CRICKET NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10485, 23 November 1911, Page 6

CRICKET NOTES.

[By "Leg-Uiieak."]

November 10th: v. South Australia. Won by England by an innings an 191 runs. November 17th : v. Victoria. Won by England by 4!) runsNovember 21th : v. New South Wales. December Ist: v. Queensland. December Bth : v. Eleven of Aus. at Brisbane. December 15th: First Test Match at Sydney. December 30th : Second Test at Melbourne. January 12th : Third Test at Adelaide, February 2nd: v.Victoria. February 9th: Fourth 1 est at Melbourne. February lGth: v. New fouth Wales. February 23rd: Fifth Test at Sydyey. March Ist: v. South Australia.

Tho Wsii.ra.rapa competitions were continued on Saturday last, in fine 'though windy weather. In most leases pitches played well, particularly the M aster ton-Carlton pitch, which. : showed .signs of careful preparation. ' Oil tho whole, very good games resulted, and some brilliant displays in batting wero shown in both senior and junior matches. Quite a crowd of spectators gathered at tho Park Oval, 1 and keen interest was displayed in the •various games. Tlie Masterton.-Carlton senior match resulted in the best cricket of the day. Carlton, with a. very weak team, .succeeded in putting up the very creditable score of 148, but this was mainly due to a partnership of over <)() runs by A. lioar and F. Phillips. Hoar played a chance less innings for his GO, scoring all round the wicket, particularly on the off, and hitting six fourerx. Phillips- also battel steadily for his '2B. With the exception, of K. Welch (17) mul 11. Williams (11) the remaining players did very little. Masterton have lost four wickets lor 176, Moorhouso (03 not out) repeated his performance of the previous match (G4) against South Wairarapa. Ho was at the wickets i'or considerably under an hour for his runs, 40 ot which wero from boundary hits. It must be 'admitted that the Carlton bowling with the exception of Boyd, was extremely weak. When Moorhouse went to the wickets Boyd was fagged, having bowled twelve or thirteen overs at a stretch. When fresh ho howled exceedingly well, and his three wickets (all-clean bowled) wero with beauties. Patrick gave a dashing display for his 48 runs. It is unfortunate for the Masterton club that this player is returning to Wellington shortly. The hall that dismissed him beat him all the way. The result of the game appears in sight. Carlton will do well to save an innings defeat. Masterton juniors appear to have the upper hand with St.- Matthew's, and no doubt will score an easy win. Of Masterton's first innings score of 113, Thompson was responsible for 42. Ho batted well, though not without a number of chances. Perry (16) had only just got going, when ho had the misfortune of treading on Ins 1 wicket in swinging round to a leg ball, almost a wide. He looked like making a good score, and St. Matthew's were lucky in getting rid of 'him. Igguklen (16 not out) was ialso going strong when the last wicket fell. In the second innings Masterton have not started so well—threb for 31; Council, the ! St. Matthew's fast bowler, got going, I and captured the throe wickets for j four or five runs. St. Matthew's first 1 attempt only resulted in 67, Walker (21) and Stewart (18) l>cing the chief scorers. Thompson, lggulden, and Perry shared the wickets. In the junior match, Carlton v. Mauriceville, the former have the upper hand, and no doubt Carlton will record an easy win. W. Hoar was responsible for 41 of Carlton's first, innings score of 84. This player went to the wicket with the intention of lifting the ball, as it is almost impossible to make runs on the schoolground by playing correct cricket and keeping the ball along the ground, owing to tho long grass. The local Association does not appear to consider the interests of the junior cricketer, or this would be attended to at once. Nothing is likely to prove more harm- ] ful to the gam© than, for the younger players to get into the habit of lifting the ball, as practically every stroke is a chance. On Saturday Hoar made 90 per cent of his runs by hitting up, but, owing possibly to bad placing of the field on the part of Mauriceville, his I hits wero all, fortunately,' safe. Mascell e again captured nine wickets, .it » cost of 27 runs. This former senior "iayor bowled really well, the sticks being hit on every occasion. Mauriceville's innings was ' a very poor attempt, the last wicket falling for a total of 35. Mascelle (10) was the only

player to reach double-figures, and lie was very foolishly run out. C. Welch, bowling witJi tho wind, cl-id well, taking 4 for 11, while Temple, on tho other hand, also bowling with the wind (left-hander) captured 3 for 14. In their second innings, Carlton have lost 4 for 27. Thus, so far, Mauriceville require 77 runs to win the match, which in view of their first performance, appears unlikely. This year tho Mauriceville team rely solely on Mascello for their bowling, but they have one or two fair lxats. The Carlton team is strong in bowling, but weak in batting, and the only hope of tho team this season will bo to get their opponents out cheaply. A very amusing incident occurred in the match at the schoolground on Saturday. An over-eager wicket-keeper in extending his hand:-; to take a straight ball (which the ba.tsman hit, however) grabbed the "off" stump, pulling it out of tho ground, much to tho amusement of his fellow-players, and his own evident embarrassment. I have been informed that tho Carterton and South Wairarapa teams have intimated that they will not journey to Masterton to play Masterton', because the local team is too strong, making the competition too one-sided. In consequence of this action, I understand that the Masterton Club is jikely to bo asked to divide their team into two, making (with the help of their juniors) two teams about tho same strength as tho other senior teams*. AVhilo this may bo a good thing for Wairarapai cricket, it does not show very good sport on the part of the weaker clubs. There is ono thing, however, that might bo borne in mind. If the Masterton club is divided, a bye will be mado in the senior competition. An effort might then be inado to form another junior team, and this would also make a bye in the junior competition-. The senior team with the bye could then play the junior team with tho bye, and this would be a good thing for juniors to face senior bowling occasionally. There are a number of young men and boys in this town who would, I think, only be too willing to play cricket if they wore, guaranteed a game. St. Matthew's, [ a,m told, have something like 18 members. There is no reason why Carterton should not get a junior team. Two years ago they had a strong team. Where are theso players now? They are not playing senior. Cricket is in a bad way in the Wairarapa, and it is time the local Association woke lip and took matters in hand. A meeting should be called and the matter fully discussed. But it must be at once. There is no time to lose. I remember hearing of a town in South Canterbury where cricket was in practically the same state as in the Wairarapa at present. The following year there was no cricket at all. A few genuinely interested players took things in hand and made a thorough canvass of the town, with the result that nearly 150 players were taking part in senior and junior matches before the end of the season. Why cannot tho Wairarapa Association make an active canvass for senior and junior players? lam confident that a scheme of this sort would meet with great success.