Cricket 1914

8 THE WORLD OF CRICKET. J a n u a r y , 1914. Nov. 22.— A. E. Birch, 103*, Victoria College v. Hutt. „ 29.— D. Hay, 114, Old Boys v. Hutt. D. Hay, it should be noted, is not the old Auckland player, who has retired from the game. The four senior matches of November 15 and 22 produced 2,164 runs for 83 wickets, average nearly 27, and besides the centuries (three on the second Saturday) there were individual scores of 96 b y A. Cate for Petone, 82 b y F. A. Midlane for E ast A, 81 by W . R. S. Hickson for Central, 72 by B ray for North, and 71 by D. H ay for Old Boys. In Christchurch, too, centuries have been pretty frequent. A start was made earlier there, for the first round in Wellington was a blank through rain, and F. Woods led off with an item for the list a fortnight before the Wellington men had a chance. The list up to December 6 reads :— Oct. 11.— F. Woods, 170*, Sydenham v. St. Albans. „ 18.— T. Carlton, 102, East Christchurch v. Riccarton. Nov. 1.— H. B. W hitta, 207*, Riccarton v. St. Albans. „ 1.— D. Reese, 180, West Christchurch v. Sydenham. „ 22.— D. Reese, 101, West Christchurch v. Riccarton. „ 22.— R. G. Hickmott, 149, St. Albans v. East Christ­ church. ,, 22.— D. Sandman, 102, St. Albans v. East Christ­ church. Dec. 6.— Rev. C. S. Bryan-Browne, 107, West Christ­ church v. St. Albans. „ 6.— A. T. Donnelly, 101, West Christchurch v. St. Albans. There was a coincidence in connection with the big scores of Reese and W hitta, made on the same day. Each was made in the batsman’s second innings ; and in each case his side had to follow on and lost on the first, time not allowing of a full finish. B ut whereas Reese was out first ball in his first innings, W hitta scored 65 in his. Years ago W hitta (who has played for Canterbury) was nicknamed by S. T . Callaway, the old Australian player, “ the Little Dasher.” B ut the name was given in derision. W hitta was then of the stolid type. His 207* were made in 140 minutes, so evidently he has changed all that. He gave no chance. Reese’s only chance was at 68 ; he batted just over two hours, and hit 4 sixes and 26 fours in his 180. On November 30 W hitta scored 99 v. W est Christchurch. Hickmott and Sandman, two of the best, if not the best two, of N .Z.’s younger brigade, laid on the wood effectively in their partnership of 179 for St. Albans (433) v. East Christchurch. The partnership only lasted 65 minutes, the length of Sandman’s innings. Four sixes and 16 fours were his chief strokes, and some of his late cuts and lofty hits into the deep travelled amazing distances. Hickmott, slow by comparison, yet made his 149 in 140 minutes, hitting a six and 21 fours. The Otago Witness says that any cricketer making a century in Dunedin (where wickets this season have been even more than usually slow) deserves a gold medal. Up to December 6 only Higgins of Opoho, who registered 108 v. Grange on November 22 had qualified for that imaginary medal— in senior matches, that is. In Auckland the following centuries have been made :— Oct. 18.— L. Dacre, 147, North Shore v. Parnell. „ 18.-------Smeaton, 105, Eden A v. Eden B. G E O R G E h E W l N 8c G O , Club Colour Specialists and Athletic Clothing Manufacturers. OUTFITTERSBY APPOINTMENT TO The Royal Navy and Army, Cornwall, Kent. Middlesex, Somerset and Surrey Counties, and London Scottish, Irish and Welsh, Blackheath, Harlequins, Richmond, 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 M.C.C. Australian Team 1911 - 12 , and the South African Association Cricket Team 1912 . Established 1869. W r ite fo r E stim ates . Telephone: P.O. 607 CITY at CAMBERWELL. 8, C R O O K E D L A N E , M O N U M E N T , E.C. Nov. 15.------Woods, 174, Ponsonby v. Eden B. „ 15.------Wilson, 124, Ponsonby v. Eden B. ,, 22.— C. E. M’Cormick, 103*, Grafton v. North Shore. There may have been one or two more ; but Auckland news only reaches us at second-hand. There were plenty of scores near the century, among them W right’s 83 for Parnell v. Univer­ sity and 92 v. Ponsonby, W. Brooke-Sm ith’s 91* (Eden A v. North Shore), E. Horspool’s 88* (Grafton v. Eden B), and E. V. Sale's 77* (North Shore v. Grafton). The first day of November found wickets in Auckland spoiled by ra in ; and such bowling figures as 5 for 8 (Haresnape, Grafton v. Ponsonby), 8 for 13 (L. Dacre, N. Shore v. Waite- mata), and 6 for 14 (G. Cummings, Eden A v. Parnell) were recorded. In Dunedin bowlers have had the best of it all along, n aturally; and among analysis distinctly worth noting are those of the veteran Downes (10 for 123 in the match between Grange and Carisbrook B), J. Ramsden, the Westralian (12 for 100, Caris- brook B v. Grange), A. Eckhold (5 for 20, Grange v. Carisbrook A), and Crosbie (5 for 25, Grange v. Carisbrook A, and 6 for 75, in a total of 244, v. Opoho). L. G. Hemus, probably the best batsman New Zealand has yet produced, had been making runs in every innings in Auck­ land up to the time the N.Z. team left for Australian, but had made no big scores. He had been doing some bowling, too (it is seldom he goes on for the province), and in one innings took 6 for 69. The strike of waterside labourers made the departure of the team seem very doubtful at one time. Sydney Orchard, the manager, had in the w ay of business incurred the special dis­ pleasure of the strikers ; a threat was made to pass the word to the Labour Unions of Australia to boycott the team 's matches in consequence. Interviewed, Mr. Orchard took this lightly ; but when asked whether the refusal of the strikers to allow the steamer to put out m ight not upset the tour, replied : “ Well, yes. We could harldy swim to Sydney, could we ? ” The team had to leave without David Collins, the Cantab who was attacked by illness (thought at first to be typhoid) while serving as a special constable during the strike. Somervell, of Auckland, took his place, though many would rather have seen Midlane (Wellington) or Hayes (Canterbury) in the side. Carlton went as fourteenth man, after all, although the Associa­ tions (except his own, Canterbury) refused to guarantee the additional amount which the Cricket Council asked to provide for his inclusion. The match between Wellington and Dan Reese’s Canterbury team (which would have included Sir Cecil Moon) had to be given up on account of the strike. Auckland and Canterbury will have had to play their inter­ provincial matches with depleted teams, owing to the absence of the cracks in Australia ; but Wellington and Otago, with only one man each in the side, were little affected, and it may have happened that before this the Plunket Shield has fallen into new hands. Thus far only Auckland and Canterbury have held it. Canterbury College and Otago University met at Hagley Park, Christchurch, on November 25 and 26, the visitors winning an interesting match by 4 wickets— 265 and 61 for 6 to 182 and 160. In Otago’s first A. P. Alloo made 127 and R. H. Baxter 86 ; the chief scorers for Canterbury were S. J. Smith (71) and F. W. Gurnsey (65) in the first innings, and C. Young (49) in the second. For the losers Smith took 9 wickets for 101 ; for the winners A. W. Alloo had 10 for 129. FOR SALE. — Wisden 1864 to 1869, 1872, 1878, 1893, 1894, 1896 to 1902 inclusive, second copy 1897, 1870 and 1871 bound together, 1873, 1876, and 1879 bound together. Red Lillywhite 1882, 1890, 1804, 1896. Green Lillywhite 1882. Fred Lillywhite’s Guide 1864. What offers ?— Rev. A. H. L. H a s t l i n g , S. Anne’s Mission House, Derby;