CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 1, 2 January 1901, Page 4

CRICKET.

[By Point.]

The first three months of the present cricket season have been very interesting as far as close finishes are concerned. In the Saturday competition the Gisborne B are leading, having suffered no defeats out of three matches played. Ormond is a good second, with only one loss to Gisborne B. Gisborne A-and Banginui have each suffered three defeats. In the Thursday competition the Gisborne A are leading, and the B team are second, the Union are third. The last team has not yet struck form. I The Ormond for its first year of existence has done remarkably well. There are- no brilliant batsmen, but each man is good for runs, and exhibits that best of all qualities for a batsman, namely sound defence. In their matches each batsman has contributed his share. Exceptions might be made of Shillabeer and Crawford. The former is quite a new player to this district, and is of the lash bang order. He has a keen eye, and with a little practice in stopping yorkers he would be a first class man. All good length balls are the same to him; he despatches them to the boundary with good pulls. Crawford .was very unlucky last year. He is a real good batsman to go in first, and soon commences to score. His driving is his best

feature ; but he is good all round the wicket. There is, however, one bad stroke he should avoid ; that is his back play ou a good length ball. He plays this ball with a crossbat school-boy fasumn, a stroke which is usually bis downfall. I advise him to cultivate playing back with a straight bat, aud he will be one of the best batsmen we have.

Of the Ormond bowling, Crawford is far above the others. He has bowled consistently in every match. A little more change of pace would suit him. Tlie Gisborue B, who are the champions so far, are a decidedly good lot. 1 might single out Rees, Hussey, Cole, Dods, aud Howard as being especially good. Hussey is no doubt cue of the great successes of the year. There is no match in which he has not made a good score. His sound defence aud brilliant strokes deserve to be copied by many rising players. Last year he also performed well in oup matches, and this year he is keeping up his reputation. As a bowler he is very good, and rarely faiis to ••come oft'. ’ Witn Rees and HuoSey the B have the best pair of bowlers in the competition, and this Has a great deai to do with the success of the B : Rees is a great batsmau, with line hard oil strokes, but want of practice is sometimes shown. Cole has improved since last year, but he should avoid pulling straight bails. SV. Dods is a goou batsmau, though not briiiiaut. His leg strokes are his strong point, though he is apt to put his leg' in front. As a slow Dowler he is very good, uut so far has had no trial this year. Howard is a batsmau of the same order as Dods. He has also beautiful strokes on liie leg, and any amount of confidence, a tiling whien is wanting in a good few of our batsmen. Rees is the bow-er of the day. Ilis slowleg breaks have a good pitch, and are vety puzzling to most batsmen, who will insist on “ belting" at them. Rees is one of i - ; reps, who went to Napier, and his vast e ; erieuee of first-class cricket will stand hii: .veil.

The Gisborue A have a spleii ' .i team on paper, but so far have not in with much success. Hodge, Massey, B >er, Vincent, and Harries are as strong an array of batsmen as a team could want, yet it is surprising what small scores they have put together. 1 think there must be a feeling of “ funk ” if their first batsmen do not make a stand, Tj)is is entirely absent from the B, and prob&bly accounts for their victories. The B are lion-hearted, and face a big scor.fl bas much confidence as veterans. Hodgo u and shoulders above the others of the A. IK is a fast-scoring man, with good olf strokes, and has a sound defence, lie is rather fohd of back play, which is really the best game on our local wickets. He is a good change bowler. °

Massey, a rep. for Napier, is captain of the team. He i 3 rather easily infiuenced by the styles of the men under ni s care. It would be better for him to stick to his old style, and with the wonderful defence he has, he would always be good for runs. {Some of his strokes on the off are very “poky.” He should avoid these by more determined aud harder hitting on the oil. As a bowler he has only once shown his true form, namely, in the match against Ormond.

Porter is a really serviceable man. In batting, bowling, wicket-keeping, and fielding be is equally good. He has a charming stroke on the oh, and is good in driving. As a bowler he is perhaps as fast as one can desire, and a shade too fast for some. Rev. Vincent is a good bat, but has some very weak strokes. He is very changeable in liis batting. He sometimes overdoes his hitting. Harris is a fair bat, and a splendid bowler if in form . His best ball is a good length bail with an off’-break, which comes off the pitch very fast.

J-fio Langanui have one very good man in W. Gibson. He is an excellent bat, with grand scoring strokes. In every match he lias done well, both in batting and bowling. “1 ale improved in form, and are level with Gisborne for the shield matches. The Parker family have the makings of a splendid lot of cricketers, and only want practice to effect tnis.

W* Andrew's and Ferris are the best pair in the Union. W. Andrews is a pretty bat, and is very hard to get rid of. He is also a good bowler. Ferris is a fair left-hand bat, and is a very good right-hand bowler. The Union should rouse up and practice, and they would soon run the other teams very close for first place.