Cricket 1911

154 C R IC K E T : A W EEK LY RECORD OF THE GAME. M a y 13, 1911. & Grea t Au s t r a l i an TJ°wler. RETIREMENT OF R. A. SELK. Y the retirement of “ B obby” Selk, West Australian cricket has lost its most popular player and its best trundler, says “ The Googlie ” in The West Axistralian. His retirement from the game has not come as a great surprise to most cricket lovers, as the little Fremantleite has been playing under physical disadvantages since the early part of 1907, when a knee trouble asserted itself during the match against the English team which played here in that season. Although last year Selk bowled in something like his best form, he was always frightened of his knee giving way and he now finds that it entails no little pain and strain to continue in the game. Born at Benalla, Victoria, in 1871, “ B obby” Selk is in his 40th year—an age at which all bowlers of an energetic type must begin to lose their sting. Playing with much success in the Benalla district, where he got an immense number of wickets, Selk migrated to this State during the 1895-6 season, and has been closely identified with the cricket here ever since. Trundling with moderate success, it was not until 1900 that Selk blossomed forth into greatness — greatness which he has held right to the present time. Thorough in all he did, working like a Trojan always, nonchalent as to punish­ ment, cheerful, successful and with a striking individuality, no wonder that Selk was the idol of the Western Australian crowds. Indeed “ B obby” was such a favourite with the public that not even our brilliant Parker’s advent to the batting creases was more joyfully looked for. With no pretensions as a batsman, he yet made runs in big games at times, his success possibly being due to the fact that he was always confident and fearless. He more often than not proceeded to the wicket at a trot, padless and hatless, and the crowd could always rest assured that every ball bowled to him would have an attempted scoring shot made at it. As a bowler Selk, however, will always be remembered best. W ith a big variety of paces, turning from both sides, with a fine command of length and bowling that impossible ball which “ fizzes” off the pitch and comes back from three to four inches, “ B obby” was always likely to bowl the best of batsmen “ neck and crop,” as the cricket phrase goes. Selk was also the possessor of a “ googlie.” When Braund was here with the English team he noticed it, and remarked that Selk was a “ googlie ” bowler of class, but that he did not know it. Whether Braund’s last observation was right or not is very doubtful, as “ Bobby,” always very loath to give his bowling secrets away, remained very silent after the remark. Enough for us to know that Selk has often deceived the bat and hit the wicket, an i that knowing little look of his, which the writer has always seen on his face after scattering the stumps with a “ deceiver,” would 1<ad one to suppose that “ Bob ” had a thorough knowledge of his powers with the “ googlie.” The most striking feature of his bowling was the number of times that he hit the wicket, and the biggest percentage of his victims were all clean skittled. His greatest performances have mostly been put up against big sides, and he always conveyed the impression of bowling better when trundling against a stiff proposition. He has done some remarkable things on plumb wickets against visiting teams, and amongst his many successes the best have been 5 for 29, 5 for 19, 6 for 39, 5 for 50, and 7 for 108 against South Australia; 8 for 28 and 5 for 49 against Victoria ; and 7 for 45 against New South Wales. Against the great batsmen “ B obby” has always been very successful, and amongst his treasured scalps are the names of D. II. A. Gehrs, E. L. Waddy, “ Jack ” Reedman, F. T. Hack, Jarvis, N. Claxton, W. Hewer, Victor Hugo, A. J. Hopkins, Warren Bardsley, J. C. Barnes, C. G. Macartney, “ Dave ” Mailer, Warwick Armstrong, B. J. Kort­ lang, Colin McKenzie, Kenny, “ J im ” Horan, Harry Stuckey, E. G. Hayes, L. C. Braund, A. O. Jones, and, last but not least, E . F. Parker, all of whom have fallen to him for low scores. It seems strange to chronicle that a man who has taken numberless wickets during his career should only once have performed the hat trick, but such is the fact in Selk’s case. He has only performed the hat trick once in 24 years of playing, and only once taken all ten wickets in an innings. In two seasons, those of 1905-6 and 1908-9, Selk took over 100 wickets in pennant games alone for ridiculously low averages. At various times Selk has been the recipient of presentations from enthusiastic admirers, and these trophies are among his most valued possessions. The public will miss the genial “ B obby” and his tattered old red and white scarf from the cricket arena, and all will join in wishing Selk a long and happy life, and all will express the hope that he will still take an interest in the game he has played so well and loved so passionately, and give to the younger generation some useful hints in the art of trundling. The following figures will be scanned with interest and prove what a grand and consistent performer Selk has been in local pennant games Season. Wkts. lluus. Season. Wkts. Runs. 1895-0 ... 18 ... 168 1903-4 ... 60 ... 605 1896-7 ... 24 ... 251 1904-5 ... 68 ... 613 1897-8 ... 47 ... 482 1905-6 ... 10 1 ... 622 1898-9 ... 28 ... 343 1906-7 ... 67 ... 554 1899-1900 ... 32 ... 349 1907-8 ... 3 ... 50 1900-1 ... 35 ... 354 1908-9 ... 102 ... 633 1901-2 ... 59 ... 649 1909-10 ... 62 ... 576 1902-3 ... 56 ... 747 1910-11 ... 15 ... 242 Average per wicket, 9-31. 777 7,238 Selk’s success as a representative of Western Australia extends from 1899 to date, and his figures for the State picked teams against visiting interstate sides are as follow :— Against South Australia.— 4 for 48, 3 for 86 , 5 for 19, 7 for 108, 5 for 103, 1 for 77, 2 for 53, 1 for 16, nil for 28, 1 for 40, 1 for 95, 1 for 41. Total, 31 for 714. Against New South Wales.—2 for 89, 2 for 85, 2 for 60, 2 for 36. Total, 8 for 270. Against Victoria.—2 for 28, 4 for 103, 8 for 28, 5 for 49, 5 for 73, 1 for 84. Total, 25 for 365, or a grand total of 64 wickets for 1,349 runs. Average, 21.07. For Western Australia against England Selk took 3 for 108 before a breakdown caused his retirement from the game. It was a custom generally for Fremantle Combined to engage visiting teams on the Fremantle Oval before the big games were gone on with, and Selk’s performances in these matches are really magnificent. Bowling on his own pet ground and before the Fremantle crowd, with whom he has been the popular idol, “ B obby” was irresistible, as the following figures show what havoc he played with the opposition in these games :— Against. Wkts. Buns. South Australia 2 .. . 20 South Australia 5 .. . 29 South Australia 6 ..,. 39 South Australia ... '... 5 .. . 50 New South W ales................ 7 .. . 45 New South W ales... 0 .. . 13 Total ... 25 196 Average, 7‘84. Selk’s figures in the many games played between Perth and Fremantle are unavailable, but they amount to a great many victims at a low cost. From the foregoing figures it will be seen that Selk has taken 869 wickets for 8,891 runs, at an average of 12 runs per wicket. It will therefore be seen that with the Perth v. Fremantle figures and miscellaneous successes Selk must have taken well over 1,000 wickets in Western Australia. THE A R M Y v. THE N A V Y . P layed at P ortsm outh on M ay 5 and 6 and left draw n. S c o r e : — Army. Capt. Gillette, c Noble, b M ornem ent.......... 0 not o u t .................................... 74 Capt. G. W. Edwards, b Roche .................. 57 c Brewer, b Roche ............ 31 S. R. G. McGrath, c Willoughby, b Sumner 12 b Willoughby ................. 0 G. T. Wright, c Roche, b M om em en t........... 5 b Brewer ............................ 52 H. T. Priestman, b Mornement .................. 4 not o u t ................................... 4 Capt. W. T. Hollins, b Mornement ... 33 lbw, b Willoughby .......... 0 Capt. A. B. Johnson,c Roche, b Mornement 18 b Brewer ........................... 3 L. G. Humphries, not not .......................... 6 st Sheward, bMornement 1 Lieut. Hutchinson, b Mornement.................. 4 G. E. Grove, lbw, b Brewer .......................... 3 Sergt. Delamere, a b se n t.................................. 0 b Mornement ................ 0 Byes, &c........................................ 23 Byes, &c......................... 2 Total .................................165 Total (7 w k is)..........*107 * Innings declared closed. N avy . First innings. Second innings. Lieut. Brewer, b H ollin s.................................. 8 b Gillette .......................... 45 Lieut. Noble, lbw, b H ollin s.......................... 17 b Priestman.......................... 0 Sub.-Lieut. Johnson, b Priestman ........... 11 Staff-Surgeon Roche, b Hollins ... ... ... 30 st Humphries, bHollins... t Staff-Surgeon Mornement, lbw, b Hollins ... 20 n o t o u t .................................. 83 Lieut. Willoughby, c Hutchinson, b Hollins 0 Capt. Kennedy, c Gillette, b Hollins ........... 0 Staff-Surgeon Nimmo, b Edwards ........... 20 not o u t.................................. * Lieut. Sumner, not out .................................. 13 Staff-Surgeon Shcward, b Edwards ........... 0 st Humphries, b Fnestman l Corumdr. Bromley, b H ollins.......................... 0 b Hollins .......................... 4 Byes, &e........................................ 3 Byes, &e......................... la Total .......................... 128 Total (5 wkts) ... 152