Cricket 1908

CRICKET A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A p r il 9, 190 ^’. nouneed in every description of Durban and Natal representative cricket, and during the present season he has taken 46 wickets—more than any other League bowler—in League matches alone. Tho’ “ Ashes ” were left in Australia, 1’m sorry to say it is plain Home Players may find the Regalia Of “ ashes ” is old Drury Lane. F rank I). W alk er . C harles B annerm an , who scored 165 in the first match ever played between England and Australia—at Melbourne in March 1877—before being obliged to re­ tire, owing to having a finger split in all directions by a ball bowled by Ulyett, still keeps up the game. Playing at Hampden Park, Sydney, in February, for National Amphitheatre against H. Clay’s XL. he contributed 64 to a total of 116 and carried out his bat. He was born in Kent in July, 1851. N e w s of the success of another old-time Test match player also reaches me by a recent Australian mail. In this case the cricketer was W. R. Robertson, of Vic­ toria, who appeared against England at Melbourne in January, 1885. On Feb­ ruary 8th, whilst taking part in a junior match in Melbourne, he obtained eight wickets for 14 runs. During the season he had to that date taken 84 wickets for 428 runs. ---------- W hen Trumper obtained his pair of spectacles in the fourth Test match, at Melbourne, a great many Australian critics concluded that his career as one of the world’s greatest batsmen was rapidly waning, although but a few weeks before he had played a wonderful innings of 119 on the same ground against Victoria. The Sydney Morning Herald remarked : “ Each succeeding match is furnishing the Australian public with evidence that they have seen the last of Victor Trumper as an annihilating batsman. He was ag­ gressive in the extreme, and possessed extraordinary strokes, which could, how­ ever, only be made by a marvellous re­ sponse of muscle to the impression on the eye—a condition which, of course, could not last many years. He himself recog­ nises that this skill which he one time claimed has passed away, and he is now trying to play the orthodox game, but it comes unnatural to him. It is sad to think that perhaps Trumper may never again be seen in the role which has de­ lighted crowds in England and Australia.” V .T .,” as all will recall, was chosen for the fifth Test, at Sydney, and played a characteristic innings of 166. I t is reported that Harry Graham, whose removal to an asylum in New Zea­ land 1 recorded some time ago, is suffer­ ing from paralysis, and that little hope is entertained of his recovery. He visited England as a member of the Australian teams of 1893 and 1896, in the former year scoring 219 against Derbyshire and 107 in the Test match at Lord’s. J. D arlin g , who has been carrying on the business of a sports depot in Adelaide for the past 14^ years, has sold out, says the Tasmanian Mail. It is believed that he will reside in South Australia for some considerable time. Should he leave South Australia and go elsewhere the State will lose a really good supporter of the game Darling is always willing to lend a hand in anything of a cricket nature, and is always ready to give advice to the young players with w^hom he comes in contact. He started cricket when 14 years old, and at that age made 252 for Prince Alfred College against St. Peter’s College on the Adelaide Oval. After leaving the College he played with the Avenues, and had an average per innings for the season of 294 runs, being only once out, and on that occasion he wras run out. K enny B u rn , cricketers over here will be glad to learn, has proved that his cen­ tury against the Englishmen at Hobart in January was no mere flash in the pan. Assisting East Hobart against North Hobart on February 15th, he played a faultless not out innings of 174, hitting a 5, seventeen 4’s, fifteen 3’s, and a dozen 2’s. East Hobart made 383 for four wickets, and Burn and J. Hudson put on 261 together for the third wicket. North Hobart had previously been dismissed for 190. ---------- O n February 15th a match wTas played at Sevenhills, South Australia, between Kybunga and the home club. Sevenhills, set 257 to make in 105 minutes, scored 255 for one wicket in that time, the game ending in an exciting draw. Arthur Richardson, who carried out his bat for 153, had to that date made the following successive scores in Association matches during the season :— 184 not out, 38, 97, 5 not out, 104 not out, 131, 16, 118, o, and 153 not out. This gives an aggregate of 846 and an average of 141. He had also taken 29 wickets for 297 runs. As he is only nineteen years of age, there would seem to be no reason why he should not make his mark in first-class cricket. “ R eco rd er , ” the well-known critic of the Adelaide Observer , speaks highly of the cricket shown by the Fijians in their match against a South Australian XI. He says :— “ Cricket of the brightest character was seen in the second innings of the Fijians against the South African team on Satur­ day afternoon, February 22nd. On the first day’s play the visitors wrere beaten, and the home men got a lead of 51 runs. In a plucky endeavour to retrieve their laurels after 3 wickets had gone down for 48 Sokidi and Meleti dashed at the bowl- ing with a spirit which showed their pluck and skill in a remarkable degree. Sokidi is a master in driving, and he gave no quarter to Giffen and von Doussa, while Meleti excelled in the square-cut. Their daring running between the wickets was a | revelation, and success was theirs on many occasions, because of swiftness of foot combined w'ith a perfect understanding of going right on without the slightest hesi­ tation. The large crow?d enjoyed the fun immensely, and as the partnership put on 172 runs in 70 minutes there was plenty of animation in the display. The Fijians have the makings of fine cricketers, and from the view point of the game itself the trip is giving Australians an idea of the excellence to which the natives of Fiji may attain in England’s national game. In Liceni they have a fine all-round player, who, with 12 months in Australia, would make a first-class cricketer. Lieut. Mars- den, the director of the team, is a magni­ ficent wicket-keeper, who would be practi­ cally certain of a place in the Australian Eleven if he remained in the Common­ wealth. There would be no difficulty about his qualification, as he is a native of Victoria. “ George Giffen’s bowling was too much for the Fijians in the first innings, and the wilv veteran found the value of his constant practice in the capture of 6 wickets lor 58. He started off capitally in the second innings with 2 for 7, but the part­ nership of Meleti and Sokidi was too much for him, and w'hen he retired from the crease to go back to business his figures had developed into 2 for 73.” The South Australian XL scored 198 and 59 for three wickets ; the Fijians 147 and 263 for seven wickets, innings declared closed. In the second innings of the latter Sokidi scored 86 and Meleti 78. A period of fast scoring occurred in the annual match between The Register and Advertiser newspapers on the Adelaide Oval on February 24th, which has not been often surpassed in South Australia. J. Sincock and (i. K. Thomas in partner­ ship added 180 in 35 minutes. Thomas made 91 of these and the captain over 70, and the balance was made up of extras. Ihree consecutive overs yielded 60 runs—56 off the bat and four wides. In his score Thomas made 13 fours in successive scoring strokes. I regret to hear that on Sunday last the Rev. E. 11 . llardcastle, Vicar of Maidstone, was knocked down by a tram- car whilst crossing the road from the parish church to the vicarage. He sus­ tained several cuts and abrasions and lost many teeth, and was conveyed to his resi­ dence in an insensible condition. He soon regained consciousness, however, and is making satisfactory progress. Mr. Hard- castle was in the Winchester Eleven in 1880 and played for Kent in 1883 and 1884. He was a fast left-handed bowler. O n Easter Monday and Tuesday, April 20th and 21st, a match will be played on the County Ground, Leyton, between the Essex XI. and the Next XVIII. Play will commence at noon on the first day and at half-past eleven on the second. B radley . —On April 4th, at 12, Queen’s Mead Road, Bromley, Kent, the wife of W. M. Bradley, of a son.