TWO CENTURIES

NZ Truth, Issue 1150, 15 December 1927, Page 14

TWO CENTURIES

Old Boys Pile Up Runs (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Rep.) Perfect weather favored the opening of the fifth round of matches in the Canterbury Cricket Association's competition last Saturday, and two of the teams celebrated the occasion by putting on runs at a great rate. OLD BOYS, who are now playing much better all round, gave St. Albans a full afternoon of leatherhunting, and the Saints will have their work cut out when they endeavor to pass the 450 runs that were scored off the seven bowlers they tried out. D. C. Nixon, the lengthy, scored 135 runs in an exhibition of batting that was all the more meritorious because he has been out of the game for a few weeks. It was a patient, dogged effort in which Nixon wore down the attack and then began to paste it around. He had the bowling collared completely when he was run out. J. Jacobs scored 100 runs in 100 minutes, and he did it with -nicely timed, brisk shots all round the wicket. Jacobs is a treat to watch when he gets going. No matter where the ball lands on the pitch he has the shot with which to play it or paste it. Sid. Carleton, of Rugby fame, put on a creditable 45, and C. M. Harris, who will be of Rugby fame in a year or two, 41. Altogether it was a very pleasant afternoon —for Old Boys. West Christchurch went out and slammed Old Collegians all over the field to the extent of 330 runs, and at that five members of the team failed to show any form, contributing only Ave runs.

But the better half simply waltzed away with the efforts of eight Collegian howlers and near bowlers. Veteran W. Hayes topped the list with a very bright and breezy 74. He is going better this year than he has clone for a long while. THE PRO. Next to him was J. Newman, and the English professional, though he treats the bowling with more respect than do some of the men he coaches, gave a flne performance of correct and easy cricket to score 66. L. G. Haynes notched an aggressive 68, in imitation of A. R, Blank, an earlier batsman, who hit eight fours in a score of 43. Blank scratched along for some time before he got started, then he bolted. J. L. Findlay batted nicely for 46 and T. Condliffe, with 29, completed the muster of scoring members. S. G. Lester, who seemed to be put on to change some of the change bowleg, got the wickets of .Newman, Blank and Haynes, and his average of three for 81 is not bad under the circumstances. Old Collegians have lost one wicket for 23. They will v have to fight a very stern battle against time this week. 'Midst air the big scoring that was going on around him G. R. Gregory, the East Christchurch captain, did the seemingly impossible, and went out for a miserable single. Gregory has oeen getting big scores with almost monotonous consistency /all through the season, and Riccarton was exceedingly pleased to break the monotony. East Christchurch did not recover from the shock, and the team was all out for 186, J. McEwin, by virtue of good driving and timing, being top scorer with 46. Charlie Rix, the old reliable, took seven wickets for 55 runs. The first four Riccarton batsmen got into the thirties, and when stumps were drawn Riccarton had scored 157 for the loss of four wickets. It looks bad for East. After making a good start this season Sydenham is stumbling badly through the competition at present, and it will have its work cut out next Saturday to ,head off the 220 runs scored by Linwood. C. S. Orchard provided the bright turn of the afternoon, and until he made his bow at the wickets the spectators'were yawning loudly. The main topic of conversation early in the match was how long Linwood would take to put on the first half-century. They took over 70 minutes. But Orchard changed the funeral dirge of batting into a quick step. He showed no respect at all for Messrs. Cunningham and Bellamy, who seemed to have the other batsmen scared. He went right out and punched noles In the atmosphere until he had amassed 68 runs. Then Bellamy bowled him. Sydenham used only three bowlers during the innings, and Cunningham took six wickets for 79 mint. ' With an hour of the afternoon left Sydenham went in, and lost four wickets for 36 runs. The position is desperate. On Saturday W. R. Patrick and C. Oliver were absent, the latter still nursing his injured finger. Unless they can be raked in to deal with the bowlers Linwood has a royal show of winning, especially if Reg. Read bowls with the good style in ■which he has collected three of the wickets already.