CRICKET.

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1927, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

(By “Cover Point.”) The representative fixture, Grey <lis triet v. Hokitika and district, staged at the Bee last week-end, did not produce! any play above the average club cricket. The visitors lacked the form ■of the home team who have had inu-.s) more practice and match play than lias fallen to the southern team. It was ipiite like old times to see Billy Owens, Eddie Morris, Harry Well s and Clark who all played a decade ago when cricket really was played in Westland. Another familiar figure was our uld friend Mackay, who Iras probably taught the youth of West land as much of his favourite game as his scholastic duties permitted. He stiil has the enthusiastic love for the game, as witness Lis ofiiciating as umpire during the I’ni! day’s play. THE PLAY. Westland batted first on a good wicket, Clark and A. Thomas facing the bowling of (’. Dewar and Wariles. Both batsmen were unfortunate Clarke was stumped, the ball coming back from Mclntosh’s pads. Thomas played on to C. Dewar and Webster and Owens rook the score Io 21 before Owens was run out through a bad misunderstanding, the batsmen hesitating in Ihe middle of the pitch and finally going on when the run was impossible. Morris and Webster added 40 runs for the fourth wicket before Webster was bowled by Pass for 28. This boy showed good defence and has a nice drive and forward cut, which shows promise of developing into a. good bat if he can overcome that suicidal tendency to throw his wicket away after he has made a few. No batsman has a right to throw his wicket away unless his skipper demands him to have a go for the hope of making runs quick. Morris was bowled by Warnes with a good one, just enough break to

beat the bat. W. Fleming and H. Wells each run into double figures the innings realising one over the century. Pass was the best bowler, securing 4 for 20 in six overs, Warnes and Dewar also got a couple each. The fielding was not by any means up to rep standard, many catches were l missed, ground fielding was slovenly, even the wicket keeper had a day off. The visitors batted two hours for the century scored. Mclntosh and Nightingale opened the home sides innings, to the trundling of Webster and Owens run:: coming freely from tin’ start, Mclntosh scored much faster than his partner Who was more staid than usual not moving out to the ball as he mostly doesl Both batsmen missed a lot of loose stuff on the leg. but the total reached 93 before Mclntosh retired with 51 to his credit.’ The batsmen had instructions to make it lively, Warnes hit his wicket in late; cutting’ W. Fleming who also caused ‘‘Nightie’* to play on for 36, Knapp had a go and was bowled for 9, Casey was out to a gm (I catch low down at short slip by W. Fleming. Thomson played a good innings before retiring for 52. unfolding some good scoring shots, but showed a tendency to lift the ball about the covers and Barlow gave the brightest exhibition of the day, knocking up 42 in quick time, being very severe on anything short. Alathews ran himself out in Lis to back up, Fnss arid Revell indulged in some risky running before the innings closed for 226 scored in 2 hrs 20 minutes. The two Flemings were the best bowlers for the southern team, (\ Fleming a left hander was the Lost, developing pace from the pitch. The fielding was not good, returns being lobbed along the ground, overthrows wer<‘ common and the placing of the field, especially the slips left much to be desired. Hokitika Started the second ,innings with the old pair Wells ami I Owens, Wells getting to work, quickly I hit* Barlow for a :ix and four before be ling enticed Out of his crease to repeat i Hie performance, Mclntosh easily stumped him and Barlow clean bowl-, d Owens for a couple. Snowy Thomas and Eddie Morsis added a. few before Ba - low clean bowled Morris for a dozen. Whitehead was beaten by a leg break from Nightingale. A Thomas succumbed to the wiles of Barlow who had ar:ounted for ft nr of the first five wickets that fell and should have had more with better outfields. Snowy Thomas had kept his end up from the fall of the first wicket, refusing to bo tempted, the over pitched ones were [Hilled to log, rather a suspicion of “whitebait” lin the stroke, but as W. Brace remark cd, “The best stroke is the run getter io the ball bowled’’ the pull stroke if not graceful is certainly a rungettei. King hit up 13 before being caught by “Nightie” who also took a magnificient catch in the outfield, hanging on to the ball despite the fact of being bumped into by another outfield going lor Hie catch. When two men are going for the same ball the skipper should shout for one player to take it and name him thus preventing a. collision and possible dropping of the ball. Clarke was again stumped by Mclntosh from a. chance of a catch, the wire keeper missed the ball but knocked it on to the stumps when the batsman was; still out of his crease. When the last man came in t here was only time Im' t wo o’ ers and when Webster faced Fuss for the last over it looked any odds on the timi being played out, but the bowler beat the bat with the fourth hall, a beauty that pitched on the off stump mid lool< Hie leg, Ihe innings closed for 113 leaving the home team winners by an innings and 12 runs.