A GREAT PARTNERSHIP

NZ Truth, Issue 1144, 3 November 1927, Page 12

A GREAT PARTNERSHIP

A Good Strike

Fighting Finish

Sydenham Batsmen Show Way To Score 'Tween Wickets

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Chr With the second round of tl cricket is becoming very interes failed to score at least one com* SYDENHAM, champion team foi many seasons m the past, has twice secured two-point wins Riccarton, last season's champions, and Linwood are only a point behind. St. Albans, Old Boys and East Christchurch have two points each, and West Christchurch one point. The first appearance of the English professional, J. Newman, was responsible for a further increase m tne crowd of spectators at Hagley Park on Saturday, and the new Canterbury coach gave a creditable display. He turned out for West Christchurch and took half the Linwood wickets m a game which provided a thrill, as Linwood's figures crept closer and closer to those of West. Tne ninth wicket fell when Linwood had equalled West's score of 273. YV. Spong, last man m, faced C. A. C. Cocks. The first ball he Kit, but he was over-cautious, and did not take the run that was there. With the next ball Cocks clean bowled him, and the match was drawn. Newman took a turn with the ball early m the day, but he was costly From four overs the batsmen collared afterwards, however he went on at the other end, and it was then that Linwood supporters began tn e-et excited, for he had struck form and* five wickets fell to him for 52 rU He bowled beautifully, mixing his deliveries amazingly, breaking both ways and changing pace and flight m a manner that kept the batsmen guessing His average of 5 for 9o is enough to make the other teams think— and practice — very hard.

West played out time with 62 for three Newman, who opened, scoring only two before playing on to his wickets. The thanks of Linwood are due to G. Condliffe, who scored a chanceless 104 and R. Read, who compiled a trenchant 70. Condliffe batted beautifully. Both were bowled by the Englishman. At the tail end S. Yates was unconquered with 34 on. St Albans was m a very strong position with 157 on against the 118 of Riccarton and before their last three wickets fell had built up the score to 210. Top scorers were R. Norrie 56 and R. H. North, manager of the team which collected the Ranfurly Shield, with 57 not out. Harry North takes his cricket seriously and, although he is inclined to scratch round a bit at the beginning of an innings, he is a tough man to shift when ho gets eet, In the second

stchurch Representative.) c Canterbury competition over the bing, for Old Collegians alone have etition point. innings he had 17 not out when the game closed. Riccarton made a bold attempt to pull the game out of the fire and rattled on 201 for six before declaring. For the first quarter of an hour of St. Albans' second knock it looked as if Riccarton might succeed, too, for three wickets fell for seven runs. After that, however, the batsmen put up a stolid defence and ended up with 45 for five, St. Albans winning by 92 runs on the first innings. A. W. Roberts scored a very bright 63 m Riccarton's second innings. He is showing the improvement that he promised last year. East Christchurch beat Old Collegians by 65 runs on the first innings, for J. McEwin was m form and took five wickets for 71, Old Collegians compiling only 128 m reply to East's 193.

It was a poor batting effort and East's second turn was really a worse exhibition with the exception that the old reliable G. R. Gregory, put on 64 runs before being caught. Gregory played more carefully than is usual with him, but he was very confident. Old Boys scored 276 m the first day of their match against Sydenham and it looked as if that score would take a great deal of catching, but at the end of the day Sydenham had on 279 and three wickets to spare. It was an exciting finish for, with 50 minutes to go, Sydenham had to get 77 runs to win. Jack Young and Billy Patrick were batting, and* they gave a beautiful exhibition of work between the wickets. Old Boys were hunting the leather as if their lives depended on its quick return,' but the men with the bats were taking every possible chance to get a run. Half an hour before time 43 runs were needed. Patrick and Young skated to and fro between the stump* like greyhounds after tin hares, stealing singles with the most amazing cheek. Patrick did not last out the innings, but it was that partnership which gave Sydenham victory. Patrick scored a fighting 51, playing with all his old dash and style. Young* after a very uncertain beginning, settled down to reproduce the form he seemed last season to have lost, and he carried his bat for 115. « Once he got going there was no shifting him, and Old Boys tried out no fewer than eight bowlers. Young's cricket was sound and, although he went for one or two big hits, h« scored runs all reunA tb» wlclwt.