CRICKET

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 18 December 1912, Page 5

CRICKET

THE SOUTH MELBOURNE PLAYERS. ■PERSONNEL OF THE TEAM. The South Melbourne Cricket Team arrived at Mastcrton from Auckland by the afternoon train on Tuesday. They were met at the station by His Worship the Mayor, the Town Clerk, Mr D. K. Logan and Mr Kemball, •secretary of tho Wairarapa Association, and wore afterwards driven to tho Club Hotel, where they will remain until Friday morning. In conversation with an Age representative last evening, Mr W. H. McCormack, tho manager of tho team, stated that the boys had had a very pleasant trip from Sydney to Auckland in the Maheno, though some members of the team suffered from mal de mer, no-t----ally Messrs Scott and Giller. The team were quite enamoured of Auckland, where they were hospitably entertained, and tho trip along the Main Trunk railway was a revelation to them. They were met at Palmerston North by Mr J. C. Cusack, secretary of the Wellington Wednesday Association, and were entertained at luncheon bv the. Mayor of Palmerston (Mr J. A. Nash). Referring to the. personnel of the team, Mr McCormack stilted that, it km; a very strong one from a touring point of view. Six of the team have played inter-State cricket for Victoria, namely H. Trott (the captain), Giller, Kenny, Kyle, Scott and McCormack. Harry Trott, it will be remembered, visited England on several occasion?', and captained the Australians at least once on their Homo trip. J. F. Giller lis regarded by Victoria n cricket judges as a compeer of Armstrong. He is said to be one of *bc best nll-round cricketers in Australia. He is a right-hand, mediumpace bowler, with plenty of variety, <v<d ha? cultivated a swerve which is most deceptive to batsmen. J. F. Kvle is a fast right-hand bowler, and is regarded by Trumper as the best length bowler in Victoria. He wa<-. eb-se no in the running for the last English team. He is only a fair batsman.

W. -T. Scott is the champion batsmnn of th'e team. Ho made the liiprliesf- individual score in Melbourne cricket last year, knocking up 220 against East Melbourne. He is also a'"howler of considerable merit, and has cultivated the baseball swerve. / Mi' MeCormack states that, if Scott \v,(] T)eas strike form, the New Zealanders will be given a very high exhibition of cricket. I?. Deas is the tall man of the team, standing six feet in his stockings. Tor tw^seasons he was'the champion batsman of the Sul>-district Association. He is a very forceful player, and is most aggressive on the on-side. A. Kenny is also a very capable batsman, and is, the midget of the team. In 1910 he put up a score of 101 and 100 not out in a touring match against Queensland. T. Purvis is one of last season's colts. He is a very srood batsman, •Mid also bowls well,'whilst lie is brilliant in the field. A. Pentland H< the wicket-keeper "f th<> team, but is not regarded afi |oii« of Australia's best. A. G:-r>y is a good all-round batsir,fn. .'Mid is also a'very, fine field S '■'-•■ke'-; was one of the. best Second Eleven batsmen of last season. , Last vwir ho scored 200 against East Melbourne and followed this with 104 and 113. He has only played twice in first-class matches. H, Kelly was the premier bowler •of tho Sub'dk'tricfc Association. He is a medium-pace right-hander, and is one of the best fieldsmen of the team ■ W. MeCormack, the. secretary and manager of the team, is an old i n t« r - j State player. He is the only lefthanded plaver in the team. The visitors will this morning have , n . practice on the Oval, and at 11.30 w iV be accorded a civic reception in +h« Borough Chambers. They will, thereafter, be entertained at luncheon in the Club Hotel, and will commence the match with AVairarapa at • 2 p.m. . ' , , -11 On Tlvursdav morning the team will he shown round the district in motors, n Vi>l th'" match on that day will prob;llvK- .stnvf shortlv before noon. . TV visitors will b<> enterta.ined 1 at a smoke concert on Thursday night.