Cricket 1912

A pril 20, 1912. CRICKET: A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. 67 A Chat about Mr. David Smith. B y G. H. S. T rott . T he subject of this sketch should, in the ordinary way, have many years’ cricket before him, for he was born as recently as September, 1884—at Kichmond (Victoria). As a boy he took most readily to the game, and many good innings were placed to his credit for the Sherwood C.C., a junior club of the district in which he resided. His form attracted the attention of the Richmond C.C. Com­ mittee, by whom he was invited to play for their second eleven. He did so and with success, but on being promoted to the first team failed to perform as well as was expected and was dropped. He then became identified with Hawks- burn, for whose second eleven he made 29 not out, 124 not out (v. North Melbourne 2nd.) and 107 (v. Melbourne C.C.). These successes gained him promotion to the first eleven, for which he showed brilliant form, but upon the Victorian Cricket Association inaugurating District Cricket he was obliged to return to the Richmond C.C., for which Mr. DAVID SMITH. he has been consistently successful ever since. His fine batting at last forced itself to the notice of the selectors of the inter-State teams three seasons ago, when he was chosen for the match with New South Wales at Sydney— in January, 1909. Although he made only 11 and 22 on that occasion, he showed distinct promise and has ever since being a member of the State Eleven. Among the many fine performances to his name may be mentioned a splendid innings of 146 against South Australia at Melbourne two years ago, and a score of 96 at the expense of the same side at Adelaide last season. It was in the early part of 1910, too, that he visited New Zealand as a member of the Australian eleven, under the captaincy of Warwick Armstrong. He came through the tour with the distinctly useful batting figure of 36, making two centuries— 107 against X III. of Manawatu and 102 against New Zealand at Wellington. It was in the game with Manawatu, at Palmerston North, that he created quite a sensation. Hitting with tremendous power, he sent the ball clean out of the ground on eight occasions, scoring six each time. On his return from the trip he played a sound innings of 75 in Warne’s benefit match at Melbourne between The Australian Eleven and The Rest, and early in the current season secured the fine double of 68 and 84 (run out) for Victoria against the Englishmen. Possessed of a splendid physique, Smith puts very great power into his strokes, and would, with just a little patience, develop into one of the best hard-hitting batsmen of the day. Should he be chosen for the trip to England, in order to take part in the Triangular Tournament, he would, I feel sure, justify his inclusion in the Australian team ; he would certainly become a great favourite with the cricketing public on account of his bright batting. He is also a wonderfully good outfield, his only weakness being a rather slow return. In the football world he is as prominent as he is at cricket, and in the season just closed captained the Essendon team, which won the premiership of Victoiia. The M.C.C. Team in the Argentine. Our March issue only carried the chronicle of the Argen­ tine tour to the third match ; but since then news has piled up, and the remaining matches can only be briefly dealt with here. In the fourth game of the tour, v. Northern Suburbs, N. W. Jackson, an old Hai'eyburian, and G. G. Brown, who learned all his cricket in the Argentine, sent up 71 for the first wicket of the home side. In the M.C.C.’s second innings runs came very fieely. Wilson and Hill ran up 86 in 40 minutes for the first wicket, Hill and Troughton added 65 for the third, De Trafford and Fulcher 56 in 25 minutes for the fifth, and Mac! aren hit 42 in less than half- an-hour. Captain Baird found a spot, and only Jackson and Hutton did anything for the home side till Doming came in last and put in some brisk slamming. M.C.C. scored their first win. The fifth game was the second “ test.” A. J. L. Hill and Morice Bird had a fine, exhilarating partnership of 106 for the second wicket in M.C.C.’s first. Fulcher quickly hit up 51. F oy did not get a wicket. The earlier Argentine batsmen all made useful scores, but the tail collapsed before Hatfeild and Wilson, and M.C.C. led by 60. Bird’s 61 (twelve 4’s), a fine bit of hitting, was the chief feature of M.C.C.’s second ; his innings was closed by a magnificent running catch by Horsfall. MacLaren again showed how false his early poor form had been. Foy and Toulmin both bowled well. Argentine never looked like making the runs needed ; only Dom ing showed even a glimpse of the form expected. South of Argentina, in the sixth game, proved no match for the tourists. Jackson again made it clear in what fine fettle he is ; he scored 51 out of 96 in the first, and 79 out of 171 in the second, playing a steady and resolute game in each. No one else did very much for the South, whose bowling was also weak. Hill made 28 of the first 37 for M.C.C. ; Bird and Wilson added 77 for the second wicket, and the latter, after a slow start, hit linely for his century. Hatfeild hit up 90 (thirteen 4’s) in very quick time. He and Wilson, as usual, did the bulk of the execution as bowlers. The third “ test ” caused much excitement in the British Community ; it is not recorded that the Argentinos themselves enthused greatly. When one comes to think of it, there is something very British in our calm acceptance of a team of Britishers, by birth or extraction, as the eleven of the Argentine Republic. They are, of course ; and yet— somehow, the situation is slightly anomalous. Not that it matters. MacLaren was the M.C.C. captain, in Lord Hawke’s absence through a damaged leg ; Garnett again skippered Argentina— Lancashire leading both sides. Garnett won the toss. A. C. M. was never a lucky skipper. Two wickets were down for 15 ; but Haileybury Jackson held the fort again, and Drysdale helped him to add 51 for the third. Except for Garnett, who played in first-class form, no one else did much against some good bowling by Baird, Wilson, and Fulcher. Foy was in great buckle once more, and seven