Sports Pastimes

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2353, 20 November 1908, Page 2

Sports Pastimes

CRICKET.

ROUND THE GROUND (Notes by "Short-Slip.”)

Both competitions a rent present in full swing, and some idea of the relative strength of the competing elevens can now be gauged. Thus far United bis placed itsellf in the most favorable position in the ♦Saturday competition. After easily disposing of Te Ran in the opening game, they got rid of Wanderers in the match which commenced at the Domain on Saturday last for the small total of 93. At call of. time, United had SO up for five "wickets, and should thus secure another easy win.

Te Ran, last season’s premiers, have opened in most diaappointh fashion this season. They made a poor display against United, and an even worse* attempt at Taruheru on Saturday last, and will be lucky in deed if they can avoid defeat next Saturday. It is hard to account for Te Itiui’s poor showing, as the,y have a strong all-round eleven, which is capable' of putting up much better performances than they have yet given this season. Wanderers secured a three-point win against Taruheru in the opening match.' hut can hardly escape defeat from United in the game to be concluded next Saturday. Taruheru created somewhat of a surprise by crumpling Te Rau up in the manner they did last Saturday. In Charles, Sharpies, and Davies the Freezing Works club possesses three bowlers who take playing, and this trio played havoc with the reputation and batting averages of the Te Ran team.

A feature of this season’s competition is the number of new men who are playing. United have been reinforced bv L. Manning, T. Armstrong, F. I. Dr.nioll, Dr. Moore-Sanipsou, and F. Farrell. The 11 rst- four named learned their cricket in England, while Mamirg and Armstrong have also | l ived during the past few seasons in South Africa, the former in cvhi ig, and the latter in Capetown.

Armstrong played a bright innings against Wanderers Inst Saturday. He put his 29 together with. crisp and confident strokes, and bad all the wood behind his drives, fie algo bowled steadily, and bagged two wickets for 7 runs. Manning’s bowling strength. mis the United .attack greatly, as they have hitherto felt the absence of a bowler with pace. He bowls with a nice easy delivery and natural action, and employs his brain-box in changing his length and pace.

In W. J. Scholium, W. Leo-Archer, and Rcwai, Te Ran have three valuable recruits.

iSchollum is an ex-Ponsonby player, and can handle both ball and bat with equal facility. He bowls a mediumpace ball, whiffi makes great pace from the pitch. Ho would do bettor with the bnt if he could restrain his impatience to score quickly. Lee-Archer is a right-hand bowler with a lot of pace, but has not a good command over the ball, and sends down too many erratic deliveries- He is a fair left-hand batsman, and has made a speciality of the hookstroke, which he employs with telling effect on anything short-pitched.

‘Wanderers have now men in Smith and Voider. The former learned his cricket at Scotch College, Melbourne and while a student gained a free ticket to the Melbourne Cricket Gluttor the highest individual score that season in his grade. The Thursday competition promises to be keen and interesting. Union has risen Plioenix-like from its ashes, and picked the bones of the Cosmopolitan men clean on Election day. Tincitizens of the world were too much taken up with polities to muster a team on Tuesday, and Captain Bob Cary only Jed half-a-dozen men on the the field. The Motu players scored a meritorious win over the town eleven on the King’s Birthday. Motu lias la compact team this season, and is strong in batting, bowling, and fielding. The Gisborne players were very grateful to Mr W. D. S, Macdonald for sending'a fine five-horse team to meet them at Te Karaka, and drive them to Motu and back. Billy MacDonald was on the box-seat, and the furious inico at which lie rattled the city dwellers down the steep grades and round corners overlooking yawning abysses made tlie hair on their scalps stand straight on end. There are many who say tlsi-t Billy had a great deal to do with defeating the Gisborne team, as whatever nerve they might have possessed was torn to shreds long before they topped the watershed to descend into the Bay of Plenty.

The kindly hospitality extended to the team by Mrs MacDonald -- ill not readily be forgotten by those who •made" the trip. The ‘uncheon and afternoon tea did much ro restore the merves which her soar bad wc-11-nigh shattered, and it was a rejuvenated team which journeyed on m tlie cool of the evening towards Motu after having been most hospitably entertained for about three hours.

Congratulations to W. 'Oates, of Tokomaru Day Club, on being the first batsman in our large district to hoist a. century opposite his name this season. This player originally came out as a bowler, land while quite a lad put up many sensational bowling performances on the Coast. His 106 against the Tologn Club at Tologa a fortnight ago was a fine performance. He is a left-handed batsman, with ia keen eye and natural hitting powers, being especially strong on the on side. Oates comes of a strong cricketing family, as his father and several brothers are well known on the Coast as enthusiastic exponents of the summer pastime.

Hallamore, the United captain, is in good form this season. He has put up a couple of very fine bowling performances against Te Ran and Wanderers. Hast Saturday he bagged seven Wanderers’ wickets for 26 runs. Hallamoi'e, as a bowler, reminds one of la Portuguese devil: “When he is good, lie is very good ; and when he is bad, he is darned bad.” He can turn the ball better than any bowler in the district, and disguises -his pace and spin cleverly. But among the really good deliveries are far too many of bad length and direction. Jf.% gut

£ 1 —• — in more work at the nets, his bowling would be steadier and his figures better . Charlie Reynolds is also bowling exceptionally well this season. Ho is turning the ball two or three inches on the concrete and keeping a consistent length, and his left-handed deliveries) keep the. right-handed batsman warily Matching that deadly legbreak. It is a keen disappointment to players that the turf wicket at the Domain is so backward this season. From appearances it will be some considerable time yet before play will he possible on iti The long grass in th© outfield at the Domain this season has prevented : batsmen getting anything like strokes, while it has also greatly inconvenienced fieldsmen. It is t-o be hoped that this seriousi defect will soon be removed by the ground committee. The prospects for the season are exceedingly bright, and the competitors should provide many keen and closely-contested games,' while the standard of play all round should be raised during the 1908-9 season.