Cricket 1901

46 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. M arch 28, 1901. TH E F IRST -CLASS A U S T R A L IAN SEASON OF 19oO-l. A REVIEW . (By “ Recorder,” of Adelaide Register.) When the Victorians defented the representatives of this State in tbe rain at New Year time in Melbourne they won the right to hold the Sheffield Shield for twelve months without having to undergo the strain of a deciding struggle in the return with New South Wales. They have, however, finished the season hand­ somely by an exciting win over their old rivals, and thoroughlv justified their claim to the trophy. Five times in nine seasons the beautiful prize has been won b y Victoria, New South WaleB having secured it on thTee occasions, and South Australia only once. A t present the cricketers of this State are not, collec­ tively, equal to those of the eastern States, though they can boast of possefs- ing the champion batsiuan of Australia and the best slow bowler. Weak though we may be, we must look to the strength of the Commonwealth as a whole and the chances of success against any English team which may come here. I believe there is a good chance of a representative eleven com ing from the old land next season, and it behoves us to see that we have our house in order. Clem H ill has recovered his full strength, and what that means only time and the English bowlers may tell. The Australian batting is sound with H ill, Tiumper, Noble, Gregory, Armstrong, Trumble, Worrall, and Graham, with Hopkins, Duff, and Laver, while the bow ling provides variety in Saunders, Marsh, Travers, Trumble, Ni ble, Jones, and McLeod. The Sheffield Shield contests have now extended over nine seasons, and in that time 18 batsmen have compiled 1 000 runs and over in the series. The additions to the list this season are Trumper, Stuckey, F. Jarvis, and Trumble. In order of aggregate th Batemen. 0 . bill . F. A. Iredale G (iifl>n ... S. E. Uregory H . Graham ... J. J. Lvons ... M. A. Noble... B . Dom an ... J. C. Reedman In the same peii< d ten bowlers have secured fifty or more wickets, the only player to attain tbe distinction this year being F. Jarvis. Trumble now joins G ffen in the all-round performance of (.coring 1,000-juiis and taking 100 wickets. The ten are :— Buns. Patsmen. Runs. 2 6i6 J. Darling ... G. h . s. Trott .. 1,5(0 2,317 .. 1,641 .. 1.531 2,' 17 J. W ot rail ... 1,913 F. Laver .. 1,419 1,877 J H .S t ckey .. 1,2 3 1 82-i V . Trum per... .. 1.101 1.799 H. Trum ble... .. 1,^29 1.784 F. Jarvia .. 1,025 1,576 W . Bruce .. 1,000 Victoria’s record is naturally the best, and the satisfactory feature, so far as Australia generally is concerned, is that it is in bowling rather than batting that her strength lies. Only on two occasions did her batsmen shine conspicuously—in the second innings against South Aus­ tralia in Melbourne, and on the last day of the match just concluded in Sydney, when they gallantly fought their way to victory. With such a tremendous score as 918 on their sheet New South Wales secured the highest batting average, but the advantage is not so great, for the match when poor South Australia suffered so severely was the only time tbe Sydney rungetters collectively largely con­ tributed to the total of one particular innings. Their bow ling was not so deadly as expected, for it was believed at the beginning of the season that Noble, Howell and Co. would do b ig things. The South Australian figures are weak indeed, when compared with those above them, and all we can do is to continue to hope, Micawber-like, for something to turn up. Individually the champion batsman of Australia resumes his place at the head of the lists. On wet or dry wickets he is without a rival, and it is his record that saves South Australia from ignominy. The next best batsman in Australia is Trumper, and though he does not secure second average, he stands next to Hill in the individual record, and shares with him the distinction of having made 20 runs or more in each innings, S. Gregorv has had a grand season, and Stuckey, Noble and Graham have main­ tained their reputations. Of other old stagers, Iredale, Worrall, Laver and Reedman have dropped considerably, while Giffen slides further down the scale, and Donnan’s position suggests that his first-class career is nearly ended The younger battmen are fairly plentiful the most promising being Armstrong, the finest of the lot, Duff, Poidevin, Hopkine, and Bailey. The two Macs of Victoria—McAlister and McMichael— occupy fair positions, but Hack has come down from top average to nearly bottom with a rapidness which suggests that he was not in his true form this season. Bowler. E. Jones ........... u . (.•»iffen ........... H. Trumble T. R. McKibbin W . P. Howell... Wkts. ... J8o .. 175 .. 149 .. 137 ... 9 1 Bowler. C. E M creod ... C. T. B. Turner M. A . Noble G. H. S. Trott ... F. Jarvis ........... POSITION OF STATI* S, 1900-1. State. Vic.N .8.W . 8.A. V icto ria ......... — ... W W ... W W . N .8.W ....................LL ... — ... LW . 8.A ..........................LL ... W L ... — . AGGREGATE RESULTS. State. Runs. Wkts. V ictoria.................................. 1 898 ... 66 . Opponents ................... 1 £68 ... 80 New South Wales ........... 2 3*8 ... 70 . Opponents ................... 1 80» ... 63 . South Australia.................. I,t37 ... 69 , Opponents ................... 2,445 ... 62 Wkts. ... 85 ... 73 ... 72 ... 61 ... 64 Points. .. 4 , 1 .. 1 Aver. .. 28 75 .. 20 64 .. 33 82 .. 2857 ... 23-72 ... 39*43 B ill (S .A .)........................ O. S. Poidevin (N.S.W.). E. Gregory (N. b .W .) Trumper (N.S.W .) ... ■ H. Stuckey (Vic.) .. . A. Noble (N.w. W .)... , Arniftronj? (Vic.) ... . Graham (Vic.) ... ... . A. D uff^N S.W .) ... McMichael (Vic.) Howard (N S W .) ... McAlister (Vic.) A Iredale (N.S.W.) .. Matthews (s.A.) T. Bailey (S.A.) Tiumble (V ic.)........... J. Bopitins (N.S.W .) E. McLeod (Vic.) Worrall (Vic.) ........... WalkUy (S .A .)........... H. Leak (S .A .)........... Jarvis (S.A.) ........... J. Kelly (N 8 W .) ... H. Boss (Vic ) ........... Laver (Vic.) ... ./. H. Jarvis (S.A.) T. Back (S .A .)........... C. Reedman (8.A ) ... . McBe.h (N.S.W .) ... Giffen (S.A.) ... ... BATTING. Not In. out. H. Runs. 8. 620 365* 468 230 235 130* 352 316 15 5 118 283 120 268 119 le3 76 89 64 199 74 197 118 134 73 57 63 15 52 90 63 46 49 34 67* 66 67 25 72 12 24 106 132 133 145 138 b8 65 83 97 85 84 79 91 91 36 65 Aver. 103*66 7750 71 66 65*4 £8 76 50*28 4514 40*4-2 £8*28 32 6u 29-66 28*42 */8*14 26-fc0 26-50 26-40 22 16 20-71 19 71 19-6 1833 1660 16-16 15-83 1400 13*16 1300 18 00 12*00 10- 4 0 87 19 9*25 4 0 35 19 875 4 0 3 i 14 8 ' 0 5 0 86 23 720 7 3 27 11 6-76 7 1 18 8 SCO 6 2 9 3* 2-25 W . P. Howell (N.8.W .) H. Donnan (N.S.W .) ... A. Pellew (8 A.) ........... P. Stuart (8 A .) ........... -. Travers (8 A.) ........... . J. Marsh (N 8.W .) ... Kaunders (V ic.)........... The following also batted : Victori —F. Collins, 0 ; New South v\ales—C. Gregory, 16, 4 ; South Aus­ tralia—E. Jones, 20, 2. HUNDREDS. 0. H ill, South Australia y. New South Wales ... 865* V. Trumper, New South Wales v. V ctoria* ... 230 S. E. Gregory. New South Wales v. South Aust. 168 M. A. Noble, New South Wales v. South Aust. 153 L.O.S.Poidevin. New South * ales v. South Aust. 140* J. H. Stuckey. Victoria v. New South Wales ... 130* H. Graham, Victoria v. South Australia ... 120 R. A. Duff. New South W alesv. South Australia 119 F. A. Iredale, New South Wales v. South Aust. 118 »V. Armstrong, Victoria v. South Australia ... 118 W . Armstrong, Victoria v. South Australia ... 102 * Signifies not out. The chief anxiety is regarding the bowling, and in this connection it is pleasing to note that the three chief wicket-getters this season are men com ­ paratively new to first-class ranks. Saunders last year showed great promise, and he has fulfilled all expectations. His rise has been meteoric, but for the sake of the Commonwealth it is to be hoped that his stay will extend over a number of years. Collins and McBeth are still in the experimental stage, but Travers has fairly won his spurs, and is now recognised as the best length slow bowler in Australia. Fighting against the enormous disadvantage of having little practical support, he has secured a capital average. Marsh, the aboriginal fast bowler, caused a sensation, but the severe treatment in the last match at the hands of the umpire indicates that his position as a first-class bowler would be seriously questioned were an English team now on our shores. The present trend of cricket legislation is dead against even a suspicious delivery, and English players will not fail to note the number of times Marsh was called. Noble has done comparatively little bow ling, but Trumble and McLeod have done good work. Jones, H ow ell and Giffen have bad figures, and the only likely bowler to take a place in South Australian ranks is Matthews, whose figures are creditable for a first appear­ ance. South Australia is in her same old troublous position regarding her attack, and it would be well for the selectors to give a thorough trial next year to young Coombe, whose leg-break bow ling is of good quality, his length being a specialty rare in tbis class of bowlers. J. Saunders (Vic.) ... , F. Collins (Vic ) ................ A. Mcbeth (N.S.W .) ... F. Laver (Vic.) ........... J. Travels (S.A.)................ J. J. M*>rsh (N.S.W.) H. Trumble (Vic ) A . J. Hopkins (N.S.W .) . C. E. McLeod (Vic.) ... . M. A. Noble (N.S.W.) J. Matihews (S.A.) ... E. Jones (S A ) ........... V. Trumper (N.S.W ) J. C. Reeoman (S.A.) W . P. Howell (N.S.W .) F. Jarvis (S .A .)........... E. Walkley (8.A.) G. Giffen (S.A.) BOWLING. O. R. 497 M. 44 10 26 1.9 16 209 61 602 36 636 40 19 413 253 362 W . Aver. 29 17-13 4 17-25 19 88 20 90 28 21-50 24 22-37 18 22-94 11 2300 15 24 13 9 24 88 14 3042 40 8 108 3 33 00 63 3 11 233 6 38 83 46-3 5 172 4 43'00 67 3 10 148 2 74 00 108 19 874 6 74 80 32 3 123 1 12300 113 7 494 4 123-60 The following also bowled : Victoria—W . Aim - strong, llo . lm. 36r. lw. ; J. Worrall, 2o. 9r. New South Wales—T. Hom ard, 20o.4m. 74r.; «. E. Gregory, 2 o. 12r. South Australia—F. T. Hack, lao. lm. 53r. lw .; B. T. Bailey, 8o. lm . 31r. lw .; C. Hill, 5o. 3m. 24r. . 201-1 , 33 . 76 5 . 82-4 . 254 5 . 162 165-4 . 77 144 4 41 1102 37 224 . 122 3 26 4*6 8 11 5 10 19 10