ON NATIVE HEATH

NZ Truth, Issue 1148, 1 December 1927, Page 14

ON NATIVE HEATH

Southern Reps.

In Sparkling

Club Cricket

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Christchurch Representative)

With the return of the New Zealand representatives to their respective clubs the first grade competition was continued on Saturday before increased attendances. It was the opening day of the fourth round, and the weather was perfect.

OLD BOYS and West Christchurch attracted the greatest interest, and Old Boys displayed good oatting form m reaching 248. M. L. Page signalized his return by an opening effort of 31. It was a sound and steady innings, without being outstanding. I. B. Cromb hit out merrily to accumulate 66, his driving to the off being very pretty. *, He, m partnership with A. Jacobs, provided some interesting cricket m a stylish manner. Jacobs, who scored 51, is one of, the coming batsmen of the Dominion,' a polished stylist whose timing is excellent. West replied weakly with 103, and the game seems to be m Old Boys' hands. The only batsman on the West side to show anything like form was W. Hayes, who was unconquered with 46 on at the end of the session. The bowling of Merritt was splendid. Time after time his googlies beat the batsmen, but missed the wicket, but for all that he wound up with five for 34. Throughout his 11 overs he kept a good length. The professional, J. Newman, failed to come off as a batsman, but he bowled very steadily to collect four wickets for 59 m 20 overs. Once more G. R. Gregory, whose average at present is somewhere near three figures, trod g-aily alongr the primrose' path of hectic hitting. It was not that he simply went out and slammed. He paid the bowlers the compliment of pasting them scientifically, but he pasted 'em good, and he had 77 to his credit when he played Cunningham on. I

POOR SHOWING

MERRY HITTING

With Gregory disposed of the Sydenham bowlers breathed again, but they did not dismiss East Christchurch entirely until the score stood at 232, the second best effort being that of J. McEwin, whose 89 included a fine six. Sydenham put up a really poor exhibition, and at the call of time had lost seven Avickets and had scored only 94 runs. With the exception of W. R. Patrick, who wandered on the ground as a spectator, and was pressed into service, and C. Oliver, none of the batsmen could do any»thing at all with McEwin and Weston. . When stumps were drawn Patrick, with so, and Oliver, with 38, were plodding along dourly and grimly m j an effort to save the side. On them next Saturday will depend the fate of Sydenham. Under the circumstances neither of them could be expected to play the bright and sparkling cricket that the crowds relish. Both were very sound, and they have made a fight out of an otherwise sound thrashing. . St. Albans scored 186 against L/inwood, C. Fallocm topping the list With 42. St. Albans had 53 on for one wicket, but thereafter. the batsmeo did not.

show form, and Reg. Read, -who bowled v consistent 26 overs, a big task, finished the innings with an average of six for 78 to his credit.

Linwood set out merrily to make the most of a good chance, and with five wickets down have 154 runs on, so their chances look very roseate.

G. M. Condliffe, the opening batsman, played confidently right from the start, dealing with the bowling firmly and forcefully. With 63 on he looked set for the rest of the day, but was run out.

Read, not one whit the worse for his continuous bowling performance, hit up a merry 44 m 40 minutes of exhilarating cricket.

Riccarton set out to make a day of it against Old Collegians, and piled up another big score, their total being 438.

An opening partnership of 79 gave the side a good start. O. T. Gorrie was

Two returned cricket tourists who aided their respective clubmates last Saturday.

feeling good, which means generally that the bowlers feel bad. He went m and slammed. From the way the ball travelled at times it looked as though he thought he was playing golf. Ten fours and a six he hit off the lons suffering trundlers before Sugden collected his scalp with one that Gorrie did not see. His total score was 54. A. Cox scored brightly, but with | more orthodox methods and he compiled a creditable 45. According to one of the local papers he was stumped and bowled by W. J. Hamilton, but Hamilton did not perform this unique feat of sprinting and gymnastics. Cox played one back, and it stayed back. g. w. Haines played steadily and built up a score like a craftsman. With a very fine 77 on he was run out. C. G. Gibbs took a pattern from Haines and his 81 was a determined and forceful effort. With the bowlers at their wits' end J. L. Powell went out for an hour's glorious hitting and he got an even hundred m an even 60 minutes. He simply out-Gorriecl Gorrie, and his wicket was still standing when the innings came to a close. • Old Collegians have lost one wicket for 26» ' d