HARD HITTING

NZ Truth, Issue 1196, 1 November 1928, Page 16

HARD HITTING

Auckland Cricket Was Bright

'(From' "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.)

•An improvement must take place m the general state of the wickets before cricket m Auckland reaches ' the .really interesting stage; but the season is young, and by the time teams are fully into

their stride that improvement should be noticed. QN the day of play last Saturday the ■ weather was everything that could be desired by the knights of the willow, but previous heavy rains had left their mark on the wicket, which, m its sticky condition,' was anything but desirable. ;. ; : S;.:S A{'> '■ . '■; ''■'

One batsmih, "C. Allcott, missed'a century by nine^runs; ,AHe played any-' thing loose with;|confldfenceiarid r set; the fielders busy. ;'•> . ■"'V-'. * : 5v ! -'.' / ■ .:■•?;■ „■:'.

Some excitement was caused by All - cott and his partiier, Horspobl, for they laid on the wood' m great style ahd boundaries soon

bumped Graf ton's ' total. In eighty minutes the pair had- reached the century mark. . s i'. r '( Allcott lost his\ partner when their score . reached 166," ' end Postles scat-' 1 t.ere d ■ Allcott's stumps about two minutes later. His score of 91, on only a fair wicket, was i a good perform-; ance; If that is an in•dication of - how . Allcott is coming back after his apell last season, Grafton must welcome his reappearance^;' for on the previous' Saturday he proved that he still knew ■how to bowl, too. taking seven of the, wickets.

Finla.yson, bowl- | ins for Ponsonby against Nor t h , Shore, was the best man at -the other ; erid or the. Wicket „„„„

on tne day's play. A breeze certainly gave him assistance, but he did excellent work- on, a rather difficult wicket. . - ,

•He kept L>. i)acre so busy watching, the low track the .ball thiat he did not have time to 'score. Four- wickets for 22 was his :,final average— and he deserved every 6ne of them.

G. L. Weir, who- earned his provincial colors ; last season, ■ is apparently out to make his place .safe again this year. He kicked off with a nice century for Eden. For the beginning- of the season there does not seem much wrong up Auckland way, and no doubt the Queen City reps;j;!" will have a hefty - side. Bowley is/cbming, too! ,■ .