CRICKET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10136, 5 November 1910, Page 3

CRICKET.

It has been cabled from South Africa that J. H. Sinclair is to join the team, it having been originally notified that he could not do so. He will, no doubt, come by another steamer, arriving either two or three weeks later than the other members of the team. Jle is the great hitter of South African cricket, ' who made two centuries against the 1902 Australian team, which visited South Africa on its way back from England. Though he may be a shade past his prime, it will probably be found that the fast wickets of Australia will suit his style tif play. And, after ail, he is only 34 years old. To a man who undei'stands them there is scarcely any wicket m the world better suited to the hard driver and big hitter. It is true that G. L. Jessop did not reproduce his English form on the other side; but he is not an orthodox hitter of the Sincair-Lyons type. Had Jessop visited Australia a second time, studied the wickets there and modified his methods in keeping therewith he might have been a wonderful tuc.ess. The South African skipper, Mr Percy Sherwell, is a fine free bat, with a variety of scoring strokes, excellent in the cuts and in the glide and push strokes to leg. A very reliable wicket keeper, he is particularly good at catching. He makes an ideal and popualr captain, being cool, tactful, and always cheerful, whether in the hour of victory or defeat.. His splendid century at Lord's in the test match of 1907 is a conspicuous illustration of the fact that Sherwell is seen to the greatest advantage with the bat when things are going badly for his side. Aa a leader of a forlorn hope he is magnificent. And he considers cricket the finest game in the world. i Everyone is waiting to see how

the leading South African bowlers will fare. At present it appears to be one of the puzzles of cricket. It seems to depend on the quality of the bowlers. If they fce able to spin the ball on Australian wickets and keep a decent length, they will te very difficult, because the fast turf will help the ball to make pace from the pitch. Actual experience in match cricket alone will demonstrate these matters. In one of the Western Suburbs Churches' competition matches, Sydney, recently, a team, leading by a; out 70 runs on the first innings, requested the other side tc follow on. They did ro and the total of the two innings aggregated a few runs more than the total of their opponents in the first innings. 'lhe latter then desired to go in and "knock off the runs." 'Cut the match is all over," said one of the follow-on tide. "How?" "Yet forfeited your second innings by tell ing us to follow on." You see, they were not 80 runs behind.