Cricket 1913

58 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. F eb . 15, 1913. result -.of a-recent accident; but he handled the side admir­ ably, and a really good captain is st>, rarfe a bird that be is worth his place even if doing little. There were two Senior League matches on Dingaan’s Day (December 16); but, on account of the big game at Lord’s and because some fellows-don’t care for these all­ day holiday matches, sides generally were unrepresentative. Taylor and Chapman rushed off directly Maritzburg had been dismissed, and tried to lift their club, Queen’s Park, out of the mire. Q.P., with only nine men, were meeting the Zingari; they were 29 in arrears on the first innings, and needed 170 to win outright. It could not be managed, though Chapman rattled up 43, the total at the close being 127 for 6. Herbert Taylor only made a couple; but his brother, E. D., scored 37. A. Grice (6 for 21), P. C. Lilburn (5 for 85), and K. Logan (4 for 19) were the most effective bowlers in the match, the former two for the losers. Escombes, though without the two Siedles and George Cox, took three points (for an outright victory) from Wanderers II., scoring 505 and 110 for 4 to 52 and 34. R. Morton made 62 in Escombes’ second, and G. Macfarlane scored 24 and 36. G. T. Platt (12 for 37) and G. M. Foster (6 for 23) were in great bowling form for the winners, and J. P. Casey (7 for 62) trundled well for the losers. On December 21 the fourth Senior League match at Maritzburg was finished, Zingari (216— V. J. Forder 62, R. Maxwell 33) defeating Maritzburg (101, three men absent, and 148 for 4—C. O. C. Pearse 61 in the first innings, A. Hair 60, G. H. Cook 51 in the second) by 115 runs on the first innings. Samuelson took 4 for 58 in one innings,, and R. H. Blake 4 for 34 in the match for Zingari; V. Pearse had 4 for 47 for the losers. Wanderers II. are a better side than I had thought them. Within eight days they pulled off two fine victories. The victims were the Casuals and the other Wanderers, both good batting sides. On Boxing Day there were whole-dav matches, and on the 28th the games begun on the 21st were finished. Against Wanderers the last-promoted team ran up 203 (P. Faux 57*, R. J. Dove 28, M. Faux 25), and then got out their opponents for 116 (M. Hawkins 33, II. A. Hawkins 23), though in the follow-on the older team did better with 173 (H. A. Hawkins 37*, M. Hawkins 35). It will be seen that the brothers Faux and the brothers Hawkins played quite a big part in the scoring. H. Wood took 8 for 69 in the match for the winners. On Boxing Day Wanderers II. made 226 (M. Faux 52, H. Wood 38), and dismissed Casuals for 127 (J. Beningfield 38), J. P. Casey taking 5 for 42. Wanderers I. and Zingari drew a very level match on the holiday. The former scored 213 (H. A. Hawkins 91, M. Hawkins 32), and the latter replied with 177 for 6 (II Rachmann 92*). Claude Carter had 5 for 81 for Zingari. On the Saturday Zingari (147—V. C. Robbins 66, F. Bellville 29-—and 76 for 4—-L. D. Dalton 32) went under to Casuals (249 for 8, dec.— J. Beningfield 62, V. Deane 41*, A. Johnston 41, I.. V. Collins 36). For the Casuals M. C. Jacobs (4 for 42) and P. Beningfield (4 for 33) bowled very well, as did I.. V. Collins (2 for 27 each innings). Escombes had no very happy time of it. They tumbled before Greyville for 36 on Boxing Day, Davison takin g 4 for 14, Tuckett 3 for 5, Joe Cox 2 for 13. Greyville replied with 173 for 7, dec. (A. C. King 55*, L. R. Tuckett 50*), and theii Escombes made 79 for 5 (George Cox 33*). Two days later they lost the match begun a week before against Queen’s Park by 9 wickets. Their.scores were 105 and 121 (G. M. Foster 40, Basil Siedle 29, second innings). Queen’s Park made 165 (H. W. Chapman 62) and 65 for 1 (Chapman 29*). George Cox took 7 for 53 in Q .P .’s first. Herbert Taylor practically gave aw iv his wicket both times. He will, get impatient and run : 1 to the slow bowlers. George Cox took a hot c. and b., low down, in the first innings. In the second runs had to be made against time, and Taylor was justified in taking risks; but it was rather a surprise to see him clean bowled in running in to hit Platt. The New Year holidays were days of triumph for Durban enthusiasts. In fact, it was 3, case of from misery to exulta­ tion. They were not nice days in themselves; we had a lot of rain in Natal, and at Ladysmith, where a Durban team met Northern Districts, only one day's play was possible. We had no paper out till late on the 2nd, but 1 was down at Lord’s pretty early, and found everyone in a state of depression, which just fitted the weather. Durban Juniors were playing Maritzburg Juniors, paddling about in the puddles which the rain had made; but the thoughts of the spectators were not upon that gam e; they were away at the Wanderers’ ground at Johannesburg. Bad news had come through—a false rumour, as it turned out. It was said that Natal, with only two wickets in hand, were still three runs behind in their second innings. If that was true, the game was practically over; and we looked at one another, and asked mournfully what had befallen our trusted cracks. But it was not true ! Two for 53, not 8 for 53,. was the state of affairs at the time. The mistake will readily be understood—8 down instead of 8 to go-—or 2 to go instead Of 2 down. I went home quite disheartened, wondering whether life was really worth living. But hope sprang when I saw the evening paper; and—“ oh, what a difference in the morning! ” A glorious victory; and Durban's was the credit, for Dudley Pearse was the only City man engaged. I was in town next day, and the smiles I met were wide and “ warious.” One enthusiast said he would have given a ten-pound note to have seen Taylor’s innings. The victory over the Maritzburg Junicrs (our men made 179—A. Abrahams 46, B. Smith 38— and 76 for 5— G. C. Grace 32— to 147— H. Wiles 37 and 104—A. V. Acutt 32*) and the lead on the first innings at Ladysmith were minor triumphs, of course; but they helped to make Durban proud. The score of the last-mentioned game will be found else­ where in this issue. Durban, January 1S, 1913. It rather amuses me to remember how the critics (?) here slanged Herbert Taylor and Joe Cox when they happened to strike a bad patch for a few weeks. Now Herbert is the best batsman in South Africa, they say, and J- C. the best bowler! 1 have always had faith in the two, and have openly expressed it; but for all that I don’t mind admitting that I regard Taylor’s advance as really marvellous. All three leaders came a cropper in the Senior League matches finished on Saturday. Greyville’s defeat was a surprise. It is true they were without Nourse, Cox, Tuckett, and Davison when the match begun ; but a place had been kept open for Nourse on the second day, and a substitute fielded for him on the opening Saturday, when Zingari (who lacked Carter) put up 139. Greyville were 31 for 1 at the close, but could only add 62 more when the game was resumed. Nourse’s share was 7. He stayed in for 20 minutes or so, but never settled down, and eventually Kenneth Logan bowled him with a beauty. I.ogan (6 for 24, 5 clean bowled) and V. Tumner (4 for 39, 3 clean bowled) carried all before them, and the first-named looks like Ianother strong candidate for first-class honours. Casuals had a great win over Escombes, though the absence of George Cox, owing to illness, on the first day morally discounts it. Still, 306 for 7, dec. (C. C. Acutt 121, M. C. Jacobs 106, P. de Gersigny 51) wants a lot of explain­ ing away. Cox was able to play on the second Saturday, but could only' make 3 and 13. G. T. Platt (55), G. M. Foster (45*), and R. Morton (26) did well in Escombes’ first innings of 197; but. P. de Gersigny (4 for 7) and V. Lumsden (4 for 28) were so well on the spot in the, second that the total was only 74, and Casuals won in an innings. De Gersigny took the last three wickets in the last over of the match.