SCURRY FOR COVER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20123, 18 December 1939, Page 10

SCURRY FOR COVER

RAIN STOPS PLAY CRICKET COMPETITIONS INTERESTING STAGES MARIST WANTING RUNS G.H.5.0.8. UNFORTUNATE When the rain set in on Saturday afternoon it shortened by almost an hour the period available for play In the grade competitions of the Poverty Bay Cricket Association. There was a scurry for the grandstand at the Oval when the downpour started at 5.15 p.m. Although the weather had been threatening all the afternoon, there was a feeling of disappointment when the matches were cut short, most of them having reached interesting stages. In tile senior A grade, Marist was fighting for runs to reach the first innings total of City,, and the G.H.5.0.8. batsmen were not being troubled greatly by the bowling of the Old Boys’ team. In fact, their chances of an outright win might be affected when the game is resumed on January C. The rain made a difference of a draw and a certain first innings win for United B in their B grade game against G.H.5.0.8. White, but did not affect the decisions in the. other matches.

Judging from the general trend of the scores, the wickets were kinder to the bowlers than to the batsmen, although one century was registered in the senior B grade by B. Birrell (United B), and 67 runs were knocked up by another of his team-mates, C. Aitken. Birrell was lucky at the start, being dropped on no less than three occasions by the G.H.5.0.8. White men in the field. However, once he settled down, he treated the bowlers alike, hitting nine sixes and 11 fours. His downfall came when H. Monk started to bowl his first and only over. Birrell stepped out and hit a six off the third ball of the over, and three balls later he cocked one up that was caught by L. Roderick. Aitken’s innings included two sixes and 11 fours.

The best individual performances on the day were as follows: — BATTING

Senior A Grpde G. H. Stewart (City), 35. C. Sebire (Old Boys), not out 30.

Senior B Grade B. Birrell (United B), 128. C. Aitken (United B), 67. A. Campbell (United A), not out 46. E. Bilham (High School B), not out 43.

W. Hart (Civil Service), 41. F. Whiteley (City), 38. R. Cowley (High School A), 31. P. Rohan (City), 31. R. Hepburn (Marist), 30. BOWLING Senior A Grade E. F. James (Marist), five for 30. A. C. Wilson (G.H.5.0.8.), five for 34. M. G. Robinson (Marist), three for 12. Senior B Grade H. Lee (High School A), seven lor 21. ; J. Blane (Marist), six for 8. R. Barbour (City), six for 18. G. A. Revell (Gisborne Club), six for 37. J. Stokes (G.H.5.0.8. Blue), five for 10 and two for 0. A. Jensen (High School B), five for 10. N. Summersby (United B), five for 21. A. Campbell (United A), four for 30. S. Ritchie (G.H.5.0.8. Blue), three for 9. H. Holdsworth (United A), three for 20. S. Burley (High Scnool B), three for 20.