Championship Matches.

NZ Truth, Issue 127, 23 November 1907, Page 3

Championship Matches.

Last Saturday's weather was not pleasant for cricket. Too much northerly and cold ; still a goodly crowd stayed till the finish. The play was slaw compared with previous Saturdays' play. The three teams to take first strike scored 382 when the innings closed, and, this took from 2.30 till well after 4 to accomplish. It was a dead slow afternoon's performance.

The m and out Phoenix went all to pot against Monaghan (3 for 50) and Tucker (6 for 30). Laws (13) and G. Burton (31) were the only double figures m a total of 82.

Dakin is playing m McKay's place for Phoenix, and his performance hardly warranted his inclusion m the team. He fell to Tucker for a duck, and his fielding was poor.

Waters was run out for 4, and apparently when he is out so is the rest of the team. He should gp m earlier. .

Old Boys changed the state of affairs when they took a strike. Beechey and Birch started to liven things up and they hit up 30 and 17 quick and lively, and only 7 singles were made m this little lot.

Tucker kept thing moving with Monaghan's assistance. They are unbeaten with 86 and 43 respectively. J. P. (Blacklock was going - well and strong when. 15 was on his little list^ but he Kot.in front to Gibbes. A total of 198 for three wickets looks like a 4-point win- Phoenix tried six howlers. Moore 2 for 46. and Gibbes 1 for 23 did the best they could. •Waters, the Phoenix skippejc, won the toss for the fourth time this year, and sent mG. Burton and Laws toopen against Old Boys. ' The Phoenicians made a good start and hoisted nearly 40 runs before Laws jumped out and made? a wild slash at one of Tucker's slows, and !was easily stumped. | Geor-ge Burton was batting nicely, when he was tempted m the same silly manner and went out. He was top score (31) for his side and appeared to be nicely set. Dakin (recently returned from Christchurch. where be made runs last year) made his reappearance with Phoenix. He was brilliantly; •caught by Beechey m. the slips before lie had scored. None of the others reached - double figures. McLennan hit outsat one of Tucker's and skied it to" raid-on, Dickson taking a nice catch. Hickey made a terrible swipe at one from Monaghan, and his timber stack had a great fall. Tucker ( 6 for 30} and Monaghan (3 for 50) bowled unchanged for Old Boys. The latter pegged a way against the wind, but the bowling was not particularly good, and it is hard to account for the misera-ble showing made by Phoenix. Birch and Beeohey opened for Old Boys and started to bang thiags about. The strong wind was not to Gibbes' liking, and although he beat .both batsmen on several occasions, was unable to "do the trick.": Beechey made a couple of flukey strokes through the slips, but otherwise gave a very nice display *of forceful hatting. Birch did not seem too much at home, especially to Gibbes. He made some nice cuts during his stay at the wickets. • ■ - ' J. P. Blacklock hits hard- and often, but has a tendency to cover his wicket when making a stroke at a ball coming on' the leg pin. >He got out l.b.w. to Gibfoes this way last Saturday. "Blacky" is a nice bat to watch. He made a terrible lunge at the second ball he received, and it nearly settled him. He should try to "hold" ; himself till he gets his "eye m," j Tucker played a fine innings for BC, batting well all round the wicket. He repeatedly "pulled" a ball off the middle stump, getting several fours and a fiver by this stroke. It is not ; a pretty stroke, by any means, but it is very serviceable, and that is what is wanted. Ken. survived an appeal for l.b.w. 1 and a very unanimous appeal ' for a catch behind the wickets when about 40 runs on. Crewes, the wicket-keep-er, seemed very confident about it, but umpire Dan "Mac."- ruled other-* wise. . Monaghan came m at a stage that enabled him to gather m4O rather easily.. He gave a couple of fairly easy chances, which were declined, one to H. Burton at long-on, which was badly judged and missed * eventually by yards.

The Phoenix bowling and fielding was . not up to the mark ; probably the strong cold wind blowing was responsible for a certain amount of looseness.

McLennan might be singled out for good work m the field. He is always keen and his returns are splendid.

Petone v. Midland was a bit of a surprise for Midland. Cobcroft (23) set a gopd example, but the next sevenof the team didn't appreciate Up-ham and Stevenson, as they only totted up 15 between them, and what looked like a dirty rot was stopped <by the three, last men, Senior (2^, undeaten), Dalgleish (12), Cate (26) brought up 113. Cate biffed hard and often and livened up things considerably.

' Williams and Billy Quee started things •hununi'ng -for the Mids. Williams hit Brice for 13 ofi his one over, and as he couldn't bowl him he caught him well off "Cobby."

It was Quee's first innings this season, and he shaped fairly well. Claude Hickson was at his best again, but couldn't get anyone to stop with him. His 44 not out was a bit of all right. Wynyard, 10, the only other twofigure man, put his leg where his club should have been.

The rest of the team, were , groggy, and couldn't play Green for sour ap-

pies. His '4 wickets cost 20 runs, which isn't bad against the Mid.

team. 94 for 8 wickets isn t much and looks pretty, good for Petone's chances. Still you never don't know, till the numbers are all up. Still, it's decidedly interesting. It took Wellington 3f hours to make 187 runs on No.. 2 wicket against G-as Company. This total was largely due to the bad generalship of -the Gasworks skipper. He tried no less than 8 bowlers and why Waugfo was taken oft after having secured 1 wicket for 8 runs, and keeping a good length, is a mystery. Ifc is about time another skipper was found, as it is si 'pity that such a good team as the Gas Company should fail for the want of management.

With three wickets down for 8 runs, things looked pretty crook for Wellington, then' the usual two, Mahoney and Richardson, stopped the "rot." Jack received a very bad knock on the finger from Gourlay, and retired, but resumed after his captain's dismissal, a.ml ran up 55 to lids credit before being well caught by McKay at point. '-' .■ He had been at the wickets fornearly two hours. Fisher got to work quick and lively and soon rattled up 30 . before beins given out l.b.w. to Hill, a decision he -did not seen* to relish.

Gas Co. had half an hour to play and Gourlay and Waters were entrusted to see time called, which they did, and at the drawing of stumps the total was 13. .

A very close finish Sjhould be seen next week, and Riven; a. good hard wicket the Wellington men may Had It difficult m annexing two points. With the exception of Mahony, the We.llinigton batting was really nothing out of the ordinary. As per usual the fielding of the Gas Co (excepting McKay) was, to .be as , •polite as possible, "rotten." It Avould do them good if they devoted two or three nights' practice to throwing the ball at one another's heads ; perhaps ithey would then be able to stop a ball. . •A- lesson m placing the fieldsmen would no doubt save them a lot of unnecessary running . about.

. Stan Hicfesoii was out l.b'.w. to Hill— a full pitcher— hitting him on the instep.

Gourlay, after rocking m three balls at his fastest, essayed a slow one, which tooksJ^kughton's wicket. The batsman Bhfepe'd for a windjamber and was taken by surprise.

Willis and Walters were both missed m the slips at the outset of their careers. The former gives promise of becoming a determined batsman.

Richardson shaped more freely than usual.

Waugh got a wicket with a ball which pitched about half-way and hopped about four times before striking the timber.