CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 64, 19 March 1901, Page 3

CRICKET.

FRASERTOWN v. GISBORNE.

[Notes by “Biffer.”]

A bright, sunny sky, with a fresh, bracing, ozonc-ladcu breezo blowing right across tho ground, were the conditions under which tho representatives of Gisborno and Frascrtown mot to do batt.lo for the supremacy of tho present season, on Victoria Domain on Saturday afternoon last. What pleasant recollections tho writer has of the last occasion on which a team from the land of saline springs visited Gisborne some four or five years ago. That was a great side, indeed! How vividly “ Biffcr ” recalls the severe drubbing they 7 inflicted on the country representatives at To Arai; and how gleefully ho remembers local men turned the tables on tho following day by defeating tho all-conquering invaders at To Hapara, with an innings to spare.. “ Biffer ” will never forget to his dying day being hit in that match by tho mighty Gaddum, one-timo captain of far-famed Rugby School, for seven —all run out,

too. I expected to renew many old acquaintances on Saturday, but found that whilo I had been “ growing old with grace” :n the intervening years, a now generation had arisen, “which knew not Joseph.” I missed tho familiar forms of Gaddum, Ashwcll,Esson, Sleemau, and many others from the ranks of the visitors on Saturday ; in fact, Walter Tori-, Beckett, Arundel, and Hallet were, apparently, tho solo survivors of tho bright band which camo down “ like a wolf on tho fold fouryears ago. ' But who cares for old-time legends? Let me come down to modem times, and my duty. The visitors were, unfortunate in'losing the services of a couple of their best men —Jefferson and Stewart —who had to reum during the week to keep important business engagements.. The services of A. Crawford, of Te Arai, were secured for the visitors, and wont a long way towards making good their loss. Beckett (Frasertown) beat Cole, who led the local men, with the coin,-and he decided to bat. Crawford and Torr soon appeoved at the wickets, and faced Gibson, who opened from the harbor end, and Johnstone, who trundled from the town end. Both batsmen played carefully, and runs came slowly, and it seemed as if a long stand would be made, when Gibson sent Torr back with , a fast ball which, shot. After Torr’s dismissal, the bowlers kept on top till the remainder of the innings. Crawford was the only batsman who played the bowling with anything like confidence, and we have rarely seen him play a finer innings. He discarded the recklessness which has been the worst feature of his play of late, and watched iheVall carefully. He nominated every stroke, - and made some beauties. He was a long time at the wickets, and was eventually splendidly taken with a one-handed catch by Porter at mid-off. The remainder of the batsmen appeared nervous, and offered little or no opposition to Gibson, and'the innings closed for the ridiculously paltry score of 17 runs. Gibson seemed to be unplayable to the

majority of the visitors. He mixed his pace continually, and the batsmen seemed to be quite ignorant of the manner in which to play slow breaks. He accounted for seven of the wickets. Johnstone bowled really well at the other end. He is a really serviceable fast bowler, and occasionally makes one nip across from the off which takes a lot of stopping. Gibson and Porter were the first to take strike for Gisborne.- F. Cooper and Torr commenced the attack. The former is a stamp of bowler which always takes my fancy. He has a nice, easy delivery, and bowls well within himself. He is fast, and would be worthy ‘of a place in most elevens for his bowling,alone. Both batsmen opened briskly, and runs came freely, chiefly by- leg- play. With the score at 21, Porter was clean bowled by Cooper for ten, and Gibson left soon after. Crawford, who had relieved Torr, sending down one that was much too good for him. It is hard to account for the dismissal of such batsmen as Hussey, Massey, Cuthbert, and Cole for a total of 7 runs, and yet this is the amount the quartet were responsible for. I suppose the bowlers must bo blamed, and their performance in dismissing such a batting side for'4l runs was most meritorious. Cooper bowled splendidly, and tied the majority of the batsmen up in knots. Crawford also bo .vied finely, and mixed his length and pace with excellent judgment. In fact, except when Gibson and Porter were together at the commencement of tho innings, tho batsmen never looked like making runs against

this pair. Frasertown commenced their second innings creditably. Crawford and Tonmade a sound stand for the first wicket, and put on 26 runs before the former was bowled by Hussey for 10. The retiring batsman gave another attractive exhibition, the only blemish being a chance to Cole in the long-field off Gibson from the second ball he received. Haisman and Arundel came and went, but Beckett and Cosgrove each rendered Torr valuable assistance. Torr played a fine innings, and was eventually bowled by Gibson for a soundly-compiled score of 25. Tho innings closed for 55, which left Gisborne 32 runs to get to win. Gibson and Porter again faced Cooper and Crawford. Gibson quickly got gomg, and registered a couple of threes to leg, one off each bowler; but Porter was clean bowled by Crawford, who was bowling splendidly. Hussey lifted the first ball ho received from Crawford into Torr’s hands in the country, and the fieldsman made a Jgrand catch. Vincent came in, and both batsmen played steadily. Gibson then lifted one from Crawford into Torr's hands near tho fence, but this tune

there was a hole in the landing-net, and tho ball fell through. He did not stay long afterward, however, and was bowled off his pads by Crawford when he had made 10. Cole filled the vacancy, and nino runs wero still wanted to win. Crawford dislodged Vincent’s bailß with a good one, and boat Leggett with a ball which the batsman declares spoke to him as it came across from the off. Massey came in, and made a fine drive off Crawford to the on for three, but, in attempting to knock the runs standing between his side and victory off with one stroke, had his timbers spread-eagled by Crawford. Cuthbert was next, and got his little niche in ; he generally does. Cole, in the meantime, had been steadily augmenting the score, and had tho honor of making the winning hit. Gisborne won by 4 wickets. Play was continued for a couple of overs, until Crawford bowled Cuthbert. Crawford claimed every one of tho seven wickets which fell in tho second innings, and certirnly deserved them. He has seldom bowled with sounder judgment. He disguised his pace- well, kept an excellent length, and got a marvellous amount of work on from the off.

Messrs F. Faram, Chas. Evans, and J. Nolan officiated as umpires at different times during: tho afternoon. Few people cau appreciate a well-kept cricket score liko the worried and harassed reporter, but tho score-sheet on Saturday was “ a thing of beauty,” and Mr F. C. Leggett is to be thanked for this fact. The visitors also brought over a young gentleman who thoroughly know his work.

Thot'o was a fair attendance of spectators, who took a lively interest in the play, which was of an interesting and, at times, of a keenly exciting nature. I hear Gisborne intend sending a team to Frasertown and Wairoa next season, when the defeat sustained by the visitors on Saturday last will, no doubt, be avenged. The following are the scores Frasertown—lst innings, Crawford, c Porter, b Gibson ... 10 Torr, b Gibson 3 Arundel, c Vincent, b Gibson ... 1 Cosgrove, b Johnstone ... ... 0 Beckett, b Johnstone ... 0 Hallett, b Gibson 0 Baty, b Johnstone 2 F. Cooper, c Leggett, b Gibson... 0 Gardiner, b Gibson ... 0 Haisman, not out 1 A. Cooper, st. Nisbett, b Gibson 0 Extras Q Total 17 Bowling analysis ; W. Gibson, 6.5 overs, 2 maidens, 13 runs, 7 wickets ; G. G. Johnstono, 6 overs, 3 maidens, 4 runs, 3 wickets.

Gisborne —Ist innings.

W. Gibson, b Crawford ... . ... H Porter, b F. Cooper 10 Hussey, c Arundel, b Cooper ... 2 Leggett, b Crawford 2 Massey, b Coopor 1 Vincent, b Cooper 5 Cuthbert, b Cooper ... ... 2 Johnstone, b Cooper 2 Nisbett, b Cooper 0 Cole, c Arundel, b Crawford ... 2 East, not out ... ... -... 0 Extras 4

Total 41 Bowling analysis: F. Cooper, 7 overs, 21 runs, 7 wickets; W. Torr, 2 overs, 8 runs; A. Crawford, 5 overs, 8 runs, 3 wickets.

Gisborne—2nd innings. Gibson, b Crawford 10 Porter, b Crawford 0 Hussey, c Torr, b Crawford ... 0 Viucent, b Crawford 6 Cole, not out 13 Leggett, b Crawford 0 Massey, b Crawford 4 Cuthbert, b Crawford ... ... 3 Extras 2

Total for 7 wickets 37 Bowling analysis: Crawford, 8.5 overs, 19 runs, 7 wickets ; F. Cooper, 5 overs, 10 runs; Torr, 3 overs, 6 runs. Frasertown —2nd innings.

Crawford, b Hussey 10 Torr, b Gibson 25 Arundel, run out 1 Haisman, b Hussey 0 Becket, b Gibson 7 Cosgrove, b Hussey 6 Baty, c and b Gibson ... 0 F. Cooper, run out 1 Hallett, not out 0 Gardiner, b Hussey 0 W. Cooper, b Hussey 0 Extras 5

Total 55 Bowling analysis : Gibson, 12 overs, 20 runs, 3 wickets; Johnstone, 2 overs, 8 runs, 1-wide ; Hussey, 9.4 overs, 21 runs, 5 wickets.