CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 711, 6 January 1903, Page 3

CRICKET.

VICTORIA DEFEATS BOUTS AUSTRALIA. By Telegraph—Press Assooiaiton— Copyright Molbourno, Jan. 5. Victoria won the match by 179. Vic .Tone, too!, two w»“*/ or .S' Tr x ”“" 0 “; for 57, lieedman throo for 23. The Bout Australians in their second innings made 140. The details are not to hand. ENGLISHMEN EASILY BEAT WANGANUI. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wanganui, last night. The crickot match Wanganui 15 v. Lord Hawke’s team was continued to day in beautiful weather. The Englishmen won by eight wickets. In their first innings the Englishmen made 140; Thompson 49, Warner 27, Btanning 14, Whatman and Hargreaves 13 \Vanganui in their second innings made 77; J, M. Marshall 19 Fanning 11, G. Marshall 10. . The Englishmen in their second innings lost three wickets for 69 runs. An exhibition match will bo played tomorrow.

Lord Hawke’s team of English cricketers,, at present touring the colony, is undoubtedly a strong combination, and are of much more powerful calibre as players than many people seem to imagine. The three games they have so far played proved conclusively that the colonials have absolutely no chance with them on equal terms. Auckland is admittedly a weak province as regards its cricket, and had the worst of the luck in the matter of the wicket on which their encounter with the Englishmen was played, and their defeat was a foregone conclusion, especially as they in a sportsmanlike spirit only played eleven men against their redoubtable antagonists. The: two games in Taranaki were both affected by rain, and the English bowlers seem to have been altogether of too good a class for the colonial batsmen. It must be remembered that Hargreaves and Thompson, the two professional bowlers, are both first-class men. Poidevin, the well-known Sydney batsman, writing of Hargreaves to a Sydney journal during the last cricket season in England, expressed the highest opinion of work with the ball, while Thompson’s figures during the season just closed in England stamp him as a really fine trundler. It is to be hoped that there will be fine weather for the match between Hawke’s Bay and the all-conquering Englishmen, which commences on January loth at Napier. The Napier wicket, as everyone knows, is as fine a one as there is possibly in the world, and it will be interesting to learn whether the English bowlers can turn the ball to any great extent on a perfect pitch. Additional interest attaches to the game wifh Hawke’s Bay to local people, owing to the fact that two local players, in E. R. Ludbrook (Tuparoa) and W. Gibson (Gisborne) aro included in the Hawke’s Bay team. The former is a batsman with exceptionally strong defence, and has many long scores in big matches in New Zealand to testify to his merit. He is also a safe field. Gibson has previously represented Hawke’s Bay on three occasions, and the pair may be relied on to uphold the honor of the district against the distinguished visitors. There is not the least doubt that the visit of Lord Hawke’s team will prove of incalculable benefit to cricket in this colony from an educational point of view. Everyone will be pleased to see that Hugh Lusk is back in his place in the team, and, with Albert Trott to aid them, we hope the Hawke’s Bay. players will make a better stand against the Englishmen than has yet been shown. ■