Cricket.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 55, 5 March 1904, Page 14

Cricket.

[Br Thm Mid.] NOTES ON SENIOR PLAY. If the critic from Melbourne, who occupied my half-column of space in last Saturday's Post had been on the Basin lost Saturday afternoon, he would not havo been so caustic in his criticism. I am pretty hard to please myself, and the discomfort) of tho alleged press-box in the- pavilion does not conduce to tho best feelings towards the g.ime on the p.irt of tho professional reporter. JJut I enjoyed the gomes on Saturday. It was an espeoial treat bo watch tho gallant uphill iigbb of tho Old Boys, and Captain Kirkcaldie and. .his young brigade cannot be too highly proieed for their stubborn resistance to the u(.t«ck» of tho "Wellington tefttn. The Old Boys, who wanted 411 to win, occupied tho wickets all the afternoon, and the last two men wero in when stumps wero drawn, with tho score at 308. Twenty minutes' play closed thb game on Mouday evening, when the excollogians got within 90 runs of the required total. Five of tho team scored 0, 0, 8, 4, 9, and six scored 40, 110, 11, 61, 17, 36. J. P. Blacklock achieved his second century for the season. The following figures ghmv the hits of the thico highest scorers : — J. P. 81ack10ck— 31111233111113152131 3113311211153315113616imi511143L— 110 Tucker-35155321114111H4U-40. Ja00b5— 15311113111113142431116132113 111-61. In tho absence of Richardson, through family bereavement, Frank Ashbolt skippered the winning teiwn. Five bowlers weie used, awl these sent down 80 overs. Of thes«, Hales delivered 28 ovois, getting 4 wicketa for 100 ; Latham also gob 4 wickets for 83 runs from 23Jovcrs ; Mahony, Who has lwuvded the wicket-keeping gloves to Barney Weybournc, who stands woll back from the sticks, sent along 12 overs, securing 1 wicket for 46 runs ; Ashboll'a oue wicket cost 54 runs, from 14 overs ; and Stan Hickson sent down three over?, including ono maiden, for 12 run.l The Midland-Phoenix heat was concluded at an ca-rly hour on Saturday, tho Uphamites wearing a winning Miiile, which has become almost a fixture with them. Tho Midlandcrs certainly deserved the game, for they showed the bust cricket. Phoenix iv the it two innings made exactly tho total scouxl in their opixments' second innings (265) thus luiiving tho latter winners by the total of thoir first cirort at tho bat (177). Tho features of Saturday's piny in this heat .were tho batting of the Midlandeis' latest acquisition, Vivian, lato of Melbourne, who mado 52, not out, in refreshing style, and the wicketkeeping of Arnold William*:. Tho latter returned to his very best form, delighting his many admirers by the manner of his stumping Naughton/ Waters, and Hiokey, and catching Brico. all four being. secured off the deliveries of Hatchings. The latter bowler was also in good form, capturing six wickets in six overs for only 21 runs. Arnold WUliams's younger brother. U.

W., promoted fiom the juniors hiL a vigorous 29 for his side on Satuidav, his hits bDing— 2414213221133— 29. V'lvians hits vcic— 23133231 133223231312323— 52 not. out. Four Mid binders hod 3, 0, 1, 0, opposite tJbvir names, mil tho other fciwn 51. 51, 20, 24, 13, 52, 29. Tho Phoenix « iekels tell in Iho second imungK in the following stages: — Ono for 26, two and threo lor 44, four fur 47, five for 48, six and j-even for 71, eight for 73, nine for 84, ten for 87. Scion of tho twun failed to gei, into double figuiv-, the record being 8. 0, 0, 2, 7. 2, 0, and Naughton (13), Hedm.ivo (19), Waters (12), Lash (13). and e\tias (11) scored 68 of Iho tol.il. Redgiave knocked up his hcore Mith 34143121, Naughlon was moro caiutioiiH .with 11143111, and Waters' dinen v-as made- up of 311313. A PhiKdiis »upprntcr supplies nio with the following li&t of averages of his club's first/ eleven :: — •

Third-class players will havo noted the abbenco of Geoff. Wan en, who is, as far as my knowledge of cricketers goes, tho most enthusiastic third-claasor in the city. Ho is enjoying a business tour in tho north — thai is to say, he enjoys the lotir until Saturday comes round, and then ho longs for tho wicket at and tho opponents at Karoii. Playing against College B in tho thirdclass contest, Vivian secured first strike, but did nob make tho most of their oppoitunity, tho innings closing with tho bcoro at 79. "Joo" Pudnev led the way with a well-made 25, W. 'Wighton (17) being tho only other double. Jordan and l)ee each secured 5 wickeU. College 13, with 1 wicket for 35, and Jordan going strong, Hceined good for a solid total, but they reckoned wiihout the bowling of O'Shea, who secured 6 wickets for 4- runs, and tho innings terminated for 71. Jordan 33, Gilford 12, Renner 11, being tho donblofigure contributors. In the, wcond innings Vivian have put up 62 for 6 wickets, tins gamo thu.N standing at an even position. In tho match Old Boys A v. Phoenix B a graad one-hand, low-down catch \wis brought off b-y H. Jacobs. Simm showed some of his ohi form with tho bat, making 40 out of the first 50 iiins scored. His score reads as follows :— 3131344354 424. Ben Wilson was seen playing in his oldtime form for his 72 for tho Old Boys B in the match against the V.M.C.A.

Jn. N.O. II.S. R. Avg. Waters ... 7 0 48 214. 30.57 iJarton. ... 4 0 70 113 28.25 Ueilgruvo ... 9 0 98 229 25.44 ISrieo ... 9 1 57* 149 18.62 Dny ... 5 0 48 75 15 M'Lonuan. ... 4 1 34 42 14 llickoy ... 8 1 31 94 13.42 Mowutt ... 5 0 31 62 12. 4 Lush ... 8 0 23 91 11.37 Burilelb ... 8 1 19 68 8. 5 Cute ... 9 3 T 32 6.33 * Nob out. > Tho following is the present position of Uio Hcveiul loams in the (Senior Chum[HojiAbij) on tho completion of the maUi beat h»*b .Saturday:— - Wins. Losses. Midland 5 2 Wellington. 4 2 Phoenix ... ... 3 3 Old Boys 1 5