Cricket 1914

A p r il , 19 14 . THE WORLD OF CRICKET. 75 Overseas Cricket Chat. A U STRA L IA . E. R. Mayne’s 254, reported last month, was a not out innings, though the fact escaped mention then. Victorian Banks (358) gave New South Wales Banks (81 and 150) a heavy beating during the last week in February. W. H. McDonald, of Warrnambool (whence came Frank Allen, “ the bowler of a century)” , made 153 for the winners. McDonald is an all-round man of great ability, it would appear. During the present season he has made scores of 215, 216*, and 223* for his club, and had up to the end of February totalled 868 for seven completed innings, besides taking 43 wickets at under 8 each. Similar big scores led to Mackay of Uralla— he whom they called “ Sunny Jim ” — coming to Sydney and shining the comet of a season or two. But Mackay went to South Africa, just failed to be chosen .for the 1907 S.A. team to England (there were many who would have liked him included, but the selectors thought his qualifications insufficient), got knocked over by a motor-cyclist at Johannesburg, had his eyesight badly injured, and was never the same brilliant batsman again. The N.S.W . visit to Western Australia fell through, it appears. The W .A.C.A. had made it a condition that the visiting side should include either Trumper or Macartney. But Trumper had gone to New Zealand, and the Governor-General was not available, so the N.S.W .C.A. suggested that the visit should be deferred. This is a big disappointment to the people in the west, who have twice lately expected a South Australian team which did not appear. The Board of Control are being asked to allow the Australian Team on its way to South Africa to play a match at Perth next November. Hot controversy has been raging in Adelaide as to the conduct of the umpires in the East Torrens v. Adelaide match on February 21st. East Torrens, behind in the first innings by 16 runs, declared their second innings closed at 161 for 4 (R. F. Middleton 57, and H. Sands, 71, having added 104 in partnership by plucky forcing play on a soft wicket), and sent Adelaide in to get 146 in 90 minutes. A t 6.27^ (or thereabouts) the fifth Adelaide wicket fell, the score 142. (H. McCarron, going for the bowling like a good 'un, had made 72 in 65 minutes). The umpires were appealed to, and drew stumps. Now even if the clock’s hands had stood at 6.28 they were wrong, one considers. Two minutes are allowed for a batsman to come in after another is out, but he is not obliged to take two minutes. J. T. Murray, the tall youngster of whom so much was hoped in South Australia a season or two ago, has made scores of 89, 149*, and 188* for Roseworthy Agricultural College this season without giving a single chance. Against Salisbury on February 21st, the College made 330 for one wicket, Murray 188*, S. J. Sibley 125*. But Murray is not likely to be available for the state even in the future. H. P. Kirkwood, who gave high promise while still a schoolboy, ten or a dozen years ago, and this last season, returning to Adelaide, was of considerable value as an all-round man in the S.A. team, is not likely to play again for the state— at least for some time. He was married quite lately— congratulations on that score— and has been appointed to a country branch of his bank. Whether this is a subject for congratulation is doubt­ ful, in a cricket sense, anyway. On the strength of some success achieved against Tasmania, H. Ironmonger, the left-handed bowler who left Queensland for a post on the Melbourne Club’s ground staff, is being talked of for the Australian Team to South Africa. It is said that Hugh Trumble has been coaching him, and that he has already profited greatly. Well, if Long Hugh thinks him good enough for the tour, there ought to be something in it, for no one knows much better than that fine bowler of other days what is needed to get wickets on the South African matting. Not that Trumble had much experience. B ut the little he had was enough for him. Those pitches did not suit him ; and he said— or is reported to have said— that he didn’t think he should get a wicket in a year on them ! Bill Howell, on the other hand, found them greatly to his liking. Probably Trumble's best balls missed the stumps by going over them. After all, it seems, the Melbourne Club and the V.C.A. are not yet quite ready to lie down together, like the lion and the lamb of the prophet. Perhaps the difficulty is the assignation of the respective roles. The V .C .A .’s proposals seem fair enough. The big club would be allowed to keep all its present players for pennant matches, and would be allotted a large and fast- growing district to draw upon in the future. The position at present is that, while the Melbourne team meets the other senior teams, these matches do not count in the pennant competition. It is somewhat curious— especially as the district system is supposed to obtain— that East Melbourne is said to have offered an exchange of its present cricket terri­ tory for that proposed to be allotted to Melbourne I Charters Towers, right up in the far north of Queensland, made 485 for 3, dec., in a match v . Townsville during February. Power (221— 3 fives, 25 fours) and Neil (98) put up 225 for the first wicket, and Power and Saunders (103*) turned the score to 396 before the second fell. E. Jones, the one-time Australian fast bowler, recently took 9 wickets for 17 runs (the other man was absent, or he might have had all 10) in a match at Freeman tie. Recent centuries in Australian cricket include:— Feb. 7—E. P. Barbour, 152, Sydney University v. Gordon. ,, 7—H. Beveridge, 115, Toombul v. Woolloongabba (Brisbane). ,, 7—F. C. Thompson, 238*, University v. N. Brisbane. ,, 7—W. Sewart, 100, Carlton v. Fitzroy (Melbourne). ,, 14—J. Taylor, 101*, Western Suburbs v. Balmain (Sydney). ,, 14—S. H. Emery, 102*, Redfern v. Cent. Cumberland (Sydney). ,, 14—S. E. Gregory, 128*, Waverley v. N. Sydney. ,, 14—C. G. Macartney, 227, Gordon v. Sydney University. ,, 14—J. Lindsay, 110, Subiaco-Leederville v. W. Perth. ,, 14—J. Carew, 201*, Midland Junction v. E. Perth. ,, 14—L. H. Gatenbv, 367, S. Launceston v. E. Launceston. ,, 14—J. H. Stuckey, 103, N. Melbourne v. S. Melbourne. ,, 14--- Begg, h i* , Northcote v. Collingwood (Melbourne). „ 14--- Yeomans, Northcote v. Collingwood. ,, 21—L. E. Bott, 107, E. Perth v. Midland Junction. „ 21—J. Herbert, 121*, N. Fremantle II v. Fremantle. ,, 21—E. P. Barbour, 135, Sydney University v. Glebe. ,, 21—H. Cooper, 114, N. Sydney v. Redfern. ,, 21 C. G. Macartney, 106, Gordon v. Cent. Cumberland. „ 21—H. Davis, 158, Waverley v. Balmain (Sydney). „ 21— A. Findlay, 140, E. Launceston v. W. Launceston. ,, 21—C. H. Robinson, 178, N. Hobart v. S. Hobart. ,x 21--- Weavers, 109, N. Hobart v. S. Hobart. Particulars as to Gatenby’s big score— the highest ever made in Northern Tasmania, though in the southern part of the island C. J. Eady made 566 years ago, have not come to hand. In the list above well-known names are conspicuous. All but eight of the men concerned have played in state cricket. It is a pleasure to see Syd Gregory in the list again, and Emery, who has not been too conspicuous this season, also appears. The veteran Harry Stuckey can still make them at a good pace evi­ dently. Robinson, of Tasmania, seems to have profited by the slating he got for his dull play against N.S.W . at Sydney, for he ran up his 178 in about three hours. Macartney and Barbour each appear twice. The old Queensland representative Carew seems to have taken a new lease of cricket life in Westralia. CANADA. Seven clubs have entered for the Vancouver Island Cricket League— Cowichan, University School, Oak Bay, Garrison, Albion, Nanaimo, and Victoria. A new' club which is being formed, the Civil Service, is expected also to enter. Cowichan have lost their crack, Gilbert Curgenven, formerly of Derbyshire. He is now living in Victoria. Several of the Australian players last year were of opinion that Curgenven was the best all-rounder they met. Cowichan won 21 matches last season and only lost 3. Will our readers throughout the Dominion note that we shall always be glad of news from them ?