CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1926, Page 1

CRICKET.

[Australia &• N.Z. Cable Association.] PONS FORD ACCLAIMED. LONDON, 3 lay 18. Commenting on the 31arylebono match, -Mr P. F. AVarncr ways:—“l prophesy great success for Ponsforil. lie has wrists; lie times the ball well and lie is quick on his feet. Purists will pick out imorthodoxy in his play, but there is genius, or something very like it. Ponsford will be in the first three averages at the end of the tour, or I am much surprised. Richardson is a man of remarkable physique. Ho hits with rare power, and is a strong forcing player, whose aggressive methods are most attractive. 3ly impression is that the Australians are gradually running into form, and that they will be difficult to get out on any wicket- They field perfectly, and though I am not prepared to say their rate of howling is as fast as that of some of the recent teams, it is accurate. Their field is cleverly plne-

Coloncl Trevor says: “The Australians had a reasonable chance of winning over 3LC.C., but their captain deliberately threw it away. Everyone was surprised when tho Australians batted. They could not have lost the match if they had declared, and they had an excellent chance of winning. Obviously personal considerations dominated the situation, the idea being to let Ponsford get bis century. When that feat bad been accomplished, Collins waited to allow Richardson to reach his fifty, and then he gave the long over-due signal. The “Daily Herald” says: “Ponsfui'd is ibe most amazing human rungetting machine that Australia has .over sent. Many critics bad hoped that certain flaws in the youth’s style would prevent- the repetition of the collosal scores he made in Australia. He is undoubtedly addicted to crossbat shots, but if a man’s eyesight, footwork and wrists are well oiled, apparently the crossbat merely produces cross bowling. Ponsford is a batting phenomenon. A celebrated coach watching the Victorian on Tuesday said : “If this fellow be full of flaws. I wish I could teac-h ’em to my pupils!”

XGLISTT COUNTY GAMES. LONDON. May 18

In the County cricket series, Sur--ev, in tho first innings against Essex nade 52-1 declared (the number of vickets down is not cabled). Hobbs

made 69, Sandliani 67, Shepherd 93, Jeacocke 51, Jardine .00, and Fender one huiulerd and four. Essex in the first innings scored 287, Nicholas making 110. In the second innings Essex made 197, Nicholas scoring 52, and O’Connor GO. Fender took 7 for 7G. Surrey won by an innings and -10

Somerset, playing Sussex, scored 233 in the, first innings. Hunt made GO (not out) and Bowley took 7 for 57. In tlio second innings Somerset made 143, Tate taking 6 for 33. Sussex in the first innings made 108, Bowley scoring 54, and White taking 4 for 38. In the second, they mad® 239, Bowley scoring 78, and White taking 5 for 66. Somerset won by 29 runs. For Lancashire against Derby, Hallows made 110. Lancashire won. For Yorkshire against Leicester, Macaulay took 6 for 22 in the first and 5 for 15 in the second innings. Yorkshire won. For Nortliants, against Hampshire, •Tupp took 3 for 1, and in the second 3 for 80.