CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2097, 25 January 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

ENGLAND V. AUSTRALIA. LAST DAY OF THE TEST MATCH. RECORD STAND MADE BY CLEM HILL AND HARTIGAN.o Tho great performance of Clem Hill and Hartigin which practically won the third test match for Australia is described' iir the report of the Sydney “Referee” of the fourth day’s play: Hnrtigan, the next man, immediately saw O’Connor beaten by Crawford and bowled. He had butted really well for an hour ami a quarter i'or'2o, ami hit three fours. ,

Clem Hill now appeared, and' Fielder immediately .replaced ißruumL Hill was in ‘ten minutes before m iking a single. He then drove Crawford, for four. At the luncheon adjournment Hart'gan hail- made 12, Hill 6, and the total 199 for seven wickets.

When play was resumed tlio temperature had 1 gone up to 107.3, and, of course, it ,wus hot unto Hades. Fielder ami Barnes were the bowlers. Hill at once drove Fielder for i, bringing up 209 after four hours eight minutes’ butting. In Fielder’s next over iHartigan pulled him for four, and' cover-hit the last ball of the over to 'the fence, to the delight •of the spectators. A drive for four by Hill off Barnes made 25 runs since luncheon in a quarter of an hour. This was somewhat exhilarating to the spirits of Australia. At 224 Rhodes ‘relieved: Fielder and steadied the scoring. Nine runs later Crawford .bowled instead of Barnes. Hartigin at once hit him for a couple. But in Crawford’s next over Hartigan, who had made 32, had a narrow escape. He put up a ball square of point, and Fielder, running from third man, overran it and let the ball- go through his arms. This was a let-off. The next ball was finely hit to the oil-boundary by Hartigan. Facing Crawford again, Hartigan' snicked ono over the headis of the sentinels in the slips .for four. Hill was somewhat troubled by Rhodes, and with 22 opposite his name he gave a difficult chance to Fane at extra mid-off, but the English captain lost sight of the ball and missed 1 .it. These Englishmen, you see, do once in a way make a mistake. Hartigan hit one from Crawford to the leg-boundary. Then a_single in -the same over completed 250, after four hours 55 minutes’ play.

A single off Rhodes gave the Queenslander 50, for which he had been batting only an hour and a quarter. He received rousing cheers tor his dashing display, and l another for a straight hit off Crawford to the .ropes. Rhodes gave the ball to Braund at 259. The left-h aider drove linn to the fence twice in successive overs. Hutchings came on and bowled a wide. Crawford went on at 270, ,and four byes gave the Australians a lead of 200 runs. In 85 minutes the seventh-wicket partnership had put on 100 runs. Barlies replaced Braund' at 281. Hill got four for an uppish late cut off Hutchings, .and drove the following ball down the ground for four. In Hutchings’ next over Hill hit one to the fenco at square-leg, and reached his 50 in an hour and 52 minutes. Then a cut for I by Hartigaa caused 300 to be hoisted as a result of fiv.e hours 36 minutes’ batting. Crawford was tried again before tea vice Hutchings .anti Hill got four for a fine square hit. At tea-time the score w.is 307, Hartigan fit, Hill. 660. The crowd rose to a man and cheered the two .batsmen as they returned 1 to the pavilion. It transpired that Hill, when 39, snicked one off Hutchings, and ' it touched Braund’s left hand at first, slip and went to the boundary.

By this time the Englishmen were a trifle tired, and Australia’s stock was in the ascendant, The bowiim,' was carried on by Crawford and Rhodes after tea. Hill on- th'o'/o Rhodes -to the boundary and hooked him- for three, which set his score past Hartigan’s. Then a beautiful leg-glance off Crawford sped to tho boundary and put the li i rnh r into tho 70’s, and a drive for three off Crawford made him top score in the match. However, the right-han-der was not finished." He lift Crawford right over his bb.id to the boundary, and each batsman was 76. Hartigan first got to 80 by smacking one from Rhodes to the pavilion. Crawford, .reverted to the off-theory, which produced some brilliant field\»S in the slips by Braund. several balls going straight to him verv fast.

I'ho strain of batting in the heat alter 'h:.s illness had *by this time affected Hill, and he vomited twice in the field after the ten adjournment. A smartly-run single gave him his 80 off the first ball from Fielder, who hid relieved Crawford. Frequent adjournments for refreshments were taken, the .heat and exercise having affected all the players. The 350 was reached in six (lours and a half, each' I) rtslnan being 82. Hill was again sick, but came up to the wicket again pluckily and Kit two. off tho next ball. Haftigin .drove Fielder to- the track in the next over aiul scored four more with the aid of two overthrows, tho total coming to 363, the same as England’s first innings. Despite tho heat and Hill’s .indisposition, the feature of the play was the clever running between wickets. Hartigan first readied the century by stepping out .and driving Bra mid for a .single, amid great excitement. Hill entered the nineties in the same over, after having walked the- whole length of the pitch to congratulate his partner, who had been batting 'three hours I minutes. Tlie next cheer was for i boundary hit hv Hill oft' Urauiul, making the Australians 300 to the good, and 200 for the partnership. Rhodes relieved Fielder, and Hill cut b’.-i first century, the hoard showing 101 to each, batsman, and the total 388. The South Australian took three hours 8 minutes to make his hundred. Thin is the-record -for the eighth wicket ]i rrtnership.

This brilliant cricket was witnessed by only 3200 people, the gate receipts amounting to only £173. This was n reflection on the cricket enthusiasm of Adelaide. Since 60 each batsman bad practically made run for run until 101 appeared opposite both their n uiie---. Hill was non- quite exhausted and cast anxious eyes towards the clock. .The pair saw the day out. —Hill 106 and Hartigan 105, extras- -,16. the total being 397 for

-'even wickets. It was’a wonderful day for Austral’l. The Englishmen, by mistakes in the field, gave the Australians their opportunity, ami .Hartigan and Hill re : y,cd the happy chance. Hartigan played .a magnificent innings. ’■ound in defeii ce. vet forceful, with

strokes all round the wicket. He has been in three hours 39 minutes, and bus hit 11 fours. Hill began shakily, but with characteristic determination. When lie settled down, his play was as perfect as ever. He

has been batting three hours and a half, and has 13 fours to his credit.

NOTES BY “SHORT SLIP.”

Wo have had the pleasure of welcoming another country team to Gisborn tills week for a relies of three matches. On this occasion, our visitors are the .“tall and stailwait natives from the rugged mount.;,:'n sides” in the: vicinity of Tokoinani, and adjacent! bays of the far-famed East Coast, j Everyone must admit that these visits from country clubs make for the good of the game m Poverty Bay.: There has for many years been far too much metropolitanism in all branches ol sport m New Zealand. If a mail did not reside in one: of the cent res, he had mightly little! chance of inclusion in representative teams. It is pleasing to note that this idiotic idea is being knocked on the head. Tlio iAuekland Rugby Unon led the way: by including players from the affiliated country ci.uhs in its representative teams, and some of the best players the province has produced came from the country districts. , • , ,■ . The phenomena Ksueeess wiucli followed the adoption'of the system of selecting froili the whole distret, instead of froiii one town alone, a as so ma.'ke.l that other centres had to follow Auckland’s common-sense lead. At the present time, all branches of sport are acting on the same urns and doing what they should .aluajs have done— st'i.ccting the bo.-.t man, irrespective of where they reside. The local Association ns . desirous of encouraging the game m over> way in the country districts, and is only too willing to arrange matches in town as often as possible, 1 committee realise that uriionu strength, and: the more clubs affiliated to the Association the strongei will he the representative eleven, and l " more fu.N wfll tl.ee ■ able to improve the ground, which is realty the ‘.‘county ground fm the whole of the! large district. Already this season we 'me had the Motn, Wa.ngake, and Mangatu county clubs performing m tiron, and now comes the Tokomanwmvadeis The team i which the hast ooaf> Club has brought down is not by anj means its full strength, and its shows a sportsmanlike spirit on the pi"" of the visitors to undertake the t ip when so many of their prom.n----e t men wer.e unable to accompany t e team. They are certainly made of sterner stuff than our Hawke's Bay knights of the willow, who jmstivmed the recent trip to Auckiana and Gisborne because three ot then best men were unable to get leare. The Tokomill'll eleven are composed nf v mi« prayers, who should develop hito °fi ret-class men when they have been taught; by ripened experience to do the tilings which shou d he done and to leave undone the things which should: not he done on th fi0 Tbe majority of them lost their wickets on Thursday, through errois in judgment in picking the balls to it Frequently a bateman would carefully play a half-volley, and let go at the next hall, which wou-d he on the short side, and quite incapable of being hit out of tb® ground. They sacrificed then; wiekrns also in casing for impossible runs. 1 iohablv the saint ary . lessons they learned will improve their judgment n tut n, e There- is no better coach than tbo fatal mistakes players make which cost them their wickets, these •are strongly impressed on the menio v, and It is really experience and knowledge after all that, make a man «*■ j)layoi. , • i The Tokomam team has three i« - uable recruits Irom 1 olaga Bay, jm the Rev. "William Robinson, Sollv A. Lang, and Pel.. Temple. The Rev. W. Robinson is ai recent arrival from home, and s a pm> .... who has rubbed shoulders "ith n anv of the giants of the game on the cricket fields of the, Old I,and. Sis father, Mr. C. Rohimon. was for 25 years an active membei ot the AI C 0 , and a good a i -round pl » I. The Rev. William learned his cricket at. Nottingham (>ruminal ;™ 1 ?i» SSJrtSfe Of for four seasons, irom 1000, rflSJtsS*Vr !i, «fs luge rrcache , A, I "'V is of a kindS°and U genial disposition anffi is exSertrS^m^eneration l^hichlmhihejdt^conn^ is'Vbe’stamp of parson whicli woikd and what more striking testamonj is '’“fhoteothm o»t»*;ys \ “Jhlf of £%£* Ol.,) both bO*ledl and flatted well on Lhursdaj. GOates also howled steadily, v.lnle JOates ‘kept wickets safely ami am di etmaniofl .T Laiut and Miaiiuu. lV G« Irflv is the Bonner of the r^liarStSm.! ;ran o4 ri on paMuuii, « ~ also bo»vi apparent ofroi t. ca Jordon a h the Quaife of the eleven, and has. stubborn deteucc. 1,the ill-luck to he run out n Waek in the second. tins H v " He appeared out of form, ami JVd ‘not perform in anything I.ke h,s j bis usual style. . ; ,nd In Reid, Nekon, • -ri.vo }'}V: tv"'-* i Player, and the Rev" William K°bJ“ weight .vrs" o!2.;. ,e sfi > v ivo* s

from either side, and can disguise tlio break most si: i.fully. Gisborne cridketors will all regret that they did liot have the opportunity of meeting the crack slow break bowler, and will look eagerly forward to facing him at as early a date as possible. The popular medico is also a tip-top batsman. ,Don Miller is in splendid batting form this season. He scored 59 against the Motn in the second innings, (55 for Union against Te Rail on Thursday week, and now comes to light with a grandly-complied 93 against T.-komaru. This young batsman should male a name for himself in future. He has a keen eye, and powerful forearm and wrist, and when he learns to keep the ball down better should regularly make long scores. He somewhat marred his performance by dropping a couple of easy chances in the. field, and should put in some cal'diiug practice. In fact, the Thursday players should all take finding practice, and a lot of it. Their ground work was good, but the returning to the wickets was simply atrocious. Several certain chances of running men out were lost through wild and inaccurate returns. A*on are too fond of getting round the net, and howling and batting. Many a really good batsman has been discarded because ho could not field. Perfect your•.elves ill all departments, my merry men! Harry Wack howled remarkably well on Thursday. lie mostly kept a good length, and broke from the off right across the wicket at times. Ho was not too well supported by the field in the second innings, both Burke and Brown dropping easy chances off him. Brown sent down many good balls, but he appears to have little command of the ball, and sent down many short-pitched ones on the leg side, which a good batsman would have sent to the boundary in summary fashion, lie also disposes his field badly, and frequently has three and four men on the on side, where two at the most are all that- is required. . ; The Tokomam men are making themeslves very popular in town by their unassuming manners and sportsmanlike attributes on the field of play.