Cricket 1912

78 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. A pril 27, 1912. flogged the tired bowling to the tune of 86 for the last wicket. A capable critic remarked then that, on the form he showed, Kelleway might just as reasonably have been put in first as last. Bowling : 0 for 53 each innings. J. C. Barnes did the only effective work for the mother state ; but Barnes seems to have lost his bowling now. The colt figured in both matches for the Rest of Australia against the Australian Team, but did nothing of note, scores of 12 not out, 7, 14 and 1, analyses of 2 for 49, 0 for 45, and 1 for 97 being his share. But in 1909-10 he consolidated his position, and laid the founda­ tions of his international career, which is likely to be a long and distinguished one. If there is a second Alfred Noble among Aus­ tralian cricketers of to-day, Charles Kelleway is the man. He has not done all that is expected of him y e t; but no one can say to what heights he may rise. He seems to have something of Noble’s temperament, and it is early yet to say that he lacks entirely Noble’s genius. Again he failed of inclusion in the team for the eastern tour to Adelaide and Melbourne—but this time, if I remember right, through accident or illness. He played against South Australia at Sydney, and in this game made his first century in big cricket—a landmark in a young player’s life. It was made while others failed badly; six men were out for 116; and the skill and nerve shown by the •Glebe man in such a critical state of affairs earned high commenda­ tion. He made 108, batted 2 f hours without mistake, and hit thirteen fours. The next highest score was 37 by Leslie Minnett, who helped him to add 100 for the ninth wicket in 03 minutes. B ow ling: 1 for 58. For N. S. Wales against the Rest of Australia (Turner’s Benefit) he played a sound first innings of 65, helping Trumper to add 120 for the fifth wicket, and in the match he took 7 wickets for 122. Against Victoria at Sydney he scored 50 in the second innings, and aided Gregory to add 137 for the third wicket; his bowling figures were 1 for 85. Then he went to New Zealand with the Australian team which Warwick Armstrong captained. He did nothing very great in the land of the silver fern ; but he was not a failure. Twenty-four in his one innings and 3 for 33 v. Wellington, 51 and 2 wickets for 3 v. Auckland, 32 and 17 v. Canterbury, 32 v. New Zealand at Christchurch, 47 v. Manawatu X III. at Palmerston North, and 27 and 5 for 17 v. Wanganui (these last two minor engagements, not reckoning first-class) represented very fair work : and a trip like this must mean valuable experience for a youDg player. After it he naturally finds a longer and more onerous tour less difficult than if he comes to it quite green to travelling conditions for match after match. Australia v. New Zealand may be considered an international game ; but one cannot put it quite in the same category as the great test. Real international honours came to Charles Kelleway in 1910-11. He began with quite a moderate all-round show against Queensland at Brisbane; but he was now an established state player, and he kept his place. He showed good all-round form for N. S. Wales v. the South Africans—56 for once out, and 7 wickets for 102—5 for 60, quite the best analysis, in the first innings. Against South Australia at Sydney he did little in the first half of the game— 1 for 45 and an innings of 26. But after that he accom ­ plished perhaps the best bowling feat of his career to date. S. A.’s total was only one short of 500. Kelleway bowled 176 balls for 72 runs and 6 wickets. Warren Bardsley carried his bat right through the home side’s second innings for 191 ; his best helper was his old ehum of those early morning practices, who made 65, and assisted in adding 141 for the fifth wicket. On December 9th, 1910, Kelleway sat in the pavilion as a member of the Australian team in a test match for the first time. On the following morning he went in, and carried his bat for 14. His bag for tbe match was 2 for 70, so that he had done nothing great in his initial test. But the form was there. Scores of 15 and 38 and an analysis of 4 wickets for 111 against Victoria at Melbourne were followed by 18 and 48 and 1 for 67 in the second test. The third test, at Adelaide, bore better fruit for him—as bats­ man, however, not bowler, for he only had 3 for 136 in the match. Hill sent him in first this time. He justified his promotion, scoring 47, and with Ransford putting on 87 for the second wicket. In the second innings he played an upbill game with dogged resolution. Going in second wicket down, he batted 135 minutes for 65, Arm­ strong and he putting on 76 for the sixth wicket. He did little against Victoria at Sydney; and though he scored 59 in the first innings against South Africa at Melbourne, he and Ransford adding 107 for the sixth wicket, it was scarcely one of his best displays, marked throughout as it was by slowness. For N. S. Wales against the Afrikanders he made 33 and 65, McElhone and he adding 56 for the third wicket in the first, and Bardsley and he 119 for the second wicket in the second innings, and took 6 wickets for 169, the best bowling analysis for bis side. Nothing of note was written down to his credit in the fifth test, and an innings of 35 for the Australian Eleven against the Rest at Melbourne (Warne's benefit; brought his first-class season to a close a little later. During the campaign just ended he has scarcely been up to this level, though he started well. But he had been out of health, and there seems a reasonable doubt whether his keeness did not lead him to turn out before he was quite fit. He was absent from the first three matches of N.S.W., and his first appearance in the big games of 1911-2 was for the mixed team of Australia against the M.C.C. side at Brisbane. He scored 66, helped Roy Minnett to add 109 for the sixth wicket, and bowled very well. On this form he could not be left out of the first test. His 70 was the highest score in Australia’s second innings, and he helped Hill to add 121 for the second wicket. He had 3 wickets for 46 in England’s first. For his State v. Victoria at Melbourne a few days later he batted 3A hours for 101, with only one chance and that difficult, and took 5 wickets for 74 in the match. Thus far he had done splendidly. But now he fell away. During the rest of the season his best performances were a second innings of 37 in the Adelaide test, and a first of 29 in the second Melbourne test, 3 wickets for 44 in the first innings v. S.A. at Adelaide, and 3 for 18 in the first of Victoria at Sydney. In the one-day match which the Australian Team played at Perth he did rather a remarkable bit of bowling—the hat trick, and four wickets for 0 ; but this game can scarcely be given first-class rank. Including the principal matches of the New Zealand tour in 1909-10, Kelleway’s figures to date are: Batting: 64 innings, 8 not outs, 1,634 runs—average 29.17. Bowling: 1,024 4 overs, 2,889 overs, 97 wickets —average 29*78. Assuming for the nonce the prophetic role, one may predict that at the end of the present tour his bowling average will not be higher than his batting, as it now is. It cannot be said of Kelleway that he is a versatile or spectacular bat. Defence is his forte. But it may well be believed that he will yet develop more scoring strokes, as Bardsley d id ; and no one need be surprised if a season in England makes him a hundred per cent, better batsman. He has a high delivery, and keeps a good length ; but lately his bowling has seemed to lack devil, and he has yet to acquire the many devices of his prototype, Noble. In the field he is usually among the slips, and is a very useful man in that position— not a Braund or an A. O. Jones, perhaps, but still quite good. Altogether a capital all-round player, who may become a great one. Let us hope he w ill! J. N. P. County Cricket Club Meetings and Reports. The N o r f o l k C.C.C. is one of those which find times hard, and it is small consolation to its zealous Hon. Sec. to know that many other counties are in the same boat. There is a deficit of over £76 to be met. Amateur theatri­ cals are being invoked to help clear off this ; at the New Assembly Booms, Norwich, on the nights of May 23 and 24 and the afternoon of May 25. under distinguished patronage, “ John Brace and Son,” by Mr. Leo Trevor, will be produced, the author himself figuring in the cast. Mr. Michael Falcon is the new captain of the Norfolk team, vice the Bev. G. B. Baikes, resigned. Gate-money in 1911 only realised £83 ; subscriptions were £441, dona­ tions £29. The Lakenham ground, thanks to the generosity of Mr. Bussell Colman, the club’s President, is used rent free,; but there is a rent of £35 for the pavilion, and among other outgoings of the year are £164 for pros’, and grounds­ man’s salaries, etc., £343 for match expenses. As £71 was brought forward last year, over £150 was actually lost on the year’s working, and the northern tour is abandoned for this season as a measure of economy. G E O R G E L E W I N & C O . , Club Colour Specialists and A thletic Clothing M anufacturers. OUTFITTERS B Y APPO INTM ENT TO The Royal Navy and Army, Cornwall, Kent, Middlesex, Somerset and Surrey Counties, and London Scottish, Irish and Welsh, Blackheath, Harlequins, Rich­ mond, Catford Rugby Football Clubs, and all the leading Clubs in the British Isles and abroad; M.C.C. S. African Tour, 1909, S. African Cricket Association 1910, and Queen’s Club, Kensington, the Wl.C.C. Australian Team 3911-12, and the South African Association Cricket Team 1912. Established 1869. W rite for E stimates . Telephone: P.O. 607 CITY Works at Camberwell. 8, CROOKED LANE, MONUM ENT , E.C.