MATCHES DESCRIBED

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 72, 26 March 1934, Page 15

MATCHES DESCRIBED

A RATTLING FINISH

: The match between Petone and Kilbirnie on JTo. 2 wicket at the Basin Reserve developed from a struggle for mastery on the first innings to a "do or die" encounter late in the day. Petone made 229. in .the.first innings, and when stumps were drawn the first day Kilbirnie had two wickets down for 66 runs. As a five-point win would have given Kilbirnie the. championship, the side batted cautiously to overtake Petone's lead, but.failed to do this, largely owing to the bowling of Allcott, who sent down 29 overs, 10 of which were maidens, for 49 runs, and seven wickets. Allcott, after changing from the northern end back to the southern end, had a phenomenal bowling spell. In seven overs, five of which were maidens, he took five wickets for G runs.. Kotherham'was the other principal bowlerj and ' obtained three wickets. Petone commenced their second innings at 4.15 p.m., and; not taking matters very seriously, put on S9 runs for the loss of six wickets, then declaring. Petone could have remained content with - a five-point win, and from the point of view of orthodox cricket had proved itself the better side on the day's play, but W. S. Brice,the Petone captain, wished to have a sporting go at getting an eight-point win and the championship, so gave Kilbirnie just over fifty minutes of play in which to make 121 runs. "Wickets fell quickly at the start, but Wilson, a young player, did some mighty hitting, helped towards the end by Christophersen, and, the necessary rune -were obtained in T the semidarkness with fifteen minutes to spare. A great sporting finish! At 2.1 p.m. Ward (22) and Doneghue (0) opened to the bowling of Rotherham at the northern end and Allcott at the southern end. The third wicket fell in Allcott's first over, Doneghue giving, a' catch to Brice in the slips. Crook was the incomer, and the runs mounted fairly briskly, 100 being hoisted at 2.30 p.m. Ward, brought his 40 up with a 4 off Eotherham, but shortly afterwards a ball from the same bowler found his stumps. Christophersen opened very slowly, and the rato o£ scoring slowed down. The bowling was changed at 3 p.m., Briee taking a, few overs at the southern end, and putting Allcott on to the northern end. Rotherhani then took over at the southern end, and ISO was hoisted at 3.15 p.m. Crook reached his 500 runs for the season with a 4 off Rotherham, but he was immediately afterwards bowled. Waddington relieved while the bowlers were changing ends, and then the rot set in! Christophersen had batted cautiously, but the first time he opened out he was caught by Cox. His 18 runs, of which 12 were singles, had taken 63 minutes to make. He had played gix maidens off Allcott's bowling. Wilson went out next ball, giving a catch to Waddington. Allcott bowled Hanscombe with a shooter a- couple of overs later. Griffiths hit a ball just out of the reach of. Mallard, and the fieldsmen crowded in. Griffiths was then bowled, and Morris suffered a like fate shortly afterwards. The innings closed at i p.m. Mallard and Cox opened Petone's second innings, but Cox did not last long, being caught in the slips. O'Leaiy joined Mallard, who batted brightly for 35 before being caught. O'Leary also did some brisk batting, and was caught when he went for a hit. Riddolls was bowled, Rotherham. gave a catch the first ball he received, and Roberts was run out shortly afterwards. The innings Avas then declared closed, the spectators applauding Brice's sporting action. Kilbirnie's second innings opened at 23 minutes to six, and there were sensations right from the start. Crook hit a 4 the first ball he received from Allcott, and the next ball he was stumped. Hanscombe was stumped two balls later. Wil-1 son opened shakily facing Rotherham, hitting a catch to Riddolls who was fielding in the outfield, but the fieldsman mis- j judged the catch and missed the ball altogether. The batsmen then got going, and 30 was up after ten minutes' play. O'Leavy then caught Doneghue. and Bilby was bowled by Eotherham. Chiistopherseu was next. Wilson meantime had been doing some CTeat hitting, sending the ball over the heads o£ the fieldsmen on the boundary,-and this sent the Kilbirme

supporters into paroxysms of delight. After IS minutes' play 50 was reached, and "Wilson gained his half-century in 16% minutes. Christophersen also batted freely, but gave a hard chance in the slips.' The score mounted with the greatest vapidity, helped by atrocious fielding. Riddolls took over from Allcott, who was proving very expensive, but Kilbirnie had now almost reached the. 121 runs necessary to win, and an overthrow at 6.13 p.m. gave Kilbirnie the match and the championship. Wilson's 69 included four 6's and five 4's. Details:— PETONE. First innings 229 Second Innings. Cox, c Ashenden, b Crook .......... 5 Mallard, c Ward, b Hepburn 33 O'Leary, c Ward, b Ashenden 23 Riddolls, b Griffiths 10 Roberts, run out 1 JRotherham, c and b Griffiths 0 M. F. Nieholls, not out 5 Extras , 8 Total for six wickets 89 Fall of Wickets.—One for 6, two for 51, three for S3, four for 84, five for Si, six for 89. Bowling.—Griffiths- took two wickets for 26 runs, Hepburn one for 18. Crook one for 17, Ashenden one for 3, Ward none for JO, Wilson none for 4, Hanseombe none for 3. KILBIRNIE. First Innings. Bilby, b Rotherham S Hepburn, b Allcott 32 Ward, b Eotherham 4a Doneghue, c Brice, b Allcott ■fi Crook, b Rotherham 37 Christophersen, c Cox, b Allcott .IS Wilson, c Waddiugton, b Allcott .'.... 14 Morris, b Allcott ......... :..;. 7 Hanseombe, b Allcott 4 Griffiths, b Allcott 0 Ashenden, not out 0 Extras 23 Total I ..IDS Fall of Wickets.—One for 19, two for 66, three for 76, four for 110, five for 156, six for-177, seven tor 177, eight for 185, nine for 197,.ten for 19S. Bowling.—Allcott took seven wickets for 49 runs, Rotherham three for 09, Brice none for 19, Waddington none for S. Second Innings. Crook, st M. F. Nicholls, b Allcott .. 4 Doneghue, o O'Leary, b Rotherham .. 6 Hanscombe, st M. F. Nicholls, b All- ' cott 2 Wilson, rot out ......».....'.. 69 Bilby, b Rotherham 0 Christophersen, not 0ut............*.... 33 Extras .....:.. 14 Total for four wickets 128 Fall of Wickets.—One for 4, two for 6, three for 31, four.for 35.. Bowling.—Allcott took two wickets for 56 runs, Eotherham two for 43, Kiddolls none for 15. Messrs. C. Moore and C. Webb were the umpires.