Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 188, 6 February 1904, Page 20

Cricket.

THERE was generally a dullness about the play, and a tired feeling among the players during the continuance of senior championship matches at the Basin Reserve last Saturday. Hardly anybody seemed to take the games seriously during the first half of the afternoon, although later on more life was put into the play. * * * The Wellington-Midland match has got into a very interesting position as the result of the two days' play, and should provide an interesting finish. In their first innings Wellington totalled 107, to which Midland responded with 164 (C. Hickson 88, Upham 48). The Wellingtons have lost eight wickets for 182 runs in their second innings, the players stilL to be disposed of being Gore, Ashbolt, and Hales. After Upham's retirement, the Midland innings soon concluded, the majority of the batsmen making very weak strokes. Mahony and Richardson opened the Wellington second innings and, with the score at 31, the latter was dismissed for a total of 12. Stan Hickson then joined Mahony, and a splendid stand resulted, the total being carried well towards the century before Hiokson was clean bowled by Quee. But this good beginning was not kept going by the batsmen that followed them. Three players in succession — Mahony amongst the number — were caught by C. Hickson at first slip off Upham's bowling, and a fourth one would have met the same fate if the ball had been, allowed to reach him. Mahony 's total was 61. The last half-hour was a race against tame by the Midlanders. C. Gore, through, the death of his father, was unable to be present, and Ashbolt had been sent up the line to investigate the bush fires that were making mischief in the Hutt Valley. But. the unexpected often happens. Ashbolt got his business through, and managed to get up to the Reserve at about six o'clock. Therefore, instead of Hales coming in signifying the last man, Ashbolt filled the vacant wioket, when the seventh on his side had retired. It still panted eight minutes to time though when Hales joined Ashbolt, and the prospect of Gore having a strike in his team's second innings looked, to most people, very slender. However, those who argue in favour of Hales being given a turn by his captain earlier than eleventh man, were pleased to see "Tom" bang the Midland bowlers about to such purpose that he kept his wicket intact, and put 20 runs to his credit on the score-sheet. * * * Very few people expected the Phoenix team to get within hailing distance of the 314 runs set them by the Old Boys eleven, and they did well in aggregating 235 runs. At one time during the Old Boys' second innings it appeared as if they were throwing away their chances of registering a win in senior championship matches, three of their wickets being down for 9 runs. But, Tucker batted well, and, at the end of the day's play, the ex-Collegians were 186 runs to the good, with four of their wickets in hand. * * *■ I am not given to prophesying, but next Saturday's play in both these matches should be the keenest we have seen in Wellington this season. Should Midland win their game, and Phoenix lose theirs, the senior championship will practically be decided — the Midlanders will win it, as they will have only two matches to play, and can afford to lose both of them before the Phoenix team can be even with them. * # * Mahony's batting was brisk and full of life. He scored all round the wicket, and never looked like getting out. He had, however, a tendency to get in front of the wickets to most of Stephenson's deliveries, and narrowly escaped on a couple of occasions having his innings stopped from that cause. Claud Hickson did not shape so well as on the first day of the match, although he scored quicker. A couple of chances were debited against him on Saturday, one in the slips that the fieldsman, for some reason best known to himself, did not endeavour to take on the full, and another at the wickets

which was allowed to drop haimlessly to the ground Hickson opened the innings, and Ins Mas the ninth wicket to fall. Upham demonstrated once again that, though many of his stiokes are awkward, lie can make inns with the best of our batsmen. His innings was full of power, and punctuated with some fine defensive strokes. Stan Hickson shaped splendid]}' in gathering together his 25 runs, albeit he was quieter than usual. TJpham's bow ling seemed to possess no terrors for him, but Stephenson kept him quiet. Fish (10) and Richardson (12) got thenscores very quietly, the latter, however, putting more vigour than usual into his strokes. "Tom" Hales, the idol of the small boy, made two fine hits over the pavilion fence off Stephenson, and a. beautiful hit to square leg off Upham for six runs, in his contribution of 20 (not out). As he opens the play to-monow (Saturday), the small boy will be m evidence at the beginning of the Hay, I venture to predict. Hales should be sent in earlier as a batsman, for, although he personally has no pretensions that way, the vim he puts into his strokes upsets the opposing bowlers' theories every time. * *• * (Jpham's bowling was not as deadly as usual, the earlier Wellington batsmen knocking him off before he took a wicket. He wound up, however, with three for 63. Stephenson tiundled capitally, and deserved a better average than four for 48. He had the most of the batsmen in trouble all the time, and on occasions missed the wickets by inches only. Quee was given a turn by his captain with the ball, and did well till a hot return he stopped on the wrist practically paralysed his arm. The main fault of his bowling was his inability to keep a. good length, but he was successful in breaking up the Mahony-Hickson partnership. Hales, with seven for 48, was the most successful Wellington bowler, Latham (two for 45) and Richardson (one for 34) assisting him in sending the Midlanders to the right-about. * ¥■ # Barton, the new man in the Phoenix team from the other side of the Tasman Sea, gave a fine display of cutting and driving in his initial innings on Saturday He was, however, fortunate in getting the best of the umpire's decision m a "stumping" appeal. Lash 23, Hickey 31, Redgrave 28, Barton 35, Waters 38, Brice 25, and Baitlett 18 all got double figures for the Phoenix team, and materially assisted towards their side's total of 235 runs. Tucker's innings of 55 (not out) was a long way the best tally in the Old Boys' second innings, and ay as marked with much freedom. A fine stroke to long-leg, off Hickey 's bowling, produced seven tuns — all run out. C. P. Blacklock (18) and Wedde (12) assisted Tucker in his good work * # * Tucker (five for 59, Pope (four for 103), and Staples (one for 40) were the successful Old Boys bowlers, Hickey, with three wickets to his credit, having the most success among the Phoenix trundlers. k * ■/■ There were no less than 65 extras scored in the matches played on the Basin Reserve last Saturday. C. B. Fry on Noble — "A grand player he i 9, withal quite the soundest bat Australia can boast. He has not Trumper's brilliant versatility and electric cheek, nor Clem Hill's dangerous pow r er of taking charge of any bowling, but he is sound — very sound." (Gov tinned on page 21 )