H.B.'S CLOSE SHAVE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 82, 30 December 1937, Page 3

H.B.'S CLOSE SHAVE

"Mid-off.")

Wairarapa Taken Too Cheaply FREE-AND-EASY CONTROL

(By

Iloliday cricket in Napier was provided by the two-day fixture between Hawke's liiay and Wairarapa. After being behind on the innings the visitors staged a recovery, and at stumps on the second day had secured a moral victory. But for the arrival of 6 p.m. on the second day Hawke's Bay would have surely been defeated. The writer has previously commented on tlie "free and easiness" of the Hawke's Bay Cricket Assoeiation in the control of cricket. and it is not surprising that the complaint snouid spread to the active participautr in the game. A holiday lixlure, witii the anticipation of visitors to tlie touii attending,( should have put. the assoeiation on its toes, but the reverse was the case. The local players displayed n. "holiday spirit too, and the second day's play eommenced well after the scheduled time, while the afternoon tea adjoumment once again took the time of a three-course lunch. It was therefore somewhat ironieal that this dilatoriness should save the home side from outright defeat. At stumps eight Hawke's Bay wickets had fallen and Rouse and Geddis were together at the crease. K. Fiater, the eleventh man. was absent. In the second last over of the day Rouse was given out by the umpire at the bowler's end, caught behind the wicket, but the decision was over-ruled and rightly so. In this connection the Wairarapa players, although eager for victory, were participants in the reversal of the umpire 's decision. Mistake Made. With the six wickets down, Wairarapa were in their second knock still short of Hawke's Bay's first innings total and the mistake of the game uccurred when the pressure was lifted and the visitors' tail wagged so effectively that Hawke's Bay were left with 112 to score in 90 minutes. Bruce Massey and the 16-year-old Patrick then bowled so well that Hawke's Bay's chanee of winning vanished completely and the homesters were fighting hard to avert defeat with eight batsmen back in the pavilion for 66. It was a close shave for the Bay. A Different Story. TEie first day 's play was an entirely different story. the home side being well in the ascendancy principally through good bowling by pirio anu aggressive batting by Simpson. The latter drove and pulled strongly in his innings of 71, which included 12 boundary shots. Matt O'OBrien's 47 was also well compiled, though he is well below his top form. Colts Tacon and Moss both acquitted themselves with credit, showing a restraint that is rarely seen in the youthf ul brigade. The visiting and well-known skipper, Stan Brice, oleaned up the tail to finish with firve for 28. By introducing spin. flight and speed in their variations, Brice vas an education to the younger players. In placing his field hc showed an uncanny knowledge of each batsman's seoring shots, and it was surprising to see the number of shots that went straight to the fieldsman. Pirie again bowled well and in the visitors' second innings he claimed five wickets for 47. Fitifua Fielding. The home eleven's fieiaing was pitiful, at least a dozen chances going begging. With good catching, the .game should have been over by lunch-time. Brice junior topped the visitors' tally with a brisk 57, mostly gained- from shots in front of the wicket. ' Clarke played a sound opener's knock and also kept wickets in good style, while Greer put together 33 with a soundness that did not lack brightness. Hawke's Bay's first idea was to chase the runs. but Massey had other ideas, and towards the end 'of the day the Bay were well on the defensive in an attempt to isave the game. It was a. splendid effort by Massey. The match had an exciting finish and Hawke's Bay learnt a lesson in taking affairs too cheaply.