SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10401, 23 August 1911, Page 6

SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

CRICKET NOTES.

[By "Leg-Break."]

The cricket season is fast approaching, and it behoves the various clubs in"the Wiuirarapa to hold their annual meetings, in order to make an early start this year. The competitions this season, so far as one can judge 'at. present, are likely to prove moro interesting than last year, especially in the senior championship. It is understood that the Oarlton Club mill put a much stronger team in the field this year, and .at any rate make matches a bit more interesting between the home teams. lam informed that the Masterton, Carterton, and South Wairarapa teams will be constituted of much the same as last season. In the junior section some slight changes seem probable. St. Matthew's will be able'only to place one team in the field this season. It has been stated tliat the Carterton juniors in-

I tend to reform this year. It is very [ much to be hoped that they will, as it will make the junior competition much interesting. The Carterton team of two years ago did very well for themselves, being runners-up for the championship, and it was a great pity that this club disbanded. It is to be hoped that the rumour that they arc re-forming is correct. The Auckland Cricket Council has made a great catoh in securing the services of the Northamptonshire and M.C.C. professional, George J. Thompson, as coach for the coming

season. The latest issue of the "Athletic News" received here refers

to the defeat of Kent,- the champion County, by Northants, as "Thompson's Triumph." In the first innings he made 74 runs and took five wickets for 55, while in the second he made 13, and took seven wickets for 45. With 87 from the bat, and 12 wickets for exactly 100 .runs, against the champion country, this memorable match may well be styled Thompson's triumph. George Joseph Thompson, wJio is 34 years of age, is a native of Northampton, and originally played as an amateur. He comes of good stock and was educated at Wellingborough Grammar School. He is a sound batsman, nuiok to espy the weakness of an ill-set field, and is a mighty driver to the long-on if the chance presents itself. His renown is greatest as a bowler. He winds himself up to deliver a right-handed, medium-paoed ball, which is quick from the pitch, and often whizzing with the finger spin he has imparted. On a worn wicket his bowling rises in disconcerting fashion to a timid batsman, and with the conditions suitable he can make the ball break back at a terrific pace. His appetite for work is seldom satiated, and lie is a keen, if not alert fielder, with a pair of hands that grasp most catches within his reach. On tour in New Zealand, South Africa and the West Indies, he has always proved himself a thorough cricketer, without in any way seeking publicity or fame. Indeed, George Thompson is rather reserved, and his steady and able cricket is character-

istic of a man with a quiet disposition and blessed with common sense. He toured New Zealand, it will be remembered, with Lord Hawke's team (under the leadership of P. F. Warner) in 1902-3. On New Zealand wickets lie proved a veritable "destroying angel," capturing 177 wickets during the tour at , a cost of 6$ runs apiece, which is indeed a remarkable performance. Should lie strike such deadly form on our wickets this season,'it is almost safe to predict that Canterbury will lose the Plunket Shield. Thompson leaves the Old Country on September 14, arriving in Auckland about the end of October.

J. H. Board, the Gloucestershire and M.C.C. professional, leaves in the beginning of September to take up his duties as ooaeh for the Hawke's Bay Association. Board is one of the best wicket-keepers- in the Old Country at the present time. Last season he headed the average behind the stumps, keeping wickets in 19 firstclass matches, .taking 27 catches, stumping 30, thus accounting for 57 wickete, or 20 per cent, of the 283 wickets that fell for his county. The death is announced in the Melbourne Argus of Mr J. D. Edwards, ian officer of the Bank of New South Wales, who was in his day one of the foremost cricketers of Australia. Mr Edwards won his way into the inter-colonial matches, and was a member of the 1888 Australian Eleven which visited England. Playing for Lancashire against Worcestershire in the early part of June, R. H. Spooiier and in the second innings put oh 232 runs for the first wicket in 150 minutes. Neither gave a chance, and Lancashire declared their innings closed with four'wickets down for 475. Botih players have accepted invitations to join the M.C.C. team to tour Australia this Eeason. Albert E. Relf (Norfolk and Sussex), who two years ago was engaged as coach to the Auckland Cricket Council, is stated by one critic to be bowling short this season. It may be true, says an English writer, but the evidence of figures hardly bear;* out. the contention. The ratio of runs to overs in A.E.R.'s oase thus far is less than 5 to 2, which is very much the same as in 1910, wihen he sent down 1360 overs for 3108 runs, and not very much over his figures of 1909—ju,<|t under 1200 overs for 2474. If he really has been bowling short, then the batsmen opposed to him may fairly be charged with lack of enter-

prise. Playing for Middlesex against Essex, F. A. Tarrant, the ex-Victorian, scored 168. Rhodes (Yorkshire) has accepted the invitation to join the M.C.C. team for Australia. Smith (Warwickshire), and Warner (Middlesex) will also be members of the team. In connection with the visit of the M.C.C. team to Australia and South Africa this season, the Board of Control will leave the countries to make their own arrangements in regard to their share of the gate money in the matches. The Board also recommends that if after the second tevt neither side has the advantage, the third match be played right out. Playing against Yorkshire last week, Hayward scored 177 runs. Durtho early part of this season, the famous Surrey batsman was scoring with as marked consistency as at any previous period in his career. His successive innings at that stage were 17, 170 not out, 121, 58, 65 not out, 46, 120, and 52, or an average for the eight innings of 108 runs per innings.