Cricket 1903

M a y ?, 1903. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 125 F IRST -CLASS C R ICK E T IN A U S T R A L IA , 1902-3. By “ Recorder ” of Adelaide Observer. In the o rd in a ry cou rse of events the Australian first-class cricket season would have ended when the last ball was bowled in the Victoria-South Australian match on the Adelaide Oval on March 4tb. The welcome advent of the team of English amateurs caused an extension, and gave to each of the three leading States an extra fixture. This visit makes a fresh record in Australian cricket history, for it is the first which a purely amateur eleven has paid to these shores. The word purely is used advisedly because the inclusion of professional bowlers is not with a view to financial gain, but to add that balance of power without which no team is complete. As batsmen the visitors hive given exhibitions in keeping with the best traditions of University cricket; and the two members who were regarded in England as btiog worthy of inclusion in the representative elevens in the Test Matches of 1902 have not belied their supporters. In addition, E. M. Dowson has scored consistently and B plen didly, and against the best bowling of Australia has made 51, 23, 86, 66, and 46. P. P. Warner, B. J. T. Bosanquet, and F. L. Lane are all batsmen of repute, and, curiously enough, all three made their highest scores in Australia at Sydney. The team collectively amassed 1,459 runs for fifty wickets, which produces the capital averages of 29,18 per man. New South Wales, in batting and bowl­ ing, were altogether too strong for the other two States, and they won all their matches against them with ease. While they possess such batsmen as Duff, Trumper and Noble, they cannot help making runs against the best bowling that may be pitted against them. On the other hand the attack is equal to dismissing for moderate scores any eleven arrayed against it. But it will not always be so. The time will come again when the players of this State and those of Victoria will prevail, and if perform­ ances this year by South Australians go for anything, that time is near at hand. Victoria is not the same solid team as of yore. Trumble and McLeod have gone out, leaving a big gap in both batting and bowling, and while Saunders and Collins fill the vacancies in the one de­ partment, we look in vain for the all­ round men. We in Adelaide have much cause for congratulation. It was said in this column when Darling and Lyons retired that Hill would have to build up a new team around him. So far as bat­ ting is concerned, South Australia has now nothing to fear. Claxton, Gehrs, and Jennings are three splendid juniors. Eut there is still the same old trouble regarding the bowling. The record per­ formance of Hay against the Englishmen will turn many eyes in the direction of the Sturt fast bowler, but he must do much more yet before he can be regarded as the man for whom we have longed. With a first-class bowler to help Travers, South Australia would be a strong side. Individually among Australian bats­ men, R. A. Duff, of New South Wales, stands head and shoulders over every one else. He came back from England a finished cricketer, and on the dry Austra­ lian wickets his style of play has sent him right to the front. Only once in nine innings did he miss double figures, and on four occasions he exceeded the cen­ tury, his highest score being 194 against the English amateurs. Noble and Trumper also sustained their reputations, and of the Victorians Armstrong com­ pletes a quartette of magnificent batsmen for the Australian Eleven side. Giffen, the South Australian veteran, is still able to hold his own with the best, and Hack occupies a position worthy of the batsman that he is. Laver and Graham are still in the forefront, and one of the so-called has-beens in Bruce has given his detrac­ tors the go-by. Ellis owes his position to his 118 against South Australia, and then we find Hill, who is not usually so far down the list. The South Australian champion has not been at his best this season, but he has considerably altered his style of play, and this, together with the fact that he has had so much cricket, has seemingly told its tale. Two fine juniors in Claxton, of South Australia, and Hickson, of New South Wales, are well up, and though Hopkins, who so greatly improved on the Austra­ lian Eleven tour, did not do too well in Sheffield Shield matches, his 133 off English bowling sent him well up the list. A trio of South Australians stand together at 23 and 22, Gehrs, whose place in the eleven is settled, being the leader. A bowler new to Australian first-class cricket heads the averages this year. H. Hay, of South Australia, who made a successful entry into the higher sphere of cricket, captured nine wickets for a total cost of 137 runs in the match against Lord Hawke’s team, and he takes nominal precedence of Howell and McBath, who have done splendidly, and bore the brunt of the attack for New South Wales. The two Sydney men are a fine pair to have on any side, and it is a pity that we in this State cannot find some one to do as they have done. Collins has fulfilled the promise which he gave as a growing lad, and Armstrong has come back from England a much improved bowler. The same may be said of Saunders. Two veteran South Australians in Reedman and Giffen stand almost together, but of the other regular bowlers Noble and Travers are a long way down. Speaking generally, Australia still has plenty of batting talent, but there is the same dearth of bowlers as heretofore. In South Australia especially is this the case, and it must once more be urged on the South Australian Cricket Association that until a good professional bowler is engaged we cannot hope for much suc­ cess in the annual contests with our eastern neighbours. Kelly’s wicket-keeping was one of the features of the season, and, if possible, he has improved in brilliancy since his last trip to England. E. Monfries, an old South Australian, has given excellent j p rom ise o f b e c o m in g an A u stra lia n E lev e n stu m p er, a n d th ose w h o h a d the pleasu re o f seein g h im “ k eep ” a ga in st S ou th A u stra lia o n th e A d ela id e O v a l and th e E n g lis h m e n in M e lb o u rn e are o f th e o p in io n th a t h e w ill b e on e o f th e team o f A u stra lia n crick eters w h o n e x t lea ve ou r shores. BATTING. No. Times Most of not Total in an inns. out. runs. inns. Aver. E. A. Duff (N.S.W.) ... 9 ... — ...786 ..191 .. 87'33 G. Giffen (S.A.).............. 6 ... 1...275... 97*...55- M. A. Noble (N.S.W.) ...9 .. 2 ...350...103 .. 50'85 V. Trumper (N.S.W.) ... 9 ... — .. 418 ..178 ...49-55 W. Armstrong (Vic.) ...10... 1 ...435...U8 . 48 33 F. T. Hack ( 8 .A.) .........10 ... — .. 417... 90 ...41-70 F. Laver (V ie.).................. 9 ... 1 ...285.. 61 . 3V62 H. Graham (Vic.) ......... 10 ... — .. 355.. 92 .. 35-50 w . Bruce (Vic.) ........... 4 ... — .. 141 .. 48 ...35-25 M. Ellis (V ic.).................7 ... — ...233...118 ...33'28 C. Hill (S.A.) ...................10 ... — .. 332 .124 .. 33-20 P. MoAlister (Vic ) ......... 10 ... — ...823... 84 .. 32 3) N. Claxton ( 8 .A.) ............10 ... — ...319... 88 .. 3190 E. N. Hickson (N. 8 .W .) 5 ... 1 ...122... 89*.. 30'50 A. J. Hopkins (N.S.W.) 9 ... — ...273,. 133 ...30 33 T. Hastings (V ic .)............ 6 ... 1 ...141...106*...28 20 D. Noonan (Vic.) ............ 6 ... 1 ...183... 54 .. 26 00 A.C.K.Mackenzie(N.S.W.)7 .... — ...166.. 77 ...53-71 A. R. Gehrs (S .A .)..........10 .. — ...234..100 ...23-40 J. C. Keedman (S.A.) ...10 ... — ...231... 42 .. 23 10 J. F. Travers (S.A.) ...10 ... 4 ..134.. 41 ...22 33 L. W. Pye (N.S.W.) . . . 8 ... 3 .. 111... 19*..22-20 C. B. Jennings (S.A.) ... 6 ... 1 ..105.. 52 ..21- D. Mailer (Vic.) ..........7 .. 1 ...113 . 49 ..18-83 J. H. Stuckey (Vic.) .. 8 ... 1 ..131... 63 ...18-71 C. Gregory (N.S.W.) ... 7 — ...119. 37 ..17- P. M. Newland (S.A.) ... 8 ... 1...113... 48 ...1614 E. Jones (S.A ) .................. 6 ... — ... 79 .. 34 ...13-16 R. Waters (S.A.) ............. 6 ... 1 ... 62 .. 39*.. 12'40 W. P. Howell (N.S.W.) .. 9 ... 2 ... 80... 24 ...11-42 H. P. Kirkwood ( 8 .A.) .. 8 ... — ... 85... 44 ..10 62 J. J. Kelly (N.S.W.) ...9 ... 2 ... 44 .. 11 ... 6 23 N. Ebsworth (N.S.W.) ...4 ... — ... 25... 19 ... 6-25 F. Collins (Vic.) .............9 ... 1.. 45.. 17 ... 5b2 T. Warne (Vic.) ... 4 ... — ... 22... 20 ... 5'50 J. V. Saunders (Vic.) ... 7 ... 1 ... 32 .. 18 ... 5'33 A. McBeth (RAW) ... 8 ... 2 ... 19 .. 10 ... 316 The following a’so batted:—New South Walee— S.E . Gregory, 21,1; W . 8 . Duff. 1, 9. Victoria— E. E Bean, 0, 30 not out; B. J. Tuckwell, 1, 27; E. Monfries, 0 not out, 0, 33 not out. South Aus- tralia-W . Ihamm, 8 not out, 9 ; W . A. Hewer, 3 , 1 ; F. Jarvii, 12, 0; A. E. H. Evans, 15, 1; H. Hay, 14 not out, 0 . THE CENTURY LIST. E. A. Duff, v. Lord Hawke’s team, at Sydney, March, 19C3..................................................... 194 V. Tiumper, v. South Australia, at Sydney, January, 1903 ....................................... ... 178 A. J. Hopkins, v. Lord Hawke’s team, at Syd­ ney, March, 1903 ....................................... 133 E. A. Duff, v. South Australia, at Sydney, January, 1903 .............................................. 132 E .A Duff,v.Viotoria.atSydney,January, 19C-3 13-2 V. Trumper, v. Victoria, at Sydney, January, 1903 . ............................................................ 1E0 C. Hill, v. Victoria, atMelbourne, January, 1903 124 M. Ellis, v. South Australia, at Melbourne, January, 1903 .............................................. 118 W . Armstrong, v. New fouth Wa’es, at Sydney, January, 1903 .............................................. 118 M. A. Noble, v. South Australia, at Adelaide, December, 1902 .............................................. 108 T. Hastings, v. South Australia, at Melbourne, January, 1903 .............................................. 106* M. A. Noble, v. Victoria, at Sydney, January, 1903 ................................................................... lOS" E .A . Duff, v. Victoria, at Melbourne, Decem­ ber, 1902 ....................................... ... 102 A. E. Gehrs, v. Lord Hawke’s team, at Unley, March, 1903 ..................................................... 100 BOWLING. O. M. E. W. Aver. H. Hay (S.A.) ..........40-2... 7 ...137... 9 ...15-22 W. P. Howell (N.S.W.) 2E7-1... 85 ...627 .. 26 ...20-26 A. McBeth (N.S.W.) ...234-3 .. 83 ..502.. 24 ...20-91 F. Collins (Vic.) ..... 187 ... 28 579 .. 27 ...21-44 W. Armstrong (Vic.) .. 208 4 .. 54 ...435 .. 19 ...22-69 J. C. Reedman (8 A.) ... 66 2 .. 12 . 209.. 9 . 23-22 J. V. Saunders (Vic.) .. 202'2 .. 32 .. 609 .. 26 ...23 41 G. Giffen (S.A.' ............................................177 1 .. 29 493.. L. W. Pye (N.S.W.I ...185 ... 47 .. 376... 15 .. 25116 H. P. Kirkwood ( 8 .A.) 59 ... 6 ...222... 8 .. '27-75 A. J. Hopkins (N.S.W.) 53-3.. 9...1(9.. 6 . . ‘28-16 V. Trumper (N. 8 .W.) .. 88'2 ..9 ... 89.. 3 .. 29'66 M. A. Noble (N.S.W.) 160 5 .. 48 ...368 .. 12 ...30-60 F. Laver (Vic.) ......... 179 ... 43 .. 449 .. 13 ...34-63 J. F. Travers ( 8 .A.) .. 296-1... 65 .. 772... 22 .. 85 09 N. Claxton (S.A.).......... 62 ... 7 ...250 .. 7 . 36-71 M. Ellis (Vic.) .......... 35-4.. 11 ...129.. 8 ...43- E. Jones (S.A.) ...........134 ... 32 . 438... 10 ...43-60 E. Waters (S .A .)......... 66 - 6 ... 16 ...160... 3 . 58-33