REP. CRICKET

Shannon News, 6 April 1923, Page 3

REP. CRICKET

HOROWHENUA DEFEAT TARARUA. PATRICK’S CENTURY. The representative teams from Horowhenua and Tararua met on the Palmerston North, ground on . Easter Monday. Ojwing to the, uncertain state of the weather neither team was at full strength. Randall won the toss and sent T'ararua in to bat on a dead wicket. Stevens and Patere opened to the bowling of Sloan and J. Patrick. Sloan’s first over was .a maiden, 5 being knocked off Patrick’s bowling. Runs came very slowly, both batsmen being content to play a. straight bat to anything on the wicket and to let anything not on the wicket go l by. After half an hour’s play, with the score at 10, Randall relieved Patrick at the eastern ; end and sent down two maiden overs. The sixth ball of the third over, a full toss, sent Stevens back to the pavilion. Patere was caught at cover by J, Patrick off the same

bowler in the fiext over. Both these

batsmen showed a stubborn defence. "Nelson, the Tararua captain, and Grant were the! next batsmen. Grant opened his account with a boundary and then both batsmen settled down to slow and uninteresting cricket. Bennett went on in place of Sloan at the town end. His first two overs were mostly short-pitched balls. Then Grant, in attempting to pull one to leg, sent it straight up aver the wick-et-keeper’s head. J. Patrick secured the ball and returned to Bennett and Nelson, who had backed up, could not get back, and was run out. Three balls later a! smart return to the wick-et-keeper by Hunt from cover point saw Grant run out. ITorowhenua’s fielding wa.s excellent and nothing was missed at any time during the game. McGrath and Armistead were the, next to occupy the crease, but they would not take any risks with the bowling. Field had relieved Randall at the eastern end and bowled four ovlerls for five runs. The luncheon adjournment was taken at this stage with the, scoring board showing four wickets for 43 runs after an (hour’s Play.

On the resumption of play, Patrick and Field were the bowlers. McGrath was caught at square leg by Sloan off Patrick. Both bowlers had found the ■spot and runs were extremely slow. Swainson, who had joined Armistead, was the first, batsman of the side to show a tendency to hit out. The partnership of the innings was put up by these two. Randall went on in place of Field and Sloan took up the attack at the opposite end. This change broke up the partnership, Swainson being howled by Randall. Beales was next in, but was bowled by Randall first, ball. Armistead was brilliantly caught by Field off Randall’s first ball next over. Armstrong was bowled by Sloan and Irving by Randall. The innings closed for 96 runs and occupied 140 minutes.

LIVELY BATTING BY HOROWHENUA G. Patrick and Prain opened the batting for Horowhenua to the bowling of Armstrong and Williams. Prain —after making two—miss-hit one to Short leg and was caught. Hunt -was next and did not seem" at home for some time. He survived an appeal for leg-before soon after starting. Patrick seemed to have completely collared the bowling by Ibis time and was giving a. fine display of bright forceful cricket-. In one over he hit 4 fours and rallied on 101 without giving a chance. It was a spectacular effort and easily the best put up for Horowhenua for tbei last 15 years. His score included 1 six and 13 fours. Hunt made 23 before Be was bowled by Armstrong. Bennett and J. Patrick then got going, and neither were in the least troubled by the: bowling, giving the field some great leatherhunting. Both threw their wickets

away cnving- to lack of time, Patrick being stumped and Bennett caught. Randall made 15 and was then bowled by Armistead. Field had five balls bowled to him and hit two sixes and a four, but was bowled by the fifth. Sloan put. on 20 a,nd was put out l.b.w. to Armistead. Hall, who is not usually a smiter, got to work and had 20 on, not out, when stumps were drawn with the total at 256 for the loss of 7 wickets in 150 minutes.

TARARUA. Stevens, b Randall 4 Patere, c J. Patrick, b Randall 18 Nelson, run out 4 Grant, run out 8 McGrath, c Sloan, h J. Patrick ...... 3 Armistead, c Field, b Randall 25 Swainson, b Randall .. 12 Beales, b Randall 0 Armstrong,, b Sloan, 5 Williams, not out 2 Irving, c Bennett, b: Randall 0 Extras 15 Total 96 Bowling analysis: Sloan 1 for 19, J. Patrick 1 for 26, Randall 6 for 20, Bennett 0 for 11, Field 0 for 16. HOROWHENUA Prain, c Beales, b Williams 2 G. Patrick, retired ....... ••101 Hunt, b Armistead 23 Bennett, c Williams, b Armstrong 38 J. Patrick, st McGrath, b Grant 16

Randall, b Armistead 15 Field, b Williams 16 Hall, not out 20 Sloan, l.b.w. b Armistead 20 Sadd, not out 3 Extras 2 Total 256 The bowling analysis was not recorded. p,, —.-.