CRICKET ON FAST WICKETS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 201, 14 November 1927, Page 10

CRICKET ON FAST WICKETS

BRIGHT BATTING AT DEVONPORT DREARY DAY AT EDEN PARK BRIGHT and breezy cricket was the order of the day at Devonport on Saturday when the North Shore XI. rattled up the fine score of 418 against Grafton, which was reinforced by Rountree’s presence behind the sticks. This was the only purple patch in an afternoon of senior club cricket spread over the Devonport, Middlemore and Eden Park grounds. For the rest, batting was on the slow side, the bowlers being assisted to good averages by stodgy and unenterprising batting.

LIFELESS CRICKET ON GOOD WICKET UNIVERSITY AND EDEN WEIR BROS. BOWL WELL Getting first use of a good batting wicket. Varsity played an ‘‘in-and-out’* innings, which finally closed after three hours’ batting for 154. The change from the slow, tricky wickets of the previous week to a pitch with a bit of life in it proved too much for the majority of the batsmen. In most cases they played late to balls that ripped straight through with pace on, and the result among other things w r as a plentiful crop of l.b.w. decisions. Smeeton and Schnauer started off fairly well, but with the latter’s dismissal at 34 a mild “rot” set in, and Varsity had five down for 55 when Garrard find Kelly got together. They took the score to 99 before the wicketkeeper fell to a freak catch by Hockin, who stopped a hard drive with one hand, and caught the ball as it rebounded. GARRARD IN FORM Garrard gave a glimpse of his old form with the bat. He made some sparkling shots in front of the wickets, scoring mostly with a nicely timed cover drive, and hooking the short

ones between square leg and mid-cn. He was at the wickets just under the hour for his 41, and his innings undoubtedly saved the students from a batting collapse. Smeeton played a solid knock, although he was very slow, taking just under the hour to make 28. He made some nice shots all round the wicket. BUSY BROTHERS The two Weirs were the mainstay of the Eden bowling. The unenterprising methods of the Varsity batsmen llattered the bowling of the two brothers, who sent down a fair amount of loose stuff, which was treated with the respect it did not deserve. G. L. takes a very short run, but gets a lot of bodywork into his bowling, and makes pace off the pitch. The ball he got Gee with swung across nicely, and then broke back sharply, with just enough change of direction in each case to make it well-nigh unplayable. Eight out of his 20 overs were maidens. The other brother, Alison Weir, bowls a slower ball, turning them both ways, but relying mainly on the legbreak. Had he pitched them up a bit further he would probably have had a better average, but as it was he kept all the batsmen busy. Butter kept a good length, and it was seldom that many liberties were taken with his bowling. . McCarthy was rather erratic behind the stumps. although he caught Schnauer rather nicely. Postles, Butler Bennett, and Hockin were very good in the field, although some of the others were rather slack at times. W ith less than a couple of hours of play left, Eden commenced its first innings on a fraying wicket. Matheson wns raising litthe clouds of dust as he ••corkscrewed” up to the wickets. At times he took a bit of watching, but it looks as if his length will have to improve a lot between now and the New Year if he wants to keep his place in the Auckland rep. team. COOPER BATS WELL Eden lost two wickets cheaply, but Cooper evened matters up by a well played innings, which he will continue next Saturday with 61 already to his credit. Cooper has a peculiar push shot on the leg side, which it might have paid Garrard to have had watched in the early stages of his innings, as the Eden batsman was inclined to lift the h.i 11 dangerously. When Cooper was 27 he was nearly caught off Garrard’s bowling, but he went on and passed the half century by solid play. Results: UNIVERSITY First Innings. SMEETON b A. Weir 2S SCHNAUER, c McCarthy, b G. Li. KALFE. b G. L. Weir 1 MATHESON. c G. L. Weir, b A. Weir 12 GEE. b G. L Weir o • IARR UU >, lbw, b A. Weir 41 KELLY, e Hockin. b Butler 13 WILSON, lbw. b G. L. Weir 5 DOW. c A. Weir. I, Butler .... 6 BANNISTER, not out 7 BARNES, lbw, b G. L Weir IS Extras .. 11 Total 154 Fall of wickets: 34. 38 55, 53, 09. 110. :*!. 120. !54. Rowling: G. L. Weir 5-34: A. Weir, 3 t .. Butler, 2-14; Wheeler, 0-1; Cooper, 0-19. EDEN. First innings. P<>STLKS, lbw, b Smeeton 6 M < AKTHY, lbw, b Matheson .. .. 5 out 61 A W KIR. b Barnes 10 BENNETT, c Wilson, b Garrard .... 10 . BI’TLER. b Schnauer 2 k HEELER « Dow. b < larrard .... 7 G. L WEIR, not out 6 _S Total ft«r six wickets 115 tail of wickets: 13. 13. 32. S 3, S 3. 38.

Y.M.C.A. BATTING COLLAPSES SUBURBS OPEN WELL LOST CHANCES AT KING’S Playing against United Suburbs at King’s College on Saturday, Y.M.C.A. succumbed to the deadly bowling of Williams and Martin, and the whole side was out for 96 runs in their first strike on what was essentially a batsman's wicket. Suburb won the toss, and after much deliberation decided to put the opposing team in. Such an action puzzled both the Y.M.C.A. players and the onlookers at the time, but as things turned out, the move reulted in a decided advantage for the Suburban men at the close of the first day’s play. Evidently the desire to take full advantage of Bowley's absence influenced Williams in his decision, and realising that the English professional probably meant more to the Young Men as a bat than a bowler, he put Suburbs in, and thus showed that an occasional variation of a custom almost without exception doesn’t do any harm. SUBURBS’ SHREWD MOVE After the dismissal of Len Elliott, the Y.M.C.A. batting, with the exception of a bright innings by Wells, provided no obstacles to the attack of Williams and Martin. The opening batsmen had all but broken the back of the Suburban attack, and if the succeeding men had forced the pace, the whole aspect of the game might have been changed. Suburbs made a shrewd move in not electing to bat, but they took a big risk, and the Association’s men lost a wonderful chance when they resorted to purely defensive methods with the bat. Williams and Martin were never more dangerous than at the end of the innings, and yet the last men, who were sent out with instructions to hit at everything and anything, added 20 before a promising last-wicket partnership was broken. Such methods earlier in the game might have left Y.M. in a comfortable position, but as it is now, it looks as though more than Bowley will be needed to make up a big firstinning’s deficit. WILLIAMS’S FINE BOWLING But, although the batsmen at times unduly flattered the bowling, that does not detract anything from Suburbs attack. Williams, using his head well, got a good deal of assistance from the wind, and at one stage had an average of five for 19, while Martin took two wickets for none to start with. Their performances certainly served to dispel the fear that the newly-promoted team w'ould find its bowling weak on a batsman’s wicket. Williams bore the brunt of the attack and bowled throughout Y.M.’s first strike with a strong southwester blowing across the wicket. Leikis did not do as well as on the previous Saturday, and Martin relieved him at the southern end. The change was a most effective one, the newcomer securing a victim in each of his first two overs, while the Suburban skipper hit a tricky patch and dismissed Gorrie and Pearce with successive balls, the first-named being brilliantly caught by Martin at first slip. HENDY HITS OUT The direct contrast to the methods of Y.M.C.A. was the manner in which the Suburban batsmen went for the bowling. Kerr, a stylish left-hander, played a great innings to score 51 before playing one on off Elliott. liendy, always a forceful type of batsman, surprised his team mates-by scratching round for 15 minutes, but when he got his eye in, everything was treated in the same way and dispatched for the boundary. Wetherill hit up a breezy 23, and when stumps were drawn the Suburban men had four wickets down for 179, Hendy being 71 not out. Detailed scores: Y.M.C.A. First Innings. ELLIOTT, b Williams 17 WAYNE, c and b Williams 12 R. RIDDOLLS, b Martin 2 PEOPPEL, c Wetherill, b Williams . 6 GORRIE, c Martin, b Williams .... 0 WELLS, c and b Martin 23 PEARCE, c Leikis, b Williams .. 0 PATON. b Martin 1 OTTER, b Williams 14 H. RIDDOLLS, not out 10 BOWLEY (absent) 0 Extras* 11 Total 96 Bowling: Williams, 6-3 S; Leikis, 0-lS; Martin. 3-39. UNITED SUBURBS First Innings BUSHILL, c Wells, b Elliott 21 MARTIN, lbw, b Pearce 0 KERR, b Elliott 51 WETHERILL, c Gorrie, b Pearce .. 23 HENDY, not out 71 LEIKIS, not out G Extras 7 Total for four wickets 179 PONSONBY BATSMEN PLAY “THE ROCK”

LANGRIDGE STRIKES FORM The respectable score of 223 was run up by Ponsonby against Parnell at Eden Park on Saturday, and if the latter does not improve next week, on its opening strike, Ponsonby looks a good winner. Parnell at stumps had two wickets down for 32 runs. The Ponsonby men were at the wicket four hours, and of the team about three players were responsible for anything like a good display of cricket. It is scarcely to be expected that people will turn out to watch a cricket match if the players are to be allowed to tap every ball until after the lapse of an hour or so while they become set. Opening, McLeod and Taylor could not get far with Anthony and Goodsir, the pair being content to play cautiously. Forty minutes later, Taylor succumbed to a good ball from Aitken. N. C. Snedden replaced him and began to hit the bowlers about. When the score was 76 Snedden was beaten by Goodsir after an attractive display for 2S. Langridge was next man. The bowlers were being changed pretty often, but these two batsmen were opening out. McLeod was doing well

when Aitken clean-bowled him. His 35 was obtained after a slew opening, but a good recovery. When Smith went in there commenced the partnership of the match. The pair of them hit the bowlers all over the field, fours coming in rapid succession. At 170, three and a-half hours of play was registered, and it was here that Smith hit a high one which was taken by Irving. His 40 was the result of a great display. Commons came in and hit three fours off one over. When he was 19 he hit a ball into Turbott’s hands. The score was now 190. Langridge was still batting with assurance, but Smallwood, who followed Commons, obtained a single and then gave a nice catch to Aitken. Warneford was clean-bowled by Anthony before he had had a strike. Wheeler was next man. Langridge reached his half-century after hitting two boundaries off Anthony. When 53 he pulled a ball from Anthony on to his wicket, and closed an attractive innings. Roy joined Wheler, but he was run out before he had hit a ball. Newdick was the last man. Wheeler hit a six and a four off Anthony and seemed like making a score, but Newdick was clean-bowled in the next over. Ponsonby’s innings closed at 6.10 p.m. Righton and Turbott opened for Parnell, with Newdick and Smith bowling. The opening batsmen began slowly, tfen being shown after 25 minutes’ play. Turbott was caught by Roy when he was 14. Duncan was next man. but lasted only three balls from Snedden. when he was clean-bowled. Hay joined Righton, and the pair brought the score slowly to 32, when stumps were drawn. The work of Stewart, wicket-keeper for Parnell, was good. He gave an excellent account of himself, and let few chances slip by. The fielding of Parnell was also a feature, there being some great saves in all parts of the field: Details: PONSONBY. First Inning's. TAYLOR, b Aitken 16 SNEDDEN, N. C., b Goodsir 28 McLEOD, b Aitken 35 SMITH, c Irving, b Anthony 40 COMMONS, c Turbott, b Anthony .. 19 SMALLWOOD, e Aitken, b Anthony 1 WARNEFORD, b Anthony 0 LANGRIDGE, b Anthony 53 ROY, run out 0 NEWDICK,. b Anthony ’ 0 WHEELER, not out 16 Extras ’* 15 Total 223 Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-76, 3-92 4-170 5-190, 6-199, 7-199, S-210, 9-211, 10-223 Bowling: Anthony, <5-70; Aitken, 2-45: M°cC d oy:V-"9 43: IrVlnS ' °- S: > Klsslin *’ °- S2 - PARNELL oy ’ b Snedden 14 DUNCAN, b Snedden . n RIGHTON, not out . . ,n HAY, not out .. *.*. # / # " " *1 otal for two wickets 3^ BRIGHT BATTING AT DEVONPORT

SHORE HITS OUT Fortune favoured Frater again on h l6 s J?, ln 04 tlle ‘ :oin at Devonport, and the Shore skipper cheerfully opened the innings with P.ayer as a partner l iard , and true P‘ te >h with a Cast outfield. B rater set his side a good example for a brighter day's cricket by hitting 13 off Cyril Sneddon’s first over, and was 34 on when he overreached in feeling for a ball wide of the wicket, and Rountree whipped the bails for a close decision. Player and the colts who followed carried on the good work at a merry pace, and lut hard at anything loose, with the result that the fourth century was passed in about four and a-quarter hours’ actual batting. The innings closed for 418, and Grafton had five on for no wickets when an appeal for the light ended play in spite of the line total, no batsman reached the coveted century, Monteith and Colebourne iust missing when torcing the pace. Monteith showed a

welcome return to his best form of former seasons, and his innings was chanceless until brilliantly caught from a hard low drive when 91. His crisp driving and perfect timing behind the wicket delighted the spectators Colebourne played a V3ry solid innings for his S 7, and laid tne wood hard on to anything overpitched, while his defence was very sound. BUSH'S GOOD INNINGS Bush, another promoted junior is a left-hander with a free and graceful style, who uses his long reach effectively. He scored To freely all round the wicket. In compiling a useful 57, Player took a lot of the sting out of the Grafton attack, and laid the long handle on to the loose stuff. Hugh Webb is also a coming batsman, who rattled up 27 with two fours and two sixers, before being caught on the line with another fine drive, which was only inches short of a six hit. Saunders hit at everything from tne demoralised attack, and helped himself to 26. which included a and three fours. The Grafton attack was weak, and the ground fielding faulty, but the run of the ball in the outfield was erratic

at times. Rountree showed all his old cleverness behind the sticks, and only two balls passed him through the loneday’s stopping. Very few chances were droppped in the held, and the catches of Pope, Hopkins, and Hamilton were all splendid efforts. Details: NORTH SHORE. First Innings. st l°?. ntr f e , b Snedden .. 3 4 PRAYER, c Wylie, b Goodwin . 57 GEKRARD, c Pope, b Olsen 4 BUSH, b Hamilton 70 MOXTEITH, c Hopkins, b Wylie 91 Wylie " 01 COLEBOURNE, c Horspool, b GoodWEBB, c Hamilton, b Goodwin .. .. 27 JOHNSON, c Rountree, b Dykes . . . . l SAUNDERS, c and b Goodwin .. 26 SCOTT, not out 7 COATES, b Hamilton .. .. ” 0 Extras Total 41S Bowling: Goodwin, 4-6 S: Hamilton, 2-15; Wylie, 1-25; Dykes, 1-52; C. Snedden, o_l4*0 _ 14* sen ’ Horspool, 0-36; Sioman’, GRAFTON. First Innings. SNEDDEN, not out 4 WYLIE, not out * ’ ’ * * 1 Extras 0 Total for no wickets ... 5

EDEN SCORES WELL IN SENIOR B GRADE PONSONBY THREE FOR 67 Eden made a baki start against Ponsonbly at Victoria Park on Saturday afternoon. Bradanovich went before he had scored, with the total at four. However, Gillespie and Mills made a great second-wicket stand. The former batsman played with fine judgment and put the ball all round the wicket until he was clean-bowled by Mills for 38. After 75 minutes’ play Jefferies brought the century up, but when he had scored 46 he was caught behind the stums, after a great innings. Buisson and Hook batted freely, and the former brought his century up by hitting Langley for a single. Soon after the adjournment Hook gave a chance that was not accepted. The 300 mark came up by the ball going for four byes. Hook was caught in the long-field for 62—a very fine innings. The partnership had added 172. Buisson, who had played beautiful cricket, was stumped when he had scored 127. Cathrie carried his bat foils, the innings closing for 343. Over 40 boundaries were hit during the innings and there was also one five and one six. J. Mills took six wickets for 64, Warneford, one for 42; Langley, one for 65; Peebles, none for 46; Kemp, none for 59; Worth, none for 46. Ponsonby opened its first innings at 6.15. Langley, one of the opening batsmen, was clean-bowled for six. After scoring 14 Sellars was nicely caught in the long field by Bleakley. Just in time, Worth was caught for a patient 30, the total being 67. The other batsman was three, not out.

Shore Colts v Y.M.C.A. Shore Colts v. Y.M.C.A. —Y.M.C.A, was no match for the Shore Colts on the Devonport No. 2 wicket, and was defeated on the first day by an innings and 38 runs. Shore batted hist Long playing a solid innings for the top score of 40. Sampson (39 not out), Walters (3G) and T. Smith (19 ) laid the wood on freely, while the score mounted to 181. Stallworthy took live for 37 and Beech three for 46. The Young Men collapsed in their first venture, seven wickets were down for 14 runs when Stall worthy (26 not out) and Bunn (11) made a temporary halt. The innings closed for 10, eight batsmen securing “ducks.’' (1. Jay, six for 20, and T. Smith, three for 19. were the destroying angels responsible for the procession. In the second innings, Shore varied the attack, and Y.M. improved with a score of 103, the last wicket falling to Jay, just on the call of time. Wynne, three for 39. was Shore’s best bowler. Shore won on the first day by an innings and 38 runs. Parnell v. University.—Some bright batting was witnessed in this match. Parnell knocking up a neat 200 against Varsity. Singleton and Stehr both batted well for 69 and 66 respectively. Singleton hit seven fours and Stehr found the boundary on eight occasions. Cleary was Varsity’s best bowler, taking four for 19, while Nicholas got three for 63. Varsity replied with 103 for live wickets. Cleary making 45 not out by good cricket. SECOND GRADE Shore v. Y.M.C.A.—Shore: First innings, 137 (Davis 38, Davies 23, Foster 20, Lucas 15). Y.M.C.A. —First innings, 27 (Jack- 1 son live for 4, Smith four for 10). Second innings: 85. Shore won by an innings and 25 runs. THIRD GRADE A “Herald” v. Eden.—“ Herald,” first innings, 95 (R. Watkins 30, P. Watkins 14). Second innings: 127 for two wickets declared (R. Watkins 45 not out. N. Watkins 62 not out). Eden.—First innings, 44 (Reed 16). Second innings: 75 (Knight 19, Gillespie 13). “Herald” won by 103 runs. Shore v. Windmill.—Windmill: First innings, 84; second innings, 59. Shore.—First innings, S 8; second innings, 40 for nine wickets. Result in dispute. Windmill claim a full win by 15 runs; Shore claim a win by four runs on first innings, and that by mutual agreement as no tea interval was taken and stumps were to be drawn at seven. Balmoral v. Northcote.—Balmoral: First innings, 57; second innings, 63. Northcote: First innings, 59 (Couldrey 25 not out, Boyd 14). Second innings: 27. A four-point win for Balmoral. THIRD GRADE B Henderson v. W.Y.M.l.—Henderson: First innings, 62 (Raithel 21, Fitzpatrick 12). Second innings: 59 for two wickets (Wright 44 *iot out, Knight 12 not out). W.Y.M.l.—First innings: 146 for three wickets declared (Lewis 59, H. Chapman 33. D. Chapman 28. Kasper 21). Western United v. Swanson.—Western United: First innings, 59 (Cullerne 19). Second innings: 59 cor three wickets declared (H. Smith 26 not out, Cullerne 22). Swanson.—First innings: 32. Second innings: 22 for six wickets. A three-point win for Western United. FOURTH GRADE B All Saints’ v. Onehunga.— All Saints’: First innings, 41 (Cunningharm 10). Onehunga.—P'irst innings: 17. Second innings: 21. All Saints’ won by an innings and three runs—a fourpoint win. Victoria v. Ponsonby.—Victoria: First innings, 89 (G. Olsson 25, Hodder 20, Goldsworthy 15). Ponsonby. First innings: 34 (Dainsborougli IS). Second innings:

37 (Gurney 10). Victoria won by an innings and IS runs—a four-point Point Chevalier v. North Shore B.— Point Chevalier: First innings, 114 (.Wallace 35. Eyton 21, Bridges IS, Keast 15). Second innings: 4S (Hllerington 13 not out). Shore.—First innings: 71 (Ormiston 32). Second innings: 45. Point '■ Chevalier won by 46 runs—a fourI point win. SECONDARY SCHOOLS Mount Albert Grammar v. King's College.—Grammar: First innings, 249 (Bush 62, Webb 58, G. Vivian 41). King's College.—First innings: 135 | (Stewart 25 not out, Lewis 20). Sec--1 ond innings: 132 for five wickets (Gillett 56, Lewis 31). Mount Albert Grammar won by 114 runs on the first innings. CLUB FOR AVONDALE KEENNESS IN DISTRICT Avondale will be represented this season in one of the grades controlled by the Suburban Cricket Association. This decision was come to at a meeting called by Mr. A. Allen, when there was a fair attendance of followers of King Willow. A strong committee lias been set, up with a view to providing the ways and means of securing the necessary equipment, to cost in the vicinity of £ls. The subscription fee will be at a minimum, the object being to encourage membership. Permission to use the Avondale racecourse is to be sought of the controlling authority. The following executive has been elected:—Patron, Mr. H. G. R. Mason, president, Mr. PI. C. Hemus: secretary, Mr. A. Allen; treasurer, Mr. G. Hawthorne; management committee, Messrs. J. Jackson, H. Park, S. Shaw, V. Darby and P. Morrish. CENTURY SCORED AT TE AWAMUTU

BARNETT’S ALL-ROUND EFFORT (From Our Own Correspondent) TE. AWAMUTU, Sunday. The cricket match, Te Awamutu v. Paterangi, under the auspices of the Waipa Cricket Association, took place at Te Awamutu on Saturday, and resulted in a win for Te Awamutu by 82 runs, the scores being: Te Awamutu, 171; Paterangi, 82. M. Barnett was in good form and scored 101, including 15 fours and two

sixes, the next highest scorers being Roberts 21, R. Martin 20 not out. R. Lord 11.

For Paterangi Somerville topped the score for his side with 24, while C. J. Spiers 23 and R. Bourne 20 were the only others to get into double figures. For Te Awamutu Martin took four wickets for 14, Barnett five for 41, Lord one for 17, G. Morriss none for 7. For Paterangi, C. J. Spiers tobk two for 36, E. Brown one for 20, P. Bourne one for 21, B. Spiers one for 44. “THERE PASSED A WEARY TIME” CRICKETERS GO SLOW If Coleridge’s ancient mariner could have been present at Eden Park on Saturday, he would possibly have revised his estimate of the extremity of suffering endured by a tortured spirit. No greater penance could be imagined than to doom a man to spend Saturday afternoon at Eden Park watching one of last Saturday’s cricket matches If it was ever thought that the extra hour, which has been given to cricketers under daylight-saving, would brighten the play, the idea was fully disproved on Saturday. Late starting and lackadaisical cricket were even more in evidence than on the opening day. In the CJniversity-Eden match, the game was fully 10 minutes late in starting; the tea adjournment was exceeded by several minutes; and at least one University batsman exceeded his two minutes’ allowance in getting to the wickets. All told, the batting time amounted to 270 minutes, and only 269 runs were scored in the whole afternoon on a reasonably good wicket. For sheer futility and dreariness, this game would take a lot of beating. The Parnell-Pon son by Thatch was even slower. Over at Devonport, the North Shore eleven provided a refreshing contrast by knocking up 418 runs. Congratulations, Shore! It might not be a bad idea if some of our prematurely aged cricketers were sent to Dr. Voronoff for treatment. It would be better than paying Bowley to coach them. OLYMPIC TEST RACE

CYCLING IN AUSTRALIA WIN FOR VICTORIAN By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. SYDNEY. Sunday. The Olympic cycle test race of 120 miles unpaced, which was held to decide if any rider in Australia is worthy of selection for the Olympic road race, resulted as follows:—Lamb, Victoria, 1: Gould, New South Wales. 2; McWhirter, New South Wales, 3. Jime, 6 hours Smins 14sec. Representatives of all the States competed.—A. and N.Z.