Y.M.C.A.’S BRIGHT START

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 189, 31 October 1927, Page 10

Y.M.C.A.’S BRIGHT START

BOWLEY AND ELUOTT IN FORM LATER BATSMEN SLUMP A bright partnership by Bowley and Elliott, who made more than J half the Young Men’s total score, I was the oustanding feature of the J match between Y.M.C.A. and Uni- f versity. With this exception, the ball held command over the bat throughout the game. After a heavy morning dew. No. 2 ■wicket at Edf'n Park ironed out nic-ely for so early in the season. The ■wicket was on the* slow side, but later on. some of the bowlers were getting iL bit of “fizz” out of it, although it played well right through the afternoon, “bumpers” and “shooters” being conspicuous by their absence. Y.M.C.A. was given a great start by Bowley and Elliott. Both of them went 1 for the bowline:

ior me Downng with the utmost confidence right from the jump. Smeeton c*f£ected a separation just when it looked as if a three-figure opening partnership would be recorded, getting Elliott’s wicket with a ball that turned nicely with accelerated pace off the pitch. One for 97.

BATSMEN HELP BOWLERS The wicket was slow and inclined to play tricks, especially later on in the innings, when a drying wind was gradually removing the effects of the morning dew. Mutheson, in particular. seemed to get more life into his bowling as the afternoon wore on, and he finished up with the €;xcellent figures of four for 40. He was, however, considerably helped by the ultracautious tactics of the later batsmen. Bowley was very solid on the leg side, but for all that, it was not one of his best efforts. He gave Gee a very hard chance when 11, Ralfe an easy one at 34, Kelly a chance of stumping at 45, and Barnes a hard chance off the next ball; all before he had made 50. However, considering the fact that he had only arrived in Auckland a few clays before, after a long sea journey, these blemishes were quite excusable, and it was pleasing to find him getting into his stride so rapidly. He contented himself mainly with a policy of •‘safety first.” and at no time did he go in for fireworks, but he was scoring steadily all the time, and it was a good innings to watch. He found the boundary on 12 occasions, almost always with powerful shots on the leg side. ELLIOTT HITS OUT Ben Elliott’s debut with the Young Men was a most successful one. He rattled up his half century in breezy fashion, and never looked like getting out till Smeeton got one past him. Elliott is always liable to play havoc with any bowling once he gets his eye in. and one has a vivid recollection of a hurricane century on the North Shore ground last year when he flogged the bowling to all points of the compass. The ex-Devonport batsman played very littlo cricket last season, and at one stage it looked as if he was dropping out of the game. It is pleasing to see him on deck again. He is a type of batsman who does not let the grass grow under his feet when he is at the wickets, and he is always worth watching. Don Miller’s IS included two soaring sixers at Rule Garrard’s expense. The popular Y.M.C.A. sports secretary is looking very tit this year, and provided he is able to play his natural game, and go for the bowling, he ought to get runs. The weakness of the club’s batting at times last season found him playing a defensive game foreign to his natural hitting ability, but the way Elliott and Propped shaped on Saturday suggests that he will have a better opportunity this year to play his own game. Peoppell went in fifth wicket, and stayed right through to the end, getting 14 not out. He did not score very fast, but he made some nice shots. "Wells is another Devonport man who has joined Y.M.C.A. this year. He played in the Senior B grade last season, and is always “up on his toes” looking for runs. BARNES BOWLS WELL Although it was Matheson who got the best figures for Varsity, Barnes put up a first class performance with the ball, and his two for 52 in 15 overs was better than the figures indicate. University’s fielding was patchy, and a number of chances were missed. Still, it is early yet. Schnauer, the exGrammar boy, fielded well. Varsity had lost four wickets for sti when stumps were drawn for the day. Battinfi in a failing light, Varsity seemed unable to get going against Bowley’s policy of quick changes, and only Ralfe was able to hold up an end for any length of time. He succumbed eventually to one of Peoppell’s innocent looking deliveries, after a nicely played 31. Pearce, a promoted junior, was the best of the Y.M.C.A. trundlers. Bowling against the wind, he sent down a nice medium-paced ball, which had plenty of pace on it when it met the bat. Y.M.C.A. First Innings BOWLEY, lbw, b Matheson SI ELLIOTT, b Smeeton 51 RIDDOLLS, lbw, b Garrard 0 MILLER, c Ralfe, b Smeeton .. .. 18 PEOPPELL, not out 14 WELLS, b Matheson 17 PATOX, c Gee, b Matheson 4 PEARCE, run out 2 GORRIE, b Barnes 0 OTTER, b Baines 4 HUNT, b Matheson 0 Extras p Htt Total 101 of wickets: 96 07, 150, 150, 174 ITS, ISO, ISO, IS6, 191. Bowling: Matheson 4-4", Barnes 2-53, Garrard 1-SS, Smeeton 2-40. UNIVERSITY Innings SMEETON, b Pearce RALFE, c Elliott, b Peoppell Cl

KELLY, c Riddolls. b Bowley BANNISTER, b Riddolls SCHNAUER, not out 1 DOW. not out Extras ' Total for four wickets .. .. 5> Fall of wickets: 5, 20, 43, 44. Bowling: Bowley 1-30, Pearce 1-16, Rid dolls 1-3, Peoppell 1-7.