SATURDAY COMPETITION.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 283, 9 December 1901, Page 3

SATURDAY COMPETITION.

Tho four local clubs resumed tho Saturday competition in glorious weather on Victoria Domain on Saturday afternoon last. The standard of play is improving with each match, and tho scoring in both matches was good on Saturday. The district scheme has done wonders towards quickening interest in the game locally. Whereas two seasons ago a groat difficulty was experienced in putting one eleven in the fiold, on Saturday last tho Domain was dotted with forty flannel-clad figures. Tho men aro in better form this season, too. Thoy practise more, play more matches, and players who only lasted as a rule an over or two last season now take a lot of getting out. This is all duo solely to tho district scheme. Tho matches on Saturday were United v. West End on No. 1 wicket, and County v. City on No. 2 pitch. It was expected that City and -West End would lower the colors of tho two leading clubs, but United and County improved the advantage they had gained, and still lead for the championship. Tho good the district scheme has done for cricket was strikingly shown by the successful efforts the West End Club made last Saturday to put a strong eleven in the field against United. A glance.at the score-sheet will show what a fine side thoy had got together. We were pleased to see Dewing onee more in tho field. He did not last long, but hit clean and hard while at the wickets, and gave one the impression that he would be responsible for some tall scores were he to indulge in practice regularly. Hodge, Dodd, J. and W. Andrews, Hood, and McConnell made up a strong batting sido, and West End had about the strongest eleven seen in the field this season. UNITED v. WEST END.

Hood tossed with Gibson, in the absence of Hodge, the West End captain, and won, and decided to send United to tho wickets. Gibson and Porter were the first pair of batsmen, and faced tho bowling of McConnell and Hood. .From the first ball, both batsmen commenced to score freely, and they made the longost stand for the first wicket seen so far this season. The wicket played well and was fast, and, though the bowling was steady, the batsmen had no difficulty in making runs. Both batted carefully, but came down heavily on to anything loose. Changes in the bowling were tried, but ten after ten was hoisted, until, with the score at 66, Porter was taken in the slips by W. Andrews off Hodge. Porter, who has scored most consistently this season, played a sound innings for 28, and was warmly applauded on retiring. Hodge was bowling well at this stage, and shortly afterwards clean bowled the United captain, who retired with 40 opposite his name. Ho scored freely all ronnd the wicket, but gave more than one chance of stumping. Lionel Gouldsmith was the only other batsmen who scored many runs off Hodge, who bowled the remainder of tho United men one after the other. L. Gouldsmith (13), J. Ferris (8), and McCredio \7, not out) helped to take the total to 110. United only had eight men on the ground, and the innings terminated on the fall of the seventh wicket. Had it not been for the fino stand made for the first wicket, the United total would have been small, as Hodge, who took six wickets for 26, had all the other batsmen in trouble.

West End wero confident that they could make the 111 required to win with the strong batting team they had. The United captain gave his fast bowlers a rest, and employed his tricky bowlers, tompting the batsmen to hit. The West End men made a great fight for victory, and Dodd, Dewing, W. Andrews, and Hood each batted well. The first-named played a really fine innings, and is developing into one of the soundest batsmen in the district. Hodge had bad luck in being caught in the slips off his gloves. The batsmail was not altogether satisfied with the decision. W. Andrews had just got nicely going, when McCredie smartly stumped him off Lyttleton. Hood played a fine, free innings, and was not out with 11 to his credit. The innings closed for 82, leaving United victorious by 28 runs. Lyttleton took five wickets for 36, and Gibson threo for 21. Lyttleton mixed his deliveries up a lot, and sent down some really good ones. Porter and Ferris also bowled well, but tho wicket was too good for fast bowling to be effective. There was very little difference in the elevens, and United will require more than eight men to beat this club when they next meet. Tho fielding of both teams was good, and tho catching surer than usual. The following are the scores :

CITY v. COUNTY.

The return match, City v. County, was played on Mo. 2 pitch of the Domain, on Saturday, when the latter again scored a somewhat easy victory. Both teams were very strongly represented. The City batting first were dismissed for the small total of 56. Hay, with a total of 26, was the only batsmafi who gave tho bowlers anv trouble. He played ft very careful innings. Cole (10) was the only ot'ner_who secured double figures. Johnston (5 for ID and Crawford (3 for 17) divided the bowling honors. The County gave tho town team a lively time in the field for the rest of the afternon, and at the oall

of time still had two wickets to fall. Sharp gave a good exhibition of batting for his 56, and although he was missed severel times in the field, quite deserved to make top score. Raymond also batted well for bis 32. No fewer than seven bowlers were tried for City ; the only one who was successful being Des Barres, who comes out with 2 for 4. With a little practice, he should prove one of the best bowlers in bis team, if not in the Bay. The follow£ng are the scores : City. Macdonald, b Crawford 3 Neale, b G. Johnston 4 Hay, b G. Johnston 26 Kretchmer, c Gibson, b Crawford ... 4 Zachariah, c Kere, b Crawford ... 0 Cole, run out 10 Glennie, bG. Johnston ... ... 5 Goldsworthy, b Raymond 0 Desßarres, b &. Johnston 0 Morgan, bG. Johnston ... ... 0 Grant, not out... ... ... ... 0 Extras 4 Total 56 Bowling Analysis. Overs. Runs. Wkts. A. Crawford ... 9 17 3 G. Johnston ... 9 14 5 Foote 3 10 Sharp 1 7 Raymond ... 3 3 1 County. Kere, c Morgan, b Macdonald ... 4 Smith, run out 1 Sharp, b Desßarres ... ... ... 56 Crawford, c Hay, b Neale 12 Gibson, b Zachariah 2 Raymond, b Glennie ... ... ... 32 G. Johnston, run out 4 Foote, not out 3 R. Johnston, c Cole, b Desßarres ... 0 Parsons, not out ... ... ... 1 Leggett (to bat) ... ... ... —■ Extras 9 Total for 8 wickets 124 Bowling Analysis. Overs. Runs. Wkts. Neale ... ••• 13 34 1 Macdonald ... 14 30 1 Glennie 8 23 1 Cole 5 9 Morgan... ... 2 3 Zachariah ... 4 15 1 Desßarres ... 2 4 2

United. \V. Gibson, b Hodge 40 Porter, c W. Andrews, b Hodge 28 Hill, b Hodge .... 2 Lyttleton, b Hodge 4 ,T. Ferris, b Hodge ... ... ° L. C. Gouldsmith, b McConnell li» McCredie, not out 7 3 J. M. Gouldsmith, b Hodge Extras ... ... 5 Total 110 Bowling Amalysis. Overs. Runs. Wkts. McConnell ... 10 37 1 Hood J 26 Hodge 10 16 6 W. Andrews ... 4 lo West End. ,T. Androws, o Gibson, b Lyttleton ... 9 Cumming, l.b.w., b Lyttleton ... 1 Hodge, c L. C. Gouldsmith, b Gibson 0 Dewing, c Porter, b Gibson 10 McConnell, b Lyttleton 4 Dodd, c sub., b Gibson 18 W. Andrews, st McCredie, b Lyttleto a 11 Hood, not cut 11 Vincent, run out 1 Nolan, c Gibson, b Lyttleton ... 6 Featon, b L. C. Gouldsmith 1 Extras 5 Total 82 Bowling Analysis. Overs. Runs. Wkts Porter ... ••• 3 *- — Ferris 8 1 ; > — Lyttleton ••• 12 oo 5 Gibson 8 24 ° L. Gouldsmith... 1 1