CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3693, 30 November 1912, Page 4

CRICKET.

TO-DAY'S' FIXTURES

—Seniors. —

Wanderers v. United, at A ic-toria Domain. Ivia Kalla v. Alhambra, at Tarnhern.

—Juniors. —- Alhambra v. Matawhero. AYanderers v. Civil -Service —Schools.— Te Hapara v. Gislxurne. Mangapapa v. Haiti.

ROUND THE GROUNDS

(By “Short-Slip.”)

In company with a good number of other enthusiasts, I strolled confidently along to A T ic-toria Domain last Saturday afternoon in anticipation of seeing a keenly-fought fight between Wanderers and Alhambra. The redoubtable AYanderers have during the past- three years so easily carried all before them that all matches in which they engage have been regarded as foregone conclusions for them.

That sturdy young stripling, Alhambra, however, was known to have a likely side, with the morning of life glowing in their youthfnd veins, and “now,” said we, “the AYanderers' will be up against it. The game, however, proved a very tame on. Olsen won the toss for Alhambra, and sent AYanderers to the wickets.

Athol Young, the stalwart lefthander and Sam McConnell, the Bonin or of the side, were the opening pair.’

Mick Guthrie opened the bowling to Young from the pavilion end. I noticed that the batsmen asked for a trial ball. Surely it is time that such a thing as a trial ball was done away with in senior cricket. What useful purpose can it serve? If a full toss comes along, the batsman loses a certain four, while if the wicket he shattered the umpire is put to the unnecessary trouble of putting the sticks together, again. Young prettily glided the first ball of the match to the fine leg boundary, but should have gone from the second and third balls. He played well forward to the second ball, one of good length, which swung in from leg. The ball beat the blade, but Parker Turei. the stumper, failed to take the ball, which struck his pads and rebounded in front of the wicket, while Athol, with a bright smile on his face quietly and gratefully walked back into lii.s ground again. Young attempted to off-drive the third ball, which flew straight to Muir at mid-off, and to the surprise of everyone that usually alert fieldsman put the leather in the carpet. Young was having more of his share of luck. Two distinct chances off the three first deliveries and still in. is something to thank the gods for. It was extremely hard luck for' the bowler.

Olliver took up the bowling from the seaward end, but could not find a length. He was nothing like as accurate as when operating against United on the previous Saturday. Runs commenced to come , to, both batsmen.

, I could not understand the placing of the Alhambra field. Both Guthrie and Olliver were bowling fast medium, and yet neither used a cover point.

A yawning gap was left between point and deep extra forward cover through which could have been driven a mob of sheep. To such a strong off side player as Young this was surely faulty generalship. Young was not slow to take advantage of the opening, and steered a couple of forward drives through the gap.

Olsen later brought a man up to cover, but it was not until a number of runs had been thrown awav.

Another weakness in the field was the placing of thrid man, who was much too close up. To a bowler of any pace it always pays to have third man deep. All misdirected, attempts to cut off a fast ball fly deep, 'and will

go over, the head of a man placed in line with the' slips.

McConnell should have gone before scoring a run. • He went at one from Guthrie on the off, and the ball sailed straight to where third man should have been stationed. The Wanderers innings was a weak batting effort. In about an hour and three-quarters the whole side had fallen for 143 runs.

Had it not been for Athol Young’s vigorous display for 72 an utter collapse would have had to be recorded. The Alhambra bowling was good throughout. AA 7 . Atkinson was about the cleverest of the lot. This young colt varied his pace with judgment, and employed a slow leg break, which whipped fast off the pitch, with excellent effect. Guthrie, Olliver and Olsen also trundled steadily. Carriithe.rs was expensive, his two overs costing 21 runs.

His short-pitched deliveries were hooked three times in succession by Yount! over the mid-on boundary.

AYANDERERS v. ALHAMBRA

If AYanderers did badly with the bat what can be said of the Alhambra display. In about an hour and aquarter, Young and McMahon bowled over eight wickets for 4.5 runs. None of the batsmen, with the exception of Ted Austin, shaped at all like senior players. Athol Young’s fast deliveries appeared to put the fear of death into the majority of the batsmen, who, instead of standing well over their wickets and presenting the full face of the blade to the express bowler, kept .as far away from their wickets as they could get. Young put up a remarkable bowling performance. In all lie sent down thirteen overs, nine of which were maidens, and captured four wickets for 4 runs.

Young’s bowling, while good, was not good enough to deserve such a battering result. He sent down a good many fast long hops on the off, which should have been belted to the boundary. The Alhambra men let these go by. under the delusion that Athol was tempting them with off theory. Fast long hops are not off theory, however. They are special balls invented solely for the purpose of scoring boundary strokes' from, and the Alhambra men should have smacked them good and hard on Saturday. L&n. McMahon bowled well at the other end. Ted Austin was the only man tq face him confidently, and he went at the slows resolutely. _ He made one very line drive clean out of the ground for C, but McMahon yorked him when he had scored 18 — the solitary double-figure score on the side. The Alhambra men did not shov too good a sporting spirit towards the close, when they’ unnecessarily wasted time on more than one occasion. Particularly eras this the case when the Alhambra captain and his partner left the wickets to come in and have a drink. In other countries when batsmen require a drink while batting, it is custom to have -it brought out to them.

The Alhambra men contended that they were within their rights in taking” the full two minutes after the fall of”eac-h wicket, but most cricketers will agree' that it is better to play the game in a true sporting spirit. Jack AA'olstenholme, the umpire, had the watch out on the Alhambra men towards the close, but at 6 o'clock a draw was recorded, greatly in favor of the AVanderers. AVolstenholme was some ten years ago a regular member of the Hawke’s Bay representative eleven, and the writer had the pleasure in 1897 of seeing him score a brilliant 103 against Taranaki. No more competent umpire could he found in New Zealand than the old Lanoastrean, who is at present relieving Mr Frank Faram, headmaster of the Te Hapara School. AYliat a merry time. “Don” Miller, the captain of the Ivia Kaha senior eleven, must have played with his broad blade at Tnruheru on Saturday. In about an hour and a-lialf he liitup a brilliant 119. His score is all the more remarkable in face of the fact that the next highest score on the side only got 7 runs. Miller stood fast-footed, and using the long handle belted fours and twos off almost every ball he received. “Don” is an aggressive batsman who fears neither fast, medium, slow or googlie, and it was a pleasure to see him in action on Saturday. It is not often that players of note blow into Gisborne, and my surprise can be imagined when H. AV. Ellis, the well-known Canterbury representative mayor, strolled into my sanctum Oil Wednesday last, and calmly informed me that he intended settling in Gisborne.

Ellis was a prominent North Sydney and Glebe first-grade player befpre coining over to Christchurch. He is a capable all-round player, being a first-class wicketkeeper, a good bowler and fieldsman, and a first-rate batsman.

While in Christchurch Ellis acted as coach to the lads of Christ College, and be bears flattering testimonials as to the manner in which he brought the bovs on.

Last season he played with the Parnell Club (Auckland). The ex-Syd-nevite lias joined the staff of the Gisborne Brewery, and will consequently throw in. his lot with the Wanderers Club.

Suggested Benefit to Victor Trumper.

“Varsity” writes as follows to the

‘■’Sydney Referee’!; —“Sir, —In reference to my previous letter, I was very pleased to see the good suggestion you made —that if such a match could-be arranged, it should be for the benefit of the famous Victor Trumpor. I am also more than pleased to see in your issue of October 30 the very satisfactory remarks attributed to Mr W. P. McElhone, president of the Board of Control. I quite agree with ‘N.L.A.’ when he says that the presence of J. N. Crawford would be beneficial to the young players, but even more so would this apply to Mr M. A. Noble. In Fact, I think that no one in Australia to-day is the equal of Mr Noble as an example—in every cricketing sense —to the young cricketers vdio are able and willing to learn. M.A.N. is admittedly the greatest captain, in the world playing cricket to-day, and his presence in the field leading the “Rest” would, I am certain, be a. great draw, and, further, he appears to be in great form with the bat. I am inclined to agrfce with the team selected by ‘N.L.A.’, except that perhaps A. Cody would be a better choice than E. ,L. Waddy. I did not include D. R. A. Gehrs, as I believe he would not be taking part in big cricket this season, and I quite overlooked the claim of that very fine batsman, Dr C. E. Dolling. ‘N.L.A.’ is in error in thinking

that Roger Hartigan has dropped out of big cricket. He was playing for Queensland last season, and will certainly he available for the State this season. There is another fine player in Alec Marshal. If lie were fit and in form I should like to see him in the running for the ‘Rest.’ ”