CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2374, 15 December 1908, Page 2

CRICKET.

AMONG THE CLUBS.

(Notes >by “Short-Slip. ”) v Players tare being favored with exceptionally fine weather this season, and the conditions left nothing to bo desired when the competitions l were continued (last week. The turf wicket was used for the first time this season on Saturday afternoon, when United and Te Bau met for the second time this season. Though the grass is yet on the thin side, Groundman Bimbler, assisted by Teddy Peaton, had given the wicket such careful preparation that it played well, and weak batting alone was responsible for the indifferent scores made during the afternoon. To Ban had first use of the wicket, and the United men filed on to the field prepared for a strenuous spell of leather chasing. No one anticipated the colli apse of le Bairs batsman for the poor total ol 02. Manning and Boynolds were m capital form with the ball, and Halla/more also sent down some very good overs. The early downfall of Gary, Olsen, and Harry - and Jack \V acx seemed to take the heart out of the Te Bau men, and they made a iecble resistance to the _ strong bowling. There was one brilliant exception, needless to say Jim Mooie suppl.ied it. There can be no question but that this young player is the soundest and most reliable batsman on the le Ran side. He watched the ball right on to the bat on Saturday, and was quick to take advantage of anything punishable. The bowlers were taught the useful lesson that anything overpitclied on the leg side found a .soft resting place at the long-leg boundary. He gave a sound display of correct cricket for 29 before Hallamore beat him with a big off break, which made pace from the pitch and kept low. , , . . . ~ 'Manning has rarefy bowled better, and he kept a good length and had more pace on the ball than usual. He secured five wickets for IS runs. Charlie Beynolds troubled the batsmen a lot with bis leg-breaks. Though he only bagged one wicket for .a dozen runs, he bowled well, and the Te Bau men were pleased when he was taken off. Ha 11 ain ore secured three wickets for 13, and his performance was a peculiar mixture of realty good deliveries sandwiched in with occasional fast full tosses to deg and longhops on the off. This bowler would do well to discard all attempts _ .at fast bowling. He should confine himself to a good length off-break., United repllied with 109, W. Gibson (24), Bowman (16), A. Lang (16), and Farrell (11) being responsible for tlie bulk of tlie runs. Gibson is having a most successful season thus far with the bat. In the Saturday competition he has played six innings, twice not out, for 137 runs, which gives him a batting average of 34.25; while in the Thursday competition ho has scored 132 runs for four completed innings, giving him an average of 32.5. -Reynolds lost his wicket in a most peculiar' manner on Saturday. He let out at on© of Pine’s off deliveries with the intention of landing it on the golf llinks, but failed ta bit the ball, which the wicket-keeper took a couple of inches outside the off bail. Beynolds, under the impression that ho had been bowled, walked away from the wicket, and was stumped. Jim Bowman, Alf Lang, and Fred Farrell batted well and brightly on Saturday. Lang made a couple of big drives over the on boundary, off Pine.

Pine caused the batsmen to warily Watch that dangerous off break of liis, which once or twice broke right across the wicket. He secured four wickets Lor 26 runs, and bowled wild. Bob Cary, who is beginning to he recognised as one of Te Ban's principal Handlers, gathered in three victims with his slowfe at a cost of 21 runs. There are-, many batsmen who, have not the least idea in the world how to play slow bowling. To the younger batsman, I would lay it down as a cardinal rule to never hit at the pitch of the ball. The great essential to success in playing stow bowling as to keep your wits at work, and use your feet. Wherever possible, get to the ball .and play it on the full toss. This kills the spin. If the ball be short pitched, hook, drive or cut it. Above all, never .attempt .big hitting. Bejnember, the slow bowler wants you to hit, and has his field placed accordingly. It is only a foolish person who imagines he can drive the ball clean over the boundary each time he opens his shoulders. Wanderers and Taruheru gave a disappointing display of batting at Taruheru on Saturday. The men of the freezing works batted first, but were all_ disposed of for 62 runs. Wanderers fared little better on going to the wickets, and had it not been for good batting by Harry. Maude (14), Glennie and Lee-Archer (13 each), and Hogg (10), it is doubtful whether they would have* passed the moderate task set them by their opponents. Davies bowled well for Taruheru, and was responsible for the downfall of six of the Wanderers batsmen. The Tarulieru captain made an error of judgment in mot making more use of Sharpies, who is a much better bowler than Harker, besides possessing the requisite pace to give variety to Davies’ medium slows. * . C. Tmfford-Reynolds, who has been a prominent member of the United Club for the past three seasons, leaves Gisborne for Hobart to-morrow morning. His home is in Tasmania, and it is his intention to reside permanently there* for the future. He will be greatly missed by the United Club, as he was one of the-most sue-

cessful left-hand break bowlers wo have had in tlie district, while he was a fair bat'.and fine fieldsman. He was a most enthusiastic cricketer, and will carry away with him the good wishes of all local knights of the willow. The representative candidates a.re practising at the nets on Monday and Tuesday, evenings, and it is to be hoped that a strong eleven will be available for the trip to ’Napier. I am inclined to think that a rumor has • filtered through to Napier that Poverty Bay intends sending down a- strong team, as the Hawke s Bay men are apparently anxious to have the two-day match not caked a representative fixture, as “some of our best .players are away.” Poor old Hawke’s Bay ! They appear terribly .afraid of a licking. In ,‘l9Ol Poverty Bay sent a team to Napier and defeated the Napier men in a two-days’ .match, but do you think vou could 1 get Hawke’s_ Bay to acknowledge that fact"? No one has ever vet heard of tlie Marylebonc Club, - ' because Fry, Jackson, Hirst, and, say, Tyldeslay could not get •away with the team, asking Australia not to call the team representative. The strength of a province is the team it can place on the field' on a fixed date —not the men who are away, or ill, or dead. The soonei Hawke’s Bay .gives her rising players a chance of gaining representative honors, and keeps her engagements whether her full strength is available or not, tlie sooner will she remove the .unenviable reputation the Association has gained for breaking faith at the eleventh hour. Jim Bowman is keeping wickets m fine form this season. if‘is taking riom the field is very sure, and the. manner in which he stumped Harry W aclv, off Beynolds, on Saturday, was* as smart a piece of work as one could wish to see.