BOWLERS' DAY

NZ Truth, Issue 1142, 20 October 1927, Page 12

BOWLERS' DAY

Some Easy Victories In Christchurch

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Christchurch Rep.) The opening round, of the Canterbury first grade cricket competition ended on Saturday, and it is evident from the size of the crowds that attended Hagley Park for both sessions that interest in the game is revived in Christchurch. THERE were no thrilling finishes, the •*• feature of the day's play being the collapse of the men with the bat, the soft wickets being in favor of the bowlers. Riccarton declared without batting, and as they had 419 for five up their sleeve it was a safe policy. West Christchurch set out tardily on the long pursuit for runs, and, five wickets had fallen for 85 when C. A. C. Cocks and J. L. Findlay i became associated. This pair pjut up a fighting stand, and the score 'board showed 151 before Findlay,. who was going strongly, tapped back an easy catch to the bowler. Twenty more went up and then Cocks went out and the last three wickets fell for the meagre harvest of four runs. It was a three-man innings. Gordon Haynes scored a quiet but sound 45, carefully holding his usually boisterous methods in strict restraint. Cocks got 36 by sound cricket, and Findlay, with a penchant for saluting the loose ones, enthusiastically notched 31. With a deficit of 244, West followed oh and scored 49. The batsmen seemed Jmbued with the spirit of smite, but they found . that going for the bowling was much worse than treating it respectfully. A. W. Roberts, one of. the most promising colts in Canterbury, and C. E. Evans, did most of the damage with the ball. In the first innings Roberts, in two overs, secured two wickets for three runs. Ih the second, he secured five for 17 in five overs. Evans collected four for 48 in the flrst innings and four for 30 in the second. St. Albans finished up the first day's play with one for 75 against Sydenham's 213, and the prospects looked rosy, but veteran Frank Woods failed to reproduce his form of the first day, and his partner, C. Falloon, also went early. Woods had 42 and Falloon 40, the only other batsman to look at all dangerous being the evergreen Don Sandman, whose 32 included a number of chances. Thus St. Albans scored only IGB and threw away a good chance of victory. G. Simmonds, a new bowler for Sydenham, earned his place by taking seven wickets for 78. He had most of the team well tied up. Sydenham scored 118 for seven, the best knock being the 39 of J. Fitzmaurice. It was a scratchy effort, however. In Good Form Sydenham won by 45 runs on the first innings, and when Charlie Oliver and Bill Cunningham return from the English tour the team should be a solid proposition. Reg. Read was in deadly form on Saturday, and caught six of the Wickets of Old Collegians for 32 runs. Then he went right on in a follow-on innings and caught six more for 92. Ron. Talbot and L. R. Dunster conspired to spoil his average, and their batting in the second, attempt was the only bright spot in the day's play. Linwood, with 241 on the first day, had ended the afternoon by dismissing three Old Collegians for 37. The side never recovered and were all out for 64. I. M. Hamilton, with 28, was the only man to reach double figures, and he made another fairly good- opening effort of 29 runs in the second innings. Then Talbot and Dunster became associated. Talbot, in sparkling form, showed some beautiful drives and reached 74. Dunster batted soundly, opening out after reaching the half century and after the possibility of an innings defeat had been obviated. He scored 68 and his exhibition was a good example of sound and solid play. Old Boys carried their score from 170 for three to 279 for nine in response to the 152 of East Christchurch, and East put up a much more impressive showing .in their second innings, getting 2po for three. G. R. Gregory and T. Kennedy were responsible for that respectable total. Gregory, who was in vigorous mood, slammed the bowling in great style, and when he is doing that he is worth watching. He was unfconquered with 129 — the only century of the day — when , stumps were drawn. He gave one or two chances, but at no stage did he show any very great respect for the bowling. Kennedy's 53 was the result of confident and free batting, and he just missed playing out time.