CRICKET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8319, 27 December 1906, Page 5

CRICKET.

M.U.C v. WELLINGTON j

(Special to the Age)

There was an attendance of about 8,000 at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, on Christmas Day, whsn the matob between the English Eleven and Wellington was commenced. Our party, whioh included four Leioester men, and ( one Yorkshireman (all reoent arrivals in the aolony and been followers of the game in England) secured a good position in front of the stand, from which to view the game. The Leioesteimen were anxious to know whether De Trafford was playing in the English team, and they were keenly disappointed when Ihey discovered that the big hitter was no 1:. Oaptain Wynyard won the toss, and sent in Johnson and Douglas to face the bowling of Upham and Tucker. "No kid abaal; 't," said one of the '•LeioeHteis," in reply to a question 1 put to him. "Hain't mooch u' a team. They're not moooh known in English cricket outside o r Wynyard and De Trafford." "That's an good 'un," he suddenly exolaimed, as Johnson out Tucker to the boundary for four. Continuing, my Leioester friend stated that any County team in England, oould beat the team Oaptain Wynyard had with him. "Now'at but a picnic fet ther boys," he said as he looked up at tbe scoring board. "Lor," came from the English members u£ our party as Douglas was given out leg before wnket. Harrison joined Johnson. tber bloke as made oentury against Wanganooj," said a precious young colonial, who was sitting on the fence. He had a scoring card in one hand, and was busily chewing the end of his pencil as he explained to another boy oompanion that "Harrison ain't a bad bat mind yor. Jle 'its 'ard an* orfen." We smiled. Harrison and Johnson were not associated for long, as the latter was oaught by Hawthorne off Tucker with the score at 24. "Ain't moooh o' crioket this," said the little Leioester man as Burns and Harrison played maiden after maiden. "Oh for a Jeusod, a Woods or an Ulyett," said the Yorkshireman, "to liven things oop abit." The boy on the fenoe comraenoed whistling the Dead March. Then Burns opened his shoulders, and runs came fast for a time. Both men then settled down to business, and the bowling suffered, Brice, in partionlar, being hit about. Monaghan was bowling well, whioh caused one of the Leicestei men to remark: "He'd do nioely for Lelcepter. Like to see De Trafford take him back wi' 'im." "De Trafford yer knaw," explained my little Leioester friend, "is the life and soul o' Leioester cricket. Wi' out 'im, Oh Lor', what 'uJ Leicester cricket be." Ninety "was up when Williams stumped Hariißon off Monaghan. The partnership had added 66 runs. Page and Hayward left before the soore wns 100, and at 111 Burns retired, being caught and bowled by Monaghan. He had made 51 by attractive oricket. Branston and Torrent took tbe soore to 137. Then the latter retired. "Thfr best bat in ther team," remarked the little Leioester man, as Captain Wynyard walked to the wioketa. "Can't uuneratan' now'at abaat it 'im a goin' in ut ther tail end. Naw, yer'll see summat to talk abaat." And he was right; Wynyard's oricket was splendid. His leg strokes were neatly executed. The English skipper soon got to work. He "chopped" a ball into the sMps "Puts y' in mind a' Knight, don't e'," said the Yorkshireman. At 152 Branston put a ball from Mouaghan iuto Hiokson's hands, and retired with 32 to his credit. Pox joined Wynyard, but returned to the pavilion when the soore stood at 168. "O ai, they ain't a puttin' th' field out," said the little Leioester man, as May, the last man, came in. "He usei to •biff 'em a tit' they do say." And "biff 'em" May did. The fieJd spread out after May had bit a couple of 4'a. Then Wynyard took the bail along the carpet, and uleverly ran one. The field came in a bit. "Bang," another boundary to May. The same player gently tapped another bail, and one run resulted. Wyuyard followed suit. The field closed in. "Bang," and May bad the field out deep again. Wynyard stole another run, and the field came in. This went on to tbe huge delight of the spectators tiU 204 was reaohed. Then May put: an eaßy one into Brice's hands. Monaghan bowled splendidly, but the rest of the bowling did not impress one very muob. At the close of the dav's play Wellington hud lost two wickets for 27. The Englishmen have a "lightning" bowler in Douglas, while Branston Is'nearly as fast. Simpson-Hayward, the underhand bowler, takes a very long run, and bowls a ball that is very deceiving. It is an off-break. The scores at the drawing of stumfs were as follow: M.C."0.~ First Innings. Johnson, o Hawthorne, b Tucker ' 1 Douglas, lbw, b Upham ... 55 Harrison, st Williams, b Monaghan 19 Burns, o and b Mouaghan ... 51 Page, b Monaghan ... 2 Simpson-Hayward, b Coboroft 1 Branston, o Hicksou, b Monaghan ... ••• 32 Torrens, b Monaghan ... 8 Wynyard, not out 27 Pox, st Williams, b Monaghan 6 May, o brice, Monaghan ... 29 Extras 9 Total 204 Bowling Analysis. Monagiian, took seven wiokets for 50 runs; Upham, one for 18; Tucker, one; and Cobcroft jone. WELLINGTON—First Innings. Hiokson, o Pox, b Douglas ... 10 Collin*., st Pox, b SimpsonHayward ... 11 Cofccroft, not out ... 1 Mahony, not out ... 0 Extras 5 Total for two wickets ... 27

SECOND DAY'S PLAI*. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON7*Deo. 26. § Play in the oriobet match, to-day, wrß marred by a series of accidents

to the Englishmen, which muafc have made them wonder whether they were playing cricket or fo<»tball. Douglas and Wynyard both strained themselves so severely that they oan take' no further part in the match, and later Torrens ricked bis leg, aad had to procure a substitute. Nevo-tbelesa, they made a good showing, and got eight Wellington wickets down for 135, May, bowling fast witb the wind, whs unplayable, and some good catches belped the bowlers. Williams, the Wellington skipper, alone showed form, and when Monaghan joined bim, bit out boldly, especially to leg, where everything loose was sent to tne boundary. The niuth wioket fell at 185, and then Uphatn stayed while tne skipper took the score past tbe English total, and made himself 100, at whiah stage be> was finely oaught. His oentury included s xteen 4'a, and after passing 50 he gave two hard chances. On going in for the seoond tima Burns, aided by 6ome lack, hit resolutely for 59, ( and wlieu stumps were drawn the total wot 11 5 for throe wickets. Tbe fielding was SXoei. lent on both sides. Scores:—

WELLINGTON.—First Innings,

Hiokeon, c Pox, b Douglas ... 1' Collins, st Fox, b Simpson Hayward ... 11 Coboroft, c Bran3ton, b May 16 Mahony, c and b May ... 15 Williams, c Burm, b Simpson Hayward ... 100 Beeohey, b May ... 2 Tucker, o Hayward, b Branston & Hawthorne, a sub , b Oraustou 11 Brice, o and b Haysvard ... 0> Monaghan, e May, b Barns ... 17 Upham, not out i ... Extras ... ... 14 Total 211 Bowling Analysis.—Branston, 2 wickets for 59 runs; Simpson-Hay-ward, 3 for 60; Douglas, 1 tor 13. 1 Torrens, 0 for 14; May, 3 for 35; Burns, 0 for 16. M.O.C.—Seoond Innings. Johnson, b Upham ... 19 Harrison, b Upham ... ? Burns, o Hicksoo, b Upham ... 59 Branston, not out ... 12 Pagß, not out ... £> Extras 9 Total foi* three wickets . . 115 DUNEDIN December 26. Against Canterbury Otago made 202 in their first innings (Baker 45 not out, Ackroyd 12, Dowues 25, Siedeberg 24, lb, Howden 10).

In their seoond innings Otngo nave 5 wickets |down for 152 (Howden 62, Graham 37, Siedeborg 23,-' Wilson notjout 18). Canterbury made 165 in their first innings (Sims not out 59, Anthony 35, Ollivier 25, Bennett 10), Downes took 6 wiokets for 35, and Fisher 3 for 69. Bennett took 5 wiukets. for 55 in Otago's first innings, Malone 3 for 62, and Ollivier 2 for 55. VICTORIA v. NEW SOUTH WALES. December 26, 11.7 p.m. MELBOURNE, Do.-. 26. In their first innings against New &oath Wales Victoria made 195. Noble seoured 4 wickets for 55, uotter 3 for 65, Macartney 1 for 80, Garnsey 1 for 24. New South Wales- iu tbeir first innings, made 313 (Hockins 63, Macartney 42, Waddy 51, Cotter Armstrong took 6 wieksts for 66, Uazlebt 4 fur 114. Victoria in their seoond innings, have lost 4 wiokets for 164 (Macalister 36 t Armstrong not out 55).