CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 204, 26 February 1912, Page 7

CRICKET.

The phenomenal success of J. B. Hobbs in the current series of test matches, in which he has scored 63, 22,6, 123*, 187, 3, recalls the great things done by J. Darling against Stoddart's team in 1897-8, when he compiled centuries at Sydney, -U hide, and Sydney again. On Saturday week Hobbs completed his 1000 runs in test matches with Australia, his record boin;jf 1026 runs at 57 per innings. In 1907-8 lie scored 302 runs, averaging 43; and in England in 1909, 132 runs at 26. He is the first player to make a century in three matches in succession. For the fifth test match, says the Referee, it is to be sincerely hoped young Australia will be given opportunities. Such batsmen as C. B. Jennings, E P Barbour, C. E. Dolling and E. R. Mayne deserve a chance of showing what they can do. J. W. MacLaren, S. H. Emery, G. R. Hazlitt and perhaps one- or two others might with advantage be tried as bowlers. And there are S. E. Gregory and C. G. Macartney, great as batsmen and great as fieldsmen. These men cannot help Australia to win "the ashes." for the emblem lias gone; but they can be given the opportunity of showing their quality with a view to making the team to visit England the best possible representation of Australia. Four of those mentioned have been given a chance. The New South Wales Cricket Association has placed a memorial to R. A. Duff on the wall in the Sydney Cricket Ground pavilion. It is similar to those perpetuating the memory of W. L. Murdoch and J. J. Ferris.

At the meeting of the Trades Hall Council last week a discussion took pla/--in connection with the, proposal from th United Laborers' Union of Sydney, th , Melbourne unionists should boycott t, test match in the event of J. W. McLaren, the Queensland fast bowler, playing, on x account of his alleged share in the Brisbane strike. It is reported that it was decided to boycott the test match unless McLaren communicated with the Trades Hall Council stating that he had not acted as a special constable during the strike. It was explained by McLaren that he had not so acted. But is this not carrying the principle of Unionism just too far?

I Mr. P. F. Warner had some gentle practice with the members of his team in Melbourne, and suffered no ill-effects from it. He is to be congratulated on having so far recovered his health and strength, even though he will not again appear on the field in this campaign. The Mill-McAlister episode has been so thoroughly ventilated in the Press, says the Referee, that there is little to be said on the subject pending the official view. C. Hill has given his statement of the matter to the press. P. A. McAlister has given his. And F. A. Iredale has likewise seen fit to furnish the newspapers with his account of the struggle, adding that he is not disposed to sit on the committee again with C. Hill. It would have been better for cricket and all concerned if silence had been preserved by these three players. Had that been done, the trouble might have been smoothed out with advantage to cricket. But, as it is, well, we must hope for the best. No doubt the Board of Control will have all these statements placed before it at the meeting on Friday. But, more important still, it will have the report of its own hon. secretary, Mr. Sidney Smith, who was present, and who is more likely than any of the otherß to give an exact account of what took place. Mr< Smith is to Be congratulated on having so resolutely declined to discuss the matter in the Press. Various statements as ! to the nature of the much-discussed message s"iii li - Mr. V. A. McAlister to Mr. C. Hill while the Australian team for the third test match was being discussed, have been made public. But the exact message, as given by Mr. Sidney Smith, jun., hon. secretary of the Board of Control, is not so terrible after all. It is as follows: "My : team as forwarded yesterday. Still opposed to Macartney's inclusion. If Iredale agrees with you a.s to Macartney's inclusion, I favor yourself standing down, and not Minnett." The message was sent to Hill in reply to one suggesting that C. G. Macartney and, J. Matthews be included in the team in place of R. B. Minnett and W. J. Whitty.' The press apparently is to blame for a good deal of the bitter personal element that has been brought into big cricket within the past few years. Despite the ease with which Warner's team annexed the "ashes," the writer is confident that Australia will put up a big fight at the triangular contest, and will most likely return with the' laurels. If the present troubled seas are calmed the six will have to play up to concert pitch so as to justify, if possible, the "we-can't-be-done-without" stand they adopted. If they don't go Home the younger players who will be chosen to fill the gap are keen and enthusiastic, and will leave no stone unturned to profit by the opportunity thus thrust in : their way. Above all, harmony is essential Hartigan, Barbour, Massie, Jennings, McKenzie, Dolling, Whitty and Le Conteur, should all be in the running for places. The selection of captain will be the chief obstacle. Of the fifteen, Gregory and McArtney appear the most likely. All the intercolonial captains are among the recalcitrants.