CRICKET.

NZ Truth, Issue 143, 14 March 1908, Page 3

CRICKET.

JBy Scoutjj - X f^

Chaihpionship Final*

tffce Midland-Old Boys game was advanced . andthet stage on Saturday, aikl ■ when -. stumps were drawn the younger club's •'■' irepreseintattives had materially improved -their prospects, the Mids., with:. four wickets down ins. ttie -second, knock, being, still 232 ; teethe leeway- oif tfheir opponents. Tlie \ rain wbioh fell during the week, made ttfe .wickert; comparatively easy for %he .batsmen to negotiate the bowlingi the ha.ll failing to skim along the sward wit-j the swift pace tbat had been so noticeable on former occasions. "Ta/Bby" Wynyard with 44 to. his. credit, and Clande 'Hickson reewmecF IVE^lanid^s inningSi McGifl and Mbnagjian (i&e. latter/had early replaced Tucket;) were, well on the' spot, and tbip iate 06^ru^getrtfing was nofinng ito ehi&a_g& Oyer. '.'Tabby," Tyhoiwas never quite at home to the trawlers, notched eleven] singles, and then, m attempting to cu.fc a_ fast-irfsMg,, off "ball 1 from Mas- ■, on, was sent', pr&vilionwaids per -jue- : jdium tff-JMonaghan, who Brought ofl a cleter" cfte^Kanfled catch, the crowd shbwdifg' its appxeciatio.ft> of. the fields- ; than ? s fjeat by.Jiearty hand-clapping. '"BaibTyj^s" cmrnang deserted bim when i jpaade that fatal stroke. ' Murf>hy helper! Hickson to carry the score to 123, when the big fellow snicked' one off 'McGill and an almost unanimous appeal for wicketkeeper Blacklockfe catch was .answered. >m the affirmative by umpire Stevens. . The departing batsman had played with ohaxaoteristic solidity, defend- J ing soundly, and: scoring with freedom ] When occasion rose. Ho made some fine strokes /on both sidesi- of the j -Wicket anri^swung on to thte leg theo-1 ty--wjth--such\c_etl_aintyvand-. forceful- j iiess In one- instance as to despatch I •the "'ball, to the fountain for . which 1 six were run. rOlaude^ innings was! chancejess. ,• ;>v- ! .Patrick -to the -consternation of j Midland's}. .supporters, was foolishly ran out by. Murphy, whose call it was, for a. nigh impossible run. The execrable judgment and indecision of Murphy meant much to Midland by the early, retiremetft of Patrick. The next Midlander to fill thp breach was Quee, who m gee-gee parlance, "never flattered his backers," -and after . _m^ng eight stfftly spoonfed up one from McQill, which was obligingly accepted by Monaghan. The spiciest batting of the afternoon followed, when Murphy and Manson became associated, the bowling being pasted without discrimination aU over the 'field. Manson has a

penchant for Old Boys' trundling, for when the teams met on a former occasion, his hurricane hitting quickly put 54 opposite his name .on the slate. -. Two hundred went up as tlie result of 122 minutes' play. When 26 were added, Charley, m trying to despatch one from Monaghan to the unknown inhabitants of Mars, had his timberstack up-ended m great style. It was a gritty and entertaining display and evoked the enthusiasm of the crowd. He made some : fine strokes and executed two or three sweet cuts that one could wish tosee. His driving was clean and forceful, one,superb straight drive clean along the carpet being a gem. Though he biffed often his exposition was nevertheless marked by plenty of soundness. Some of Manson's strokes were cxc- 1 ; cuted m such a way as to convince the spectators tbat he is a much better batsman than most people 'give him credit for. A little less avoird- ] upois would not come ; amiss to him, I when foraging so quickly and determinedly for runs. His partnership ; with Murphy put 63 on the' score sheet. On Upham joining Murphy, the latter began to swipe lustily, and eventually he lifted one high over, the bowler's (Monaghan) head, McGill ,giying him the happy despatch. ; The midget played a really great j innings, which was an admirable ad- i OTdX'ture of sound defence and enter- I taining aggressiveness. He played m tradesmanlike style right >\ rom the jump and never once was beaten by the bowlers. Many of his strokes were beauties. FEs hitting was crisp and vigorous, his, timing and placing admirable, and his cutting, def tly and ' w,ristily executed. All round the wicket, m fact, he played like a book. Murphy swung round on to several ; leg-theory balls m great style, a get- : ting six at Beeohey's expense .on one] occasion. He should haVe eight or j nine more runs to bis credit from this ! particular stroke, bliit jthe ball was^ twice intercepted m its progress to the Sussex-street fence— twice by the same fieldsman m another match and j subsequently by theunip'ire, , , Except for .one chance, when he was 62, Murphy's eX'bibitibn was blemishless. The crowd*' and Old Boys as well, gave him a great reception on j retiring. He deserved it. When Murphy retired the score was 257. Mitchell and tJpham Brought the figures to 268 before Monagham floored, the former's timbers, leaving Up-. ' ham to carry out his bat' for. 15* With a deficit 245, Midlanders. had to follow on. The light was a very poor one, and the Fates .., dealt it out unkindly to • the batsmen, four ot whom received their quietus m the short time left for play. . ! Upham fell to a snorter from Mona- ; ' ghan. It was one out of the bag and would have been thedownlall of any .j .batsman. living. It was an off-swerv- ! er, just missed the bat-, and took the j leg-pin. .■-■.-. j Patrick made seven and was clean | bowled by Mason, Mitchell met with j a similar fate at the hands of the same bowler, and Wighton had his < stumps knocked out of plumb by i^Monny." When play had ceased the " telegraph board's gloomy reading was i 9-4—o. I The ground fielding of Old Boys j was not wonderfully clean and. the j .stopping was uncertain, whilst the' returns were often inaccurate. . Jacobs, however, was an honorable ,e_£-j ception. The catching was unusually sure. Thc bowling was - good all through, i -Monaghan, m particular, having the j batsmen thinking often- There was. ;; , hardly a loose one from him. He had i plenty of variety m his attack,, too. , Stumper Blacklock shaped well with % the igloves. The fact that only three/ byes stood to the .credit of Midland is evidence itself of nis dexterity" behind the sticks. Ken. Tucker never said a Word when he ran across to secure the', bail from a hit by Mufcphy and missed it, owing to Lomax bobbing up •at the crucial moment. Anyway, Lomax should' have had the chance, bnt Ken. was apparently Tin-aware of his ■location ait the tame. As proof of Manson's' rapidiy-knocked-up contribution, it mif^it "be 1 mentioned that when be faced, the bowlers ilurphy had 39 runs start of him. On going Caledonianwards Wiarley had 45 to his account, while Murphy's modest contribution during his (Manson's) tenure Of the batting crease was 13. Owing to the Basin Reserve beingotherwise engaged, the game will not be resumed until Saturday next. Present appearances indicate . that Old Boys will easily retain their cham- >. pionship of last season.