Cricket 1912

28 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OP THE GAME. F eb . 24, 1912. when he went to the pavilion and asked Smith to go in instead of Mead, if he told him about the fourer he hit. (Douglas had made one boundary stroke in two hours.) It is wearisome to see half-volleys patted back to the bowler, especially when a man like Laver is bowling without a long-field, and this I can assure you was done repeatedly in the match with Victoria. Still, I suppose that most of the new-comers are only feeling their way, and perhaps it is rather harsh on my part to judge them on only a few performances. Therefore, I will withhold my final verdict until after the Test games. In the meantime, it will be pleasing to me if Kinneir shows us something worthy of his reputation. Philip Mead is a much more versatile batsman than most of the newcomers, and I am expecting him to jjut up some good scores ere the tour closes. I am greatly taken with his style, and especially with his driving to the off. He did not do much against Victoria, but the runs he got were obtained in workmanlike fashion, and I sincerely trust that when he gets his first hundred out here I may be on the ground to see it made. Young Hearne lacks experience, and it perhaps would have been wiser to allow him the benefit of another couple of years in county cricket before being sent to Australia. There is no doubt that he has plenty of cricket in him, but it is a big thing to expect such a youth to bowl to men like Trumper, Hill and Armstrong on our wickets, for it is well-known that even bowlers of much greater experience fail to get a length against these champions. The trip is bound to do him good, however, and his future efforts in the old land will be followed with great interest by all cricketers out here. His batting has been rather feeble so far, but I fancy it is due rather to nervousness than anything else. Smith kept wicket in the Victoria match, and, although rather patchy in the first innings, showed considerable improvement in the second, when many nice things were said concerning him. What little we saw of his run-getting ability created rather a favourable impression, and gave one the idea that, with practice, he would develop into a very good batsman. Both Iremonger and Vine are old friends, for both played against the Australian Team of 1896. I was much pleased to renew their acquaintance. Both are of the decidedly useful class, and may, with their experience, do well out here. Hitch, with his long run, and his little “ two step ” in the middle, greatly amused the huge crowds, but his bowling was so good that they soon tired of chaffing him about his mannerisms. Although he does not possess Richardson’s old pace, he is certainly very fast at times, and I feel sure that your selectors will have no cause for regret for including him in the side. Like all bowlers on good wickets, he finds it hard work to dislodge the top- notchers, but he seems bound to skittle out many tail enders. He should also prove useful as a hitter. One stroke he made in the match with Victoria impressed the ring. Getting fairly on to one of K yle’s deliveries, he lifted it well over the heads of the spectators on to the roof of the stand—a great hit which well deserved the six runs it obtained. Taking the team as a whole, I consider it a fairly strong combination, but do not for one moment think it represents the full strength of English cricket. They may win the rubbor, but, even so, my opinion will be unchanged. I know that all the men who will do duty for us are already in form. As I have remarked in a previous article, much will depend upon Hordern. If he bowls as well this season as he did last against the South Africans, I shall have no reason to fear that the “ Ashes ” will be transferred to England’s keeping. THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY C.C. At the Annual General Meeting at Workington on the 10th inst., the Honorary Treasurer’s report showed that there was a balance in hand of £110. The Club has been in existence only two years. Lord Muncaster was re-elected president and Mr. Guy Senliouse, of Netherhall, honorary secretary and treasurer. For next season matches have been arranged with Dumfriesshire, Northumberland, West­ morland and the Border League. Cricket in South Africa. Owing to extreme pressure on space, the names of the players selected for the South African team to England did not appear in our last issue. Doubtless all of our readers saw them elsewhere ; but no apology is needed for giving them here, in view of comments to be made. The team as chosen consists of : Messrs. R. Beaumont, T. Campbell, G. A. Faulkner, F. Mitchell (capt.), S. J. Pegler, It. O. Schwarz, S. J. Snooke, L. .1. Tancred, G. C. White and J. W . Zulch (Transvaal), C. P. Carter, J. L. Cox, C. B. Llew­ ellyn, A. Nourse and H. W . Taylor (Natal) and G. P. D. Hartigan (Border). On the whole the selection appears to have given quite as much satisfaction as could be expected, although the inability of Mr. Sherwell and Vogler to make the trip was regretted everywhere. The chief causes of complaint are the omission of Messrs. Louis Strieker and C. O. C. Pearse, who both did well enough in Australia to be con­ sidered as having strong claims. The Cape is naturally aggrieved at having no representative in the team ; but one of the best bats from Cape Town, Mr. P. T. Lewis, the old Oxonian, would have been a doubtful starter even if selected, and Mr. Basil Melle (who is said to be coming to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar) is still so young that he should have plenty of chances in the future, while Messrs. R. R. Luyt and P. A. II. Hands laboured under the disadvantage of not being all-round men, and Mr. Bond, though a capable bowler, did nothing striking in the trials. Some of those who stand by the old brigade are angry that Mr. James Sinclair has been passed by. There seems some reason for their feeling that he is still one of South Africa’s best, though he did comparatively little in Australia. Since the team was selected he has been going great guns for the Wanderers. Against Crown Mines on January 6 and 13, he first took 6 wickets for 52, then hit magnificently for 105, including two 6’s and twenty-three 4’s, and there­ after took four of the seven wickets that fell in the other side’s second innings. Against Yeovillc on January 20 he scored 146 of a total of 214 (18 extras included), and reached those figures in 75 minutes. We should all have been glad to see him again in England. That would mean, however, failing another refusal, the inclusion of eighteen men. The post of second wicket-keeper should lie between Messrs. T. A. Ward (Transvaal) and Delroy J. Nicol (N atal); but there have been suggestions that either Mr. Strieker or Mr. Richard Luyt, both fair wicket-keepers, should be preferred for the sake of their batting abilities. The case of Mr. F. Le Roux (Transvaal) is felt to be rather a hard one. He is the nearest approach to a fast bowler of class South Africa has in Mr. Kotze’s absence, being quite fast for about half-a-dozen overs, but apt to slow down then. He is also a good though not a stylish bat. He scored 102 not out in the second trial match. In the three matches he had 15 wickets at 21'20 each. He is a good field, moreover. On the face of it, he seems quite worthy of a place, and he is very keen. Mr. L. G. Tapscott (Griqualand West), who hit splen­ didly in the first match, and Mr. Dudley Pearse (Natal), who played well throughout, are certain to win selection later on if they keep up their form. On January 13 Mr. Pearse hit up 176 not out for Maritzburg v. Zingari at the Natal capital. Of the two century innings played in the third match Mr. Snooke’s was by far the best. He made his runs in a little over an hour and a-half. Mr. Ncurse was in over 3S hours, and though hitting twenty-three 4’s was really not at the top of his form. Messrs. Tancred and Zulch sent up 07 before the first wicket of the former’s side fell. Mr. Gerald Hartigan, though labouring under the disadvantage of an injured hand, which prevented his bowling at all, was the great success of the trials as a batsman, scoring 220 runs and being dismissed only once. He should be, after Mr. Faulkner, the best all-round man on the side before the tour ends. The holiday cricket on the Band was not b y any means confined to the three big trials. Johannesburg played Pretoria on the Wanderers’ ground, and beat their old rivals by 417 runs. The most notable feature of the match was the'stand of 105 for the last wicket in Pretoria’s first innings by Messrs. Harold Vane Baumgartner (the old Bed