CRICKET NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3020, 17 October 1908, Page 7

CRICKET NOTES.

(By "Cover Point").

The Senior competition of the Masterton Thursday Cricket Association will commence on Thursday next when Rivals will meet Carterton and W.F.C.A. will play Carlton. The members of the various teams have got in a fair amourt of practice, but there is not likely to be any big scores made at the start. The howlers should certainly have the best of the deal for a few weeks. Cricket enthusiasts will take most interest next Thursday in the CarltonW.F.C.A. match, as there are those who contend that these two teams will be well to the front at the finish. Carlton, who won the premiership last season, will have, I am informed, a stronger team than they have ever before put in the field. Some of those who will he seen out are R. Moss, T. Hoar, A. Styles (Carlton's crack howler of a few seasons ago who has returned to Masterton), Vnyce, R. Carley (a new plaver). F. Welch, E. Welch, Boyd and J. Waters.

The W.F.C.A. will have a good team. Sw«n, who has for years played for Carlton, has thrown in his lot with W.F.C.A. this season, and his services should prove invaluable. He in a fine bat, who can always be relied on for runs and a goud change bowler. Congdon, aiiuilier ex-v.arltonian, will also be seen playing in the W.F.C.A. colours, and he should strengthen their bowling division. Rothenberg is another new player who is highly spoken of. There is, however, a bit of a "tail" to the W.F.C.A. team. The Rivais-Carterton match , should produce some attractive cricket, as both terms have good players in their ranks. In the Rivals there are a number of the now defunct Stars, including Thvnne. Edw-rds, Richards, Dwyer, and Lomas (who played some years 1 afeu ior cuetn;. i'he ttam should make a verv fair showing and have good material m their young players. The Carterton team will be. I 'am told, much the same as last year. Mr D. Reece of Christchurch, has been appointed sole selector of Canterbury representative teams by me Canterbury Cricket Association. The great South Australian batsman, J. Darling, has retired from cricket in Australia. As batsman in his prime (writes "Not Out"), he was one of the most remarkable punishers of his or any age, and those who saw it will probably . agree that no greater innings was ever played than his 160 in the

final test match of 1898 on the Sydney Ground. Darling as batsman was

greatest at the pinch. A biggerhearted player never represented Australia and if we only produce a few young ones of his type England will not have things all her own way in the battles for "the ashes" of the near future. In test matches he played 46 innings, scoring 1,402 rune, -with an average of 51.15. Altogether in first-class Cricket he played in 332 innings, scored 10,563 runs; his highest score was 210, »nd !;is average 34..51. Darling has 29 centuries to his credit. Kc w:i! live in Tasmania Cli hiL sheep station. J. Darling, with his wife and family, lefc Adelaide on September 29th to settle in Tasmania. Prior to his departure the Ground and Finance and the Crickat Committees of the Australian Cricket Association at a joint meeting, bade him farewell, and wished him health and prosperity. In reply,, Darling made a characteristic speech, defending the position taken up by the Australian players in seeking fair play from the cricket authorities. Referring to the coming tour of the Australian Eleven in England, he said:—"ln August, iao7, the Board of Control met in Sydney, and Messrs Creswell and Blinman, who were with him could remember that at that time a bad feeling existed between the New South Walts players and the Association, and that there was a likelihood of the Australian Eleven players in that State not playirg against the English team. He tried to get a resolution passed that the financial arrangements of the next Australian Eleven to England would be the same as in the past. That was not adopted but be had the assurance from several of the delegates that it would be all right. After a long discussion matters were patched up, and/they played against the Englishmen. Now they heard remarks that the Board was going to do certain things. He knew that certain delegates on the Board were trying to interfere with the arrangements. If they did, the sooner the Board was smashed the better."