CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 166, 30 November 1912, Page 7

CRICKET.

TO-DAY'S MATCHES. To-day's matches are:--Law v. New Plymouth, on the Recreation Grounds; and Inglc-wood v. Service, on the High School ground. The following will play for New Plymouth v. Law this afternoon:—Mason, Williams, Harding, Gwillim, L. Shepperd, Green, Newell, .Stohr, O'Donnell, Monk and W. Shepperd.

The conclusion of the first round of the Saturday competition was signalised last .Saturday by some heavy scoring. The honor of the day went to' K. Bain, who in batting for United Service against New Plymouth, achieved the honor of registering the first century in < the district ti.:is season. He scored with an ease and rapidity which was bred of a supreme disregard for the bowling, and lie retired with 112 to his credit after a clianceless innings. Dinnis won the toss for Service, and, as events transpired, committed an error of judgment in sending the opposing eleven in to bat first. The match did not start till late,) and New Plymouth, assisted by some stonewalling on Harding's part and a good stand by Mason, hung on tenaciously, completely fagging the Service trundlers. In this they were aided by some bad generalship on the part of their opponents, who kept chopping and changing the handling of the wicketkeeper's gloves, changes twice being made behind the stumps. Furthermore, in the light of the fact that he had the best bowling average of his side, it is difficult to understand why Osborne was taken off so early. Bain (one for 37) and Colvile (one for 23) were kept on much longer. The fielding a t times was very lax, Monk being missed on foui occasions, Harding at least once, and other chances also went begging. Gwil- j lim contributed 12 runs for New Plymouth, on the occasion of his first ap- I pearance this season, and the way in j which he hit round while he lasted af- i forded an inkling of his prospective rungetting capacity when he properly strikes form. '■Later on, when Service were at the wickets, his was the second best o{ a poor lot of bowlilng averages. Monk notched 32 runs for New Plymouth, but one would prefer to see him make fewer and give less chances. He' hits hard, but with too great a tendency to sky the ( ball. His "sixer" soared right among - the clouds, and lobbed high up on the third terrace on the racecourse side of the ground. Service's tall hitting played sad havoc with some of the New Plymouth bowling averages. Mason, no wickets for 44 runs, proved very expensive, and likewise Williams, one for 70. Harding, who was put on to bowl late in the day, secured one for 19. It was fortunate for New Plymouth that Osborne was l.b.w. for 4, and that Perham had the bad luck to be run out when he had reached 20. Otherwise Service might have secured their 202 runs with the loss of still fewer wickets,

Inglewood put a fairly strong team the field, but Law went one better than United Service did against New Plymouth, in defeating them by nine wickets and six runs. Fowler went in first for Inglewood, and played good solid cricket. Although he treated the bowling with respect, he never appeared to be beaten at any time. His innings was marred by an easy chance given to Johnson at square-leg, which, however, was not accepted. Pullen, who was not out for 37, made some pretty off strokes, and Stratford, contrary to his usual style of play, made things merry while he was in, hitting out freely. For Law, the Lash-Bewley partnership was very prolific. Lash gave a difficult chance at the wickets to W. Matthews when he was nearing his half-century. It is pleasing to notice that Bewlcy got into his stride, and contributed a fine innings, giving no chance. In his endeavoi to force the game, and avoid a two-days' match, Greatbatch took many risks. He should have been bowled two or threa occasions, but the ball beat both ths batsman and the wicket-keeper. He was also more than once nearly outed by Mcßae. His tactics, however, a! things turned out, were successful in attaining the desired end. Elliot bowled well for Law, but the wicket was very poor, every ball practically rising up to the batsman's chest. By reason oi this, many of the batsmen were caught, in the slips through attempting to hit' rising balls on the off. Gudgeon bowled for Inglewood with a certain amount of hard luck, but none of the home team's bowling was very dangerous. Law's fielding showed a decided improvement, 11. B. Reid being especially active at point, while B. B. Reid also saved numerous runs at inid-off. Armstrong, who played in place of A. Anderson (who has left the district) had not played a game for three or four years, and he did what work came his way in good style.

There is no doubt that United Service are the strongest eleven not only in the Saturday but in the Thursday competition aiso. Indeed, it would be hard to find a team in the whole of Taranaki which could beat tliem.

In commenting on the tour of the Australians and South Africans in England, the journal Cricket expressed the following opinions, which are particularly interesting to stay-at-home colonials: "In preparing the Australian and South African averages, I have been struck afresh by the rough luck experienced by John McLaren and Joseph Cox. These men will be written down failure. Is that fair? They have never had a real chance. I saw McLaren bowl very well indeed at Hove—where, by the way, Roy Minnett was the only bowler who gave the Jam any trouble —and I am sure Cox is a far better man than his figures make liim out. Had there been a real summer, these two might have been .among the most useful men on their respective sides. The outstanding successes of the two teams are, to any mind, Bardsley, Macartney, lfelleway, Ilazlitt, Nourse, Taylor and Pegler. Others have done pretty well, but on the wholeeven in Faulkner's case and in Whittv's —certainly not better than, if as well as, one had expected. But Bardsley and | Macartney have been wonderful; Nourse has done great work; Herbert Taylor has lifted himself into the very front rank of South African cricketers; Kelleway, j in his own particular style, is a great asset to his side; and Pegler, who looks to have plenty of stamina, and Hazlitt, of which the same can scarcely be said, have done splendidly for their teams. •I think Mitchell and Tancred might i have given Claude Carter more work. I

think that Macartney might have done some of the work that fell to Whitty, among whose analyses are such as one for <39, one for 07, one for 84, one for M, one for 75, none for 49, and none for 40. But no doubt Whitty was more than willing to keep on; and so much depended upon the Governor-General as a batsman that it would not have been good policy to overwork him at the crease. I fancy that most people will agree with me that none of the colonial leaders — though we say little of Jennings in 'that capacity—is a Noble or a Sherwell." George Hirst (writes Sir Home Gordon in the Tatler) is the best all-round cricketer the county of broad acres has ever turned out. I recollect Ulyett at his best, grand player that he was, and I saw him perpetrate that terrific c and b at Lords Which is still believed to have no parallel. Fine as he was, Ulyett was nothing like as good as Hirst, because the latter is incomparably more dangerous with the ball. Hirst began as a fastisli left-handed bowler, getting more and more work on his deliveries. Then he acquired that terrible swerve, one of the most puzzling a batsman ever confronted, jNot the least interesting series would be the compilation of a set of diagrams showing how year by year Hirst has modified or varied the placing of his field. . . . llow much longer can he go on? Who can say? He has entered his 42nd year, his figure does not suggest the activity he possesses, and no contemporary cricketer, apart from wicketkeepers, has had so large a share of strains, bruises, and other physical mishaps. Yet his pluck and skill and his enthusiasm remain unabated. Cricketers have a way of imperceptibly dropping out; Board, Killick and Butt provide instances in the past months. One may hope that there is many a deceptive delivery and may a plucky score up the sleeve of the famous Tike.

During 1012 Tom Hayward (Surrey) made hi*. 40,000 th run (and liis 90th century) in first-class cricket. David Denton (Yorkshire) and George Hirst (Yorkshire) joined John Tyldesley (Lancashire) in the 30,000 runs class. Perm (Essex), Cecil Wood (Leicestershire) and Wilfred Rhodes (Yorkshire) are now over 20,000, but the last-named reached that figure in Australia early in the present year.

THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS.

IN PRAISE OF MACARTNEY.

. Fremantle, November 14. R. B. and R. V. Minnett were interviewed on board the Osterley to-day. They are brothers in every sense of the word. After R. B. had been interviewed he hauled the pressman along to R. V., saying, "You must see Rupert now."

R. B. wanted to talk about Macartney. "Look here," was his enthusiastic commencement. "Charley, last year, was the best batsman in England. This is rather a tall order, I know, but it is true nevertheless. His cricket was wonderful to look upon, and the bowlers were always glad to see the back of him. One day I remember going out to oppose Barnes, whom I regard as the finest i bowler in the world. Charley said: 'I 1 am going to try and knock Barnes off I his length,' and he did, too, for the Staf- ; fordshire man was soon passing his hand j across his sweating brow. Barnes is a | great bowler, and he told me that he would sooner bowl in Australia than anywhere. He gets more pace off the pitcn out here, and.the atmosphere makes him loose in his- movements. 'Why, in England, when you have frozen away in the field and you are put on to bowl, you have no supple muscles at all. One freezing day I had 22 runs knocked off my first two overs before I got properly warmed. 1 English crowds are fine sportsmen. They were impartial in their applause, and were very keen on cheering good fielding. English wickets are peculiar. You have to watch the ball just as a cat watches a mouse. It .was a pity that Barbour did not go over with us. I think he would have made, a lot of runs, for ihe reason that he watches the ball as keenly as does liobbs. I soon found myself going in, front of the wicket to every ball, just as Rhodes does, and I mentioned the matter to IT. K. Foster. 'Yes,' he replied, 'that is cramping English cricket.'" Rupert V. Minnett also praised Macartney. "Mac. absolutely shone,", he said, "and I have never seen better batting from Trumper. Some of the English cricketers said that they would not class him with Trumper, but I think Charley was right at the top of his form, and he will continue to be for some years. Certainly Trumper did not get bigger receptions from the English crowd than, did Mac." Banlsley was also a great favorite. Several English crickcters'told nie that as soon as Warren came in they commenced to put on their thinking caps for i,he purpose of devising the speediest way of getting him out. Gregory was also popular. He always got a rousing cheer, because, I dare say, of past achievements. My brother Roy did not do as well as they thought he would. Many people expected big things of him, but the wickets did not suit Mm, and he did not have the best of luck."

posiTrox of THE " 'EAMS. SATURDAY COMPETION.--1st Round. United Service Law .a 15 , JS 3 3 0 3 1 o 0 2 2 2 12 .s 'o P4 G o New Plymouth Inglewood 3 3 1 1 2 0 . THURSDAY COMPETITION".finished.) -(Un United Service New Plymouth Inglewood A . AVaitara High School ... Inglewood tn a> VH 5r 1 r"*i PH 4 . 3 2 . 3 <v '3 v?-S 3 1 2 0 2 3 « 1 3 2 1 0 0 1 o 0 1 0 2 1 2 .s o PM (i 4 2 0 0 2