Cricket 1912

A p k il 20, 1912. CEICKET: A WEEKLY EECOED OF THE GAME. 65 Cricket in Australia. T a s m a n ia v . V ic t o r ia . In the last five Australian seasons Tasmania has played fourteen matches, and has called upon the services of no fewer than fifty men for them ! It is just possible that there have been in the island during that period half a hundred players worth consideration for first-class cricket; but it seems hardly likely, and one is inclined to think that Tasmania’s standing would be higher if Hobart and Launceston would only pull together and try to put the best side possible in the field, wherever the match may be. Nowadays when a Victorian team-—never the strongest — crosses to the island, two matches are played, one at Launceston and the other at Hobart. In one nearly all the places are given to northern players ; in the other the southerners have almost a monopoly. This is distinctly not a good arrangement. But in spite of it the match at Launceston in February was a rare good game. Of those chosen to make the trip from Melbourne David Smith, J. A. Seitz, and others backed o u t ; the Victorian team, however, included that sterling veteran, Tom Warne, Colin McKenzie, A. E. V. Hartkopf, a colt of great promise, two ex-Tasmanians in Facy and McDonald, C. Dwyer, who at one time cherished a design to come to England and qualify for some county, Woodford, who used to keep wicket for South Australia, Liddicutt, who scored a century for the Geelong X V . v. M.C.C., and Gerald Healy, who ran up a couple of hundred odd v. Tasmania at Melbourne two years ago. Tasmania lacked Hudson, Paton, Boddam, and other prominent Hobart players ; but Reginald Hawson, a southerner, was made captain— a sign of grace on the part of the northern authorities. He won the toss, and Tasmania made 208, Martin’s 43 in 50 minutes being the best bit of cricket. Victoria had 8 wickets down for 01, Martin, who swerved, and Windsor bowling in first-rate form. Then Facy, who hit well, and Wame, steady as a rock, actually more than trebled the total for the ninth wicket, adding 140. Warne batted over 2 J hours for 76, Facy under 2 hours for 74. The total left Victoria 10 runs ahead. There was good all-round scoring in Tasmania’s second. Nine men got double figures, only Windsor passing the 50 mark. Liddicutt, put on late, did a very useful bit of bowling. The total was 318, and the visitors wanted 309 for victory. A dogged fight ensued, with fortunes veering now this way, now that. Hartkopf, Liddicutt, Lampard and Braid were all responsible for really good efforts. But the fine steady bowling of the veteran Windsor, two runs-out, and some smart catches did the trick ; and the end came, amidst intense excitement, when the visitors wanted only one run to tie, two to win. The match was not too well attended ; but those who missed the final stages missed something worth seeing. There were two or three disappointments for the second match, Windsor could not come down from Launces­ ton, and Hudson, one of the best bats in the south, was also unable to play. But at the last moment Martin, who was not expected, managed to come, and he had as much as any man to do with the victory of the island-state by 72 runs. It is true that he failed to score in either innings ; but he bowled his swervers with great success, and in his absence Victoria would no doubt have made a great many more runs. After he had been bowled by Facy for a duck, Hawson and Paton made a great stand for 203. When they were parted, wickets fell pretty quickly for a time ; but a dashing innings of 79 in 108 minutes by the colt W att—son of an old Tasmanian player—and useful contributions by Carroll ■ and Pennycuick took the total to 430, Tasmania’s best v. Victoria. A ct II.— Victoria dismissed for 102, only Warne and Dwyer passing 20. Act III.—A controversy as to Hawson’s right to let his side bat again, the Victorians arguing that they ought to follow-on. Amicably settled. A ct IV.— Tasmania batted again. Seven wickets were down for 92 ; but Headlam and Boddam added 58 for the eighth, and the total was over 150. A ct V.— Victoria sent in to get 429 to win. The veteran captain, Tom Warne, went in first. He was last out, having made 153 of the total of 350, a really fine effort for his side, though perhaps he might have travelled a bit faster at first. He got out when seeming certain to play through in a rather belated attempt to force the game. Liddicutt, Dwyer and Lampard also did well, but Colin McKenzie, as in the first match, failed to get going. L. Braid, a left-hander, bowled steadily for Victoria in both matches, and should be worth a good trial next season. Not much notice will be taken in Melbourne of the results of these two games ; but the Tasmanians are naturally pleased, for in neither had the island its best eleven out. The Hobart team was the stronger, but even that lacked Hudson, Windsor, Eltham, Tumilty, and McKenzie, all with claims to consideration. The island has recently lost H. 0 . Smith, McDonald, and Facy, all Victorians now ; but with such seasoned players as Hawson, Windsor, Hudson, and Paton, and younger men like Martin, Tumilty, Watt, Boddam, and others, Tasmania might well attempt a somewhat more ambitious programme in 1912-3. Perhaps both New Zealand and Western Australia may visit the island, and a N.S.W. team is also due, while there will be the usual biennial match with Victoria at Melbourne, no doubt. O d d s a n d E n d s . It seems unlikely that much, if any, more will be seen of Herbert Hordern in big cricket—-more’s the p it y ! Warwick Armstrong has two younger brothers, both playing good club cricket in Melbourne. One of them, T., lately took 7 wickets for 52 for Melbourne v. Carlton, and shapes like a coming first-class bowler. The other, J . had 5 for 07 for Caulfield v. Brunswick (Sub-District Competition) on March 2nd. J. T. Murray, the South Australian schoolboy who made so promising a first appearance v. N.S.W. at Adelaide is a big fellow, nearly as big as Armstrong, though only eighteen. He ought to do rare good work for S.A. if he can only find time to keep up the game. Whitty, playing for East Torrens, v. North Adelaide on February 24th, had a sticky pitch to operate upon. His analysis was 10 overs—9 runs—7 wickets, first innings ; 11.2-25-7, second. N o t much wrong with that form, eh ? N.S.W. beat Queensland at Brisbane on March 9th by 10 wickets. Redgrave made a century for the home side, Diamond for the visitors. Rain had affected the wicket. Score and full Australian averages of season will appear next week. Wanted . By young public school man, good bat and field, who has played with success for second-class county, engagement as Secretary or Assistant Secretary to a cricket or general sports club of good standing.— Addesss to, “ F.T .,” c/o Mr. J. N. Pentelow, Malvern, Steyning, Sussex. ONCE TRIED, ALWAYS USED. THE‘PATISSON" HORSEBOOTS, SIMPLEST ! STRONCEST ! MOST ECONOMICAL ! U sed in the R oy a l and in T h ousands of the P rin cip al G ardens, and by the leading C ricket and G olf Clubs. SILVER MEDAL, Royal Horticultural Society. H U N D R E D S O F T E S T IM O N IA L S . T he F ield says— “ A s g oo d as an yth in g that could be devised.” D r . W . G . G race w rites— “ T h e B est.” M r . S. A pted (T he O val)— “ T h e best I have ever used.” EX C L U S I V E L Y U S E D AT T H E OVAL FOR T H E LA S T 1 0 YE ARS . Illustrated P rice Lists, w ith T estim on ials, from H. PATT I SSON <& CO., 4-, Greyhound Lane, Stneatham, S.W.