in which Clem Hill did loss with the bat. Tn 1896. when he was but 18 years old, he scored 1 and 0 at Kensington Oval; now. in 1911, lie makes 4 and ft, after two fine innings in the Sydney match. The nps and downs in cricket are ever with us. Clem has a remarkable test match record on his native heath at Adelaide, for he has there scored 81, AS. 97. 88. 16. 5 and IfiO against England.

New South Wales beat South Australia decisively at Adelaide. The latter scored 201 and 286. Dolling was the highest scorer in each innings, with 105 and 66. New South Wales amassed the huge total of 520. TSanlslev playing brilliantly for 177. including 1!) fourcrs and one fiver. Barbour also topped the century with 122. Crawford howled best, taking six wickets at a. cost of 141 runs. Whitty never captured a wicket ill the first innings. He took one in the second innings, when New South Wales lost two wickets in making the 28 required to win, Crawford capturing the other.

With three wins to Victoria's two wins and one defeat, and South Australia's four defeats, New South Wales now holds the strongest position in the contest for the Sheffield Cup. The return match between New South Wales and Victoria on the Sydney ground should be marked by unusual public interest. Eighty-seven matches between New South Wales and Victoria have been player, New South Wales having won 48 to Victoria's 39, the last six in succession. Each side has its runs of success, but sinve 1889 New South Wales has had more than the average share of success with 18 wins in 21 matches.

"I'm leaving Sydney, and I want to express sincere gratitude for all the kindnesses that have been showered upon me since I came." In these words Mr. P. F. Warner, captain of the English team, expressed thanks for what had been done for him in Sydney. "I can never personally thank all those who have been so kind to me. From his Excellency the Governor to the messenger boys, everyone has been kindness itself, For books and papers, and for visits and enquiries, and telegrams from all parts of the world, I can only say, 'Thank you sincerely.' Especially I appreciate the visits of Mr. Hill and Mr. Massie, and the members of the Australian team', and old international players. These favors helped me through a period of bitter disappointment and trial. I'll never forget what the Sydney people have done for me. Dr. Blackburn and the nurses here have been particularly considerate, and I am now progressing favorably, though I don't suppose I will play again in Aus-, tralia. On behalf of the team, I want to express appreciation for the courtesies 1 and hospitalities shown them, and one word for the Sydney crowds. I am told by our fellows that in the test the crowd behaved magnificently." | Referring to the first three days' play of the second test match, "G.A.W.," in | the Dunedin Star, writes:—The opening was sensational. The feebleness of the resistance offered by Australia's leading | batsmen to the bowling of Barnes was, to put it mildly, astonishing. Time after time such stars as Hill, Armstrong, Kel-. leway, and even Trumper, played at the ball and found it "wasn't there." Keep-, ing a perfect length, Barnes was swinging with the arm »and "doing a bit" at' the same time, and as each ball rose, waist high, from the blind spot, it was either played with uncertainty or missed ■ altogether—in the first few overs it was more often missed than played. Many times were the batsmen hit on the pads and thighs, both by Barnes and Foster, being quite unable to judge the flight of the ball. "Will he go right through them?" "Will we get the 100?" "What is the matter?" and similar questions were being asked by anxious spectators. At the same time Barnes' line bowling was recognised and appreciated,; hearty rounds of applause coming at the completion of each over. This, however, did not prevent the same crowd—augmented by several thousands—hooting' and jeering the same bowler when, in the afternoon, he rather foolishly showed his resentment at some "barracking" by throwing down the ball and, with folded arms, waiting for silence. This, as was to be expected, had not the desired effect, and after a few moments' wait Barnes had to proceed with his bowling to the accompaniment of ironical cheers and shouted comment, which continued for some little time. The question as to, whether the wicket was all right was ; answered, in the affirmative by the bati-1 men themselves, and the reason of the | collapse was variously explained by the experts; but, summed up, the general] opinion was that it was simply "one of those things that happen in cricket." Good .bowling, with its effective result, coupled with the high tension of test cricket, got the batsmen on the run, and even such artists as those named above couldn't stop the rot. It was left to comparatively inferior bats, such as Hordern, Carter, Cotter and Whitty to help Hansford to save the innings from absolute failure. Fancy a bowlei having, in a test match, four wickets for one run! Yet this was Barnes' average when the fourth Australian was disposed of; a lit.tle later he had five for six. Foster, too, was swerving in the air in a most puzzling fashion. Hordem, the googlie bowler, showed batting ability of no mean order, and furthermore a coolness that just fitted the occasion. Carter, too, showed form reminiscent of four years ago, when he.was one of the best run-getters against Jones' team. The'attendance was just on 30,000, and from the top story of the grandstand the sight was a splendid one—the sea of faces (or perhaps it yould be better to say hats); the closely-cropped green sward (scarred along one side by marks of seven or eight practice wicket's); the "color scheme" provided by the ladies' costumes and flower beds in the members' reserve, and the flahnelled figures dotted over the ground. The general "cricket atmosphere" begot a tingling satisfaction which can only be experienced by a lover of the'' good oid game. ■■ In, the short time left for play England lost Hobbs, caught off Cotter, who was jambing them in a great pace. On the second day, young Hearne, who is just under 21 years of age, gave a fine exhibition of cool, clever batting in. making his century. Play started briskly, Cotter, cramming on the pace, and Whitty, swinging a bit, were attacked vigorously, and the ball was flying through the slips in a manner suggesting possibilities. And the fielding was none too clean. Then the batsmen settled down, and the fieldsmen apparently dozed, for I don't remember ever seeing such a "casual" display by an Australian side before. The crowd were quick to get on to this, and cheered ironically whenever a clean pick up was made. Hearne and Rhodes went steadily on, Cotter's pace slackened, Whitty lost his sting, Hordern failed to google, and the score rose. Hordern, by the way, has a nice easy run of 20yds up to the wickets, and the quick over-arm delivery usual with legbreak bowlers. He bowls with three legs—that is to .say, he has three men placed to leg, two short and one deep. Gunn mostly smothered the would-be googlies by getting out to them two or three yards. With the exception of Hearne and Hobbs none of the English side showed any great form. Unlike the Australians, their best batting was shown at the beginning of the innings. Hordern got his googlies to work, and rattled out the last four wickets for four runs. Cotter, too, bowled well, and the innings that promised big things finished only 81 runs to the good. The third day witnessed another partial collapse by the Australians. When Trumper, Hill and Bardsley failed a second time (though Bnrdsley's run out was unfortunate, and, in the batsman's opinion, a doubtful decision) enthusiasts could only shake their heads. Armstrong played a splendid innings, driving powerfully, and infusing life into tiie game when there was a crying need for it. Ransford played another useful, though slow, innings, and was given out caught, though the bull struck only his thigh. Minnctt struck me as purely a forcing batsman, with little or no defence. Hut the crowd love Cotter, for with him in there is always a chance of the ball soaring over the rails. This time it did—once —Barnes being the bowler. 'Tibbv'' made several other attempts, but didn't always find the ball. Once lie swung round, missed, and came to a ~ I midst ill facing Hie wicket-keeper, with whom lie exchanged the time of day, or the compliments of the season, much to the amusement of the crowd. Foster bowled remarkably well, swinging them into the batsmen's legs in an exasperating manner, three eager "short legs" nie£yi*''

while waiting for a catch. He, Barnes I and Douglas did nearly all the bowling. ) Hitch, who is not particularly fast, sent down a few overs, and his peculiar run, with a liicough in the middle, amused the crowd. Ilearne has a jerky action, and never found a length. Woolley was a "good thing," especially for Armstrong.' Warner was well enough to attend the match, but looks a very sick man. Every sport has the same comment: "Hard luck."