CRICKET NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10459, 25 October 1911, Page 6

CRICKET NOTES.

[By "Leg-Break."]

The Wairarapa competitions ope.i on Saturday next. The fixtures S'.'t down for the clay are Senior : Mt>sterton v. South Wairarapa, at Jeatherston ; Carlton v. Carterton, on the Park Oval. Junior: Mauriceville v. South Wairarapa, ' at Carterton ; Carlton v. St. Matthew's, at the Park: Oval; Masterton, a live. It is to l)j hoped that players will turn out in good numbers. The desirability oF wearing flannels in championship matches} s.iould to impressed upon players. It looks more like business, and is so inexpensive as to cause surprise that anyone will suffer the discomfort of playing in their ordinary clothes. The local Association should, I think, make tL> wearing of flannels in these matches compulsory, as there are a :>'.nnber who go on to the field without flannels. <

ITilie rains during the past week have interfered with net practice. No doubt players will make the most of this week, and get as much practice t<3 possible. Sill, the scores in the j poising matches' will most likely l><> small as usual. At a meeting held' last we ok, it was decided to resuscitate the Eketaliuna Cricket Club. A resolution was carried that the meeting wa; of opinion that all matches should be played on Thursday. Should the local Thursday Association be resuscitated there is a -probability that matches could be played with the Eketaliuna Club, as in the old day*. A movement is also on foot in Ekotahura to form a local Cricket Association. It Avas stated that ' support would be forthcoming from clubs at Hamua, Nireaha, Hukanui, Rongokokako, and Alfredton. It was decided' to ask the various clubs to send delegates to a meeting in Eketaliuna to discuss the matter of forming an Association. Some time ago it was stated that if a northern association was formed Mauriceville would throw in their lot. In the event of such a * happening, Wairarapa junior cricket would suffer a distinct loss. Mr J. H. Board, the English professional, who is under engagement to the Hawke's Bay Association Association as coach, will arrive in the Dominion by the lonic to-day, and will commence'his duties forthwith. Members of tho Hawke's Bay Association, and cricketers generally, have been making a strong appeal to raise £7o by subscription, in order to earn a promised subsidy of £IOO from the President, Mr E. H. Williams. Their 'efforts have been successful. Finances sound /inner up that way.. There are just on fifty teams entered for the various competitions in Auckland. Cricket is certainly booming in the northern city. ■ „ Mr F. G. Raphael, the lion, secretary of the New Zealand Cricket Council, left on Thursday last on a holiday trip to Australia. Ho will be there when some of the earlier matches are played with the* English team.

Canterbury opened the season at

Christchurch on the 14th inst., a miserably cold day. Nevertheless, some good scores were registered i in the "first-grade. The representative player, G. B. Lusk, knocked up 64 not out. Two other rep. players, Caygill (41) and Norman. (.>9) also shaped vi-ell. The Canterbury captain (I). Reese), however, made a "tluck," all by himself.

One century so far has .been registered in Canterbury. A. Mcßeatli, playing for Kimberley against Springfield, retired after he iiad bagged 103 run;. And this in the opening match, too..

Clement Hill has been elected captain of the Australian team in the Test matches against tlie M.C.C. team. By the way, clement means merciful, but I'm afraid some of the English bowlers won't think so. Playing for Gloucestershire against Hampshire, G. L. Jessop, who is one of the biggest hitters- ever seen in cricket, made 153 in the first innings and 123 not out in the second. Referring to his big hitting, an English writer humorously says that he is the glaziers' friend, as he finds his true happiness in breaking the windows of the houses surrounding the grounds on whicli lie is playing. A. O. Jones, the famous Notts player, who has twice visited Australia with English teams, once as captain of the team (1907-8), has expressed the opinion that, whatever side England took to Australia, there would be only one result, and that was not that tihe rubber would be wrested from the Australians. He may be right. All that I can say, says an. English writer, is that it would be a bit of a miracle, good fortune always being equally "distributed, for any eleven to beat the Australians on their own grounds, assuming the Australian -form bf last season is maintained. There is ail extraordinary amount of interest taken in the tour.