CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 59, 11 March 1901, Page 4

CRICKET.

GISBORNE B v. RANGINUI.

[Notes by “Biffer.”]

Local Knights of the AVillow were again favored with a glorious afternoon for play on Saturday last, when Gisborne B and Ranginui .met to do battle for the shield. I suppose the majority of my readers do not even know where Ranginui is. I overheard an interested spectator at the Domain on Saturday inform his immediate neighbor that R anginui was a flourishing hamlet in the King Country. For the enlightenment of this gentleman, I may state that Ranginui is the name home by Mr J. C. Parker’s station, situate among the eternal hills at the head of Te Arai Valley. The surroundings are most picturesque, but, alas, it' is difficult to find enough level ground in the vicinity to provide a cricket pitch, let alone a playing field. Here dwell Mr J. C. Parker’s family, which forms the advance guard, the fighting column, and the rearguard of the Ranginui Club. Now, no man living up to the present time has ever been known to be able to state off-hand how many sons Mr • Parker really has. Their name is legion. I believe no club in the colony can boast of having on its list of active playing members so many of the same family. There were only five playing on Saturday, the other five members of the family were unavoidably absent, and a few outsiders had to be rung in to make up the team. In the absence of Arthur Rees, Colo captained the Bees, and R, Parker as usual led the hill men. Ranginui batted first, and totalled 57, Gibson and Zachariah making a long stand for the second wicket, and taking the score from 5 to 31. Gibson then hooked Walters, who had relieved Johnstone, to leg, and was splendidly taken by To Reina, who was fielding substitute for the Gisborne side. This trap had been set by the bowler, who was using his brain power to advantage, and thoroughly deserved the wicket. Zachariah batted carefully and well, and shaped by far and away the best on the side. He seemed set for a long score, when he hit Cole, who had taken the ball vice Walters, into the country, where Walters was vigilant, and brought off a nice catch. None of the others did much. Hussey bowled splendidly, and was too good for them. He bagged eight wickets at a cost of 20 runs, all clean bowled. Walters, Johnstone, and Cole also bowled well. Cole worked his bowlers with judgment.

Gisborne then took strike, and the innings opened disastrously, Gibson clean bowling Vincent with the second ball, and capturing McCredie, who played on, with the last ball of his first over. Cuthbert lifted the first ball he received from Gibson into Zachariah’s hands in the country, but the catch was too difficult for the fieldsman, and two resulted. Hussey and Cuthbert then made a stand, and runs came apace. I have seen Hussey play many fine innings, but never show such brilliant batting form as on Saturday last. He opened with the greatest confidence, and played aggressive cricket throughout. In the course of his innings he made some beautiful strokes. His hitting to leg was a treat to see, and the fearless manner in which he went down the pitch, and landed Gibson on to the road on several occasions was worthy of a Hill or a Trumper. Cuthbert was snapped up in the slips by Gibson off Sharp, when he had made a dozen and the score stood at 67. The remaining batsmen rendered Hussey but little assistance, and the innings closed for 79. Hussey was unbeaten at the finish, and took his bat in for a splendidly-compiled score of 50. A few exhibitions such as that given by Hussey would go a long way towards popularising the game here.' I heartily congratulate this young player on his brilliant success with both bat and tall. At the present time he stands head and shoulders above his companions, and thoroughly deserves his success, as he is most assiduous in his attention to practice. Cuthbert is also to be complimented. As on the previous Saturday, his innings was sound, and he made a stand when things .were going badly with his side. Gibson and Sharp bore the brunt of the attack, and came out with satisfactory figures. The fielding on neither side was brilliant. Every match shows the glaring weakness in this department of the game. I was pleased to see Mr Chas. Evans, whom all cricketers reverence for his generous hospitality to them when president of the now defunct Te Arai Club, present on the ground on Saturday. He looked hale and hearty, and is as much of a cricket enthusiast as ever. He stood umpire, and his sotto voce criticisms on both good and bad bits of play during the progress of the game showed the keen interest he took in the match. The following are the scores : Banginui.

-L>U>Y JjJJ'llj ,/A AAh iflrjft ■ VJlUaUllj \J UYWOj SO runs, 5 'wickets; F. Parker, 2 overs, 16 runs; Sharp, 7 overs, 24 runs, 3 wickets. , To-day the Wairoa team commences its tour with a match against Ormond, at Ormond, and local will have an Jciportuiiitytof judging the ■ calibre of the

W. Gibson, c Te Eeina, b Walters ... 12 F. Parker, b Hussey... ... 0 Zachariah, c Walters, b Cole ... ... 18 S. Parker, b Hussey H. Sharp, b Hussey ... ... 4 ... 0 D. J. Parker, b Hussey ... 3 E. Parker, b Hussey ... 6 D. Parker, b Hussey ... 4 P. Parker, b Hussey ... 0 Te Eeina, b Hussey ... 0 Ngawini, not out ... 1 Extras ... 9 Total' ... 57 Bowling Analyses : Hussey, 13 overs, 20 runs, 8 wickets : G, C. Johnstone, 5 overs, 6 runs : Walters, 5 overs, 13 runs, 1 wicket; Cole, 3 overs, 9 runs, 1 wicket. Gisborne. Vincent, b Gibson ... 0 McCredie, b Gibson ... 1 Hussey, not out... ... 50 Cole, c Sharp, b Gibson ... 4 Cuthbert, c Gibson, b Sharp ... ... 12 Walters, lbw, b Gibson ... 1 G. C. Johnstone, b Gibson ... 1 B. Johnston, b Sharp ... 0 S. Coleman, b Sharp ... ... 1 Extras ... 9 Total ... ...79 Bowling Analyses : Gibson, 9 overs,