BEST OF THE SEASON

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 65, 9 December 1937, Page 14

BEST OF THE SEASON

"Mid-Off ")•

Hastings Teams All In Scoring Mood TECH. PR0VIDE THRILLS

(By

Though there was comparatively low scoring in senior cricket last Saturday an interesting feature is that in every instance the Hastings team compiled its highest aggregate to date this season. The final stages of all three games should he interesting, and prospects of the Hastings side in all three emerging successful are fairly rosy. Only one game was played at Cornwall Park, Hastings, but it provided plenty of interest. Indeed, the play was probably the most interesting of any afternoon's play this season. Among the features of the game were the bright batting of Tech. Old Boys, a hat-trick, four stumpings in an innings, an-d for the hrst time the eompetition leaders are threatened with defeat. In Napier, a stylish 80 by Merle Beuth transformed a mediocre commencement by Rugby into an appreciable total for nine wiclcets, but it was sluggish batting for the whole of the afternoon. On the adjoining wicket Hastings H.S.O.B. bid fair to head United on the first innings, but generally the scoring was slow. With the United Club's protest over the alleged deplorable state of the Hastings wickets, the question of the wieket condition was very much "in the air " on Saturday, but the manner in which Tech. made their runs, and later Hastings even went better, indicated that there was not much wrong with the wicket. It is worthy of note that actually more runs were scored on the Hastings wieket on Saturday than on either of the Napier areas. Hastings Lead Tech. Old Boys. The visiting side batted iirst, and though the openiug pair, Rees and Burns, did not remain long or eompile many runs, they set the example for free and easy, as well as confident, batting on a strange wicket. With two wickets down for 16 runs, Eric Evans and Alan Kauter became associated m a bright and enterprising partnership of close on half a century. The pair . batted crisply, to score freely, particularly Kauter, who appeared quite confident.- However, both eventually fell victiois to the wily Herb Lambert as the result of being too ambitious. The remainder of the side were fairly easily dismissed, with the exception of Ellis, who was unfortunate in not getting as much of the bowling as he would have liked, for he was batting conlidently. The main feature of the innings, apart from the bowling, was the manner in which Tech. set about the runmalring business. Unlike the'r fellow team mates from Napier they played ro the bowling and took runs from those deliveries that were off the wicket. They were enterprising, maybe a little too much so at times, but it was cetfainly a better showing than those of the other two visiting sides. It could not be said, at any rate, that they played themselves "scratching for runs," as was the case in the previous game on the same wicket. Lambert and Tom Garrod exclusively carried out the attack. The formor was quite the most successful, and to collect six wickets for 48 runs was a really meritorious effort. Garrod did not commence impressively, but later appeared to gain in pace, and was bowling with rare sting as the end of the innings approached. In the Trail of .the Ducks. To the opening pair, "'Tut" Geddis and Les McCarthy, is due the credit for Hastings assuming leadership on the first innings. Despite the fact that just as the innings commenced three wild ducks flew over the playing area, Geddis did not malce his third "duck's egg" in successive innings. He batted steadily and well to eompile a wellearned 59. Like McCarthy, he scored freely, and the attack appeared to have no great sting about it. However, shortly after the separation of the opening partnership, the aforementioned ducks made their return flight and signalled the "hat-trick" for Eric Evans, in his first over, which rather altered the complexion "of the innings, for there were tben four wickets down -for 59 runs. Geddis successfully carried on until he had led his side to leadership, and eventually the innings closed with a credit balance of 27 runs— a most satisfactory margiu in the opinion of Hastings supporters. The success of Doug. Bees behind the sileks was another interesting feature of the innings. He collected four wickets with stumpings — a performance that is possibly unique, but certainly extremely Tare in Hastings and Napier cricket. Doug. was good friends witb his slow bowlers. United True to Form? A solid knock by W. Tacon brougbt 54 to his credit, but apart from a breezy 23 from D. McCormiek's bat the other batsmen failed unaccountably. Tacon was opening bat for Hastings O.B., and he saw nearly all of his comrades into the pavilion. A mighty hit by S. Craven in the direction of the long-on boundary was brilliantly held by Armitage, and cut short prematurely what promised to be a sparkling session. The dis.missal of J. Martin had its surprising feature, the ball touching the wicket and shifting the bail from the groove to the top of the wicket where it perehed precariously. Martin was put, but it was only after an appreciahle period that the dislodging of the bail was noticed. .T. Armitage was on the spot with the ball, returning the splendid figures of six for 25. Generally speaking, the United attack was flattered by the smallness of their opponents' score. Tn reply, United, with the exception of J. O'Brien, set up a procession, and at stumps had lost seven for 78. The previous week, this team lodged a protest against' the state of the

wieket provided at Cornwall Park, and the suggestion was th'at it was responsible for United 's poor score. By their latest effort on the shirt-front wicket provided at Nelson Park, Napier, United have been made to appear foolish. Rugby's Solid Innings. On No. 2 wicket, Rugby took first use of what appeared to be a wicket suited for run-getting, but right from the commencement the batsmen were exfraordinarily careful. Five wickets had fallen for 30 runs and six for 37, suggesting another batting debacle. This 37 runs, by the way, had taken two hours to amass, and I doubt if slower scoring has been seen on Nelson Park, Napier. Of the 37 runs on the board, Murley contributed 10 and Scott? Kelly broke his series of "ducks" with a two. • M. Beuth was keeping one end intact, and the scoring rate improved when Kelly Frater compiled 10 in three hits. Only 53 were on for eight wickets when G. Mitchell partnered Beuth, and the latter, now properly set, became more enterprising. Mitchell was stubborn, and when finally he put his foot in front te Hutchinson he had contributed 26 iu a valuable stand that added 73 to the score. Milne followed and, presenting a doughty defence while Beuth did the scoring, played out time for a tally of 169. The last wicket, unfinished, had added 43. The honours of the day were with M. Beuth, who commenced patiently, and towards the end was scoring at a great rate without giving a chance. It was one of his very best efforts, rendered all the more valuable because of the failure of the earlier batsmen. No fewer than four of the Rugby batsmen were out lbw.