CRICKET MATCHES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 306, 28 December 1874, Page 2

CRICKET MATCHES.

— ————— —— -__—____-__ — borough men showed tbeir deficiency in batting power in nothing more -had in the email number of runs they obtained off his bowling. Hole, who was put on in hia stead towards the end, did better than he whom he had relieved, and in thirteen balls, off which no runs were obtained, took two wickets. The first bix wickets fell for 26 runs, and then there was an improvement, and the three next showed the following scores:— -For seven, 36; for eight, 41; for nine, 67. The total obtaiued was 70, towards which byes and extras contributed no less than 25. Then Nelson went in, and Speed soon went out, and Haliiday was not long in following him. Holmwood and Wix made a short stand, but the former, after scoring eight by some pretty play, was given out leg before wicket, and the latter, when he had scored five, put the ball into slip's hands, as everybody who was watching his play at all carefully expected he would. Cross aod Jackson then got together, and they soon infused a little life into the proceedings, Cross, iv about 20 minutes, running up the fine score of 27, consisting of three twos, four threes, one four, snd a five. Seeing that he had mastered the bowling of Dobb, who was never very dangerous, Marlborough brought up its reserves, and for Dobb M'Hntcheson was substituted, and Cross, not recognising the difference between the two deliveries, soon fell a victim to his want of observation. Jackson was the last man to go out, having made II before he left the wicket, the total being 68, Nelson having scored one bye against the 19 credited to Marlborough. After lunch Marlborough took the bat again, and very soon got the better of the bowling, Cross being too tired to be certain, although Hole from the other wicket was doing his work steadily and well. Holmwood, about tbe middle of the innings was put on to test the efficacy of his " slows," which to the lookers on appeared to be a decided failure, 13 runs being made off them in one over, but the captain seemed to entertain a contrary opinion, for, at the conclusion of that disastrous over, he was sent to the other wicket where his performance was almost equally satisfactory to the Marlborough men, who, from 24 of his balls obtained a like number of runs. The bowling being loose, the field became somewhat disheartened, and the result was that by the time the last man was disposed of the score stood at 96, of which 31 were credited to Seymour, and 17 to Lynch. This, judging from the performances of the Nelson men in their first innings, was altogether beyond their reach. However, they determined to make a fight for it, and Speed and Barnicoat were sent to the wicket. By the time 8 runs were made, Gregg, who was bowling splendidly, got weary of Barnicoat and sent him back (o the tent. He was followed by Powell, who, together with Speed kept the field alive for a time, but, as they made runs, they got rasher and more rash, until Speed was run out, the score standing at 30 for two wickets, the bowling of Dobb haviog been excessively weak and wild. Cross followed, but Gregg, with his first ball, sent his bails flying, and very soon afterwards served Wix with a notice to quit, and then speedily got rid of Powell, who, by steady play had secured the affix of 11 to his name. Holmwood and Jackson were in when the stumps

j (.For continuation see fourth page.)

• MARLBOROUGH V. NELSON.

This match, which was played on Saturday, was ono of the tamest and most uninteresting it was ever our lot to witness. With one or two exceptiots there was throughout an absence of life and animation that rendered looking en a wearisome task. Both sides were out of practice, and both sides proclaimed ihis fact in an unmisfcakeable manner. The game may be briefly described. Nelson having won the toss, sent their opponents to tfce wickets, to the bowling of Cross from one ond, and Wix from the other. Through nearly the whole of tbis innings the former did his work in a masterly manner, the balls being dead on the wicket, and delivered with a pitch that did not allow of their being trifled with. Towards the end, however, he apparently became a little fagged, and consequently uncertain in his delivery. This, no doubt, was owing to his being out of practice. Wix was scarcely ever on the wicket, and tbe Marl-

were drawn at 6.30, the score being 38 wiih 5 wickets to go down. And so Marlborough won, the match being decided by the first innings. The batting of the winning team, with the exception of Lynch, did not impress us very favorably, for although Robinson and M'Hatcheson scored well in the first, and Seymour in the second, innings, it waa owing more to the weakness of the bowling and the looseness of tbe fielding tban to any great skill on their part, Budge was an excellent long-stop, as was proved by the small number of byes obtained, although in comparing his performances with those of Jackson on the other side, it must be remembered tbat he had not snch swift bowling to contend against as had bis rival longatop. Robinson would be a very fair wicket-keeper if he were less demonstrative, and did not consider it his duty to knock the bails off whenever the ball came to his hand. Ab is was, be, in the first innings of the Nelaon men, simply annoyed the umpires and amused the spectators without producing any satisfactory results. On tbe Neison aide, the bowling of Cross was all tbat could be desired during the first part of the first inninge, but want of practice told in the end ; Hole's bowling waß good throughout, but he, too, from the same cause, began to get tired and wanting iv precision as the game drew to a close. The fielding of tbe Nelson team was far from what it should have been, and more than one chanoe was lost by the ball not beiog thrown straight at the wicket-keeper. In this they certainly were inferior to the Marlborough men. Their batting, however, showed that, if they would but practise, it would be quite a match for any ordinary bowling. On tbe whole, as we remarked before, the game vas both an unsatisfactory and uninterest \ ing one. In the evening, tbe two j elevens sat down to an excellent dinner prepared for tbem by Mr. Tregea, at tbe Masonic Hall, and a most pleasant evening was spent. The following aro the scores : — Marlborough.. Ist innings. 2nd innings. .Lynch, b Cross ... ... O runout ... 17 W. Robinson, bCio'S... 3 bHole 5 Seymour, b Cross ... 3 bHole 31 Vickerman.cWixb Cross 0 b Holmwcod 0 I__ Hutcheson, bHole... 16 c Cross b Holmwood 9 Kitchen, Lh.w. h Wix 2 b Cross ... 0 Gregg, b Cross* 3 runout ... 0 Galbraith, b Cross ... 4 b Cross ... 4 Budge, c Atkinson b Wix 2 not out ... 0 J. T.Robinson, bHole 12 bHole 4 Dobb, not ont ...... 0 bHole... ... 6 Bye* 19 16 Leg byes 4 1 Wides 2 2 No balls 0 1 Total „. ... 70 96 Grand Total, 166.

Nelson. lst innings. 2nd inning?. Halli--y,bDobb ... 1 Speed, c Galbraith b Lynch ... 0 run out ... 7 Holmwood, 1.b.w., b Dobb 8 not out ... 2 Hole, b Dobb 0 Wix, c Lynch bDobb... 5 b Gregg ... 0 Crow, b M'Hatcheson 27 b Gregg ... 0 Powell, c Seymour b Dobb 2 b Gregg ... 11 Jackson. Lb. vr., b M- Hutcheson ... 11 not out ... 0 Coles, c Badge b Gregg 2 Atkinson, b Gregg ... 0 Barnicoat, not out ... 4 b Gregg ... 3 Byes 1 8 Leg byes 3 2 Wides 2 3 No balls 2 2 Total 68 _.- 38 Grand Total, 106, with fire wickets down.

Analysis op the Bowling. Mablbokougd:. L_-:c_:— First Innings: Balls, 60; Maiden Overs, 3; Wickets, 1; Runs, 25. — Second Linings: Balls, 24; Maiden Overs, 2; Runs, s; Wide Balls, 2. Dobb— First Innings: Balls, 60; Wickets, 5; Runs, 24. — Second Innings: Balls, 24; Bqm, 12; Wide Balls, 1. Gbegg — First Innings: Balls, 24; Wickets, 2; Runs. 11.— Second Innings: Balls, 48; Maiden Over, 1; Wickets, 4; Runs, 14. MTJurcHESON — First Innings: Balls, 24; Wickets, 2; Runs, 6; Wide Bal, 1. "Kaisox. Cboss— First Innings: Ba .3, 126; Maiden Overs, 8; Wickets, 6; Runs, 21.— -Second* Innings: Balls, 60; Maiden Over, 1; Wickets, 1; Runs, 23. Wix— First Innings: Balls, 96; Maiden Oven, 7; Wicket, 1; Runs, 16; Wide Ball, 1, — Secondlnnings: B .lis, 42; Maiden Overs, 4; Runs, 3. Wide ß. 1,1. Col_s— First Innings: Balls, 8; Runs, 4; Wide Ball, I.— Second Innings : Balls, 8; Runs, 3. Hole— First Innings : Balls, 13; Runs, 0; Wickets, 2. — Second Innings : Ball-, 75 ; Maiden Overs, 3; Wickets, 5; Runs, 19; WMe Ball, 1. Holmwood— Second Innings : Balls, 24; Wickets, 2; Runs, 24.