CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1915, Page 11 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

NOTES FROM EVERYWHERE. Mr. John Broad, the English professional cricketer, and Hawlce's Bay coach, arrived from England by the Araw* on her last trip. The popular Gloucester ''keeper" lias lost his heart to Ilawke's Bay, and is likely to settle there. Christehureh grade cricket started last Saturday, and there was some smart rungetting for the first day of the sea-son. The Sydenham (20.1) and West Christclmrch ('lsl for no wickets) match provided some sparkles, and Riccarton (209) v. St. Albans (64 for two) was a good run-getting match for four hours' play. T. McFarlanc, one of Dunedin's New .Zealand -representative cricketers, stated in a recent letter that he had hud some practice with the googlie on the sands of Egypt, and that he was then on the eve of going to the front to get a "wrong 'un" on to the Turks. It looks as if the Turks had got a googlie on to the Otago batsman, for he has been reported wounded.

H. B. Lusk, just returned from two years at Rugby (England), has registered the first century of the season in firstgrade cricket. Not out, 101, was his contribution towards the West Christchurch score of 151 for none last Saturday. Always a beautiful batsman and a prolific scorer, Luak'g Home trip has evidently "finessed" his cricket, and he will be a power in Canterbury rep. matches this season. The New Zealand Cricket Council, in its annual report, records with regret the death of Victor Trumper, one of the world's greatest batsmen and sportsmen, whose 1093 to cricket is incalculable. During the year New Zealand and Canterbury cricket suffered loss in the deaths of the Hon. K. C. J. Stevens and Surgeon-Captain Thomas, of South Canterbury, the latter being killed in action at the Dardanelles.

A patriotic match at Wellington last) Saturday attracted much attention, and over £65 was collected for the sports todies' fund for Christmas gifts to New Zealand soldiers. The game was between a Wellington rep. eleven and a team from Trentham, the soldiers winping by 191 to 122. Among the khaki boys were such well-known rep. cricket-1 ers as R. G. Hickmott and D. Sandman (Canterbury), fi. Sneddon (Auckland), M. P. Naughton and S. Demsy (Wellington) and E. Bernau (Wanganui). Along with "muddied oafs" and the representatives of other sports, the Dominion's "flannelled fools" are, more power to them, hearing and heeding the call. Ernest George Hayes, wlio was gazetted a Eeeond-lieutenant at the end of August, is the first well-known professional cricketer to obtain & commission in the British Army. He was born at fPeckham in 1876, and has been associated with the Surrey eleven since August of 1890. His first appearance in firstclass cricket was against the Australians, and he had to play Jones, the Australian demon bowler, then at his f&stest. Hayes was in for two hours and a-h»lf, and scored 62. Since then he has put up many fine scores for Surrey, and iu Players v. Gentlemen games, and has represented England against Australia and South Africa. "Ernie" Hayes joined the Sportsmen's Battalion when first it was formed.

There was a fairly good attendance at the annual meeting of the Okaia-wa Cricket Cliii, held on Friday week, reports the Hawera Star. The annual report read:—"The last season lias been the most successful in the "Club's history, as it had had the honor of winning the shield. Of twelve matches, eight were won and four lost, the team scoring 1320 runs to their opponents! 1103. The season was commenced with a credit balance of £0 8s Sd, and concluded without any balance. This, however, must be considered creditable, as the elub had given £9 5s to various war funds, and also spent £6 15s on material, which will be non-recurring for several seasons. The assets of the club are estimated at about £lO, and the liabilities nil. Officers were elected as follows:—Patron, Mr. J. H. Sellar; president, Mr. L. J. Walsdorf; vice-presi-dents. Mesrs A. Lees. T. limes', T. Robertson, R. Hughes, and T. Griffith; secretary, R. Penny; captain, H. Whalen; vice-captain, R. Penny; selection committee, E. Penfold, H. Blackman and J. Barclay. The following resolutions were passed: That the club is prepared to affiliate and continue matches or abandon according to the decision of the Taranaki Cricket Association; that subscriptions to the same as last yearplaying members 10s, learners and second round players is, lion, members 2s .(id, financial members to havo / preference of selection over non-financial members; that a working bee be held on Wednesday and a clay wicket prepared. The matter of procuring material ana afternoon teas was left in the hands of a small committer.

An Auckland Star reporter the other day coaxed a veteran ex-rep. into relating some incidents of the willow and the green sward. The veteran's remarks were delightfully naive and refreshing, and full of interest. One of the best stories he had to tell was this (and old cricketers in TaranaJu will appreciate it): One incident indieutesthut the human element in the sixties was much as it is to-day. He was talking of the first English match in 1577. "There was," he said, "a hit of a character playing here then, called Bennett. lie came' from Australia, I think, and was a dry sort of stick. Robinson was at tile Thames at the time of the English visit, and when asked to captain' the Auckland team, he insisted on including two or three other Thames players 'that we didn't think a great deal of. Well, ltobinson and Buckland bowled for a long time in the match with little success. ' Thcu Dau Lynch was given an over, and he had two chances missed oft' him and then got a wicket all in the first over, and he was taken off. The ball was given to Bennett, and he says to me, "I'll show these Thames blighters (or current Australian language to that effect)—l'm going to 'bowel' for the held.' lie put his men out. and he dill 'bowel' for tile Held, lie could sent down a Cast bail and make it jump, and as the wicket was rough it helped him, so that the batsmen had to hit up. Presently one of the Englishmen skied the ball, and as it was in the air he has a look at the fieldsman and says to me. 'lt's one of those Thames thitigameys, he'll drop it.' Sure enough Die cateli'was dropped. Presently another hall was rut up to the long held oil' Bennett, and lie his another look and says, 'Another of those Thames whal-do-you-eall-ems, oe s safe.' He was again a true prophet. For the third time he was hit hard into the air, a straight drive, and he turns round and sees Dan Lynch out there and savs, 'lt's not one of the Thames fake-mc-bo'bs, he's out.' And sure enough, Lynch held the ball. Bennett got live wickets for about thirty runs, and was then collared, and asked the skipper to take him off. His request was granted, and he remarked to me as he changed his position, 'One 'thing, I know when to take myself off,'"